Ryan Burr returned to host the Tuesday night edition of NASCAR Now. This thirty minute program was clearly aimed at building on the recent success of the big Monday one hour "roundtable" show hosted by Allen Bestwick.
Bristol winner Jeff Burton was on the air being interviewed right at the top of the show. Burr wasted no time in reminding Burton of his comments about the suggestions he was washed-up. Burton responded by explaining that he consulted his peers and those he admired in the sport to get their honest opinions about his situation.
Burr continues to work at a faster pace than most NASCAR fans are used to, but on this short program it works well. He reviewed the highlights and near misses during the race with Burton, who seemed to enjoy his time on the program. Burr even got Burton to pick Kansas to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament to close-out the interview.
David Newton has a lower profile as a reporter on NASCAR Now this season. His low key approach and the fact that both he and Burr mispronounced Aric Almirola's name did not put a good spin on the rest of his information. In this TV series, Newton has yet to define his role like Marty Smith or Angelique Chengelis.
NASCAR Now has been giving a lot of publicity to Tony Stewart's Sirius Radio show over the last year. From controversy to comedy, Stewart and his Producer Matt Yocum know how to spread Stewart's commentary across the media. Today, it was an awkward mix of Stewart getting his back waxed and clearing the air with Kevin Harvick after the Bristol wreck. Interesting that NASCAR Now would air this audio only content. Without pictures, isn't is just...radio?
Nice guy Mike Bliss was the next satellite interview. Bliss followed-up on his Bristol weekend, and addressed the issue of the Cup drivers dominating the Nationwide Series. Bliss reminded Burr that this season the Nationwide Series is struggling and without the Cup participants, there would not be much of a race. Burr got a little off-balance closing out the interview, and hopefully will learn that NASCAR fans just want information, and don't need "cute."
After news and notes, Burr closed the show by pronouncing Almirola's name correctly as he promoted him as being a guest later this week. The weekly feature looking back at the Bristol weekend was once again a great job of editing both audio and video. Perhaps, these features could be used in a year-end or mid-season recap show. They are outstanding.
NASCAR Now continues to work hard at raising its profile on Tuesdays, and having the race winner was a nice touch. David Newton does not bring the excitement or the possess the delivery that works well on TV. Burr is going to have to shift his style of interviewing Newton to get this journalist to come across more effectively on the little screen.
If this is the only speed-bump in the Tuesday drive, it is being made very clear this season that ESPN2 is continuing to build momentum with this daily series.
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24 comments:
I squirmed a bit when Burr mispronounce Amirola's name but I didn't make much of it. Could have been a misspelling on the prompter and as we all know, Ryan's still learning NASCAR. To this point he's done a good job.
I like the faster pace that Ryan brings. This ain't Othello and the point is to pack as much good information into the available time as possible. NASCAR Now is doing yeoman service in this regard.
ESPN has had to do a lot of work to bootstrap NN into a higher orbit. With Allen Bestwick in the big chair it is easily done. Relative newcomers like Ryan will need a little more time to acclimate. I, for one, think he's coming along quite well. Good job.
Aside from asking the one driver to dance for us (cringe, the show was good)
ESPN, THANK YOU for removing that ANNOYING space ship landing 'sound effect' when you show the blue text to the side of the talking head. I noticed the text appeared WITHOUT the loud sound effect that often took over the talking.
I noticed!!!! Didn't get to see the entire show but did notice that change. :)
Your comment on Monday's NASCAR Now:
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"ESPN has created a dynamic group of content that they cannot fit into primetime. This issue was on the table at the network long before NN became a hit.
Now, with another one of the top sports in the nation having a key program that must air in non-East Coast primetime, there are absolutely going to be some meetings.
As far as calling it the Second Coming after five weeks, nowhere is momentum more important than TV. It would not surprise me if this show finds itself re-airing on ESPNEWS as well, just like PTI."
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I don't think so. Why would a NASCAR program that's been around for five weeks re-air on ESPN NEWS instead of all the programs that have been in existence for years that don't re-air on ESPN NEWS? They don't reair Mike and Mike, NFL Live, College GameDay and just about everything else. But they're now supposed to have some meetings and jump on the NASCAR Now bandwagon. Come on. NASCAR Now couldn't even hold down the 6:30 timeslot it was given last year (got bumped when College GameDay returned to the air), and now you want a re-air?
I don't see Wilbon and Kornheiser whining that they're on the air at 5:30 on the East Coast, but you're doing that on behalf of Bestwick and Co. News for you: Most of the ESPN audience don't know who Allen Bestwick is (great as he is.)
Don't you think there are reasons that Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn are the only ESPNNews re-airs and the only ESPN programs to be placed online in their entirety? They are proven to be popular. They've proven to be popular for YEARS. You write a few good reviews about a show and you want the red carpet thrown out for it.Soon. Again, come on.
You're welcome to keep putting this out there -it is your blog- but it's not really fair to get your readers' hopes up just because you want to wish something into existence without anything - evidence of "momentum", past programming history, ratings information - to back it up. It's just you talking, quite frankly.
I don't understand why Almirola is so hard to pronounce. To spell, yes I understand!
I know he wasn't on the show tonight, but I want to compliment Rusty Wallace (the original "Eric Amarillo" pronouncer) on his off-TV endeavors. Finished reading an article on Jayski that says Chase Austin is not going to get to run Nationwide this year like he was supposed to, because the sponsors want to keep David Stremme in the RWI car. (Austin/Stremme were supposed to split it; Austin was going to race this Saturday.)
Chase would have been the only black driver running some race in NASCAR this year (super nice kid and good up and coming driver, I've met him) but the sponsors wanted to keep Stremme.
Now I really understand when some of these owners says its too hard to bring diversity into the sport. You bring up a driver the old fashioned way and then try to put him in good equipment as a reward after that, and the sponsor (Atreus) still says no. (After announcing the sponsorship and car split months ago). Kid didn't even get a chance.
Thanks for trying anyway, Rusty.
Anon 1:18AM,
Still not quite sure where you are going with all this. Once again you are incorrect, as you were with your PTI statement that the show does not re-air. I pointed out to you it re-airs on ESPNEWS because ESPN and ESPN2 are full of event programming.
Your statement about Mike and Mike in the Morning is also incorrect. Due to the popularity of that show, it is edited down into the "best of" and re-airs every weekday from 2:30PM to 3:30PM.
If you will take a minute to step-back, what we are talking about is how to better utilize the "support" style non-event programming that has now become very popular.
The "hole" in this category is the lack of East Coast primetime exposure on whatever TV or Internet pathway can be made available. We have seen many networks (check out hulu.com) scramble to get added visibility for their finished programs other than the single scheduled airing.
With the direct competition from InternetTV, it should be interesting to see what ESPN decides to do with this type of content in the future.
JD
JD
Has anyone seen/shared Britol race ratings for ESPN and FOX?
"Once again you are incorrect, as you were with your PTI statement that the show does not re-air."
It's you who are incorrect. I said that PTI re-airs on ESPN NEWS specifically because it's popular. I was trying to show you why NASCAR Now hasn't shown any reason it should be re-aired on ESPN NEWS(after five weeks!)and PTI has (it's popular and has been for a long time.). I said: "Don't you think there are reasons that Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn are the only ESPNNews re-airs". (See just a few posts above.)
It was not incorrect. If you look in the other thread, I also noted that PTI and ATH do NOT re-air in primetime on ESPN News, as you seem to want NASCAR Now to do.
Mike and Mike does NOT re-air on ESPNNEWS, it re-airs on ESPN2 during the day in the afternoon. Again - not primetime.
You said:
"what we are talking about is how to better utilize the "support" style non-event programming that has now become very popular."
I understand that. What I object to is your insistence that there is something inherently wrong with NN airing before East Coast primetime (no matter that all ESPN programming like this airs before/after primetime), and that ESPN is having all kinds of meetings to deal with it - because NN is such a big hit, it has to be taken care of immediately. I've seen no indication that this is true.
I reviewed my note above and never indicated that Mike and Mike aired on ESPNEWS, only that it re-aired in the afternoon.
In your first post, you indicated that PTI did not re-air. I checked your post before I created my response.
I cannot emphasize enough that this is one of the biggest issues on the table at not only ESPN, but other networks who originate "blocks" of sports events. We are about to see the multi-platform approach with NCAA Basketball Tournament being distributed over InternetTV.
I do not know if you are new to this blog, but we have been pushing ESPN to change ESPN Classic into a hybrid network that can be used for the purpose of re-airing exactly the type of programs that we are discussing.
When we first started this blog in February of 2007, we were laughed off the planet when we suggested that ESPN Classic would be used for live NASCAR races. Sure enough, as soon as the problems with ESPN scheduling reared their ugly heads, we saw ESPN Classic pressed into service as an outlet for NASCAR. Imagine that.
Now, what we are advocating is additional airings of current ESPN content on ESPN Classic. A Monday block of ATH, PTI and NASCAR Now would be a good start.
If the weekly thirty minute versions of NASCAR Now continue to pick-up steam, they may also be able to migrate to this re-air network because they cannot be shown as programs on the Internet.
I am sorry if thinking outside the box is upsetting you, but that is how we affect change and pushing for NASCAR to get the same respect as the stick-and-ball sports at ESPN is not going to stop anytime soon.
JD
I find the NN airs at a strange time in the Central Time Zone and almost always miss it and then I forget to record it. But I happened to catch last night's show and was disappointed that both fellas mispronounced Aric Almirola's name. Having a long name myself that gets misspelled and mispronounced a lot I find that they should get it right that's part of what they have to do is get everything right. And Mike Bliss's interview was fun & I enjoyed seeing him dance on the truck lid from his truck series wins.
Anon 1:18AM
You might gain a little more credibility by posting under a username rather than "Anonymous". You have very strong opinions and while I don't necessarily agree with them, using "Anonymous" suggests you may have something to hide or have an unknown agenda.
Like many other viewers, I also cringed at Ryan Burr's mispronunciation of Eric Almirola's last name. This mistake made it quite obvious that he failed to do his homework ahead of time and made him look inept and unprofessional.
I fast forwarded through most of the show but was glad to read that Burr got Eric's last name correct toward the end of the show. The little voice in his ear is probably the one we should thank for that.
Ryan Burr looks and sounds like Herman Munster! I can't believe ESPN picked him for a NASCAR show! You can tell he knows NOTHING about the sport and he's just reading what's in front of him!
"Ryan's still learning NASCAR."
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The host of the only daily NASCAR show SHOULD NOT BE LEARNING!!!!!
"In your first post, you indicated that PTI did not re-air. I checked your post before I created my response."
I give up. ***Look at the first post.***
Don't you think there are reasons that Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn are the only ESPNNews re-airs and the only ESPN programs to be placed online in their entirety? They are proven to be popular. They've proven to be popular for YEARS.
How is that not clear? I don't have edit capabilities as an anonymous poster, so I didn't change it.
"Now, what we are advocating is additional airings of current ESPN content on ESPN Classic. A Monday block of ATH, PTI and NASCAR Now would be a good start."
Uh huh. So now you want airings on ESPN Classic, not ESPN News as you wanted last night. (Again, check above to see what you wrote.)Okay. What will it be tomorrow?
Regarding Classic: "Hey guys, let's throw in some random new sports show with our two most popular shows and put them on ESPN Classic, which only reaches 58 percent broadcast clearance! Forget pairing them with Baseball Tonight, forget NFL Live. Why air those with PTI and ATH when we have NASCAR Now?"
I don't have an agenda, Mikel29. I'm just appalled at how this blog is just throwing things up against the wall. Complete with exaggerrations to see if they stick, when they make no sense for ESPN. Throwing out things that haven't been proven, such as NASCAR Now is a hit show (where are the ratings?) and ESPN is meeting to figure out what to do with the show because it's so awesome. No proof of this has been given, and it's wrong to mislead readers in that fashion.
And I say that simply as a regular viewer of NASCAR and ESPN (who knows something about media sales and ads, and how ratings affect both). I'm imagining that those who are working at ESPN are shaking their heads at this.
You're not upsetting me in the least. I just think your readers deserve better information and a realistic picture. But as I said in my first post - it's right there - it's your blog.
Boy, what a breath of fresh air ESPN'S NASCAR NOW has become, especially on Monday with the 1 hour panel format. What a great team of knowledgeable, interesting on air personnel they have put together, that relate information I am really interested in. To me, a lifetime racer,and fan, who has always loved racing, this is my type of show. Others I know and some of my close friends who grew up with racing really like ESPN's approach as well. I realize others like the FOX/SPEED approach, but this to me is what I like . The other Beverly Hillbillies / WWE approach,that FOX uses, rubs me the wrong way. I ALWAYS MUTE the beginning of every FOX race and know many others that do also. We also tape the pre and post race shows and only watch when the drivers speak. So keep it up ESPN, you are adding to my enjoyment of racing.
I have heard Ryan pronounce Aric's name correctly in the past, I wonder if David Newton getting it wrong threw him off. Overall it was a good show I thought the Bliss interview was fun and since I wasn't into trucks when he won those races I missed the dancing the first time. Very original victory celebration he should consider keeping it cause it certainly beats snow angles. Ryan's interview with Jeff B was very well done, he asked a probing question on a very sensitive issue without making in an interrogation as we saw last year.
JD I hope anon118 gets a name or moves on he's expressed his opinion in detail, right or wrong he's entitled to it but I for one am getting tired of his/her continued need to argue. Don't feel the need to respond it seems just to egg on further argument.
Changing the subject :-) has anyone watched NASCAR in a Hurry on SPEED the last two weeks or am I the only one?
Has anyone watched Quest for the Cup from NASCAR Images on VOOM on Dish TV? JD asked if anyone had seen it after it was Nominated for an Emmy. No one replied. Somebody has to have watched these shows. I want to know what Quest for the Cup is about. :-) It's coming on today on the Jayski TV schedule.
I watched Nascar in a Hurry. I would prob really like it if I was unable to see all the shows they took the clips from but luckily I was able to DVR and watch those shows. I will definitely make an effort to watch when on vacation and no DVR avail. Adam Alexander does a good job and if you do not want to or can not watch all the earlier shows I would recommend it.
Sorry no Vroom here so can't comment on the other but the premis sounds like I would want to see it.
MikeL29 said...
Anon 1:18AM
You might gain a little more credibility by posting under a username rather than "Anonymous". You have very strong opinions and while I don't necessarily agree with them, using "Anonymous" suggests you may have something to hide or have an unknown agenda.
March 19, 2008 12:16 PM
Why do people on here want names..you can put anything in for your name.
I have not seen Nascar in a Hurry, but I am planning on watching it (at least via DVR) this weekend. In my opinion, Speed has not done a good job promoting that show...I didn't hear anything about it until i was scanning through TWIN last monday.
You guys have some good points. I did not review "NASCAR in a Hurry" because it was Adam Alexander on top of a hauler "throwing" to video clips of shows on SPEED from the previous two days.
There was no independent content in the show, and no special features, to be honest, I kind of view it as the SPEED version of ESPNEWS for thirty minutes. Just a review of taped material with a host.
Once racing resumes, I will DVR it again and see if we can get some comments going on the program. Thanks for reminding me.
JD
You might gain a little more credibility by posting under a username rather than "Anonymous". You have very strong opinions and while I don't necessarily agree with them, using "Anonymous" suggests you may have something to hide or have an unknown agenda.
That's just dumb. The only person on this forum who uses his full name is JD. Anyone else is just as anonymous (wih their fake 'handle') as someone who doesn't have a handle.
I'm just appalled at how this blog is just throwing things up against the wall. Complete with exaggerrations to see if they stick, when they make no sense for ESPN. Throwing out things that haven't been proven, such as NASCAR Now is a hit show (where are the ratings?) and ESPN is meeting to figure out what to do with the show because it's so awesome. No proof of this has been given, and it's wrong to mislead readers in that fashion.
I agree. Last season, ESPN could do nothing right, according to this blog. Now, ESPN is the golden child and Fox is the screw-up.
When ESPN takes back NSC coverage, I figure they'll be the bad guys again. then Fox (or even NBC) will be held up as the heroes.
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