ESP END OVER END

What's up at ESPN?

On SportsCenter, the lead story was an NFL exhibition game between Jacksonville and Chicago. An exhibition game! This, the same day Major League Baseball named only its 10th commissioner ever, and only after a heated debate which allegedly pitted outgoing Commissioner Bud Selig against longtime friend and support Jerry Reinsdorf of the White Sox.

Then, anchorperson Neil Everitt had the nerve to use a reference to three shots of Jack for a three-homer game by a player in the Little League World Series. Neil, they're 12 years old. Save the "Jack" for MLB. How inappropriate and embarrassing.

On top of that, ESPN's on-field reporter at the Little League World Series asked the 3-homer hitter how many home runs he's predicting he'll hit through the LLWS. Really? Idiotic. The kid was clearly embarrassed and hesitated to answer.

Earlier yesterday, "Let's Be Cops" star Rob Riggle sat in with Mike and Mike. What's up with that? What does he have to do with sports?

ESPN is taking the 'E' in its name a little too seriously. Yes, Sports equals entertainment, but not that much entertainment.

Who's going to be on next, Chelsea Handler? The way things are going at ESPN, why not?

***

Once upon a time, like seven years ago, Tom Werner dumped American sweetheart Katie Couric. In an email.

Maybe if he still had her on his arm, he'd have been elected commissioner of baseball instead of losing out to Rob Manfred. Don't you think that Katie Couric as the "First Lady of Baseball" no doubt would've struck a chord with the owners as they voted?

Katie Couric throwing out a first pitch somewhere to start every season. Katie Couric repeatedly on camera at big games. Katie Couric having MLB stars on her show regularly instead of occasionally. Especially Boston Red Sox stars, where Werner is a minority owner.

And now Tom Werner knows why he's not the new commissioner of baseball. It's Katie Couric's fault. Sort of.

***

Why does it take tragedy to force change?

Why does anyone know who Kevin Ward Jr. is? Because he died as a result of being hit by a dirt-track racer driven by NASCAR-immortal Tony Stewart.

Now, NASCAR is forcing changes in collision protocols that will force drivers to stay in their cars until help arrives instead of getting out like Ward did before he was struck.

Same thing happened with other safety protocols after the death of Dale Earnhardt. 

Football only forced changes after players sued over concussion aftermaths. And several others died, including the tragic suicide of Dave Duerson.

We shouldn't need tragedies to force changes. Yet, we do.