Tag: Green Bay Packers

NFL Network Sacked For A Loss

So, it looks like the Patriot – Giants game will be on ‘free’ over-the-air TV (seen mainly on ‘paid’ cable or satellite). Originally it was scheduled to be on the NFL Network alone.

This is a complex story, but it seems the NFL is the real short term loser here.

Basically, the NFL created its own sports network and seeded it with a handful of games. In years gone by, these would have been shown on free TV and, in fact, they were still going to be shown on free TV in the teams’ home markets.

The idea was to force cable companies to carry the network year round. That would be the only way to have access to these individual games. The NFL wanted it to be included on cable as a basic service, like CNN or ESPN and not a pay add-on, like HBO or Showtime.

It was a lot to swallow for a few out-of-market games and lots (and lots) of filler.

Unfortunately for the NFL, the cable companies balked and few fans cared. Did you really miss the Broncos – Texans game on December 13 (or the other random match-ups&#185)?

This would have all passed quietly, except for this weekend and the Patriots going for an undefeated season. Now the NFL had leverage. Fortunately, it blew up in their faces.

Under enormous pressure from Congress on down, the NFL relented. Now, this marquee game will be seen on the NFL Network, NBC and CBS! In Boston and New York City it will be on a fourth station as well! ABC might as well run the “All-Star Salute to Cheese.”

In trying to force the cable companies to carry their network, the NFL didn’t have a leg to stand on because of one other move they’d made: NFL Sunday Ticket.

NFL Sunday Ticket is the NFL’s package, offering every game live. As much as the cable companies and Dish Network want that (and I’d probably buy it), it is only offered on DirectTV.

This is a guess on my part, but I’ll bet Sunday Ticket is the most powerful selling point DirectTV has.

The cable ops (and I) wondered, how the could NFL cry about their fans inability to watch these NFL Network games when it wouldn’t provide all the other games to those same poor fans? This is the definition of chutzpah!

There’s an old story about a guy who kills his parents and then throws himself on the mercy of the court because he’s an orphan. That’s the NFL!

I don’t know how this will all come out. At some point the NFL will have to accept defeat and decide if this in-house network is really a viable concept.

Is it just me, or is there a cosmic thread which runs through America where we root for the evil, greedy corporation to get its comeuppance. At the moment, I couldn’t be happier.

In the Fox house, we will continue to root against the Giants. The Pats achievement is less important.

&#185 – NFL Network 2007 Game Schedule

Week 12: Thursday, November 22 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons (Thanksgiving)

Week 13: Thursday, November 29 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys

Week 14: Thursday, December 6 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Chicago Bears at Washington Redskins

Week 15: Thursday, December 13 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Denver Broncos at Houston Texans

Week 15: Saturday, December 15 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Cincinnati Bengals at San Francisco 49ers

Week 16: Thursday, December 20 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Pittsburgh Steelers at St. Louis Rams

Week 16: Saturday, December 22 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers

Week 17: Saturday, December 29 at 8:00 PM ET (Live)

New England Patriots at New York Giants

Watching The Eagles At A Bar

I don’t drink alcohol. OK, that’s not entirely correct. Once or twice a year I’ll get a Bailey’s Irish Cream (aka chocolate milk with booze) at a casino. When the waitress asks, “straight or rocks,” I won’t remember how I had it the last time or if I have a preference.

Helaine is right up there with me. If it were for the two of us, bars and the spirits industry in general would cease to exist. On the other hand, we’re fairly non-judgmental about this. We don’t mind if other people drink and have served alcohol in our home.

All this is leading to the fact that Helaine and I spent a good part of the afternoon at a local bar watching the Philadelphia Eagles humiliate the Green Bay Packers. For Eagles fans, this was a wonderful game. Our biggest concern was the coach leaving quarterback Donovan McNabb in too long, possibly subjecting him to injury.&#185.

I’m not sure I had ever gone to a bar just to watch a football game. It was actually a lot of fun.

We went to Eli’s on Whitney, a bar and restaurant that also does catering. The bar itself is rectangular with the bartenders in the middle. On the outer walls are about a dozen TV sets. Inside, above the bartenders heads, are another 10 sets.

Each TV was tuned to a satellite feed of a game. Since there were fewer games than sets, many had the same game on.

We came in around 4:00 o’clock. The place was crowded with fans still watching the early games as the late shift moved in. A large proportion of the people there were wearing jerseys, sweatshirts or other team attire. Helaine and I were wearing Eagles sweatshirts.

Through the course of the afternoon we had appetizers, (soft) drinks and dessert. The tab came to about $30 and I gave our waitress a 35% tip based on both her good service and the long time we were there.

It is not like watching at home. On the other hand, it wasn’t bad at all. I enjoyed it, especially when it became obvious there were many more Philadelphia than Green Bay fans. There were cheers for each good Philly play – meaning a lot of cheers today.

As the season winds down, more and more games will be on free local TV, meaning there will be less reason to watch at Eli’s. If the opportunity presented itself again, I’d go in a second.

&#185 – If you know Rush Limbaugh, would you please tell him an apology to McNabb for what he said last season is way overdue. There’s just no arguing with the numbers and Limbaugh must see that by now.

Fly Eagles Fly

I have been a major Eagles fan since that day Marlene Maslin walked me into The Vet. A huge American flag was stretched across the entire field. The Sun was shining. The team sucked. But, it didn’t make any difference. Love is often made up of imponderables.

Helaine is a bigger Eagles fan than I am. She lives and dies with the team. When they lose, she shuns all sports media. When they win, you need a firehose to supply the information and opinion she craves.

We just finished watching the Eagles play the Green Bay Packers in the 2nd round of the NFC playoffs. This isn’t a sports blog, and I’m not going to go into detail, but the Eagles held on in improbable fashion bringing the game to overtime. Then, in overtime, they snatched momentum from the Packers on an uncontested interception and went on to win… the only moment of the game they were ahead.

Helaine usually goes to bed early – but she’s so jazzed up over the game that it will be awhile before she’s able to sleep.

I’m sure I’ll have another entry tonight when the late weather models start coming in, within the next hour.