ESPN's Magazine Is the Print Equivalent of the Channel

As a sports fan, I get my fix by reading the sports section of the newspaper before moving to the biased sections between the front page and the classifieds. Sometimes I listen to sports talk radio. During my web surfing I have to get my sports updates (I'm still suffering from NHL withdrawal, so I'm scrounging for any NHL-related news even from teams I don't care about). When I can manage, I use the clicker to tune to the sports show for my fix.

Most of my sports news needs, though, are met by the ESPN family of products. Since I have had my own cable television subscription I use the cable box clicker to tune to ESPN's SportsCenter at whatever time is more convenient for me. ESPN.com is one of the most heavily visited web sites in the world. From it's humble beginnings in 1979 ESPN has grown to become the standard in sports news and sports journalism. However, it was in 1997 that ESPN: The Magazine made its way to newsstands everywhere.

Sports Illustrated may be the accepted magazine of most sports fans, but I could never get into it-- even the "swimsuit" issues lost their appeal for me with all the alternatives which appear among mainstream publications these days. For me, SI is the sports world's equivalent of The New York Times, and that's like taking mineral oil when you really want lemonade or orange juice-- all are useful, but you need a good reason to use mineral oil. For me, it's similar with sports magazines.
Usually I get a specialized magazine such as Hockey Digest or a magazine dedicated to one specific sport. When I want to get a general sports magazine, though, more often than not I will consider ESPN: The Magazine before Sport (or even The Sporting News); as I said earlier, I need a good reason to get Sports Illustrated (such as the cover story featuring Pittsburgh Penguins majority owner Mario Lemieux when he ended his retirement and resumed his playing career with the Penguins).

Please forgive me for digressing in this opinion of ESPN: The Magazine-- I wanted to provide a context for my opinion, and sports is one of the few areas where I tend to go overboard. Speaking of the magazine, it is similar to the ESPN programs it emulates, and it does have some cross-promotion for its siblings such as ESPN.com, ABC, and the actual ESPN channel. If you like these the way ESPN covers the sporting world, then you will like ESPN: The Magazine. Below are some specific reasons I prefer this magazine over others:

• Sports Light -- Near the front of the magazine are columns and sections which are easy on the brain. I'm not saying they are for simpletons or lazy people. However, I am saying that they are easy so that we can be ready for the heavy-hitting articles which will appear midway through the magazine.

• Sports Deep -- The heavy lumber articles are here.
These articles provide a different take than other magazines on timely events. From the last two years, I can think of two such articles: [1] the New Jersey Devils' 2000 Stanley Cup Championship and how Devils' captain and defenseman Scott Stevens-- at age 36-- was in better shape than WCW heavyweight champion Goldberg (who was a guest of Dallas Stars' forward Brett Hull); and [2] the Los Angeles Lakers' 2001 NBA Championship and what it took for Kobe Bryant off the court to be ready for his role on the court so the Lakers can regroup and win it all. Both articles had much more content, and some photographs were taken from unique angles.

• Cross-Promotion -- Some columns are written by ESPN personalities such as Rich Eisen's "Bristol 06010," Linda Cohn's "Hotline," and Dan Patrick's "Outtakes." A section in the magazine called "The Pulse" has articles which find their way onto the ESPN.com web site (not to mention ESPNMAG.com, the magazine's web site).

• Coverage of Other Sports -- While there won't be any articles or features or columns about sports such as Australian-Rules Football-- that is a rough sport!! þ-- cricket, team handball, or curling, there is coverage of sports such as soccer, tennis, cycling, NASCAR racing, track and field, horse racing, college sports, Olympic sports. The coverage is in the style of a roundup or a oh-by-the-way piece of writing with good pictures.

• Pictures and Photographs -- Aside from computerized enhancements of photographs and pictures (as well as custom-made illustrations), the pictures and photographs are worth the price paid for the magazine. The odd size of ESPN: The Magazine may actually be an advantage for the visual elements of this magazine. Many of the pictures are are normal sizes, but for some features the photographs span two pages (for example, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Raymond Bourque crying tears of joy as he hoists the Stanley Cup he had been chasing for 22 seasons). Many pictures are interesting, and some are memorable.

My only complaint it the larger-than usual size of the magazine, and that is because of the way I carry it while I am walking around or placing it on the table while I eat a turkey sub. It's not an easy size to handle, but I manage to keep the magazine intact. Maybe I should carry a bag or a knapsack if I know I will buy a copy of ESPN: The Magazine; however, when I buy the magazine it is usually an impulse purchase. I'll manage.

You already know how I feel about Sports Illustrated (also known by its initials SI or by the short nickname "The ILLY," which I have seen on ESPN.com). I don't rule it out if there is a compelling reason for me to buy it, but if I want sports in print I will go for ESPN: The Magazine. It's not as immediate as the web site, but if you like ESPN's SportsCenter or its other programs then the magazine will be great.