THE PUCK STOPS HERE

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS COMPLANING THAT ICE HOCKEY IS HARD TO WATCH, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE THE PUCK.

WELL, IF YOU THINK HOCKEY IS HARD TO WATCH ON REGULAR SPORTS CHANNELS OR IF YOU ARE ANNOYED BY FOX'S PSYCHEDELIC PUCK, TRY WATCHING A GAME ON ESPN 2.

THROUGHOUT THE EARLY ROUNDS OF THE NHL PLAYOFF'S, ESPN 2 FILLED THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE TV SCREEN WITH A SCROLL BAR PACKED WITH SCORES FROM OTHER HOCKEY GAMES AS WELL AS SCORES FROM OTHER SPORTS.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY FANS ARE INTERESTED IN PERIODIC UPDATES ON BASEBALL GAMES, LOTS OF THEM ARE GAMBLERS.

BUT, UNLIKE ESPN ITSELF WHICH PERIODICALLY SHRINKS THE SCREEN TO GIVE SPORTS UPDATES, ESPN 2 LEAVES THE SCROLL BAR THERE ALL NIGHT.

SO THE PERSON TRYING TO WATCH A GAME HAS TO BE CONTINUALLY REMINDED THAT MARY PIERCE HAS REACHED THE QUARTER-FINALS OF THE GERMAN OPEN, THAT THE COLORADO ROCKIES HAS JUST PUT ONE OF THEIR SCRUBS ON THE DISABLED LIST, THAT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER STILL EXIST.

I CAN'T IMAGINE MANY HOCKEY FANS BEING INTERESTED IN THIS INFOMATION, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY'VE SEEN IT A COUPLE OF DOZEN TIMES.

IT'S NOT JUST THE INCESSANT REPETITION OF THE SAME EXTRANEOUS INFORMATION THAT GETS ON MY NERVES.

IT'S THE AMOUNT OF SPACE ON THE SCREEN THAT THE SCROLL BAR TAKES UP.

ESPN 2 ALSO HAS A SCOREBOARD POSITIONED IN THE UPPER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THE SCREEN MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHATS GOING ON.

I PITY THE PERSON TRYING TO WATCH A GAME ON A 13 INCH TV.

WHAT WORRIES ME IS THIS INNOVATION COULD GET INTO NON-SPORTS PROGRAMMING.

IMAGINE WATCHING JAY LENO WHILE A SCROLL BAR READS DREW BARRYMORE IS TAKING HER SHIRT OFF ON LETTERMAN....., BILL MAHERS INSULTING JESSIE HELMS ON POLITICALLY INCORRECT....., HILERYS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH ON NIGHTLINE.

BUT, THINGS COULD GET WORSE.

SUPPOSE ORDINARY CHANNELS ACCEPTED ESPN2'S PREMISE THAT VIEWERS MUST BE KEPT ABREAST OF EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST ON TV.

AND YOU'D BE WATCHING A DRAMATIC SEASON-ENDING TRIPLE-BYPASS OPERATION ON ER WHILE THE BOTTOM QUARTER OF THE SCREEN CARRIED THESE UPDATES, AX MURDERER WITH OWN WEBSITE BEING INTERVIEWED ON 48 HOURS..., I.B.M. CLOSES AT 158..., MARY PIERCE WINS STUTTGART OPEN.

WORSE YET, IF P.B.S. WERE TO JUMP INTO THE ACT AND PUT A SCROLL BAR AT THE BOTTOM OF LIVE FROM LINCOM CENTER.

YOU WOULD BE WATCHING PLACIDO DOMINGO HYPERVENTILATE WHILE CONSTANTLY BEING REMINDED OF OTHER CULTURAL EVENTS, "SHINE" PIANIST MESSING UP CHOPIN AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL... BILL MOYERS HALFWAY THROUGH ANOTHER LONG BOOK.... LUCIANO PAVAROTTI STILL FAT.

I THINK IT'S TIME TV GOT RID OF THE BANNERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.

LET US ENJOY WHAT WE'RE WATCHING WHILE WE'RE WATCHING IT.

THAT MARY PIERCE QUARTER FINAL SCORE CAN WAIT UNTIL SPORTSCENTER.

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