Why rated so low??

[chadlincoln]

ChiSox and Astros don't have the drawing power for casual fans.

Bingo.

True. There were no real stars besides Clemens to the casual fan. The storyline was there though. Astros never winning one and White Sox 2nd longest time since winning one. Last year, we had Manny, Ortiz, Pujols. This year, Clemens...

[BritSox]

Being brutally honest, I think this sweep was tons better than last year's sweep. At least each game was close, and the Astros always had a chance in each game.

I'd certainly agree with you there. The first game last year was dramatic, but after that it was a bit of a procession. Not that i give a damn, of course, but it can't have been much fun for the neutrals.

[Mookie4ever]

Never discount the influence ESPN has over the sheep.
If ESPN was from Chicago, you can almost guarantee this would have been a higher ranked WS ...

Its sad I know, but I honestly beleive this. Even after the WS teams were known it was all ESPN could talk about, what were the Yankees and the Sox going to do. We had somebody from Boston in here the other day and he even admitted that the press back there could care less about the series and all of the coverage was Espstein and Cashman. ...

Its honestly .. sad ..


but of course, there is no East Coast bias is sports, right?

What are you talking about?

The White Sox was all Mike Wilbon could talk about for the past week. He wouldn't shut up about the Sox this and the Sox that.

Of course by then Kornheiser was asleep so Wilbon was talking to himself....

[Apollo]

First of all, I agree that last year's was one of the worst ever.

This year's was poorly-played (and poorly-umpired), but at least it was close. That alone makes it better than last year's.

As for why I wasn't too interested in the series, it was because I didn't find either of the teams likable at all.

The White Sox were the most annoying team in the league all year because the media spent every waking hour (when they weren't talking Yanks-Sox) slurping at Ozzie Guillen's behind and giving them credit for things they did wrong. I was afraid that if they won, every team would be trying Ozzieball next year--how could I root for a team that would set baseball back 15 years? And of course, Ozzie certainly appears to be a certified douchebag off the field, so that's pretty hard to root for.

As for the 'Stros, they were more likable, but they had an anemic offense carried by Clemens and Petitte, who I don't care for (I'm leaving out Oswalt, of course, but I don't have much of an opinion on him). Petitte isn't really all that bad--just tainted by the Yankee stigma--but Clemens is probably a bigger jerk than Ozzie is, and it's awfully hard to root for him to pick up another ring.

When neither team is particularly likable, it's hard to get an interest in the series. In the end, I went for Houston just for Biggio and Bagwell's sake (and because the umpires got me mad at the Sox), but it wasn't exactly a vehement rooting interest.

For the record, I felt the same about Red Sox/Yankees last year. I only started watching when the comeback began, because I couldn't root for either of them. I guess I was the outlier there, though.

[wrveres]

Never discount the influence ESPN has over the sheep.
If ESPN was from Chicago, you can almost guarantee this would have been a higher ranked WS ...

Its sad I know, but I honestly beleive this. Even after the WS teams were known it was all ESPN could talk about, what were the Yankees and the Sox going to do. We had somebody from Boston in here the other day and he even admitted that the press back there could care less about the series and all of the coverage was Espstein and Cashman. ...

Its honestly .. sad ..


but of course, there is no East Coast bias is sports, right?

What are you talking about?

The White Sox was all Mike Wilbon could talk about for the past week. He wouldn't shut up about the Sox this and the Sox that.

Of course by then Kornheiser was asleep so Wilbon was talking to himself....

oh I stand corrected ...

Wilbon talked about the Sox, so there is no East Coast bias ..


what was I thinkning ..

[Music2004Man]

The worst part about it is that even though it was a four game sweep, the games were great! Im not a fan of either team but I watched every game and except for the first one, there was high drama in all of them. Too bad for the folks who didnt watch...

I'm right with you comrade. It's really a shame that people didn't watch this series because overall (even without the star power of past series) it was extremely competitive and fun to watch!

[kentx12]

I believe that all of you have some great points but I dont agree that any of them are the reason that the ratings were so low. The games start way to late. That imo is the reason why people dont watch. I have a job and have to get up in the morning and go to work. I cant sit up till after midnight to watch a ballgame. Baseball is decreasing in popularity and I think the times the games are played have alot to do with it. I have a 6 yr old daughter who loves watching the Braves with me and during the summer we do it a few nights a week but when school starts she only gets to watch the 1st couple of innings then it is time for bed. Children cant stay up late enough to watch the games when the playoffs and world series start and as far as adults I am sure that there is a high number of them who cant sit up half the night to watch a game. I have vented enough so i will shut up.

[Pogotheostrich]

I believe that all of you have some great points but I dont agree that any of them are the reason that the ratings were so low. The games start way to late. That imo is the reason why people dont watch. I have a job and have to get up in the morning and go to work. I cant sit up till after midnight to watch a ballgame. Baseball is decreasing in popularity and I think the times the games are played have alot to do with it. I have a 6 yr old daughter who loves watching the Braves with me and during the summer we do it a few nights a week but when school starts she only gets to watch the 1st couple of innings then it is time for bed. Children cant stay up late enough to watch the games when the playoffs and world series start and as far as adults I am sure that there is a high number of them who cant sit up half the night to watch a game. I have vented enough so i will shut up.

I hate the late start times too but Monday Night Football starts just as last if not later than most WS games and draws pretty well.

[dyuen87]

honestly the problem was no offense. when you talk to the casual fan they wont understand the intensity and beauty of a 1-0 game. they'll say "snore fest." casual fans love the home run ball more than anything and neither team had a real power threat.

[kentx12]

I believe that all of you have some great points but I dont agree that any of them are the reason that the ratings were so low. The games start way to late. That imo is the reason why people dont watch. I have a job and have to get up in the morning and go to work. I cant sit up till after midnight to watch a ballgame. Baseball is decreasing in popularity and I think the times the games are played have alot to do with it. I have a 6 yr old daughter who loves watching the Braves with me and during the summer we do it a few nights a week but when school starts she only gets to watch the 1st couple of innings then it is time for bed. Children cant stay up late enough to watch the games when the playoffs and world series start and as far as adults I am sure that there is a high number of them who cant sit up half the night to watch a game. I have vented enough so i will shut up.

I hate the late start times too but Monday Night Football starts just as last if not later than most WS games and draws pretty well.

understood but Monday night Football is 1 time a week and the games arent as long.