ESPN show has absurd argument

With the NBA and NHL’s postseasons having been completed, MLB currently in the dog days of summer and the start of NFL training camps still a month away, we’re officially in the slow part of the sports calendar. And unless Caitlin Clark gets hit with another hard foul, that’s left shows like First Take with little to debate, even with the NBA Draft split between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.

That was especially evident on Wednesday’s episode of ESPN’s morning debate show, which did its best to stretch its NBA offseason talk out to cover its two hours of programing. Unable to do so, the show brought on NFL analyst Mina Kimes for its final half hour, which saw First Take reach its final form.

For years, ESPN — and First Take , in particular — has been hit with allegations that it’s too focused on certain teams. In the NFL, it’s obviously the Cowboys. In the NBA, it’s the Lakers. And when it comes to baseball talk for the Worldwide Leader, it’s usually Yankees or bust.

But while ESPN has devoted plenty of time to talking about the Cowboys, Lakers and Yankees, I can’t recall a time where it’s thrown all three into the same debate pot. Is that even legal? Could it have the same effect as the Thanos snap? Well on Thursday, we found out with First Take asking which of the three high profile teams is under the most pressure to win its next championship.

I know what you’re thinking: this is the part of the story where the writer at the website called Awful Announcing lampoons the debate and mocks ESPN for being so focused on high profile teams.

“Would it kill you to have an actual conversation about the WNBA that’s focused on basketball?” I’m supposed to ask.

“Don’t you guys know the NHL Awards are tonight?” might be another suggestion.

But in the words of Bill Simmons, I’m going to zag; I think the conversation of which team between the Cowboys, Lakers and Yankees is under the most pressure to win a championship is actually kind of an interesting discussion.

(Emphasis on “kind of”)

Hear me out.

The Cowboys are coming off of one of their most disappointing playoff exits in recent memory and are approaching a potential crossroads with Dak Prescott. The Yankees are currently in first place in the American League East, but have lost eight of their last 10 games and are 15 years removed from their last World Series title. The Lakers have won two championships since the Yankees’ last won one and six since the Cowboys’ last one, but also appear to be the team furthest away from winning another as LeBron James enters what will presumably be the final years of his career.

I think it’s the Cowboys. But maybe it’s the Yankees. And I could even see the argument for the Lakers too.

OK, maybe it’s more than just “kind of” interesting.

If there’s one criticism I have of the conversation, it’s that First Take had it on June 27 and didn’t save it for later this summer. You only had 30 minutes to go, what’s one more Bronny James debate?! Nevertheless, First Take set quite the bar for itself to clear as it anxiously awaits the start of football season later this summer.

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