The following is not a blanket indictment of the NFL Network. But thanks to Time Warner Cable, our local cable monopolist that finally caved to Roger Goodell, a new set of targets are now in sight.
Rich Eisen, NFLN?s frontman is an engaging guy. He?s got a lot of gameshow host in him too. During Thursday?s pregame leading into Browns-Ravens, Eisen said Baltimore having to play Sunday night then return to play Thursday night was a tough situation.
Who created this mess? Eisen did not address that. If Eisen was for real, he would have somehow ? even subtly ? explained how NFL owners, for the benefit of NFLN and their bank accounts, added five games to its ?Thursday Night Football? schedule creating a hardship for participating teams and severely compromising the on-field product.
Instead, he treated viewers like morons. An honest explanation was not a high priority for Eisen.
Still he didn?t come off nearly as clueless as Michelle Beisner, an NFLN reporter who was in Seattle for the controversial finish of Packers-Seahawks. After the game she interviewed Pete Carroll on the field, but never ? no never ? asked one question about the way the game ended. Or the replacement officials call that gift wrapped his illegitimate win.
Instead, Beisner asked the following crucial questions: 1)?Coach, congratulations. What an unbelievable victory and finish. What do you have to say about this team right now?? 2)?Your defense, eight sacks in the first half. Talk about what your defense was able to accomplish tonight?? 3)?And how do you feel your young quarterback (Russell Wilson) handled the bright lights of Monday night football tonight??
This was embarrassing. Doubt NFLN suits will be running Beisner?s one-on-one in their best interviews of 2012 segment. Beisner shouldn?t take a solo hit here. Whoever was producing this segment should have been in her ear screaming: ?Ask him about the play.?
Bet Steve Mariucci would have. Unfortunately, if you haven?t played in the NFL you might not understand what he?s saying. Mariucci, one of NFLN?s marquee personalities, often sounds like he?s sending in plays to a QB. Not only is he too technical, he appears to be reading from notes. Someone at NFLN should remind him about the virtues of spontaneity.
Mariucci is not nearly as technical as NFLN game analyst Mike Mayock, who sounds like he?s in a film session with coaches rather than broadcasting to the unwashed masses.
Still, for us, NFLN is well worth watching. The reasons should be obvious.
ESPN BOOKING ISIAH?
There?s a lot of NBA stuff going on at ESPN, as the Bristol Clown Community College faculty searches for new talent. Reports had Isiah Thomas auditioning (he was in Bristol Wednesday) and, according to NBA stoolies, Mike D?Antoni also took a shot at a gig.
The Thomas stuff is interesting. Are ESPN honchos looking to pair Zeke with Magic Johnson, his long-time nemeis, in ABC?s NBA studio? The matchup could produce major sparks, something the sleep inducing show desperately needs.
And if Thomas were to get the gig, how close would he be tracking the Knicks and James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan?
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FORGET-ME-YES
These multi-media former quarterbacks should keep better track of what they are saying or risk being accused of flip-flopping.
Like Rich Gannon. On Sunday?s Jets-Dolphins CBS telecast he said: ?I don?t want to hear Jets fans blaming (Mark) Sanchez. It?s on his receivers. They can?t get open.?
Yet a day later on CBS Sports Network?s ?NFL Monday QB? Gannon said he ?doesn?t believe? in Sanchez.
The dude is confused. Or just forgot what he said Sunday.
INSIDE THE SNOOZE
Leave it to Cris Collinsworth to add a bizarre twist to the replacement referee mess.
Under the unwatchful eye of the replacements, Collinsworth said, the NFL returned to its rock-em-sock-em days. ?Nobody can tell me these games haven?t been more physical. It?s like going back to the ?60s or ?70s kind of football,? Collinsworth said on Showtime?s ?Inside the NFL.? ?And you?ve got the Kardashians refereeing.?
Maybe Collinsworth can get a Kardashian to be a guest panelist on ?Inside the NFL.? In that department, the show is now 0-for-3. Though Kris Jenkins, the latest chair warmer, would put on a show, but he wasn?t his feisty self. Clearly the Showtime/CBS brainiacs need some advice.
Bring in Tony Siragusa to mix it up. With this guy running his mouth, no one will fall asleep after the first half hour of what used to be a thrill-a-minute show.
NAME THAT MAN!
John (Pa Pinstripe) Sterling must have wanted to keep it a big secret. Tuesday night (Yankees-Twins) Suzyn (Ma Pinstripe) Waldman had the night off and another voice was yakking with him.
Joined the game in progress and had no idea who the guy was. Sterling didn?t identify the dude. He kept it a secret. Like he does with the score. The only way we found out the mystery guest was Jeff Nelson was by reading about it on Twitter.
ANDARIESE OUT
MSG moles say John Andariese, the veteran Knicks voice, will not return to the radio booth this season. ... His role of keeper of ?the media elite? has brought a new dimension to SNY?s Cris Carlin. On a recent edition of ?Loud Mouths? CC gave a thumbs up to Ramses Barden adding: ?And I?m not one of those Giants beat writers who fell in love with him three years ago.? What Carlin meant to say was these particular Giants beat writers will never be part of ?the media elite.? ... When Keith Hernandez shaved off his mustache it brought a $10,000 donation to the Jacquelyn Hernandez Adult Day Health Center in Brooklyn. The facility is named after his mom and assists Alzheimer patients.
DUDE OF THE WEEK
NICK BUONICONTI
For his devotion to finding a cure for paralysis. His son Marc?s life-changing spinal chord injury, sustained while making a tackle playing for The Citadel occurred in 1985, but Buoniconti?s commitment has only grown. One look into the Hall of Famer?s eye and you realize the extent of the love he has for his son. Last Monday, millions were raised for the Miami Project research fund at the 27th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner in NYC. The annual event has raised nearly $93 million overall.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK
ROGER GOODELL
For allowing the owners to strong-arm him into locking out the officials for four months in order to save a few bucks. The sheriff is skilled at keeping law and order in a league populated by thugs and creeps, but he ain?t that tough. After the Monday night fiasco in Seattle, Goodell went into hiding, refusing to face the music. The sheriff shouldn?t worry though, his media valets (the ones whose constant rap was ?he works for the owners?) will always be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Oh, what a lucky man.
DOUBLE TALK
What Roger Goodell said (about call ending Green Bay-Seattle game): ?....That?s the beauty of sports and the beauty of officiating. There are controversial calls and people see them differently. I understand that. That?s the beauty of sports.?
What Roger Goodell meant to say: ?Jerry Jones handed me that ?beauty? line. The replacements got the call wrong. The Packers got jobbed. The deal got done because of it.?
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