ESPN and their latest top 100 list of 21st-century athletes has added to the frustration fans feel towards the sheer amount of rankings that ESPN has put out. The list itself is contentious, with many notable snubs, but it’s the way ESPN presented it that has irked many, including some within their own network. Pat McAfee has been particularly vocal, slamming the network for its approach.
Advertisement
During an episode of the Pat McAfee Show, Pat ripped into ESPN for putting out inconsistent and frustrating content. He expressed his disdain for both the list and the criteria used to create it, criticizing the network’s selections. Calling it dreadful, he felt this stuff makes fans hate the network.
“Now, there is a top-100 list that’s coming out from ESPN people, and I’ll tell you what, it is the epitome of everything that everybody hates about ESPN. What they chose to do in ranking the top 100 athletes from the 21st century, they only gave us 5(1)-100 yesterday. What a sh*tshow. What an absolutely terrible list. And we’ll blame Dan Orlovsky for that.”
The rankings have drawn criticism from many in the sports community. Connor McDavid and Alex Ovechkin, two of the most talented hockey players in this century, find themselves way down the list.
Additionally, the list has been criticized for being too American-centric, with players from the NBA, NFL, and MLB occupying the top spots despite these leagues not having a global presence.
Pat McAfee has been particularly critical of ESPN’s lists, including their top 10 lists for NFL skilled positions. He took a jab at the top 10 QB list, calling it a dumb idea to combine the ideas and opinions of a slew of people and present it as one person’s concept.
Dan Orlovosky chimed in, pointing out that the list leaves out some young high-end QBs. He emphasized that while not every QB is capable of winning games by themselves, it doesn’t mean they are not great. They just need a bit more help to make a difference. Orlovsky noted that there are many factors when it comes to winning games, and the rankings fail to capture this complexity.
McAfee’s ability to speak his mind, even against his network has given others on the network to obtain leverage while negotiating their deals.
Pat McAfee Is Changing the Game
Pat McAfee signed a lucrative 5-year $85 million contract with ESPN when he moved his show to the platform, allowing the network giants to license his show. As per Front Office Sports, he retained his creative freedom, and ability to call his experts and guests, despite objections. He has also taken shots at executives of his network, and ESPN brass is tolerating his antics because of his popularity among youth and the energy he brings to their other shows.
On the other hand, Stephen A. Smith, who is up for his own lucrative contract, has approached negotiations with professionalism, refusing to ruffle any feathers. Unlike McAfee, Stephen A. has coolly played his hand, leveraging his immense popularity.
