Wednesday, December 26, 2007

NFL caves, overcoats distributed in Hell

In what may well be the most shocking headline of 2007, the NFL has decided to simulcast, on CBS and NBC, the previously-NFL-Network-only Pats-Giants game this Saturday evening.

The NFL Network, and its exclusive games, has been a sore spot for me, and the football-viewing public in general, for two seasons now. Thanks to the NFL's swordfight with Time Warner and Comcast, the majority of Americans cannot see the NFL Network even if they wanted to. For the most part, I doubt they want to very much. Game presentation on the league's new toy is terrible, with a lame pre- and post-game show, mediocre (at best) graphics, and the world's worst play-by-play announcer in Bryant Gumbel.

Regardless, the Pats-Giants game is potentially somewhat historic, as the Pats (in case you have been living under a rock somewhere) have the opportunity to finish the first 16-0 regular season ever.

The NFL, shockingly, is giving all of America the opportunity to do so. Perhaps it was the Holiday Season which overcame the greed-bags in the League office. Or, perhaps slightly more likely, it was Sen. Leahy's not-too-subtle suggestion that congress might take a new look at the NFL's anti-trust exemption.

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