Mike Wilbon slams college football media for exaggerating ‘the hell out of everything’
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Mike Wilbon, one of the last standing stewards of the old guard at ESPN, is tired of the hyperbolic speak that has taken over college football’s coverage.
During a diatribe on Tuesday’s edition of Pardon the Interruption, Wilbon slammed national media and sports networks for excessive coverage of college football, its central figures, and its highest-profile games. Wilbon balked at the suggestion it was the greatest opening weekend ever, said the Miami-Notre Dame game “kinda” lived up to expectations and the LSU-Clemson game “had some moments,” but the rest of the narrative has been heavily exaggerated.
“Can we just stop?” Wilbon pleaded. “All of it is just slobbered over.”
Wilbon seemed to take particular exception with the coverage surrounding Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Smith was a star on the field as a true freshman last season, and he has already been compared to some of the greatest receivers of all time. Manning has been the focus of attention for months, with some of Wilbon’s coworkers leading the hype train and declaring him the best college prospect in years.
“I don’t want mass media, major media, networks … to just ruin the watching of college football for me by exaggerating the hell out of everything, by overstating everything,” Wilbon said as he launched into an impassioned rant. “Arch Manning is not Peyton or Eli or Archie just yet. Just let him simmer a little bit.
“Jeremiah Smith, he is not Jerry Rice just yet. I heard somebody say he’s the best college football player I’ve ever seen. You know what my recommendation would be? Then watch more college football.”
PTI is one of the last remnants of ESPN’s old daytime programming. As the proliferation of First Take-style talk shows has spread across ESPN and other networks, the demand for bigger and bolder takes that cut through the noise and grab attention on social media has only grown.
In the place of thoughtful analysis, the punchiest soundbites have found a home. That’s reflected in ESPN’s hiring and retention choices. Voices like David Pollack have been replaced by Pat McAfee, who attracts a massive crowd but has ruffled feathers since joining the Worldwide Leader.
With college football the revenue-driver that it is, Wilbon probably won’t get his wish anytime soon.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
