That was a great first game that the Pack and Vikings had. If that last quarter proved anything, it's that the Vikings may be slightly overrated and that Bill Simmons is right on the money when he warns everyone that, at the end of the day, Tavaris Jackson is still the quarterback of this team. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers had a pretty good game and should do just fine in Green Bay.
But the theme of that game? BRETT FAVRE! BRETT FAVRE! BRETT FAVRE! BRETT FAVRE! BRETT FAVRE!!! For the love of God, Kornheiser was unbearable! Even Jaws and Tirico were noticeably sick of hearing him yap on and on about Favre throughout the game.
East coasters who fell asleep around the time of Denver/Oakland...well, you didn't miss much. That game was abysmal, just like the Raiders. The most interesting part of this game was Mike Ditka, who sounded sloshed at the end. Drunkenness is the only explanation for some of the nonsense he was uttering during the game.
Next week is Cowboys/Eagles, but I'm sure a Favre reference will get thrown in there somewhere too.
When he said that Packer fans expect Favre to complete 3rd and 28 I wanted to punch him. The fans, unlike the fawning media, remember the good and the bad. They remember that ridiculous interception in the NFC Championship game last year. They remember the divisional playoff against St Louis in 2002 when he threw 6 INTs. And they know he's just a person, not the f***ing second coming.
And Aaron Rodgers scrambled for more yards last night than Brett Favre has done in each of the past two years. It's more yards than Favre has run for in any game since September 24, 2000. While he still has the ability to scramble in the pocket, he's shown a definite aversion to any running in the open field in the last couple of years, and it has hurt the team.
My buddy calls me at 7:05 (I live in Louisville, KY) and says "Do you have the game on?" I say yes, and he says "We're in the end zone." Somehow he and his brother-in-law (both diehard Vikes fans also from Louisville) had lucked into tickets and made the last second trip to Lambeau for the game. I'm sure they would have liked to have had a better outcome (from their perspective), but his text to me later made it sound like they enjoyed the experience outcome aside.
As to the broadcast: I don't understand why they don't use Kornheiser in a similar way that ESPN uses Peter Gammons on Sunday Night Baseball - Give him an opening monologue where he sets the table as to the storylines for the evening, then he could do similar, smaller vignettes at the beginning of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Quarters and be on call for the 2nd half to step into the booth if the game gets out of hand (he would have been some good relief in the 2nd half of the Den/Oak game for instance).
Having him in the booth for the entire game is just a mistake in my opinion and this is coming from someone who loves TK on PTI and his radio show. It just doesn't feel right. Maybe he's hoping Calliendo will come up with a skit about *his* manlove for Favre.
(edited by DrewDewce on 9.9.08 0639) It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them. P. G. Wodehouse (1881 - 1975), The Man Upstairs (1914)
Rumor has it from a co-worker that I was on TV last night. I'm not sure how, because there's no TV cameras anywhere near where I sit. But she described the guy next to me, so maybe.
Good game. Tavaris Jackson can't throw the ball where he wants it. Jason Hunter absolutely crushed some Viking on the punt return (I hope they got that replay and showed it on TV). We got called for a ticky-tack pass interference early in the game, then got the make up call when we mugged a WR and the flag stayed in the side judge's pocket. Guaranteed that the Lambeau leap pictured above was well-planned -- Rodgers was going to make sure he connected with the fans in whatever way possible (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Originally posted by Sec19Row53Rumor has it from a co-worker that I was on TV last night. I'm not sure how, because there's no TV cameras anywhere near where I sit. But she described the guy next to me, so maybe.
You know, there WAS a shot where I thought to myself "I wonder if that's anywhere where ... that dude sits" (no, I still haven't memorized your username - sorry) but this morning I can't remember when it would have been.
I don't expect a full season of this, but this week has been totally great.
REDSKINS 0-1 RAMS 0-1 RAIDERS 0-1 CHARGERS 0-1
THE TEAM I CO-OWN 1-0
Of course, I'm not in a season-long dinner bet with ANY of the above people this year, but I'm sure they're all delighted I'm still thinking of them.
EDIT: I forgot to second that Tony Kornheiser is insufferable. I'm not sure I'm super excited by their new graphics package either. Do we HAVE to have down and distance on the field?
I for one enjoy having the down and distance somewhere on the screen. Maybe because when I watch the Chiefs preseason games they don't have it up half the time. This might be because the Chiefs and the "Chiefs Television Network" are cheapasses and don't care about a good broadcast even if it is preseason. That said I'll take their crappy local announcers they use over Kornheiser. I like him on PTI, but someone needs to tell him that people tune in for the games, not to see and hear him.
As a Chiefs fan, I feel confident of our chance at a 1-1 record, cause the Raiders looked AWFUL.
Originally posted by CRZDo we HAVE to have down and distance on the field?
I don't think this is anything new. FOX has had it for awhile, and I personally find it helpful. :)
It looked particularly awful last night. Also, it seemed like most of the time it was MOSTLY on the field when I kept looking for it in the (still too big) bug.
Originally posted by CRZDo we HAVE to have down and distance on the field?
I don't think this is anything new. FOX has had it for awhile, and I personally find it helpful. :)
It looked particularly awful last night. Also, it seemed like most of the time it was MOSTLY on the field when I kept looking for it in the (still too big) bug.
I missed the MIN/GB game but it didn't seem overly distracting during DEN/OAK.
I love Kornheiser, but he's a sports reporter, not a commentator. At least now Jaws has a good way of shutting him up (pointing out the flipside of the Favre 'debacle' sussed him for a moment) as opposed to Theisman, who'd just get frustrated and was just as bad a commentator.
For those keeping score, Rodgers's performance was on par with if not better than Favre's this week, although different. Watching the guy do the leap made me mark out a little bit, even if it wasn't as impressive as his run.
Still have a few more weeks to see who develops as being a powerhouse team in the league, although Denver looked incredibly solid against a very lousy Oakland club.
"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Frown and the world laughs at you." -Me.
Originally posted by CRZDo we HAVE to have down and distance on the field?
I don't think this is anything new. FOX has had it for awhile, and I personally find it helpful. :)
It looked particularly awful last night. Also, it seemed like most of the time it was MOSTLY on the field when I kept looking for it in the (still too big) bug.
Plus the score, the clock, the quarter are all along the bottom, so naturally I kept looking there for the downs. When it was on-field sometimes it was cut-off and illegible.
I wish, in our 500 channel universe, the Mouse could simulcast the game on a station with none of the fancy schmancy graphics. Just a clean (pref HD) picture.
Originally posted by odessasteps I wish, in our 500 channel universe, the Mouse could simulcast the game on a station with none of the fancy schmancy graphics. Just a clean (pref HD) picture.
That would be so awesome. And you should also be able to have a channel of the game where if you don't want to hear the broadcast (I'm with everyone else, love Tony K in PTI, can't stand him on MNF), you can listen only to the crowd noise. I think with the clear HD combined with the commentator-free game sounds, it would give you as close a feel to being at the game as you can get without having to go to the game.
I like the graphics myself when I'm unable to watch from the beginning or am missing noticeable parts of the game. But at times, they do distract me from the game.
More then the graphics, I could really do without the field reporters. Doesn't matter if it's Tony Siragusa, Suzy Kolber, Pam Oliver, etc. None of them, and I mean NONE at all, add anything in my mind to the viewing experience.
Originally posted by supersalvadoranMore then the graphics, I could really do without the field reporters. Doesn't matter if it's Tony Siragusa, Suzy Kolber, Pam Oliver, etc. None of them, and I mean NONE at all, add anything in my mind to the viewing experience.
Originally posted by supersalvadoranMore then the graphics, I could really do without the field reporters. Doesn't matter if it's Tony Siragusa, Suzy Kolber, Pam Oliver, etc. None of them, and I mean NONE at all, add anything in my mind to the viewing experience.
How about Erin Andrews?
Cute, but I rather have her elsewhere on ESPN. Like maybe First Take.
Welcome home, men of the 2nd Bn, 127th Inf, 32d "Red Arrow" Brigade, WI Army Nat'l Guard! Good luck to those down south.
Originally posted by supersalvadoranAnd you should also be able to have a channel of the game where if you don't want to hear the broadcast (I'm with everyone else, love Tony K in PTI, can't stand him on MNF), you can listen only to the crowd noise. I think with the clear HD combined with the commentator-free game sounds, it would give you as close a feel to being at the game as you can get without having to go to the game.
That was actually tried once in the mid-to-late 70's once (by NBC, I think). It was a HYOOOOOGE flop. Hasn't been tried since.
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