MLB Tv is back! And still not worth it for a lot of people!

Well, Spring is upon us.  That mean’s baseball is here!  MLBTV is also upon us.  For someone that doesn’t have cable and wants to be able to watch whatever team I please, MLB TV still does not live up to the hype that all other sports networks have for providing content to people who want content provided to them.  What you may not know about MLB TV is that they subject their customers to blackout rules. 

Now under the NFL blackout rules, you can watch the team you want so long as the game you are watching is sold out.  That’s pretty much the only blackout rule that affects customers. 

With the NBA, you get every game whenever you want for about $25 a month and it’s available on your laptop.  Not on a PS3 or an Xbox 360 (yet), but it is available on DROIDS and Blackberry’s and iPhones.  The only blackout rules are the ones where the game is being televised on ABC, ESPN, TNT, or NBA TV.  That usually means it’s a huge game that you can catch at your local bar.  Doesn’t really affect people that much I suppose.

Now, if you type into Google “MLB TV blackout” the next word suggestion is “ps3 workaround” and “mac workaround”.  That’s a bit of a concern for the MLB or at least it should be.  The MLB blackout rules that are on this site are that local broadcast stations and cable stations have contracts with teams to over National Broadcasters.  So, if a game is broadcasted on ESPN and another local station has broadcasting rights to that same game, ESPN is blacked out.  Stupid

The second rule of the blackout rules is quite a hard thing to think about.  It involves FOX, ESPN, TBS, and the times for which games on Saturdays are available for watching.  FOX gets the games on Saturday’s between the hours of 3:55 and 7:00 PM.  ESPN gets the games after 8:00 PM.  The Marlins and Rangers are exempt from this.  I read the rule and still don’t know why.  TBS doesn’t hold the exclusive rights to their Sunday afternoon game of the week. 

The third rule is that flagship radio stations are not allowed to include MLB games in their live Internet streaming.  I don’t understand this at all.  Why would streaming the radio feed live over the internet make any difference in how a fan gets their content?

Now, I don’t know what the hell is wrong with MLB owners and such.  But I think if Baseball is “America’s Pastime” then I think it’s time that we, as a nation, start to rally and get our baseball when we want it and where we want it.

I feel bad for people in Las Vegas and Iowa.  People in Las Vegas cannot watch the Angels, Athletics, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, or Padres.  People in Iowa cannot get games for the Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Royals, Twins, or White Sox.  A Red Sox fan who doesn’t have cable cannot watch the Red Sox because they are contracted by NESN.  Same with the Yankees and YES Network.  FanGraphs was ranting about this and went into much more detail with the frustration of a product that doesn’t seem like it would be that complicated at all to configure.  I don’t get this.  There has to be something changed!

NFL: The No Fun League and This Illegal Hit Nonsense

I simply do not get what Roger Goodell is trying to do with his league that he has right now.  In case you missed it, a bunch of defensive backs made awesome hits on players were either catching the ball or about to catch the ball.  I heard from ESPN football analysts, 98.5 The Sports Hub, The Sports Guy, and I’ve had all I can stand right now.  This game that just about everyone watches on Sunday, that is worth about 250,000 jobs and easily a large portion of this working economy, is about to turn everyone into a sissy mary.  Here is why.

The NFL Commissioner instituted a new rule issuing fines and suspensions on players who cause hits on players that might be considered dangerous or intentional to injury.  Let me get this straight, the National Football League, which is made for guys that hurt and were bread for making hits that are intentional.  But because some scientist opened up the head of a hockey player that died and donated his brain to science, every sports commissioner has now a monkey on his back saying “if you don’t control your concussion problem, then someone else, like the government will take over”.  This, to me, is absolute bullshit.

First there was the Peyton Manning rule, saying that players can be given a penalty for illegal contact after the Patriots defense was that good against Peyton Manning and his plethora of receivers.  That was okay because now players are only allowed contact up to 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, which is manageable and coachable.  Players can adjust to this. 

 

There was then the Tom Brady rule, which is pretty much, for any football fan, a pussy rule.  Tom Brady and the Kraft Family was pissed that he missed the 2008 season with a leg injury from game 1 because he was tackled from the defensive end from the knee down.  At first, it wasn’t a bad rule.  It made sense for players to not go for the quarterbacks legs.  But now, every time a quarterback is hit, its almost on cue that they look at the referee and give puppy dog eyes looking for a roughing the passer penalty.  Just look at these eyes and try to say No to that!  I mean, even I get upset at Tom Brady for flipping out on referees for not throwing flags and giving them 15 yards.  You went to Michigan right?  Backup?  I bet you even were a bit of a tough guy before all that lip gloss went to your god damn head.  Act like a football player.  Not a ballerina.

Those two previous rules have been landmark rules in the NFL.  The Latter has made the quarterback a bit of a flake and put more emphasis on the offensive line more than anything.  The other major rules in the NFL have had to do with Challenges, Crossing the Plane of an Endzone, and the Horse Collar rule, which we can all thank Roy Williams (DB) for.  Those rules have all made sense and are coachable rules that teams can teach their players to work around.  But this new rule, this new rule for football players to pretty much calm down on the hitting is utter nonsense.  Just ask any football player, even look at their twitter page and expect them to say “Thanks Commish for looking out for our health, but get back behind the desk and fix the financial situation, leave the hitting to us.”

Everyone from Michael Felger to Tedy Bruschi was in an uproar about all of the hits that just happened to coincide on this previous NFL weekend.  I really wanted to punch my radio when Felger was upset about Meriweather doing something like this.  James Harrison, who is a former Defensive Player of the Year, was fined $75,000 for delivering a hit on Mohamed Massaquoi, which he went in with his helmet, but he used his forearms to leverage a bigger blow on Massaquoi.  Dunta Robinson of the Houston Texans delivered a huge hit to DeSean Jackson for which both players were carted off of the field, Robinson was fined $50,000.  Brandon Meriweather delivered a huge hit to Todd Heap, which many think was the worst of the major three hits that were fined and occurred over the weekend, and was also fined $50,000.  I do not understand the science behind this kind of regulation.  Because with regulation like this, you have to make sure that you are not tainting your product.  Remember, there are 10-12 year veterans playing this game who have been used to this kind of hitting for a long time.  Just like how fighting is a part of Hockey, hitting hard is a part of football.  If you want to get rid of the hard hitting in football, then you have to redesign Pee-Wee camps so that lineman aren’t driving their bodies into metal poles covered in padding.  If you want to get rid of hitting in football then you have to get rid of the safety helmets and pads that football players are already wearing.  If you want to get rid of hitting in football, then get rid of football all together.  It wasn’t too long ago, that a man who was the dirtiest hitting safety in football, a man by the name of Rodney Harrison, was the king of the head first spear into players that either caught the ball or didn’t catch the ball. 

Judging by the video, Harrison wouldn’t have made it a day without being fined $100K per game for the hits he made.  This new rule changes everything there is to know about the modern game of Football.  This rule is uncoachable and it really brings players back to think about how they are going to approach hitting a player.  I don’t know how this will fix anything.  All this did was give some closure to players who were on the fast track to get concussed anyways.  They play football, and they get paid handsomely for doing so.  No one expects them to go out and solve math problems afterwards.  I know these players are human beings and they have children and families to care about and love and provide for.  But every player knows the risks out there.  They know the dirty hits and they know the hits that are good clean hits that just look bad.  If you want to know about hits that were banned in the NFL, look no further than Deacon Jones and the head slap.  It was a hit that the NFL had to ban because it would actually break a guys neck.  See for yourself.

This is all I can say about this right now.  So for Roger Goodell, the NFLPA, Rodney Harrison, and all the players out there who don’t give a damn about league fines and nasty hits because it makes people buy their jerseys and be a bad ass, saying Good night.

Monday Night Football Live Blogging: Schmenza Alert!

I'm gonna blog throughout the entire game. Hopefully I don't fall asleep or end up texting Brett Favre pictures of my schmenza. I am currently watching ESPN Monday Night Countdown. Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, Chris Berman, and the Ditka are on right now because there is a weather delay. Lightning. I should timestamp this so people know what I'm talking about.

8:43 - Stuart Scott, Cris Carter, Some other loser and Steve Young are standing under the bleachers like they are ready to pass the bottle before this thing actually starts. I should DVR the Event just so I can watch this commentary.

8:45 - Event is now DVRed.

8:46 - Cris Carter just coined the phrase "not only is the beginning of the game delay 40 minutes, but the end of the game is delayed 40 minutes". No wonder you work the four letter network.

8:49 - Just realized I could be watching Jon Gruden say "This Guy!" about 3342 times tonight. DVR time!

8:51 - I'm making coffee. I need to be up for this.

8:56 - I think some Jersey Shore is in order. I'm going to watch that until something happens. You know, like a kickoff.

9:08 - God damnit, I was just getting into Jersey Shore too. This game is going to start soon. I really don't think Sammie is upset about losing Angelina, I think it's a Producer decision, much like the "Note" was a producer decision. You know, because girls don't get drunk and tell someone the truth about talking shit about them behind their back. Never happens. Ever.

9:14 - Jwoww is hideous. She is just a dumpster of a human being. Sammie's manish impression of her is spot on.

9:15 - Kickoff. Touchback.

9:16 - I really hate Fireman Ed. Incredible first play by the Vikings. Moss to Favre. You heard me right. Moss threw to Favre from a handoff from Percy Harvin. Nice touch Childress.

9:18 - Second false start penalty on the Vikings and there has only been one play called.

9:22 - Designated Driver Braylon Edwards, welcome to the program. Let's hope that there is some sort of drive involving Santonio Holmes, my fantasy pick up of the week.

9:24 - Adam Schefter just reported that Deion Branch is now a Patriot again. Pats trade a 4th round pick, and I am officially wrong about the Randy Moss deal. I guess I didn't give Deion that much credit. Welcome back Deion Branch. Wonder if anyone picked him up in Fantasy this week. Maybe I should do that. I don't know who I would drop, but I could consider picking him up.

9:31 - Brother just sat down next to me with a bowl of grapes. No joke, kid loves eating a branch of grapes while MNF is going on. Wonder how the Event is going. Sarah Roemer is so hot. I'd love to see a lot more of her. I'd also like to see Santonio Holmes get a TD pass right now, but Sanchez is being a fucking goomback right now. THROW TO SANTO!

9:38 - The next Monday Night game is apparently in Jacksonville, my question is how are they going to show that game when it's obviously going to be blacked out. Jacksonville is a crap city and there is no point in having anything in that city. Sorry Garrard but you should be moving to any other damn city. You know when they have a Super Bowl and can't house both teams and the media.

9:42 - Cromartie-The-8-Kid-Party just deflected a pass to Moss. Mom claims Cromartie held onto his shirt, but no one cares.

9:48 - Nice work Holmes, next time you hold something make its a promise to your wife and not a Vikings jersey.

9:54 - Holmes! First down. Yay! I just need that more!

9:56 - I almost had a heart attack when that deep ball was for Holmes. That would've ended my fantasy woes and made my weekend. Hopefully this B.Smith character doesn't steal any of my thunder.

10:07 - CATCH THE DAMN BALL SANTONIO! I BET IF THAT FOOTBALL WAS WRAPPED IN ACAPULCO GOLD YOU'D CATCH IT! On a lighter note, Carl Weathers is still getting paid. Go Apollo Go! Anyone else know why runningbacks are running into the backs of their lead blockers? This is just a recurring trend. Last week it was Flozell Adams pretty much tackling Rashard Mendenhall and I don't think I've seen a game without a runningback not running into a fat lead blocker. Except the Pats, I haven't seen Alge Crumpler or Gronk or anyone get in the way of Law Firm or Taylor.

10:18 - Thank you Sanchez. I enjoy you throwing for good gains with Holmes. I'm waiting for Gruden to switch his "This Guy" comment to Sanchez. It's about to be 6-0 Jets making this game just slightly more exciting than the plot of Hawaii Five-0, the new series. Seriously what is the deal with New York Jets games being field goals and no deep balls to Holmes. Come on Rex, call a damn play to work that USC arm like a man. I haven't seen a Mexican be this lazy since Rick Sanchez was fired from CNN for anti-semetic comments. P.S. why was it so damning to say that a certain group of people own everything? Sounds more like a compliment in a way. Although the right move in firing his boring ass.

Halftime: I watched the replay of the Giants-Braves game. Sucks. Giants suck. I hate that team and Brian Wilson's black beard. Giants-Phillies NLCS. No ones watching that TBS. Go get Dane Cook to promote your "There's only one Actober!" deal. Jackasses.

I needed to charge my laptop, so I'm missing the first parts of the second half, so unless Holmes scored a TD pass to clinch my win, there isn't any coverage from me.

11:05 - This is depressing. Nick Folk is the Jets most impressive player right now scoring 4 times through the uprights. Rex Ryan should be disgraced. You get all this talent from around the league, and you whip out your schmenza and send a picture of it to some lodi dodi from Florida State, you do jack diddly in the more important games of the year.

11:26 - I return to the TV. Brad Childress is yelling about playcalling. Vikings have penalties and Favre just threw his 500th TD pass to Randolph Moss. Guess what Brett, you can throw 500 TD's but it only takes one dick pic sent to Jenn Sterger for you to be a complete turd on humanity. Brad Smith just returned a kickoff return for 86 yards to the 15ish yard line. Now Sanchez put it in Holmes' hands and make this night complete for the love of God.

11:38 - It's official, Jon Gruden called Adrian Peterson THIS GUY.

11:39 - Randy Moss commits an offensive pass interference penalty and then Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden decide that these pass interference calls can go anyway. There is no telling who commits what on the football field, according to Gruden. Well Gruden, who just THIS GUYed Percy Harvin/Brett Favre, there is this thing called a camera and there are about 100 of them pointing toward the football field at any one time. Maybe you should stay at ESPN and never come back to coaching football again.

11:45 - I'm reminded that the Jets have Vernon Gholston, the victim of Patriots spin-doctoring by Belichick. He misses an obvious tackle and I laugh.

11:51 - I am becoming so depressed about Santonio Holmes probably not getting another catch and not winning me my fantasy match-up.

Midnight: According to Life Alert, you can fall in the tub and still feel Safe, Independent, and even Younger. Let me repeat: With Life Alert, you feel Safe, Independent and Younger. Don't tell me that Don Draper Inc wasn't involved with the change in the promotion of that product. If you feel younger maybe you could not fall in the shower and need some stranger to help you when your butt-naked with shampoo in your hair. Give me a break!

12:10 - Deja Vu: Favre wanted the 2 point conversion on their last drive and missed it. If they score here, they are forced to make another 2 conversion just to stay in the game. In Economics of Games and Sports, we talked about how you should always go with the safer bet instead of risking your future into having to take a 2 point when the game is on the line. This game could be lost because Brett Favre was a gunslinger and wanted to take the lead rather be safe with only a tied game.

12:16 - HOLMES FIRST DOWN!!!! I'm so close! Get back on the field Holmes. No time to yuck it up, you need to win this for me you stupid son of a bitch!

12:25 - I just called a Brett Favre interception while chatting with Mark Manning on AIM. No one throws a game like Brett Favre. No one. He can may have 500 career TD's, he may have a Super Bowl ring, but no one ever throws a game like Brett Favre. Absolutely no one.

12:32 - Jon Gruden calls Favre a warrior. Warrior not the word. Benedict Arnold is the word. If I can think of a word that sums up "guy that takes immense risks and throws a game away because he wants to get his schmenza sucked by a someone not wearing a wedding band". Nice work Favre. Now I will end this blog by saying I hate Brett Favre and the Event rocks.