Even by TV’s negligent, incompetent standards, there had to be another reason, a better one, an evil one.
I suspect it was a hostage situation. Radical members of a splinter group, perhaps from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, broke into CBS’ broadcast truck in Wisconsin on Sunday evening and at gunpoint demanded CBS terminate its live telecast of Patriots-Packers at the very bad time.
There can be no other logical explanation for why — at the close of a compelling, fascinating and highly unanticipated overtime game — CBS would abandon the equally compelling postgame scene to show two slow-motion replays of Packer Mason Crosby’s short, game-ending field goal, a kick Tony Romo described as essentially “an extra point.”
Then, two so-what recordings of sideline reactions to the field goal before CBS returned a national audience, much too late, to the field.
Had to be a hostage situation. There was too much to find and show at this game’s close to show that kick for a second and third time. The NFL concussion epidemic had forced Pats backup QB Brian Hoyer out of the game for trivia question Bailey Zappe, who then did no worse and often better than Aaron Rodgers, thus keeping the Pats alive.
Yet at game’s end, just as 23-year-old Zappe was about to interact with Rodgers, 38, those armed insurgents almost certainly broke into the truck and ordered CBS off the field and into recorded scenes of the banal.
Consider: No broadcast crew, and certainly not one televising an NFL game to the nation, would have chosen such a cut from something so worthy of seeing to a reel of relative nothing.
Had to be sabotage. No other answer makes a spot of sense.
It wasn’t bad enough, earlier Sunday, that the predictable, such as Daryl “Moose” Johnston’s withering, non-stop blather had just made Fox’s Bears-Giants a household chore. And his analysis, if one could listen beyond two or three snaps, was just plain dubious.
The Giants’ second-quarter touchdown off an 8-yard Daniel Jones bootleg seemed the clear result of a great call. The Giants had overloaded the left side with three tight ends, with only one receiver on the right, against single coverage. All three tight ends moved right at the snap while Jones play-faked then bootlegged left toward an empty field and ran it in.
But after Jones scored, Johnston ripped into the Bears’ defense for leaving the left side abandoned. But who on the right side should have been left uncovered? And why would the Bears have chosen to defend the near-empty side of the field?
But football’s TV supply greatly exceeds its demand for those who both see and think before they fulminate. Producers, starting at the executive level, encourage analysts to shred our good senses by saying something — anything — even if silence best serves TV audiences.
CBS’ Navy-Air Force on Saturday began with analyst Aaron Taylor, supported by a graphic loaded for display before the telecast, stating that the “Key to the Game” for Air Force was to “Eliminate negative plays on offense.” Hey, someone leaked him the plan from every football game!
With Air Force up 10-3, 11:45 left in the third quarter, Taylor said, “Air Force taking its sweet time, trying to bleed that clock.” Up seven, half the game left? Umm, not likely.
And then there were repeated reminders from play-by-play man Rich Waltz that Navy hasn’t won at Air Force since all the way back in … ready for this? … 2012! Given that they swap home games every year, that was exactly four games!
If you tuned into Fox’s Michigan-Iowa primarily to see fans banging the field-side padding just before snaps, your wish was granted.
Purdue, on the road, upset Minnesota. The play of the game was a 68-yard fourth-quarter run by Devin Mockobee, followed by his 2-yard TD run. CBS’ studio halftime show showed his 2-yard run as the play most worth our attention.
Fox on Sunday clearly chose to present a slo-mo replay of Saquon Barkley hollering “F–k!” Why? Because it didn’t want anyone to miss that!
The graphic of the football weekend was supplied by CBS as the Invesco Scholar Athlete of the game — an Alabama senior with a 3.2 GPA, majoring in “Sports Hospitality.” Not sure if he aspires to work the luxury suites or become an usher.
Reminded me of the time ESPN’s Dick Vitale credited shady UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian for always taking care of his recruits. Yep, after their eligibility expired, he said, Tarkanian helped find them jobs in Vegas casinos.
Shanks, shush Smoltz!
Before the playoffs begin, a final, open appeal to Fox Sports’ executive producer Eric Shanks: Please, please prevail upon John Smoltz that no one wants to hear him analyze every pitch. Or doesn’t Shanks watch?
Hector Lopez, dependable, versatile Yankee, is dead at 93. In the 1960s there were two No. 11’s in my life. Vic Hadfield in the winter, Hector Lopez in the summer.
Yes, that was the Dartmouth Big Green, playing on ESPNU last Friday, the team in the black uniforms.
Credit where credit is due: Antonio Brown’s social skills developed during his three seasons as a full scholarship student-athlete at Central Michigan University.
The Buck stops there: New Met Francisco Alvarez’s first big-league hit was a home run. He stood and watched near the batter’s box. I’d have nipped that in the bud — or the Buck — by pulling him. Call it tough love.
Late in Oklahoma State-Baylor, Baylor up, 33-25, ESPN analyst Brock Huard piped, “I love the fact that both these teams know exactly who they are!” They could probably tell by their uniforms.
There were so few people in Citi Field for that rotten-weather doubleheader vs the Nationals on Tuesday that SNY’s Todd Zeile said everyone had “personal vendors.”
Geez, now Barry Sanders has sold his fame and reputation as a class act to appear in TV ads for a lose-your-money sports gambling operation.
Reader and WFAN listener Dogborne suggests that every time we purchase something at a store we should tell the cashier, “Evan sent me.” What do we have to lose?
Still a couple of good guys left out there
Two YES performers stood out as above and beyond this week.
News and info man Chris Shearn, previewing college football, noted that Ole Miss had outscored opponents 129-13 in its first three games, but played vs. Troy, Central Arkansas and faded Georgia Tech. In other words, Shearn provided significant context — a rarity.
Nestor Cortes, removed to a standing ovation Saturday, continued to be an easy fella to root for, as he still had the strength to touch the brim of his cap in return acknowledgment — a modern rarity among starters.
Your N.J. Tax Dollars at Work: During the Rutgers’ DoorDash Red Ink Knights’ 49-10 loss at Ohio State, BTN play-by-player Brandon Gaudin noted:
1) RU defensive lineman Ifeanyi Maijeh “is a fifth-year senior who played three years at Temple.”
2) RU wide receiver Sean Ryan “played a year at Temple, three at West Virginia. And is now in his final year at Rutgers.”
Anyone recall when Rutgers was a prestigious university, even prior to the COVID bonus years existing, before it ran up a $73 million Big Ten athletics deficit?
