Posted in On the DL Podcast
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10/5 2010

DL448: Heat Index, Bacon on Euro’s Ryder Cup Win, Dexter, Mad Men

Posted by Dan Levy.

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We end the show with our weekly recaps of Dexter and Mad Men. We’ll continue to do these on Tuesday so we don’t spoil anything for those of you — or of us — who DVR it and watch it on Monday. If you don’t get to it by today, sorry, you just don’t care that much and probably won’t mind the last 17 or so minutes are about that.

But first…

Nick and I talk about ESPN’s Heat Index. No, it’s not Blog Buzz repackaged. It’s actually a blog about the Miami Heat. From ESPN PR:

ESPN.com will launch The Heat Index, a special section devoted specifically to daily, season-long coverage of the Miami Heat and their new superstar core of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, on Monday, October 11. The Heat Index will be housed under the ESPN.com NBA section and will include in-depth editorial coverage (columns and blogs), video, audio, automated modules, social media elements, photo galleries and other multimedia offerings.

We actually think the blog is a fine idea, and not too dissimilar to what they’re already doing with the TrueHoop and SweetSpot networks. The difference here, however, is that this blog will have two full-time beat writers plus a host of high-profile contributors. The iron is hot, and ESPN is striking with it.

We do question if he iron is hot only because ESPN heated it themselves. Is this blog in response to the demand for Heat coverage, or a justification for all the over-coverage. And can ESPN be trusted as an impartial news source when it comes to LeBron James, or the Heat?

That, of course, leads to Brian Windhorst, who left the Cleveland Plain-Dealer for a gig with ESPN. Tommy Craggs had the best rip on this at Deadspin. It’s utterly fantastic.

Oh, and Dan Shanoff thinks this idea is brilliant. It’s amazing he typed that whole thing while patting himself on the back the entire time (I love Dan, he knows that).

GOLF GOLF GOLF

Shane Bacon and I recap the Ryder Cup, from the European win to the United States comeback to the amazing putt on 16 by Graeme McDowell to the choke job on 17 by Hunter Mahan (and Stewart Cink) and everything in between.

We spend a lot of time — because it matters to me — on what the heck the players were wearing. Purple? Sweaters with the trophy on them? Awful. And yes, I find a way to equate those choices with Corey Pavin’s job as captain.

We also discuss the TV coverage — namely, Johnny Miller — as well as the course, and how amazing the scene was on TV when the Europeans won.

And, of course, Bacon’s prediction was wrong…again.

CULTURE POP

We recap Dexter and Mad Men. We won’t ruin anything in print, but listen and please share your thoughts in the comments, or via email.

Thanks as always.

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Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:51AM

 

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  1. mlmintampa
    10/5 2010

    You nailed it with Shanoff and the Tebow blog vs. Heat Index. Shanoff was essentially no different than me (or someone in their mom’s basement) writing about the Gators as a hobby. If anything, Shanoff was lazy in not using his connections to get press passes or practice availability. I know I was disappointed in the Tebow blog because I was expecting original reporting. Instead it was the same thing I could do, while holding a 9 to 5 job.