MEDIA WATCHDOG: Grading MASN’s Ravens Xtra

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Media Watchdog - MEDIA WATCHDOG: Grading MASN’s Ravens Xtra

Posted On: 10/10/07

Written By:

Scot Kleinfeld

MEDIA WATCHDOG: Grading MASN’s Ravens Xtra

The Commentators:

Host: Amber Theoharis

Co-host: Tom Davis

Co-host: Bruce Laird

Co-host: Wally Williams

Last week I woke up after the Ravens-49ers game just in time to catch Ravens Xtra on MASN. When I view a local sports production I don’t set the bar as high as an ESPN, NBC, Fox or CBS program. But I do look for a certain quality that I think any entity the size of a MASN should be able to achieve.

After the 9-7 Ravens win I expected the main storyline to be the continued lack of red zone scoring. This topic was glanced over but never discussed in detail throughout the show and it was hard to believe a subject so obvious was not given more attention. Why was there no graphic on Ravens drives from the 49ers game and nothing telling how bad they have been for the season on converting scoring chances into touchdowns? Even off the top of my head I think it’s now 1 TD in the last 10 quarters.

The show did a nice job of providing stats from the game on every player graphic during the interviews with Mark Viviano and there was also a creative comparison of Trent Dilfer’s stats from Super Bowl XXXV compared to his game vs. the Ravens. The post game injury report was well done and something you might not find on your local sportscast on the 11 PM news.

The strongest component of the show was Mark Viviano anchoring the post game interviews. Viv has a knack for good questions and timing when talking to players.

This show came up short in three key categories. The video from the post game interviews was blurry….likely because the camera was too close to the subject. This is easily fixable so I hope the producer reviews the tape and makes note

before the next broadcast.

The host and player lower third graphics are gigantic. This is a common theme on all the MASN shows I have seen…they are way too large and not very appealing either. Bigger is not always better when it comes to look and feel. Bad video combined with overblown graphics makes for a poor viewing experience.

Last, but not least, studio host Amber Theoharis needs to take a deep breath, relax and let other people finish a sentence. She interrupted Bruce Laird and Wally Williams repeatedly and I had a difficult time hearing what anyone was saying several times. It’s nice to see somebody with some energy, but Theoharis is so loud and laughing all the time she came off as a cheerleader instead of a studio host. The level of professionalism was sorely lacking much to my surprise. I knew what to expect from Laird and Williams and even from mister milquetoast Tom Davis; but I figured Theoharis would be stronger.

Maybe Theoharis could swap jobs with Anita Marks? Whoa, whoa, whoa…scratch that. This Indian summer heat must be affecting my judgment.

Grade: D

Wanna bet Anita? - Last week I heard Anita Marks say Steve McNair is a Hall of Famer. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t think McNair is a sure bet to end up in Canton when his NFL career is over. McNair is not ranked in the top 20 of any of the key quarterback statistical categories. I think of a good QB that had a couple of great years; but I don’t see him with the likes of Unitas, Montana, Staubach, Elway, Fouts, Bradshaw, etc.