I know you’re thinking the same thing I’m thinking. It’s the dog days of summer. You’re looking for something to capture your attention. Something to grab you. Something to entertain you. Football season hasn’t started yet, your favorite television show is still several weeks away from returning, and there’s only so many nights you can stand actual conversation with actual human beings. You need something to save you, even if it’s just for one night.
Luckily, ESPN knows exactly what you need to cure these summertime blues… a primetime special from Dallas Cowboys training camp!!!
The special takes place August 4th at 7 PM and will show two hours of Cowboys practice while ESPN drapes itself in blue and silver and pretends we’re still in the Landry Era. Kenny Mayne will host alongside Jon Gruden and Darren Woodson so at least there might be some good opportunities for unintentional and intentional comedy.
This is the second year that ESPN will be dedicating a primetime special to one NFL training camp. But last year we couldn’t have any qualms with ESPN choosing to highlight the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. This year though? Dallas? Really? ESPN will be airing a primetime special dedicated to a team that has one playoff appearance since 2009 and finally had a season last year that didn’t finish 8-8.
Now I can’t imagine Bill Belichick would be very open to having ESPN invade his space for an entire evening to highlight the defending Super Bowl champions again, but aren’t there a lot more interesting teams ESPN could have selected here? Teams that aren’t continually jammed down our throat as “America’s Team”? Teams that don’t always get an inordinate amount of network airtime as it is? ESPN already airs a bunch of specials dedicated to the Cowboys as it is. They’re called “every other show on the network.”
This just reinforces the narrative that ESPN only cares about a certain number of teams and a certain number of athletes. If you root for someone that’s not the Yankees, Red Sox, Cowboys, Lakers, or the SEC then you might as well spend your time elsewhere. This is a great time to remind you that ESPN’s coverage of certain teams has a stronger correlation to a franchise’s cash value than its actually winning percentage.
It could have been worse though, America. ESPN could have picked the Eagles and Tebow. So let’s at least be thankful for that.
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About Matt Yoder