The first gripe has to do with that camera that they suspend above the field with wires to show overhead shots and some other shots. It used to be when a team kicked a field goal, a camera behind one of the end zones would show it, and everything was just peachy. Now, however, they often use the suspended camera to show field goal attempts. The suspended camera is far inferior for this task. It is harder to follow the ball, and the ball often gets lost in the score graphic on top of the screen.
The second gripe concerns Fox specifically. What’s the deal with those stupid robot cartoons they show coming out of commercial breaks? I want to watch a football game, not some crappy Transformers knockoff.
The third one refers to yesterday’s Seattle vs. Dallas Thanksgiving game. Who in the hell decided that the Jonas brothers would make a good halftime show? Why is the NFL trying to cater to a bunch of 8-year-old girls who don’t buy tickets or NFL merchandise anyway? Also, that woman who butchered the national anthem was almost just as bad.
I thought the douchebag they had performing at halftime of the Lions’ game was bad, until I saw the Jonas Brothers, whoever the hell they are. Worst televised musical performance ever, especially taken in conjunction with the chick who murdered the national anthem- and this coming from someone who saw Milli Vanilli’s downfall.
All this plastic-coated gingerbread is just to keep Joe Average TV Watcher being a fan, tuning in, and spending bank. The game is not enough. It’s the mythos, plus the consumerist vibe, that does it.
If the game were enough, football coverage would look like it did in the '60s, and team and player merchandising deals would not be nearly the industry they are today.
I love that camera and wish they would use it far more. Like every single play.
As for the rest … these are the people that think America wants to hear Joe Buck.
Keith is still working? How many times has he retired now? Was it just the once? I love his voice, but I don’t follow college sports, so I don’t know these things.
Yeah, too much Lou. They’ve got that stupid "Lou"segment, and way too much about Notre Dame, who are what, 6-6?
Let me complain about the video broadcast, especially ABC. They have that distracting banner at the bottom, and a black bar below that. Then they have there score bar near the top, but more wasted space above it. Of course, they don’t use the stuff left or right of the standard def screen either, so they have to squeeze the game into about half the screen.
Raise the score bar, lower (or better, get rid of) the scrolling bar at the bottom, and zoom in on the game.
I wish that when they show all the players stating their name and college and instead of saying, you know, which college he went to he says some stupid shit like “culinary academy”, “Blah Blah High School” or “school of hard knocks” the network would just show their college attended under their picture and have them say their name only.
I hope that makes sense, but it irks me. Not a lot- just a little bit.
I hope they know they sound like dorks. And I like to see where they went to college.
The NFL is trying to cater to people who pay them lots of money. And own one of the biggest sports networks.
Both of the musical acts are Disney products. I looked up the girl - my Dad was wondering just how young she was - and it turns out her mother is or was also a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader. (I don’t know if that’s the mother who provided portions of the DNA used to produce her or if it’s just the person the company assigned for the family pictures.)
The robot is a scrub, a 4th stringer, plus he is an idiot. He truly seems to think coach is gonna call him in next play, every time. Guess what Mean Joe Machine, it aint gonna happen- you’ve never seen any action yet, so why do you think that’s gonna change?
And Fox, why keep showing us a robot that never plays, anyway?
I love the robot! Reminds me of back in the days when Beer Bottles would gather around once a year to have a showdown for the ages rather than scantily clad women in lingeries. It’s one of the reasons I got sucked into watching football as a kid, as I love seeing VARIATIONS of the Robot guy (Thanksgiving Robot, Halloween Robot, etc). He’s a good guy, he just needs some love! He doesn’t complain about his pinky, or demand raises, or anything like that- he’s just there for the love of the game!
I kinda like it when they introduce “showier” aspects to the game- I still remember the Tony Siragusa (Sic) skits from the Raven’s Superbowl appearance. That’s how I got hooked on watching football as a kid- it was the showiness that got to me, as I didn’t really understand the game, but th showiness kept me there until I started to learn the nuances of the game.
So I’m all for those “I’m from the school of hard knocks!” and those sorts of silly side comments, because I want to know that the guys who are playing are having FUN with it, that makes what I’m watching WAY More interesting to me. And I know that somewhere out there someone else who may have been in my shoes is going to slowly learn to “get” football for these reasons.
It’s the same reason I don’t mind Madden. If you know NOTHING about football, then his basic spoon-feeding play by plays are a GREAT thing to listen to on how to learn about the game.
Announcers are plug in modules. There is no real difference . I am waiting for Millan to get back. He may have to explain his GM moves. Tough to defend . That might be interesting once before he slips into commentator mode.
Along similar lines. Look, I like seeing the scores in other games. It’s something that’s been around for a long time and it serves a purpose. Then they started giving updates after a team scores in a big game. Eh, OK, that’s fine, I guess. Can be useful, especially if I’m stuck watching some shitty-ass local game because of the market I’m in. But then they started doing “Score Alerts” – telling me that the score is the same as it was before, but now the other team has the ball. WTF? And then, worst of all, they started doing it for fucking baseball during college football games. The hell? Letting me know after just about every goddamned out? And it’s not like you can just ignore it, because it flashes and they clear the score line and you just know the one time you look away is the time they’re going to tell you that Ole Miss has blocked an extra point against Florida.
Dial it back a little with the Score Alerts/Updates is alls I’m saying.
I think the vast majority of the problems with football can be solved in 3 words: “Announcers, Shut up!”
I appreciate that they serve a purpose, I like knowing the reason for a penalty and pointing out crucial situations and giving the name of a player making a play, but generally shut the hell up. Let me watch the game. Let me hear the crowd. Let me hear the hits and yelling through the parabolic mikes. Less is more. We need no more than 2 guys in the booth, and one calls the plays succinctly and one offers occasional insight, very occasional. Just let me enjoy the game, I know it better than you do anyways.
Lets drag the robot out back and shoot him, then smelt him.
Show me more wide angle shots. We have 43" flat screens these days, lets use them. On some passing plays I’d like to be able to see what the receivers are doing downfield while the QB is in his drop back instead of just getting the quick pan downfield on release. Not every play, but lets take a look at the rest of the game on occasion. Lets watch a few plays live from directly above. Lets watch a few live from behind the QB, some from behind the defense. Maybe once or twice a drive is all. You show dozens of replays, mix it up, lets see what the coaches will be seeing on Monday.
It seems like a perfect opportunity for the NFL network to show it’s value. They should mandate that their Thursday games are going to be for the football geeks. Lots of in-game sounds. Much less chatter from the booth. Lots of Xs and Os and clinical camera angles. I’d pony up for the channel if I got to see the games like that, without all the superfluous commentary and self promotion for the networks upcoming shows and announcers making themselves the stars.
I don’t mind the camera on a wire, but I HATE the way that ESPN has been filming games. They have what seems to be a handheld camera in the endzone that they use on kickoffs and punts, because they seem to think it gives a good feel for the game. No, what it does is give an incredibly crappy angle where I can’t see any of the damn players on the field, and reduces the depth perception to zero, so I can’t even tell what yard line the kick returner is on.
Television has been filming football from between the 40s for the last 50 years for a reason - it WORKS.
I’m so with you here and I think it was the “culinary academy” that finally did it because you know a whole new rash is coming now as they attempts to try and out do the other guy. Personality I like. Silly one-ups-manship can be annoying. I’d like to know the college too and mindlessly keep score during the year on which ones put the most players in the league but some of these guys can render that admittedly feeble scorekeeping attempt a little less clear.
