Patriots Football League Network
PostPosted:9 years 2 months ago
Okay, I'm just venting here a little bit because it's no secret that the Patriots get preferential treatment but it saddens me that the once promising NFL Network continues to just be an ESPN clone.
When the network started I had high hopes for a more balanced assortment of programming. Of course the popular teams would still get the majority of coverage but with 24 hours of programming time available I was very hopeful that teams glossed over by ESPN and the like would get some air time. Selfishly, I was obviously thinking of the Rams but I also considered other fans who shared a similar plight. There are plenty of teams that go virtually unnoticed by the mainstream media and perhaps that's warranted to some degree but a network dedicated to the NFL, I really thought there would be more than 10 seconds of regional coverage of each team occasionally in around the league.
In my mind, each team should get a good 5 minutes every day rather than reserving mention for sensational headlines. Have an expert for each team come on and discuss something about each team every day.
Each year, I quit watching the NFLN a little more and at this point, barely check in at all. So, maybe it's just bad timing that has led me to make this post but whenever I've tuned it lately, there's ALWAYS something Patriots related. What really got me though, was the talking heads aren't even taking opposing views on the Brady suspension. Usually, these sorts of things have a pro-view and a con-view but the host asked will deflate-gate tarnish Brady's legacy? Both ex-player commentators said no. And it wasn't like it was Willie McGinnist or Heath Evans who are Patriots honks.
I mean, we're talking about getting caught cheating...AGAIN, and the Network is washing over it. The league is hanging it's hat on the "greatness" of the Cheatriots and refuses to acknowledge anything else. Sad. I never thought I'd quit loving football much less get tired of it or give up on it entirely but so much of the NFL now isn't for me.
I'm in a similar boat with the Rams right now. I know Rams fans find it sacrilegious to even discuss these sorts of things but I'm not a blind follower anymore. As recently as the '90's I was die-hard. Rich Brooks? Steve Walsh? Tony Banks? Lawrence Phillips? Didn't matter. I was passionate about the Rams winning. The Warner situation really messed me up and rekindled my frustrations over previous moves with guys like Hacksaw, Tyler, Ferragamo, Dickerson, Everett, etc.
The thing I'm most excited about with the team right now is whether or not they're moving back to LA but once that's resolved, either way, I'm left with a coach I don't like and a QB I don't like. In trying to think of an analogy just now, the first thing that popped into my head is crude but apt. It's like a porno with fat, amputee, little people instead of hot bodied co-ed's. Sure, the Rams are still the Rams and are still football but I'm done with Fisher. Actually, I was never a fan of his and even disliked him. Same thing with Williams. Same thing with Foles.
So, once the Rams are back in LA, have a new head coach, new defensive coordinator, probably a new offensive coordinator, a new QB and new uniforms, I can get excited again. Makes it tough to care right now.
When the network started I had high hopes for a more balanced assortment of programming. Of course the popular teams would still get the majority of coverage but with 24 hours of programming time available I was very hopeful that teams glossed over by ESPN and the like would get some air time. Selfishly, I was obviously thinking of the Rams but I also considered other fans who shared a similar plight. There are plenty of teams that go virtually unnoticed by the mainstream media and perhaps that's warranted to some degree but a network dedicated to the NFL, I really thought there would be more than 10 seconds of regional coverage of each team occasionally in around the league.
In my mind, each team should get a good 5 minutes every day rather than reserving mention for sensational headlines. Have an expert for each team come on and discuss something about each team every day.
Each year, I quit watching the NFLN a little more and at this point, barely check in at all. So, maybe it's just bad timing that has led me to make this post but whenever I've tuned it lately, there's ALWAYS something Patriots related. What really got me though, was the talking heads aren't even taking opposing views on the Brady suspension. Usually, these sorts of things have a pro-view and a con-view but the host asked will deflate-gate tarnish Brady's legacy? Both ex-player commentators said no. And it wasn't like it was Willie McGinnist or Heath Evans who are Patriots honks.
I mean, we're talking about getting caught cheating...AGAIN, and the Network is washing over it. The league is hanging it's hat on the "greatness" of the Cheatriots and refuses to acknowledge anything else. Sad. I never thought I'd quit loving football much less get tired of it or give up on it entirely but so much of the NFL now isn't for me.
I'm in a similar boat with the Rams right now. I know Rams fans find it sacrilegious to even discuss these sorts of things but I'm not a blind follower anymore. As recently as the '90's I was die-hard. Rich Brooks? Steve Walsh? Tony Banks? Lawrence Phillips? Didn't matter. I was passionate about the Rams winning. The Warner situation really messed me up and rekindled my frustrations over previous moves with guys like Hacksaw, Tyler, Ferragamo, Dickerson, Everett, etc.
The thing I'm most excited about with the team right now is whether or not they're moving back to LA but once that's resolved, either way, I'm left with a coach I don't like and a QB I don't like. In trying to think of an analogy just now, the first thing that popped into my head is crude but apt. It's like a porno with fat, amputee, little people instead of hot bodied co-ed's. Sure, the Rams are still the Rams and are still football but I'm done with Fisher. Actually, I was never a fan of his and even disliked him. Same thing with Williams. Same thing with Foles.
So, once the Rams are back in LA, have a new head coach, new defensive coordinator, probably a new offensive coordinator, a new QB and new uniforms, I can get excited again. Makes it tough to care right now.