That is the average amount of team the three national affiliates - Channels 4, 6 and 10 devoted to the Florida Marlins tonight on their 30 minutes Sunday night sports shows, after each began, and extensively covered (and for the most part "covered for") yet another embarassing performance by the Miami Dolphins for nearly fifteen minutes each.

 

Jimmy Cefalo, chief Dolphins *ss-kisser extraordinaire couldn't allow baseball fans even a moments pleasure, beginning and ending his abbreviated Marlins coverage by first mocking the front office for contemplating a trade of AJ Burnett and ending with a discussion with stooge #1, Wil Manso, about how much he will get on the free agent market this off-season. While Joe Rose tried to play it down the middle in the minute and 20 seconds he gave the Fish, not so Cefalo and Berry, who distinguished himself by offering up the shortest segment, a mere 53 seconds on the Marlins win and yet another winning series (a fact seemingly irrelevant to the three hosts).

 

Some wonder why the Marlins are supposedly bereft of fans in South Florida, allow me to submit this chronicling of tonight's coverage as exhibit 1.

 

I doubt anywhere in America tonight was baseball and the hometown team so shabbily dismissed.

South Florida needs a station (in English) and sports guy that actually gives a damn about baseball.

The coverage up here on the local stations in Palm Beach County was just more of the same. On NBC NewsChannel 5, they showed Juan Pierre's diving catch and that was it.

These guys get paid to do what they do, so complain about them all you want, I don't see you getting paid to report south Florida sports. And if there is such a demand for Marlins programming, call up one of the stations and offer your services & see how far you get. Florida is a football area get over it.

Did you time each segment yourself, or did you access a source about this??

Channel 7 did their show from Conine's restaurant, with Jeff Conine, and they talked plenty about the Marlins.

 

But in general, you're right, lots of Dolphins coverage on tv and radio too. But, they're doing it because they get ratings. In the famous words of Puff Daddy, "It's All About the Benjamins!"

This is slightly off topic, but why are people such as Dan Lebetard working in Miami if they hate the Marlins so much?

These guys get paid to do what they do, so complain about them all you want, I don't see you getting paid to report south Florida sports. And if there is such a demand for Marlins programming, call up one of the stations and offer your services & see how far you get. Florida is a football area get over it.

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Someone's just a little touchy I see.

 

Whether you like it or not, criticism of the media is warranted in this case. And yes, I'll take your advice, I'll "complain all I want" as often as I want.

 

As much as your response was to attack me personally, which I'll ignore considering the source, it isn't about me, it's about "them" and try as you might to deflect the issue, the sports media's coverage of baseball generally, and the Marlins specifically, continues to be an embarrassment to all of South Florida.

 

And to MarlinatPenn, I saw that (Conine's Grill) and I didn't include it in my comments because I couldn't determine what was actual coverage of the Fish and what was PR for a good guy like Jeff Conine. But you're right, it's all about $$$ and admittedly the NFL does a better job of marketing themselves than MLB.

Boog needs to be involved with everything baseball related in this town. There is noone down here with more insight on the game. He is even a pleasure to listen too which is hard to say about alot of the people down here covering the sport. Highlight of my work day is getting to listen to the Boog show. He is very opinionated but not in that "I can be a dick" way. He also does not let any homerism slip through. They have Fins TV why not Fish TV?

That is so typical. Not only in florida, but all over this country. I remember 10 news (tampa) the sports guy made fun of the marlins stadium, saying ''what ever they call that stadium over there'' at the same time flicking his arm. Also, I remember about 5 years back, a news channel in this state would always show the sports recap of the nights games, no matter how good the marlins played that night, they would always put the braves first before the marlins,alot of times they would not even show the marlins on the recap. Both times I called up the news station and always got into a fight on the phone.

 

Is the media starting to change there attitude towards the marlins??

Blame Don Shula, Dan Marino, the 72 team, etc etc.....

 

There is a good base of hardcore baseball fans in South Florida, problem is there is a MUCH BIGGER base of hardcore football fans in South Florida, so the news stations are going to show what the people want to see, and most people want that wall to wall Dolphins coverage.

 

Not saying I agree with it, but that's the way it is...

I agree with your observation 2003. There's no excuse for the shabby coverage of the Marlins. The hosts reflect the mentality of 95% of the "fan of all sports" people here in South Florida, who even in the midst of the World Series in 1997 and 2003, would honestly prefer to talk about how the Dolphins need to use more screen passes rather than discussing an ongoing World Series with their home team. As Craig said, they're just giving 'em what they want, and they want Dolphins, 365 days a year.

On NBC NewsChannel 5, they showed Juan Pierre's diving catch and that was it.

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The last out pretty much sums up the whole game. :plain

The only place you can hope for Marlins coverage is in South Florida. Despite the team being known as the "Florida" Marlins everywhere from Tampa/Orlando and north is Braves territory...before the Marlins and that baseball team they call the Devil Rays showed up the entire south east US was braves fans since they were the only team around in this part of the country. I think it starts with the fans down here, if people show up 25,000+ strong to every game more and more then news shows will start covering the team more.

 

This team needs to step it up and play with some determination and get themselves on TV and into the minds of South Florida baseball fans like they did in 2003. This team seems to forget that baseball fans in South Florida have short memories because almost every baseball fan here has a team somewhere else (myself included).

and in sportscenter highlights they always rank deserving plays b our defense like 9th or 10th when they really could be top 3( also this is assuming they even put us in the top 10)... or whenever they talk about a pitcher having a great year they only show gonzo, enc duca castillo striking out... note and this is not me being a homer it is the truth.......

 

eg. pierres throw and collision at plate with treanor #5 or 6 ... what was #1 ... a stupid whole in one which is alot of luck and not nearly as exciting plus the situation of the game... im tired of media bashing the fish

eg. pierres throw and collision at plate with treanor #5 or 6903249[/snapback]

It was #3.

did anyone happen to catch the sun sentinel's sports page yesterday....the when the night before when beckett through the complete game

 

the front page was highlighted by the dolphins loss and the marlins had a mere 1/16 of a page in the bottom right hand corner..absolutely f***ing ridiculous... i hope the dolphins go 0-16 and then matt leinart pulls an eli manning and refuses to sign with them

I agree with Marlins 2003.I wrote an e-mail to Channel 4 about two weeks ago and this was the reponse I got...

 

Jeff...

 

We're damned if we do, and damned if we don't. No choice we make will satisfy everyone, but even the Marlins will admit that in football season (which with the Hall of Fame Gwme, is now here) the Dolphins out-draw them. What do viewers think about the decision? Well, yours is exactly the second complaint I've recieved in two weeks that we're under-covering the Marlins. Trust me, unhappy people e-mail at the drop of a hat. This leads me to believe that we're giving the majority of our viewers what they want to see.

 

If the Marlins heat up and are in the playoff hunt...they'll get more attention no matter what the Fins are doing. Right now, they're two and a half games out of the wildcard, three major injuries, and the jury's still way out about their chances for post season. If they heat up, so will the coverage.

 

The reason people think its a football town IMO b/c thats all they get pump into there brains...and well the Dolphins have been here forever.

 

The media in this town consider all the other sports in this town like second class citizens. They sit back and make remarks about the lackof fans at sporting events down here, well shoving the Dolphins down our thoarts. What do you expect people to wait for? Football season

I'm not a big fan of the NFL, I only follow some players that I liked during their college years. I root for the Bears, but I am not a die-hard fan like many NFL fans. I just watch the games and get moderately upset when they lose. As for the Dolphins, I don't care at all. I think it is sad that people worship them over the Fish. But I am such a biased Marlins/baseball fan that my opinion doesn't count.

one thing is for sure is that the media doesn't create any excitement for the fans...

 

the team is all they have until we're in the playoffs and then everyone is like omg they're the best tihng since sliced bread

You guys have an issue with the coverage. I respect your concern, but these stations can only work with what they can get. Fact is the Marlins highlights that each stations gets from their network's news service is about all they can show. Marlins Baseball is a daily game which is covered daily by FSN Florida and the Marlins really don't have much more to give local TV.

 

Here in Southwest Florida, all 4 of our stations show the Marlins highlight every night unless they are out west and due to MLB restrictions they can only give the score. NBC2, WINK and ABC7 make a big effort to show the Marlins highlights. FOX4 goes a step beyond and selects every Marlins game they can get from FOX and airs games that interest Marlins fans when the Fish aren't on FOX Saturday Baseball.

 

I have no problem with the lack of coverage in August because the media has no where to get content from. Come October though, if the Marlins are playing, you will see them go nuts. That is all you can ask for. Even the most baseball crazy towns have this kind of coverage.

I have no problem with the Marlins playing 2nd fiddle to the Dolphins. It's a football town first, always will be. I'm a Marlins fan 1st and Panthers fan 2nd, but I'm in the vast minority...

 

The Dolphins coverage is always insane during spring practice & preseason. Heck, it may be the only time Dolphin fans have any hope this year, so I'll give 'em their space.

 

Marlins play 162 games, Dolphins play 16. A single baseball game just doesn't demand the kind of coverage that one football game can, unfortunately. Even a preseason one.

I have no problem with the Marlins playing 2nd fiddle to the Dolphins. It's a football town first, always will be. I'm a Marlins fan 1st and Panthers fan 2nd, but I'm in the vast minority...

 

The Dolphins coverage is always insane during spring practice & preseason. Heck, it may be the only time Dolphin fans have any hope this year, so I'll give 'em their space.

 

Marlins play 162 games, Dolphins play 16. A single baseball game just doesn't demand the kind of coverage that one football game can, unfortunately. Even a preseason one.

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I don't believe that"its a Football town" you win and they'll come. The Dolphins have been consistent for 30 plus years of either being average or a little above which has manage to keep there fans interested. They have been in the top half of the NFL for so long lets see what back to back subpar seasons or more do to that myth.