Bang Cartoon
Encyclopedia
Bang Cartoon is a website
that hosts satirical Flash cartoon
s based almost exclusively on the NFL
. It was created in September 2003. It is owned and operated by John Tayman who is a lifelong fan of the NFL and follows the Washington Redskins
.
In September 2005 a podcast
series was introduced hosted by Tayman and the site's producer Tom Lacks. Like the cartoons it is satirical and based mostly on the NFL. Lacks is an avid Buckeye
and Cowboy
fan and this is often a source humor on the show.
The cartoons grew out of Tayman's love for the NFL and his belief that many NFL fans take the sport too seriously. It has attracted both praise and criticism and has also become popular among a number of the players that they generally parody
.
The site hosts an active message board community which hosts discussion about the cartoon and podcasts.
Links can be found on many player websites, most notably Clinton Portis
and Santana Moss
.
owner Daniel Snyder
stealing players from the New York Jets
and broadcaster John Madden getting his head stuck in a bucket. From there each cartoon gained an increasing audience. The release of "Booyah!", a cartoon parodying ESPN
anchor Stuart Scott
, Dallas Cowboys
running back
Emmitt Smith
and Oakland Raiders
owner Al Davis
saw the numbers of visitors increase significantly.
The site's popularity increased significantly in December 2003 with the release of "Michael Vick
Takes A Crap" (viewable at http://www.bangcartoon.com/2003/vicktv.htm), parodying the seemingly endless praising of Vick by Mike Patrick
, Paul Maguire
, and Joe Theismann
during a Sunday night game on ESPN
against the Carolina Panthers
. Traffic to the site overwhelmed its servers and Tayman was forced to search for a new server.
Tayman was contacted by Eric Leichter, an owner and administrator of Extremeskins, a Washington Redskins
fan site. Leichter offered to host the cartoons on Extremeskins. Tayman agreed and it became Bang Cartoon's new host. It remained there until the summer of 2005 when it was removed from Extremeskins after the Washington Redskins
purchased the site and determined that, due to the scornful nature of some of the cartoons, it not be officially connected with Bang Cartoon. Bang Cartoon then became exclusively featured on its own domain where it remains to date.
A new website
and forum
were introduced in early 2006 and the website's content was expanded in August 2006. The site now also covers music, movies and politics through columns e-mailed to the site.
. The cartoon was a satirical look at the upcoming contract negotiations between the BANG BANG SKEET SKEET Postons and the Cleveland Browns
. The following Sunday, ESPN
used the cartoon on their program Outside the Lines
in a segment about the Postons. In the segment they showed the cartoon to one of the Postons, who laughed at it, and called it "unfortunate".
Later in the program, sports agent and former NBA star Len Elmore
said the cartoon was "disgusting" and carried "racial overtones", due to the accents and attitudes of the characters.
From there a small storm began in which the accusations of racism surfaced. It culminated when Tayman appeared on sports radio in Cleveland to answer growing questions as to the motives behind the characterization.
was the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator, he sent Tayman a letter detailing how the locker room "stopped and watched when new cartoons came out." Despite the steady flow of criticism directed towards Washington Redskins
owner, Daniel Snyder
, it is rumored that the reclusive owner is a fan of the site
es. Non-NFL personalities such as George W Bush have also appeared. There are also a number of characters that have been created by Bang Cartoons, with news reporters Harry Sphincter and Bill Spleen and newsreader Lance Pants the most frequent of these.
Other frequent characters include:
series called "The Bang Cartoon Radio Hour" was introduced to the site. It features Tayman and fellow site developer Tom Lacks talking for about an hour discussing issues in the NFL. The two met six years ago in an NFL chat room, and Lacks, who works in radio, expressed interest in helping with Bang Cartoon. Tayman saw it as a great chance to work on a new project.
Like the cartoons they take a satirical approach to most issues. They will try to avoid analysis of games or players, believing that to be something everyone does. Lacks often provides audio
of notable or amusing quotes from players, coaches
and announcers.
"The cartoon is fun, but it's only one idea," he said. "By the time I put the cartoon out there for you to laugh at it, I've seen in 10,000 times. I'm tired of it. I'm done with it."
Tayman estimates that he and Lacks have shaken hands just two or three times in six years, that hasn't detracted from their podcast, which the duo wants to move to actual radio once Tayman's son graduates from high school.
The podcast has generated traffic from all but 18 countries in the world and consistently ranks as the #1 Sports podcast on Podcast Alley.com In May 2006, the Radio Hour was named the winner of the Podcast-O-Rama, a contest which pitted podcasts against one another in a bracket style tournament
. The contest was hosted and sponsored by vitalpodcasts.com and TPSRadio.net. In November 2006 a MySpace
page was set up for it.
The podcast is available for free on itunes or the Bang Cartoon Radio Hour website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
that hosts satirical Flash cartoon
Flash cartoon
A Flash animation or Flash cartoon is an animated film which is created using Adobe Flash or similar animation software and often distributed in the .swf file format. The term Flash animation not only refers to the file format but to a certain kind of movement and visual style which, in many...
s based almost exclusively on the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. It was created in September 2003. It is owned and operated by John Tayman who is a lifelong fan of the NFL and follows the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
In September 2005 a podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
series was introduced hosted by Tayman and the site's producer Tom Lacks. Like the cartoons it is satirical and based mostly on the NFL. Lacks is an avid Buckeye
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
and Cowboy
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
fan and this is often a source humor on the show.
The cartoons grew out of Tayman's love for the NFL and his belief that many NFL fans take the sport too seriously. It has attracted both praise and criticism and has also become popular among a number of the players that they generally parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
.
The site hosts an active message board community which hosts discussion about the cartoon and podcasts.
Links can be found on many player websites, most notably Clinton Portis
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
and Santana Moss
Santana Moss
Santana Terrell Moss is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
.
History
It began in early 2003 when Tayman produced two cartoons, about the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
stealing players from the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and broadcaster John Madden getting his head stuck in a bucket. From there each cartoon gained an increasing audience. The release of "Booyah!", a cartoon parodying ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
anchor Stuart Scott
Stuart Scott
Stuart Scott is a sportscaster and anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter.-Early life and career:Scott attended Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and went to college at the University of North Carolina. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity...
, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
and Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
owner Al Davis
Al Davis
Allen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1970 to 2011...
saw the numbers of visitors increase significantly.
The site's popularity increased significantly in December 2003 with the release of "Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
Takes A Crap" (viewable at http://www.bangcartoon.com/2003/vicktv.htm), parodying the seemingly endless praising of Vick by Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick is an American sportscaster.-Career:Patrick began his broadcasting career in the fall of 1966 at WVSC-Radio in Somerset, Pa. In 1970, he was named Sports Director at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Fla., where he provided play-by-play for Jacksonville Sharks' World Football League telecasts...
, Paul Maguire
Paul Maguire
Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...
, and Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...
during a Sunday night game on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Traffic to the site overwhelmed its servers and Tayman was forced to search for a new server.
Tayman was contacted by Eric Leichter, an owner and administrator of Extremeskins, a Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
fan site. Leichter offered to host the cartoons on Extremeskins. Tayman agreed and it became Bang Cartoon's new host. It remained there until the summer of 2005 when it was removed from Extremeskins after the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
purchased the site and determined that, due to the scornful nature of some of the cartoons, it not be officially connected with Bang Cartoon. Bang Cartoon then became exclusively featured on its own domain where it remains to date.
A new website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
and forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
were introduced in early 2006 and the website's content was expanded in August 2006. The site now also covers music, movies and politics through columns e-mailed to the site.
Development
In April 2004 Bang Cartoon released "Going Poston", a cartoon about sports agents Carl and Kevin Poston and their client, then NFL rookie Kellen Winslow IIKellen Winslow II
Kellen Boswell Winslow, II is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
. The cartoon was a satirical look at the upcoming contract negotiations between the BANG BANG SKEET SKEET Postons and the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The following Sunday, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
used the cartoon on their program Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines, or also referred to as OTL, is an American television program on ESPN that looks "outside the lines" and examines critical issues in American sports on and off the field of play....
in a segment about the Postons. In the segment they showed the cartoon to one of the Postons, who laughed at it, and called it "unfortunate".
Later in the program, sports agent and former NBA star Len Elmore
Len Elmore
Leonard J. "Len" Elmore is an American sportscaster, lawyer and former National Basketball Association player....
said the cartoon was "disgusting" and carried "racial overtones", due to the accents and attitudes of the characters.
From there a small storm began in which the accusations of racism surfaced. It culminated when Tayman appeared on sports radio in Cleveland to answer growing questions as to the motives behind the characterization.
Favorite of the NFL
Bang Cartoon has been featured on national television and given Tayman a fair measure of notoriety in the NFL. When Detroit Lions Coach Jim SchwartzJim Schwartz
Jim Schwartz is an American football head coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.-Early life:Born just outside Baltimore, Maryland, Schwartz attended Mount Saint Joseph High School, an all male Catholic school, where he played football.Schwartz was a four-year letterman at...
was the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator, he sent Tayman a letter detailing how the locker room "stopped and watched when new cartoons came out." Despite the steady flow of criticism directed towards Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
owner, Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
, it is rumored that the reclusive owner is a fan of the site
Characters
Most characters are satirical portrayals of actual NFL players, coaches and journalists. However “The Justice Guys” feature NFL players and coaches as superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es. Non-NFL personalities such as George W Bush have also appeared. There are also a number of characters that have been created by Bang Cartoons, with news reporters Harry Sphincter and Bill Spleen and newsreader Lance Pants the most frequent of these.
Other frequent characters include:
- Tiki BarberTiki BarberAtiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
- Bronco Billy
- Tom BradyTom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
- Colonel KofflinTom CoughlinThomas Richard Coughlin is an American football coach who is currently head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League . Coughlin has led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Coughlin was also the inaugural head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 1995–2002 and...
- Vinny CerratoVinny CerratoVinny Cerrato is the former Executive Vice President for Football Operations for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League and actor in the feature film Kindergarten Ninja.-Playing career:...
- Bill CowherBill CowherWilliam Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
- Brett FavreBrett FavreBrett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
- Jeff GarciaJeff GarciaJeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
- Roger GoodellRoger GoodellRoger S. Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League , having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. He was chosen over four finalists for the position, winning a close vote on the fifth ballot before being unanimously approved by acclamation of the...
- Jerry JonesJerry JonesJerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
- Adam "Pacman" Jones
- John Madden
- Matt MillenMatt MillenMatthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
- Terrell OwensTerrell OwensTerrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
- Carl Poston and Kevin Poston
- Drew RosenhausDrew RosenhausDrew Rosenhaus is an American sports agent who represents professional football players. He owns the Miami-based sports agency, Rosenhaus Sports, and is known for using aggressive tactics on behalf of his clients who play in the National Football League.Rosenhaus currently represents approximately...
- Frebby SmoopFred SmootFredrick "Fred" Duayne Smoot is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
- The GeneralissimoDaniel SnyderDaniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
- Paul TagliabuePaul TagliabuePaul John Tagliabue is a former Commissioner of the National Football League. He took the position in 1989 and was succeeded by Roger Goodell, who was elected to the position on August 8, 2006. Tagliabue's retirement took effect on September 1, 2006. He had previously served as a lawyer for the NFL...
- Mike TomlinMike TomlinMichael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
- Michael VickMichael VickMichael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
- Ricky WilliamsRicky WilliamsErrick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
- Kellen Winslow IIKellen Winslow IIKellen Boswell Winslow, II is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
- Robert KraftRobert KraftRobert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
- Bill BelichickBill BelichickWilliam Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
Bang Cartoon Radio Hour
In September 2005 a podcastPodcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
series called "The Bang Cartoon Radio Hour" was introduced to the site. It features Tayman and fellow site developer Tom Lacks talking for about an hour discussing issues in the NFL. The two met six years ago in an NFL chat room, and Lacks, who works in radio, expressed interest in helping with Bang Cartoon. Tayman saw it as a great chance to work on a new project.
Like the cartoons they take a satirical approach to most issues. They will try to avoid analysis of games or players, believing that to be something everyone does. Lacks often provides audio
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
of notable or amusing quotes from players, coaches
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and announcers.
"The cartoon is fun, but it's only one idea," he said. "By the time I put the cartoon out there for you to laugh at it, I've seen in 10,000 times. I'm tired of it. I'm done with it."
Tayman estimates that he and Lacks have shaken hands just two or three times in six years, that hasn't detracted from their podcast, which the duo wants to move to actual radio once Tayman's son graduates from high school.
The podcast has generated traffic from all but 18 countries in the world and consistently ranks as the #1 Sports podcast on Podcast Alley.com In May 2006, the Radio Hour was named the winner of the Podcast-O-Rama, a contest which pitted podcasts against one another in a bracket style tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
. The contest was hosted and sponsored by vitalpodcasts.com and TPSRadio.net. In November 2006 a MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page was set up for it.
The podcast is available for free on itunes or the Bang Cartoon Radio Hour website
Other features
With the introduction of a new website a number of other features were added.- Meet the Mullettes a sitcom about rednecks Skeeter Mullette, his wife Raylene, his brother Duane and his best friend Jim-Bob Stuckey. Tayman portrays all characters. This has now expanded into a weekly cartoon feature called "The Super Awesome Football Show".
- The Bang Music hour which showcases unsigned artists and bands which have been e-mailed to Tayman by visitors to the site.