ESPN's "Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame"

MrHaroldG · 06-27-2005, 01:40 AM

By now, many of you may have seen the "Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame" series on ESPN (at least the episodes that have been aired). The show examines athletes, coaches, teams, front office, and even fans who have been blamed for a team's failure, their own failure, the demise of a franchise, or what have you. The show explains why the person or team has been blamed, then give the top 5 reasons why they can't be blamed by peeling away the layers between fact and fiction. This web page has a list of the episodes that have been/will be aired.

Tara · 06-27-2005, 01:47 AM

I didn't know this one....
Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: The Atlanta Falcons for Trading Brett Favre.
Maybe is just few years I like football.

MrHaroldG · 06-27-2005, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tara

I didn't know this one....
Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: The Atlanta Falcons for Trading Brett Favre.
Maybe is just few years I like football.

The first time I saw the listing...I thought it was more a case of hindsight being 20-20. But I remember now that Favre was overweight as a rookie (248 pounds, compared to 224 now).

Radii · 06-27-2005, 08:45 AM

# Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Muhammad Ali for Avoiding the Vietnam War, on September 26th at 9pm.

That should be interesting.

Surtt · 06-27-2005, 09:40 AM

Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Baseball for Trying to Keep Pete Rose Out of the Hall of Fame.

Who blames baseball for this?

CHEMICAL SOLDIER · 06-27-2005, 10:09 AM

Sheesh.

Lathum · 06-27-2005, 10:26 AM

Is there a "top 5 reasons you can't blame ESPN for sucking"

larrymcg421 · 06-27-2005, 10:50 AM

I love this idea. I hope they do an episode on Fred Merkle.

MrHaroldG · 06-27-2005, 11:45 AM

Incidentally, the web page doesn't list another episode which has already aired: The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame Jerry Krause for the Demise of the Chicago Bulls.

As for Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Umpire Don Dekinger for the Cardinals Losing the 1985 World Series - that should be interesting. I didn't think it was more to it than that, as blatant as that call was. But then, the call was in Game 6, and had the Cardinals won Game 7 (of course, they got lambasted) it would have been a moot point.

Also, I could pretty much name the Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Bill Buckner for the Red Sox Losing the 1986 World Series. Like the Denkinger call the year before, and Steve Bartman's interference of the foul ball, Buckner's error also occurred in a Game 6. Other reasons not to blame Buckner:

Calvin Schiraldi. The Red Sox, remember, had a 2-run lead. Someone should be accountable for the runs that tied the game in the first place.
John McNamara. In each post-season game the Red Sox were winning late, McNamara had always replaced Buckner (who could barely walk, much less run, at this moment) with Dave Stapleton at first base. Until there.
The Mets were the better team. How quickly people forget - they had won 108 games to 95 for the Red Sox. You don't win that many games without finding out a way to win a few at the end.

sterlingice · 06-27-2005, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrHaroldG

As for Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Umpire Don Dekinger for the Cardinals Losing the 1985 World Series - that should be interesting. I didn't think it was more to it than that, as blatant as that call was. But then, the call was in Game 6, and had the Cardinals won Game 7 (of course, they got lambasted) it would have been a moot point.

Man, I get so tired of hearing those self proclaimed best fans in baseball come into KC and just bitch and moan like crazy about that call 20 years later. Haven't been to a KC-St Louis game yet, and I've been to 4 or 5, where they bring it up without fail.

SI

MrHaroldG · 06-27-2005, 02:38 PM

The latest installment, which comes on tonight, features Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: The Trail Blazers for Drafting Sam Bowie Over Michael Jordan. As big a Bulls fan as I am, and as happy as I am that Portland passed over Jordan and drafted Bowie instead, I'm also curious to see why the 'Blazers should not be blamed. The preview mentioned that Portland needed a center, which pretty much makes sense; they needed someone to combat the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jack Sikma. They also mentioned that Dean Smith may have tried to keep Jordan a secret from the NBA; no one expected him to be as good as he would become. I wonder where, if anywhere, Clyde Drexler figures into this - in him, Portland already had an up-and-coming shooting guard. If Portland drafted Jordan, where would they have had room for both?

sabotai · 06-27-2005, 02:43 PM

They used to show the episodes of this on ESPN2 and I watched them. I thought this was probably the best show on ESPN (although that really isn't saying much). Unfortunately, I do not get ESPN Classic, so I'm SOL on catching it now. Thank you ESPN for putting your best show on your 3rd network. Oh no, really, I'd love to see more 8 Ball or woman's golf or bowling....

ISiddiqui · 06-27-2005, 03:07 PM

Wow... sounds like a great show. I'll be watching a few of these. Hopefully they can keep churning these out.

Greyroofoo · 06-27-2005, 04:33 PM

*adds to list of why i can not be blamed for not watching espn*

06-27-2005, 10:09 AM	#6
CHEMICAL SOLDIER College Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Henderson, Nevada	Sheesh. __________________ Toujour Pret

06-27-2005, 10:50 AM	#8
larrymcg421 Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Georgia	I love this idea. I hope they do an episode on Fred Merkle. __________________ Top 10 Songs of the Year 1955-Present (1976 Added) Franchise Portfolio Draft Winner Fictional Character Draft Winner Television Family Draft Winner Build Your Own Hollywood Studio Draft Winner

06-27-2005, 03:07 PM	#13
ISiddiqui Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Wow... sounds like a great show. I'll be watching a few of these. Hopefully they can keep churning these out. __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

06-27-2005, 01:47 AM	#2
Tara Mascot Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rome, Italy	I didn't know this one.... Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: The Atlanta Falcons for Trading Brett Favre. Maybe is just few years I like football.

06-27-2005, 08:45 AM	#4
Radii Head Coach Join Date: Jul 2001	# Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Muhammad Ali for Avoiding the Vietnam War, on September 26th at 9pm. That should be interesting.

06-27-2005, 09:40 AM	#5
Surtt College Benchwarmer Join Date: Nov 2003	Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Baseball for Trying to Keep Pete Rose Out of the Hall of Fame. Who blames baseball for this?

06-27-2005, 10:26 AM	#7
Lathum Favored Bitch #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: homeless in NJ	Is there a "top 5 reasons you can't blame ESPN for sucking"

06-27-2005, 11:45 AM	#9
MrHaroldG n00b Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Chicago, IL	Incidentally, the web page doesn't list another episode which has already aired: The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame Jerry Krause for the Demise of the Chicago Bulls. As for Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Umpire Don Dekinger for the Cardinals Losing the 1985 World Series - that should be interesting. I didn't think it was more to it than that, as blatant as that call was. But then, the call was in Game 6, and had the Cardinals won Game 7 (of course, they got lambasted) it would have been a moot point. Also, I could pretty much name the Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Bill Buckner for the Red Sox Losing the 1986 World Series. Like the Denkinger call the year before, and Steve Bartman's interference of the foul ball, Buckner's error also occurred in a Game 6. Other reasons not to blame Buckner: Calvin Schiraldi. The Red Sox, remember, had a 2-run lead. Someone should be accountable for the runs that tied the game in the first place. John McNamara. In each post-season game the Red Sox were winning late, McNamara had always replaced Buckner (who could barely walk, much less run, at this moment) with Dave Stapleton at first base. Until there. The Mets were the better team. How quickly people forget - they had won 108 games to 95 for the Red Sox. You don't win that many games without finding out a way to win a few at the end.

06-27-2005, 02:38 PM	#11
MrHaroldG n00b Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Chicago, IL	The latest installment, which comes on tonight, features Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: The Trail Blazers for Drafting Sam Bowie Over Michael Jordan. As big a Bulls fan as I am, and as happy as I am that Portland passed over Jordan and drafted Bowie instead, I'm also curious to see why the 'Blazers should not be blamed. The preview mentioned that Portland needed a center, which pretty much makes sense; they needed someone to combat the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jack Sikma. They also mentioned that Dean Smith may have tried to keep Jordan a secret from the NBA; no one expected him to be as good as he would become. I wonder where, if anywhere, Clyde Drexler figures into this - in him, Portland already had an up-and-coming shooting guard. If Portland drafted Jordan, where would they have had room for both?

06-27-2005, 02:43 PM	#12
sabotai General Manager Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Satellite of Love	They used to show the episodes of this on ESPN2 and I watched them. I thought this was probably the best show on ESPN (although that really isn't saying much). Unfortunately, I do not get ESPN Classic, so I'm SOL on catching it now. Thank you ESPN for putting your best show on your 3rd network. Oh no, really, I'd love to see more 8 Ball or woman's golf or bowling....

06-27-2005, 04:33 PM	#14
Greyroofoo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alabama	adds to list of why i can not be blamed for not watching espn

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