Monday, June 25, 2007

MASN Sucks

WWN has one of the reasons.

The continued employment of Ray Knight and Bob Carpenter is another.

Another is their stupid Super Slow Mo Cam, which they trumpeted in the lamest press release man has ever written, and which appears to be from ever viewing I've seen, the same stupid slow mo cam they had before, just with a stupid graphic.

One more is their stupid score updates, and how they haven't figured out how to flash stale, unimportant scores without distorting the picture. This was particularly annoying during Beverly D'Angelo's AB today, when they decided that Tim Hudson's delivery of a 3-2 pitch would be the perfect time to squash the screen, distorting the perspective.

And finally, is the fact that they have the stupidest fecking chryon people in the business who repeatedly misspell and screw up player's names, whether opposing (see: Peavey, Jake) or hometown heroes (see: Zimmerman, Brian). Today's offense was their announcement that SS "Christian Guzman" would miss the year.

It's not like those douchenozzles are paid to watch or pay attention to the team or anything.

(How come blogger's spell check doesn't recognize that word?)

  • Oh yeah, I forgot about the other one. Those meatsacks also see fit to squeeze our screen and flash the score of the VERY GAME we're watching, the same game that Charlie on the radio refuses to give the score of. Perhaps MASN could loan it to him?

    • posted by Chris Needham at 8:57 PM

    32 Comments:

    • Please, if you are going to do the "D'" joke, use Olivia D'Abo. Much hotter. Thank you.

      By Blogger Harper, at 6/25/2007 9:24 PM  

    • Google image search would agree!

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/25/2007 9:29 PM  

    • Let me add to the list MASN's idiotic "trash talk ads." Do the people who write those actually like baseball? The one I really hate is the one where they claim that "lifetime" right handed batters hit .188 off John Patterson. Of course, that stat is not true. But then they take that fake stat and taunt "what are you going to do about that, Travis Hafner." Now, forget that Patterson is on the DL and won't be pitching against the Indians. But Hafter bats frigging left handed. So why would he care about the fake stat on Patterson's success against right handers??? They did the same thing with Chipper Jones earlier this year.

      And does anyone really think that third basemen "hate" Nook Logan? I mean, I guess he creates extra work for third basemen by making them cover the bag and tag him out when he mindlessly strays off third, and Zimmerman might be one third baseman who hates Nook Logan, I suppose. But do any other third basemen really hate the Nookster?

      By Blogger John O'Connor, at 6/25/2007 9:49 PM  

    • I bet if you polled the 30 MLB third basemen, at least five of them wouldn't know who Logan is. ;)

      The Federal Baseball blogger hates those ads with a passion. There's one that talks up Austin Kearns by noting that he hits for a higher average against left-handed pitching (duh, he's a right-handed batter), but that he's a super threat because he actually has more homers against right-handed pitching. (Duh, because he faces RHP in 75% of his plate appearances!)

      Supposedly there was one this weekend, with Chad Cordero taunting Victor Martinez. I didn't see it, but...

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/25/2007 9:52 PM  

    • Semi-OT: Let the record show, that at 7:23 pm EDT on June 25th, A.D. 2007, Charles Slowes gave a mid-inning score update.

      I nearly crashed the car.

      By Blogger Rocket1124, at 6/25/2007 10:19 PM  

    • Oh, and MASN sucks. F**k Angelos.

      MASN and MASN2 are the only channels on my cable system that occasionally get jerky pictures or have the audio go out for extended periods. I e-mailed the donkeys and their form reply blamed the cable system.

      By Blogger Rocket1124, at 6/25/2007 10:32 PM  

    • I get that too. The picture will black out occasionally with "Weak Signal" marked at the top -- that's not my TV, since no other channel displays it, and it's not my TV's system font.

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/25/2007 10:34 PM  

    • It seems like the Nats have one great cheesy ad each year. The first year, it was "The Jose Way". The second, it was the "Gimme That" Cap Night. And this year, it's the Nick Johnson plate patience ad. I love how they try to make taking balls exciting. Instead of ending in a walk, it ends in a pitch to hit, with the great "Oh yeah".

      Besides, the Nats taunting the best in the league is kinda funny in itself... it'd be nice if they at least got their facts straight though, with whatever spin.


      Sorry for saying something positive on the MASN-bashing thread...
      -cass

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/25/2007 11:14 PM  

    • Sorry for saying something positive on the MASN-bashing thread...

      That's ok. Just don't let it happen again!

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/25/2007 11:31 PM  

    • If you've ever watched the Dodgers or Rockies on their respective regional Fox channels, they actually have a legitimate super slow-mo, and it is useful.

      Similarly, at first, I was excited to hear that they're installing base cameras at the new stadium. They have those at Dodger Stadium, and when used sparingly and appropriately, they can be a great addition to the game. But then I came to my senses -- MASN is just going to fuck it up like they do with all their camera angles. MASN has the worst direction and camera angles of any RSN. I was going to say the worst production values overall, but RSTN might have them beat.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/25/2007 11:41 PM  

    • The one that pisses me off is when they cut to the low angle from the side when there's a play at the plate.

      You lose all perspective of the throw, where it's coming from, and the angle it's taking, as well as lose any chance of seeing what's actually happening at the plate.

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/25/2007 11:44 PM  

    • MASN apparently is run by amateurs, from what I have seen myself and read from others. The fragmentation of broadcasting in general is diluting the quality all around; more people are doing it, but they are less knowledgeable in how to do it right. Sort of like blogging. Hmmmm.

      My pet peeve is the camera following the fly ball through the air. Pull back and show a wide view of the action on the field and let the fielders tell you where the ball is by their reactions (save for Logan's!). This also allows the viewer to see the base runners doing their thing.

      MASN ought to be creative, or at least open to suggestions, since they don't seem to be making too many friends as it is now.

      By Blogger Bote Man, at 6/26/2007 12:26 AM  

    • I agree. Those "trash talk" ads are downright embarassing.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 1:22 AM  

    • The best/worst came this past weekend against Cleveland. You remember, the night Victor Martinez hit a three-run home run off the closer?

      In between innings, they do the trash talk ad for Cordero and close with: What are you going to do about that Victor Martinez?

      How 'bout hit one out to dead fricking center in the ninth?

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 5:55 AM  

    • MASN changed channels on my TV with no warning, thats stupid! ggrrr

      By Blogger Unknown, at 6/26/2007 8:24 AM  

    • Uh, that's not MASN. That's your provider.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 8:39 AM  

    • I have heard that Kansas City is the only MLB organization outside the MASN "network" that does not broadcast games in HDTV.

      It was a real bait & switch. DC was awarded a team after providing a free stadium. Then MLB turns around and has the Nats reporting to the O's for TV control and all the revenues. Why not order Ford to report to GM? Or Apple to report to IBM?

      This limits the future a lot. Who knows what direction the media markets and technology will take, but the O's will have their pockets open.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 8:42 AM  

    • While I'm not terribly fond of MASN I do believe they're going to offer HD in 2008.

      Keith

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 9:23 AM  

    • I have heard that Kansas City is the only MLB organization outside the MASN "network" that does not broadcast games in HDTV.

      I have Extra Innings, and the few times I've watched Royals Television Sports Network it's looked flat and washed out. Of course, I watch TV on a 27" CRT that's going on 10 years, so maybe it's just my TV.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 9:31 AM  

    • "Game Over, Victor Martinez".

      By Blogger (j)on, at 6/26/2007 10:37 AM  

    • Before condemning of the distortocrawl, I ask you: How else would we know MASN is the official newtork of the John Riggins radio show?

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 11:58 AM  

    • Perhaps, I am alone in this assessment, but I like Bob Carpenter.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 12:09 PM  

    • You're pretty close to alone!

      What do you like about him? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/26/2007 12:13 PM  

    • You people are making WAAAY too big of a fuss about the "trash talk" ads. Hello people - they're COMMERCIALS. That's what they do - they hype the product. I accept them for what they are. How many times as a kid did a toy look really NEATO in the TV ad and turn out to be crappy once you got it home? I would have thought that you all would have figured out how advertising works by now - I assume most of you aren't kids anymore.

      By Blogger natsagainatlast, at 6/26/2007 12:22 PM  

    • The YES super slo mo is really good, to the point of actually showing the bat bend upon contact. Do any of our guys get around fast enough to bend the bat? Would MASN actually be technically smart enought to show it?

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 12:22 PM  

    • Yep. We're just idiots who don't understand how advertising works.

      I see your point, but they're dumb adds, and the taunting, especially from a team that's so crappy and featuring players that blow, is really amateurish.

      Which matches up with the quality of some of their broadcasts...

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/26/2007 12:25 PM  

    • I know Carpenter often paints an unrealistically optimistic picture of the Nats, but these days, that is going to be the case with almost any announcer as they all have to be approved by the team.

      Carpenter knows the game, he is well prepared, and he has a professional presence on the air. Looking at the TV play by play guys for other teams, I think Carpenter stands up to any of them. Would you prefer:

      1. Thom Brennaman
      2. Josh Lewin
      3. Gary Thorn
      4. Len Kasper
      5. Mel Proctor

      I just don't see a lot of desireable options out there, and it would be nice to have some continuity with the TV Broadcast team after 3 different crews in 3 years.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 1:52 PM  

    • I'll give you well-prepared and a professional presence. He's certainly got that.

      The turning point for me this year was discovering how often he does screw up facets about the game. I can remember him screwing up an interference play, and his constant misjudging of any flyball to the OF is grating.

      I've heard games from all those guys you list. I wouldn't take Thom. And I didn't particularly like Proctor. But the other three aren't terrible. Of course, after 162 games of them, I'd be picking nits anyway! ;)

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/26/2007 1:56 PM  

    • Going back to Keith's comment, does anyone have confirmation that MASN will offer HD broadcasts in 2008? That's the first I've heard of that.

      HD would go a long, long way towards improving their broadcasts -- as it is, the analog signal is horribly washed out and fuzzy.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6/26/2007 2:12 PM  

    • I vaguely remember reading that somewhere... it was in the plans, at least.

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 6/26/2007 2:16 PM  

    • MASN = Man, Angelos Screwed the Nats

      By Blogger DCPowerGator, at 6/27/2007 10:06 AM  

    • Here's a snipped from a response I got from MASN:

      Thank you for your very good thoughts on the many ways to enhance MASN's production. We hope that you will be pleased to know that we are planning a significant complement of Hi Definition programming for both our Nationals and Orioles game productions next season.

      So, it sounds to me like we'll see at least some HD next year.

      By Blogger Andrew Zitnay, at 9/11/2007 11:45 AM  

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