Who is Mark May Anyway?
By: Roy Philpott
Sure, I'll be the first to admit I didn't expect anything truly "new" to come out of an interview with a national media outlet such as ESPN, and of course, I was right. After all, what additional insight could a three-person show offer that hasn't discussed ad nauseum here on this web site months ago?
Still, I was looking forward to hearing what kind of questions would be asked, and I was also looking forward to what the "outside world" thought of Spiller, James Davis and Clemson football in general entering the 2007 season.
Not surprisingly, the "dynamic tandem" of former college players who had varying degrees of success in the NFL in Robert Smith, (Ohio State, Minnesota Vikings) and Mark May, (Pitt, Washington Redskins), left much to be desired with their analysis.
May, who you've probably heard by now, busted in with a bold prediction of Clemson finishing the 2007 season 6-6. That's right, 6-6.
Let me go on the record to say first, Mark I have no problem with that whatsoever. You are paid by ESPN to give your opinion on college football.
Bravo.
But let me also say this, Mark, give me some kind of respectable analysis to back up your "bold prediction."
Go ahead and take a stand, but then back up your claim with statistics that matter. Give me some facts. Don't tell me Clemson will lose to Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and N.C. State without some sort of reasoning.
You are paid to give your opinion, but it also needs to be an informed one. Isn't that what the "worldwide leader in sports" demands anyway?
At least get his name right when you are talking about the kid on the show.
It's Spiller, Mark, not Smiller.
And did you suggest Oklahoma's backfield better than Clemson's this season? No offense Bob Stoops, but I'll go ahead and tell you the Sooners' combination of Scrubby McScrubberson and No-Adrian Peterson would ride the pine while Thunder and Lightning opened up their respective cans of you-know-what on the field.
Give me a break.
Having covered this football program the last five years, I guess I still live under the bizarro impression that I can tune into a national college football show and learn something new about the team and the conference I cover.
The reality is - nothing could be further from the truth.
These shows seem to be put together at the last minute and are nothing more than a hodgepodge of former players and hosts who couldn't care less about the information they provide to the general public. Sure, it's probably good for the Southern Californias, Ohio States and Floridas of the world. It's easy to talk about the incredible run those programs have been on recently. When in doubt on what to say, just talk about the 17 five-star prospects stockpiled at running back and how college football needs a playoff so that it can "be settled on the field."
Most of these shows turn into a Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer-love fest anyway.
Having watched Mark May for the last however-many years, I find it annoying that someone who seemingly knows so little about today's players and teams could sit in a chair and pretend to discuss college football on a semi-intelligent level.
And while we're talking about it, bring back Trev Alberts. Bring back somebody who has an opinion, knows his stuff and also knows how to present information in a way that makes sense.
Alberts did something hardly a soul I know would ever do - he left the biggest sports network in the world because he felt like he was the "support crew" for the wildly popular show, College Gameday, featuring Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso.
He took a stand and always said what he believed and then backed it up with the kind talk that would make you want to go slap your own mother if you had to.
Mark May makes me want to go slap myself for watching such garbage. Who is this guy anyway? Just because he has his own page on Wikipedia and ESPN has chosen to throw him up there to tell me South Florida is going to the BCS I should believe him?
Absolutely ... not.
Hey, I like the concept of a daily college football show starting in August. I really do.
It's just disappointing and embarrassing when the on-air-talent fails so miserably to convince me they know what they are talking about.
When I first learned Clemson running back C.J. Spiller would be on ESPN's new College Football Live show Wednesday, I eagerly tuned in to see what the sophomore running back had to say.
Sure, I'll be the first to admit I didn't expect anything truly "new" to come out of an interview with a national media outlet such as ESPN, and of course, I was right. After all, what additional insight could a three-person show offer that hasn't discussed ad nauseum here on this web site months ago?
Still, I was looking forward to hearing what kind of questions would be asked, and I was also looking forward to what the "outside world" thought of Spiller, James Davis and Clemson football in general entering the 2007 season.
Not surprisingly, the "dynamic tandem" of former college players who had varying degrees of success in the NFL in Robert Smith, (Ohio State, Minnesota Vikings) and Mark May, (Pitt, Washington Redskins), left much to be desired with their analysis.
May, who you've probably heard by now, busted in with a bold prediction of Clemson finishing the 2007 season 6-6. That's right, 6-6.
Let me go on the record to say first, Mark I have no problem with that whatsoever. You are paid by ESPN to give your opinion on college football.
Bravo.
But let me also say this, Mark, give me some kind of respectable analysis to back up your "bold prediction."
Go ahead and take a stand, but then back up your claim with statistics that matter. Give me some facts. Don't tell me Clemson will lose to Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and N.C. State without some sort of reasoning.
You are paid to give your opinion, but it also needs to be an informed one. Isn't that what the "worldwide leader in sports" demands anyway?
At least get his name right when you are talking about the kid on the show.
It's Spiller, Mark, not Smiller.
And did you suggest Oklahoma's backfield better than Clemson's this season? No offense Bob Stoops, but I'll go ahead and tell you the Sooners' combination of Scrubby McScrubberson and No-Adrian Peterson would ride the pine while Thunder and Lightning opened up their respective cans of you-know-what on the field.
Give me a break.
Having covered this football program the last five years, I guess I still live under the bizarro impression that I can tune into a national college football show and learn something new about the team and the conference I cover.
The reality is - nothing could be further from the truth.
These shows seem to be put together at the last minute and are nothing more than a hodgepodge of former players and hosts who couldn't care less about the information they provide to the general public. Sure, it's probably good for the Southern Californias, Ohio States and Floridas of the world. It's easy to talk about the incredible run those programs have been on recently. When in doubt on what to say, just talk about the 17 five-star prospects stockpiled at running back and how college football needs a playoff so that it can "be settled on the field."
Most of these shows turn into a Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer-love fest anyway.
Having watched Mark May for the last however-many years, I find it annoying that someone who seemingly knows so little about today's players and teams could sit in a chair and pretend to discuss college football on a semi-intelligent level.
And while we're talking about it, bring back Trev Alberts. Bring back somebody who has an opinion, knows his stuff and also knows how to present information in a way that makes sense.
Alberts did something hardly a soul I know would ever do - he left the biggest sports network in the world because he felt like he was the "support crew" for the wildly popular show, College Gameday, featuring Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso.
He took a stand and always said what he believed and then backed it up with the kind talk that would make you want to go slap your own mother if you had to.
Mark May makes me want to go slap myself for watching such garbage. Who is this guy anyway? Just because he has his own page on Wikipedia and ESPN has chosen to throw him up there to tell me South Florida is going to the BCS I should believe him?
Absolutely ... not.
Hey, I like the concept of a daily college football show starting in August. I really do.
It's just disappointing and embarrassing when the on-air-talent fails so miserably to convince me they know what they are talking about.
posted by Roy Philpott @ 4:44 PM
17 Comments
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17 Comments:
Well written. Mark May is a tool bag, but even worse, he doesn't know what he's talking about and gets paid ESPN money to do it!
ESPN overall is full of lame wash-ups who don't know anything about the world of sports. There are the few exceptions...but it really is just a few.
GO ROY!!!
GO TIGERS!!!
i am in sort of agreement with mark. i would say 7-5. after watching this team for the past 20 years this season will turn into YET ANOTHER DISSAPOINTMENT. just my opinion.
Mark May likes to play "big league" every Saturday by trying to overmatch and out witt Lou Holtz and other used to be's. At the end of the season last year Lou actually handed Mark his ass by out picking him with game winners!
Clemson and Bowden have created our mediocre reputation. We need to shut up and go win 10 games IF we want more respect.
Excellent comments Roy,
The talking mouthpieces should be better informed but the big paydays cloud their originality. Trev was solid and opionated and it cost him. They want more folks like Lou, who has completely forgotten his years at South Carolina and thinks he is still at ND. Why should we expect May to be better informed?
OYARWUWFI HAVE HAD THIS OPINION OF MARK MAY FOR A VERY LONG TIME... I DONT FIND HIM WITH ANY KNOWLEDGE OF CLEMSON FOOTBALL OR SPORTS ALTOGETHER.
MarkMay is a PUANDANDY!!!
what a fool
It's very simple. Mark May is a token. They HAVE to have someone of color on the show. the rest of the show is white with Folwer, Herbstriet, Corso, Davis, and Holtz. ESPN is very PC if you have ever see any of their "specials". I'm sure there are better people suited for the job, like a trev alberts, but as long as we live in a PC world Mark may will stay put giving stupid opinons.
I find it funny that the last poster calls everyone that supports Bowden foolish hillbillies when he can't even make an argument without name calling. Sir, if you are going to make a point please bring up some actual facts in your argument and not just throwing around words such as, "Douche," "Ass," and "Smegma." Such language shows a true lack of culture and education more than bashing professionals.
Sounds like jealousy to me. It rings loud and clear that you love Clemson and you're dolutional about how good your team really is. Don't get me wrong Clemson is my team as well, but when's the last time they lived up to expectations? It's the same thing every year, they start hot or end hot. They never put a whole season together. Mark May and everyone at ESPN knows that. Don't get mad at them for looking at the facts and making a prediction. You know Clemson should win nine or ten games. They won't, it'll be closer to six or seven. You know it, you're just too close to the program to admit it.
you hit the nail on the head with this comment
"Most of these shows turn into a Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer-love fest anyway."
I think you're a little too close to the Clemson program to have an objective opinion. Mark May isn't off base saying 6-6 is a possible record. You know as well as I do the program disappoints ever year. Yeah, they should win ten games. They won't. They'll do just enough to get everyones hopes up. After everyone starts saying Clemson will win the ACC, they'll blow it. Look at the recent past. I don't see any reason to believe differently. Most people who think this team has National Championship potential aren't being realistic.
"It's very simple. Mark May is a token. They HAVE to have someone of color on the show."
Wow, a racist clemson fan. Who woulda thunk it?
well said Mr. Philpott. I feel that your analysis on the talking head is on point. I saw the sement and wanted to slap the guy through my televison for his curt dismissal of the Tigers and their exceptional RB duo.
You say its not about the 6-6 prediction, but would you have ripped Mark May if he predicted Clemson would go 12-1 and play in the Orange Bowl without properly supporting it?
Don't think so.
May changes his opinion on everything more than his underwear. By next week he will say Clemson is going 10-1 after they beat FSU, so don't worry CU fans. ESPN is in love with ( in this order)- 1) Charlie Weis 2) Anyone in a conference that plays it's games on ESPN on Thursday and Saturday nights 3)Whoever is the starting QB at Notre Dame.
This has been very evident when talk is about the Heisman. It was Slaton and Troy Smith all last year. A few years back it was Fitzgerald from Pitt. They are all about ratings for the games that they carry. I'm in agreement that Trev was the most knowledgable of the staff there.
As far as comparing backfields goes, I'd have to say Clemson looks to have a great one, but I'd have to say you might want to reserve your opinion ( Mr. Philpot) on this until you've seen a few games. Demarco Murray, Allen Patrick and Chris Brown just might surprise you... let's wait and see and not pull a Mark May.
Still waiting on the "explosion" from "thuuuuuunder and lightning". Yup, those backs Stoops has just can't stack up to the storm. Good thing they aren't at CU , Roy... they would never see any action with 7.0 and 10.7 yard avgs.... hmmmmmm
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