Because I have a children these days moment, I guess I'm old enough to start a column. Kids these days don't know how difficult it was to rewatch any of your favorite games, let alone analyze them.
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Waiting for a rerun or any classic on ESPN Classic (which is being shut down at year's end) was like waiting for the one song that you don't own to play on the radio.
If you were hungry for the Nebraska-Miami 1995 Orange Bowl, and didn't have a bootleg VHS from your father (maybe you wore it out but it can now be found on YouTube so its cool), then you could enjoy it all over again during ESPN Classic college football week. However, you would have to wait until the games are over to see it. My editors, I apologise for falling down the rabbit hole. But who wouldn't want to see the whole game after Bob Costas intro?
There were season wrap-up videos with game-by-game highlights, but they were made with baby powder and I would need to consume every touchdown from the 62-24 Fiesta Bowl defeat of Florida. Although ESPN Classic will favor more competitive matchups, they will still find enough games to keep your dad's attention during the commercial breaks of Tombstone.
It is hard to recall an ESPN that played the last SportsCenter of the evening on repeat until 10 a.m., then switched to NFL Films programming until 5 p.m. SportsCenter. It is even more difficult to imagine a channel playing reruns for games that you can access online anytime (which is why they are closing it down).
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However, the Classic was more than just that at first. SportsCentury's list of 50 most successful athletes in the 1900s was a revered program, even though it was a list. The internet has also done more to list than to bring us brief moments of joy. When you are constantly bombarded with rankings and happiness, it takes away the meaning of ranking.
You can watch SportsCentury episodes on YouTube. This Mike Tyson episode features Chris Fowler in a gray patterned jacket, light-colored shirt, orange tie, and black pants.
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The Classic featured some very good shows, continuing the theme of my grandparents using adjectives. Although I don't know if this is how I would describe Stump The Schwab, the fact that they even tried shows like that showed the extent of ESPNs financial resources before the Great Recession.
Since 2007-08, I haven't owned ESPN Classic, and I don't have it anymore. ESPN decided to make its channel a 24/7 news source and began to produce new content for the better or for First Take. It's hard to see how ESPN Classic could be used other than as an overflow option for games that run too long. Why would you invest time and resources in a channel that is only focused on old news?
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You can access all of the content online, including this article and your favorite song.
Don't tell me you are bored! To hear 3 minutes edited DMX, we had to endure Chumbawamba and Celine Diions My Heart Will Keep Going On for hours. We just sat and doodled, or whatever, while listening to the radio. You want to hear the new Adele? You can get your fix by watching six hours of Three Doors Down or All Star by Smash Mouth.
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It will do, ESPN Classic.
