I can only describe the ESPN coverage of last night’s Monday Night Football game as uncomfortable. Everyone involved was out of their element, and you could tell. These are sportcasters, used to over-analyzing the inane facets o####ame built in large part around inane facets. They’re not social commentators, or tightrope walkers, or the 15 other skills that might have come in handy in wading into last night’s environment.
By merely broadcasting the game, grabbing the ratings, ESPN could do know wrong, but do no right either. They didn’t schedule the game, and didn’t plan every aspect of the pre-game celebrations, so they can’t be blamed for sounding uncomfortable. In many ways, uncomfortable may have been the most appropriate feeling.
Think of all the limits ESPN faced. The broadcast couldn’t put their brand on this, make it their own, something they do with great expertise. Everyone who touched a microphone tripped over themselves, trying to emphasize and deemphasize all at the same time. “The amazing rebuilding of the superdome… but while the 9th ward still sits largely destroyed of course” and similar statements came tumbling out of their mouths all night.
ESPN certainly couldn’t make too much of a connection between the joy of the fans in the seats and the disaster recovery outside, not when everyone watching knew full well that the hardest hit couldn’t have afford tickets before the storm, let alone now. The people who could afford season tickets more than likely faced a long drive out of town before the storm hit, and a horrible but recoverable situation when they returned. To them, this tragedy was the same faced by people who lose their homes to forest fires, mudslides, tornados and who knows what other natural phenomena wipe out homes in North America these days. And since those people aren’t expecting to receive a U2/Green Day tribute duet any time soon, ESPN couldn’t and didn’t go too far down that path.
Thankfully, ESPN stuck with what I had hoped they would. They admitted their limitations and mostly talked football. They talked replays and 3rd and long and cover 2 defenses. And even though it seemed almost embarrassing to jump between talking about evacuees and talking about yards-after-catch, they accepted the embarrassment with dignity, and they moved ahead.
This wasn’t baseball returning after the terrorist attacks, it was something completely different. It was as if ESPN took a stand and said loud and clear “this isn’t politics, this isn’t part of an agenda. We’re not congratulating anyone, but we’re not condemning anyone either. Don't look to us for a message. This is sports, pure and simple”
I see that there’s a lot of talk on US TV lately about the legacy of the two most recent presidencies, and how history will view their accomplishments and shortcomings. But politics is a reflection of the here and now, and holds only a portion of the historical significance of an event or age. Watching last night’s football game, I couldn’t help but wonder if it’s in fact a complete and utter moot argument. Not when $81 Billion dollars was lost, and 1.2 Million people were evacuated, because I can’t be the only one that thinks there’s a good chance that history texts will resign both presidents to a sidebar in a chapter entitled “The Katrina Response – A Study in Classes”. Odds are they’ll probably mention last night’s football game for longer.
Nowhere though, will they mention ESPN, and that’s exactly how it should be.
- The new Buffalo uniforms aren’t nearly as bad as they could have been. Kudos to Rebok for doing their best with that hilarious looking golden-slug of an emblem. I love the numbers on the front, and the solid colours are a nice change from the noisy red, black and silver.
- Sabres blanked the Leafs 4-0 in their first pre-season tilt, with all four goals on the powerplay. I figured that the young guys would really shine in this game, I just didn’t think it would be on the Sabres’ side. Its only one pre-season game, but that said it doesn’t bode well for Paul Maurice when his young guys, the only players for whom the pre-season means anything, wind up laying an egg like that. What Pohl and Ondres did last year made me take notice, but even with the potential those two are another game like last night away from peddling their wears in Ricoh come October.
- Sabres swing into the hammer to play a neutral site game against the Pens on Saturday night, and needless to say I’m there. You know, If I’m Lindy Ruff that night, in some ways I’d be hoping my team takes its fair share of penalties. Without McKee this team needs to be in top shape penalty-killing wise, and Pittsburgh’s guns are a great way to test it out. Wonder what the odds are both Crosby and Malkin see icetime that night.
- Speaking of the Pens, I checked it out this weekend and can report with certainty that the Mellon Arena is still a dump. PNC Park is still pretty boss though, especially when the game ends with 30,000 Mets fans going home disappointed.
- Tie Domi officially retired to become an analyst with TSN. I guess they needed someone to make Glenn Healy sound smart. What insights could a career goon and notorious cheap shot artist provide viewers, especially in the new breed NHL? Maybe he can regail us with tales of suspensions and suckerpunches. How about that time his gutless elbow on Niedermayer rallied the devils and cost his team any chance of winning in the ’01 playoffs. Good times, good times.
- More often than not, my girlfriend is the official voice of reason. Last night she thankfully spared me from watching Monday Night Football by insisting that I catch “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” with her. Now admittedly I’m not a TV buff by any stretch, but was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, absolutely brilliant start to finish. Like a bigger, better West Wing, without the preachy politics. As for the football game, the only question I was left with was whether Big Ben is more grossly over-rated, or woefully unentertaining. NFL, the new soccer.
- You may have noticed I ditched the picture of me completely plastered and skateboarding down a road in the outer banks, replacing it with a shot of my dog on the bow of our boat. The salty spaniel lords over his cottage kingdom. My dog is all about the style.
- In case there was any doubt, let me put it to rest. If you sat through last night's season-opening pre-game festivities just so you wouldn't miss the kickoff, you made a horribly wrong choice and I feel for you immensely.
- no denying its current place as the 2nd biggest sports league on the planet, but does this sound like the vibe of a future sports powerhouse? Headline-grabbing harmless but talented nuts like Ricky Williams get run out of the country, but disturbed and dangerous drunk coaches get 1 game suspensions? Give me a break. I have a tonne of sympathy for people with substance abuse problems, but what the Detroit Lions, and by extention the NFL did here is inexcusible. The correct answer should be to send the team bus to pick him up when he finishes his Betty Ford program, and not a minute sooner. The NFL continues to succeed despite itself.
- You know, little by little I'm understanding the immense poularity of gambling, fantasy games and excessive beer consumption in regards to watching NFL football. All three serve to mask the subpar quality of most of the games themselves. My review of last nights Steeler/Dolphins matchup? zzzzzzzzzzzzz. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the pre-lockoutNew Jersey Devils of the NHL. At least the 4th quarter was somewhat interesting, when Culpepper seemed to sense my deafening snores and started uncorking some pretty risky throws. Who cares if two of them wound up as terrible interceptions, this is supposed to be entertainment. If I wanted to watch pawns march a field for a few hours, I'd join the army.
- If I have only one wish for the upcoming NFL season, let Carson Palmer and Payton Manning torch the league with a gunslinger's abandon.
- If I had a second wish, it would be to let Ben Rothlesberger, Tom Brady, and all the other boring system players fall flat on their faces.
- Quick, name the only professional team to currently sport two Heismann trophy winners on the same roster. Eric Crouch played the role of a perfect backup all year, and played decent in his first chance this past weekend, going 4-9 and helping the Ricky Williams-less Toronto Argonauts to a 26-23 win. Williams meanwhile, before breaking a bone in his arm that will sideline him for a few weeks, was putting up some average numbers. Where he really impressed was is in his receiving numbers, an 8.3 yard average in 7 catches, improving on every snap.
- Speaking of the CFL, with the improved officiating and addition of instant replay this year, call me crazy but I’m now among the believers who say that the CFL has the best framework for professional football. It’s no secret that the CFL rules and field dimensions are geared towards a smaller, faster player. The game is built for the stereotypical athlete, and punishes the overly large, exclusive to football big man. The absence of a 4th down stretches the field on the vast majority of plays, adding to the excitement, emphasizing the stars. The CFL lacks the parity of the NFL, but allows its star players a much more significant amount of time to shine.
It’s a contention that can never really be proven of course, because the CFL will never attract enough talent to test it, and the NFL knows that the value of the ‘fat man’ in its marketing is too big to make the 400lb lineman obsolete by playing a pass first, 3 down game. That said, who wouldn’t like to see Payton Manning put up 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions a game?
-Jazil is out of the Traver’s Stakes, having picked up a hind leg bruise in training. Unfortunately that means my oil-and-water Jazil vs. Bernardini dream match up looks to be down to the Breeder’s Cup Classic, or not at all. UPDATE - sorry, thats not entirely true, if Jazil heals well he could match up against Bernardini in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 7, a month before the Breeder's Cup.
-Who knew salary arbitration would be the rally killer to the string of good luck the NHL had been seeing the past 12 months. How long it will take before the league can correct the problem of rulings like Daniel Briere’s $5.1M award is unclear. When team’s like Chicago and Tampa Bay, (who can’t do the math and figure out that $5M for anyone short of Wayne Gretzky is a cap nightmare) are setting precedent in arbitration hearings, expect to see more and more teams walking away from the awards.
-Even with the Twins in the mix, it says here the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees have a better chance of catching wildcard leaders Chicago than AL East leaders Boston.
It was nice to see 50 thousand plus fans at a ball game in Toronto again, even if a quarter of them were there to see the Yankees. Here’s hoping more Western New Yorkers start supporting the local team, the same way Southern Ontario helps keep the Bills afloat. As long as they keep their 45mph driving minivans out of the left lane on the way to and from that is. Seriously, I’m talking to you Tony from Amherst with the Rush Limbaugh bumpersticker, you don’t need to learn metric, just learn to get out of the way. You can't drive any slower unless the mayor is on your roof throwing candy.
That’s a quote from a 2005 interview with Steeler’s quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger, NFL superstar, talking about why he neglects to wear a helmet while riding his motorcycle. An admission that despite the accolades, the trophy and the money, he needs a way to feel free.
The outpouring of melodrama in the media and in general concerning Ben Roethlisberger’s motorcyle accident, while entirely predictable, is astonishing. What I’m talking about is this ‘society as den mother’ where we all shake their head disapprovingly that he was in this position in the first place.
A superstar athlete on a motorcycle not wearing his helmet. He almost wastes his life. He doesn’t know what he has; the world at his finger tips. If only he knew.
What if he does know though? What if he’s just as intelligent as the millions of others who ride without helmets, or who participate in hundreds of other dangerous activities?
I don’t know if it’s a cultural, religious or other influence, but for some reason it seems preferable in society for people to claim ignorance than to claim indifference. The idea that Ben Roethlisberger will now “learn is lesson” is more comforting than the reality that there was no lesson to be learned. The odds of a motorcycle accident happening remained exactly the same before, during, and after his participation in one, and Ben is certainly intelligent enough to know this. More so, he was probably ok with it.
So with the Sabres packing it in last night, I guess its all about 2007 from now on. Yet another sporting year has passed me and my teams by.
At the expense of my waning sanity, here’s quick run down of where it all went wrong:
January, 2006 – Watching the Boilermaker-less BCS bowl games.
After kicking off the season as the 15th ranked team in college football, and getting as high as 11th by week 2, Purdue wrapped up an absolutely rotten season at 5-6, tied for 8th in the Big Ten. In September, I was thinking Rose, by November I was praying for ####lord Hotel Motor City. In the end bowl gods smiled on me with a pretty decent consolation prize though. 2006 had the best series of bowl games played in my lifetime.
February, 2006 – Watching the Bills-less Super Bowl game.
Unlike the aforementioned Purdue boys, this team went from bad to worse. You know your team is bad when they don’t even look good from a seat in the luxury boxes. Bowl gods must have thought I looked tired as well, because that Superbowl was a total snore-fest.
March, 2006 – Watching a Boilermaker and Bull-less March Madness Tournament.
Didn’t matter in the least though, because that basketball season was a guaranteed success the second the AP polls came out in week 5. Way down at the bottom of the poll, under “other’s receiving votes”, were the UB Bulls with 1 vote. Now I have no idea who this voter was, or more importantly what he was on and where I can get some, but I’m pretty sure his next writing assignment was covering the Mint 400 with his lawyer in tow. Mr. Thompson, you and your stash made my basketball season.
May, 2006 – Knowing I’ll be watching a Cubs-less World Series soon enough
There I was, 4 rows for the field on the first base side. I saw the full extent of the disaster with my very own eyes, while realizing that it’s another 5 full months until this team gets put out of its misery. On the plus side, dude, I was like at Wrigley Field!
June, 2006 – Watching the Sabres-less Stanley Cup.
Be strong, you can get through this. One day at a time. One day at a HOLY #### WE WERE WINNING THROUGH TWO PERIODS WHY GET TIRED NOW WHY WHY WHY WHY?
I must admit, I’m very intrigued by the arrival of Ricky Wiliams to Toronto. In my eyes Ricky is great entertainment. Talent and drama rolled up into one. He’s engaging, well spoken, and an unapologetic flake. And now that he’s all of about 3 blocks away from my office over at the Argo’s practice facility, I’m all the more interested in what he’ll say or do next.
Sure, Ricky has brought all his troubles onto himself, I accept that. In many ways though I also accept his explanations. I too would have an incredibly tough time conforming to the intolerant model of the NFL player. I’d want to push my luck, look for an outlet, a way to express myself as an individual. I understand the notion that without this outlet, this sense of individualism, you’ll wind up doing some pretty strange things, which Ricky certainly has.
In day to day life people with low pressure jobs get themselves fired all the time, it’s not that rare, nor is it all that difficult to understand. Why then is the idea of him doing the same thing in a high pressure situation all that unimaginable? The only real difference is that no one bets billions on our job performance.
It comes back to the culture of professional football. For some reason an NFL job is treated like it’s the clergy, it’s considered a divine devotion. And don’t tell me the job is different because of the money involved, there are numerous other professions, including most of the other professional sports, that make significant money but don’t have the culture of restraint the NFL does.
Look at what Joe Theismann, a former Argo himself, had to say about Ricky’s arrival in Toronto:
"I don't ever want to be mentioned in the same breath as Ricky Williams as a football player. He's a disgrace to the game. The man doesn't deserve to play football. He should go on with his life and treat his drug addictions or go do whatever he wants to do. He's been suspended from the NFL on multiple occasions. Doesn't anybody have any class anywhere?”
Need I say more? This is the ugly face of the NFL, the intolerant, opportunistic, kick-em-while-they’re-down mentality. What Theismann said is by definition classless.
Ask yourself, would Ricky Williams excel outside of the NFL? Wouldn't he make a great baseball player? He’s Bill Lee, trying to play in a league that hates spacemen. In the NFL, there’s no time for say Ricky to be Ricky the way Manny can be Manny, and that’s disappointing. For as great a product as the NFL puts out, its culture sure has some rotten elements.
I am a Sabres fan, a Cubs fan, a Boilermakers fan, a Ti-cat fan and a Hamilton Bulldogs fan. I'm an obvious sucker for punishment. I believe that while playing them can be a tolerable way to kill 5 hours, there is nothing more painful than talking golf or watching poker. There's no excuse for fantasy football, no matter how bored or lonely you are. I don't consider you an athelete unless you can beat me in a race to the corner and back. I'm landlocked and terrible, but I carry on an irrational love affair with surfing. We are in the midst of one of the greatest horseracing years in decades.
