ESPN’s “State of the Sports Union”: Does it Tells Us What We Need to Know?

ESPN ran an amusing sports poll recently, called the “State of Sports Union.”   They polled readers on a slew of questions about sports and sports-related issues:  What’s your favorite sport?  Have you been to games this year?  How many?  Etc.

Now, since this was a self-selecting poll – readers of their website chose to respond – and it wasn’t a national, statistically random poll, it’s of dubious value.  It certainly does, however, reflect the views of the 220,000 people who responded, for what that’s worth.

And there were a few interesting responses, at least to me.  A vast majority of respondents went to more than 5 games in the past year.  Beer prices are considered by most too high (amen!).  People are sick to death of stories about Brett Favre.  Like I said, it’s got some interesting stuff, read it. 

However, I think that I would have done this poll a little differently.  At least I think I would have added the following questions to the poll:

• Should pro, college and little league athletes be required to use steroids and other performance enhancing drugs?   Wouldn’t that add some excitement?
• Is golf a sport?
• In a cage match, who would win:  Carmen Fanzone or Bucky Dent?
• Since beer prices are so high at sporting events, should they start offering hard liquor in the stands?  I mean, since we are already digging deep in our pockets, might as well get a real belt, no?
• Should the NL West be allowed to remain in MLB?
• Should the DH be criminalized?
• Should the Steinbrenners be criminalized?
• Are rabid sports fans (like myself) worth polling on any issue?

Feel free to let me know what you think on any of the topics that I added and check it out the ESPN poll, it’s interesting.

(Photo: Getty Images)

---

A Cubs and Northwestern fan, Joe Moag is a major sports junkie, and although he still runs, he hasn't been able to dunk anything more than a donut for decades.

Unless otherwise stated, no particular sexual orientation of anyone depicted is implied or should be presumed.

Comments

[Chase Parker]

You keep ripping the NL West. Shouldn't you be a fan of a team from a better division than the NL Central? Yeah your Cubs are good (on paper), but the Cards, Reds, Pirates, Astros, and Brewers all may struggle to hit .500. Really?

The NL West has 10 times better pitching, which explains partly some of the offensive problems. Your teams can hit in those bandboxes, but can't pitch a lick.

pitching and defense wins championships, so i'd say the NL West is closer to producing a champion than the Central.

Remind me how the Cubs did in the playoffs last year against the NL West?

[Joe Moag]

Well, I am the first to set into the Cubs. In fact, if you bother to read my posts from last summer and fall, that is precisely what I do, when deserved, and it's been plenty deserved.

As for the NL West, well, you and the rest of the folks out in S.D. are free to blame the lack of above .500 teams in that division on the "fact" that it has such totally, awesome, out-of-sight pitching, or on the phases of the moon, or whatever works for you.

Try not to take it so personally when someone points out some facts about the NL West being grossly weak.

It's not personal. Just an observation.

[Chase Parker]

Please scroll up. Now, please read facts used to prove a point. Now, please ingest small amount of snarkiness added for humor.

Stir, mix, boil, and voila. You have analysis and a critique, not someone taking anything personally.

Find me anyone reputable who thinks the pitching in the NL Central is better than the NL West, and you will have found the FIRST reputable person who thinks that.

[Joe Moag]

Scroll up, then scroll down, then point out to me EXACLTY WHERE I said that I thought that the pitching in the NL Central was better, overall, than the pitching in the NL West.

Now, scroll up, then scroll down, and see if you can figure out what I DID say: namely, that everyone in S.D. can revel in the "fact" that the NL West's pitching is oh-so-superior to the3 rest of baseball's divisions while you count the number of above .500 teams in that Division on one finger.