NFL FanHouse

Take Back the Television: NFL Blunders with its Precious Network

Tom Mantzouranis — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Fans, NFL Gossip, NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

NFL players are constantly and increasingly warned to beware the all-seeing eye of the Internet and its resourceful inhabitants. The league itself might want to heed that lesson a little bit, as well.

The league has taken a sorta progressive stance compared to other leagues on offering online video (although a package to watch games online might, you know, be a good idea), but they recently got caught with their guard down. NFL.com streamed the live NFL Network feed of Michael Strahan's retirement press conference on June 9th and then ... forgot to close the feed.

The result: some tubes nerd discovered that by visiting the URL for the Strahan conference, he/she could watch the NFL Network, for free, in glorious real time. Rampant message-boarding ensued. The stream remained for almost an entire month, until it was shut down yesterday. The error is significant, given the vigilance the league usually maintains over its content online, the NFL Network's treatment by the league as a precious commodity, and its struggles with cable over distribution. It also came at a bad time as each side continues to fight for leverage, with the NFL already losing more and more everyday.

I was tipped off to this a couple of weeks ago but kept quiet here because ~~my market is sans-NFLN and I was enjoying the taste while it lasted~~ I wanted to see how long before the league caught on on its own. With it no longer, I contacted the league for a response and it seemed they were still a little confused by it all. They did tell me, however, that they didn't think that the bootlegging was widespread (Google disagrees) and that they hope we "enjoyed the NFL Network freeview." Thank you, we did. I love stickin' it to the man.

Take Back the Television: NFL Blunders with its Precious Network originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL, ESPN Offer to Test Prototype Wireless Internet Devices

David J. Warner — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:23:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, ESPN, NFL Network

And now for the geekiest thing you'll read on FanHouse all day.

The NFL and ESPN have told FCC that they would like to test "white space" devices during live NFL games. The goal is to see if and how the wireless internet devices might interfere with wireless microphones and local TV signals in a real-world environment.

If you're not familiar with white space devices, here's some background for you. When the FCC handed broadcasters free analog TV spectrum back in the day, they required that there be "buffers," or white spaces, in between spectrum allocations, so as to avoid interference between channels. Now that analog TV signals are set to be switched off and replaced with all-digital TV signals next February, a few tech companies see an opportunity to use those white spaces to deliver wireless internet on the cheap -- the theory being that digital signal is much less susceptible to interference.

The hitch is that broadcasters are terrified that white space internet signals will interfere with TV signals. The National Association of Broadcasters wants to ban the devices, while White Spaces Coalition members are accusing the NAB of engaging in empty rhetoric. Unfortunately, NAB has the upper hand right now, as several white space devices tested by the FCC haven't worked very well.

The NFL and ESPN, meanwhile, want to see if white space devices can co-exist with equipment used on the field -- especially wireless microphones and transmitters, which are plentiful on the sidelines and in quarterbacks' helmets. It's an interesting move by the NFL, because if these devices work, it might open up opportunities for teams to engage fans at the game -- even if it's just cheesy stuff like instant stats delivered to your iPhone or ways to get your face on the jumbotron.

Personally, I'd like to see white space devices work, because you can never have enough cheap wireless internet access. Besides, the more opportunities people have to read what we're writing here on FanHouse, the better. Let's hope the FCC takes the NFL and ESPN up on this offer, because this technology needs all the help it can get.

NFL, ESPN Offer to Test Prototype Wireless Internet Devices originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Network Hires Bob Papa to Replace Bryant Gumbel

Michael David Smith — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:37:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

Neil Best of Newday is reporting that NFL Network has hired Bob Papa to handle play-by-play on its slate of eight regular-season games, replacing Bryant Gumbel as the top in-game broadcaster on the league-operated cable channel.

By hiring Papa, NFL Network has basically gone the exact opposite route it went when it hired Gumbel: Papa is an old pro who has a firm understanding of the job but isn't well known outside New York; Gumbel is a big name who had no experience calling play-by-play.

Tom Hammond was thought to be the front-runner for the gig but was apparently passed over. NFL Network wanted Al Michaels but couldn't afford him.

On NFL Network Papa will work with analyst Cris Collinsworth. Papa's primary job is as the Giants' radio play-by-play man. He is also the lead announcer for HBO's Boxing After Dark.

NFL Network Hires Bob Papa to Replace Bryant Gumbel originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN, NFL Network Could Join Forces

Michael David Smith — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, ESPN, NFL Network

ESPN and NFL Network may be heading for a merger.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Worldwide Leader and the National Football League's house network are engaging in high-level talks about developing a partnership. The discussions go all the way up to Disney CEO Robert Iger and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

At first glance, it looks like a win-win: For the NFL, the deal would help get NFL Network into tens of millions of cable TV households that currently don't carry it. For ESPN, it would strengthen ties with America's most popular sports league, and it would ensure that the NFL won't develop a similar partnership with a cable TV competitor.

But the deal could be a loser for NFL fans. Competition between ESPN and NFL Network -- especially at NFL Draft time -- has made both networks improve their coverage. If they start working together, what little competition currently exists in cable TV coverage of the NFL disappears.

ESPN, NFL Network Could Join Forces originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Network Not in Al Michaels' Future

Michael David Smith — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:24:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

NFL Network will not be hiring Al Michaels as the play-by-play voice of its live regular-season game coverage, Richard Sandomir of the New York Times reports.

All indications are that NFL Network would have loved to hire Michaels, but that Michaels declined:

"NBC was open to it, but it didn't work out from Al's point of view," said Steve Bornstein, the president of the NFL Network. "We never got to the specifics."

Michaels has, in the past, indicated that he much prefers being on network television to cable. He has derided ESPN as a "four-letter network," and if ESPN is too small-time for Michaels, NFL Network obviously would be, too.

With Michaels out of the picture and Bryant Gumbel long gone, next up for NFL Network could be Tom Hammond, an old pro who would be a solid if not spectacular addition.

NFL Network Not in Al Michaels' Future originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 May 2008 18:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does Patriots Spygate Story End Today?

Michael David Smith — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:15:00 EST

Filed under: Patriots, Boston, NFL Network

Former New England Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh has a meeting today with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and another one with U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. If the Patriots and the league get their wish, both Goodell and Specter will announce after their meetings with Wals that they're convinced that the Patriots didn't tape the Rams' final walk-through practice before the 2002 Super Bowl, and the Patriots Spygate story will come to an end.

More realistically, however, it's going to be more complex than that. Goodell will, I'm sure, announce at his press conference this morning that he's satisfied that the punishments he's already doled out to the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick fit all the crimes that Walsh told him the Patriots and Belichick committed.

But Specter is likely to keep this going. Specter clearly believes that the Patriots have cheated to a greater extent than anyone is letting on, and the NFL's bizarre decision to destroy all the evidence it collected when the Patriots were first caught taping opponents' signals last year makes it impossible for the league to refute Specter's allegations.

So I expect Specter to have a press conference after Goodell's, and I expect Specter to say unanswered questions remain about the Patriots' taping activities, and Spygate won't end. However, I don't think Specter will have much basis for his remaining questions, which means today isn't the day that the Spygate story dies, but it is the day the it starts to fade away.

Does Patriots Spygate Story End Today? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 13 May 2008 06:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Network to Hire Al Michaels?

Michael David Smith — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:18:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

Now that NFL Network is done with the two-year experiment of Bryant Gumbel as play-by-play man, where will the league's official cable channel turn?

Neil Best of Newsday reports that the NFL could be looking to add a huge name: Al Michaels.

Michaels, who for three decades has been among America's best-known play-by-play voices, would lend instant credibility to NFL Network, which has struggled to find an audience. If the league could get Michaels, it would be thrilled.

But could the league get him? It would be a tough schedule for Michaels, who would have to do double duty for seven weeks, working NFL Network Thursday and NBC Sunday. And Michaels isn't crazy about working on cable TV -- especially cable TV that not every cable subscriber gets.

Still, if the NFL is willing to fork over enough dough -- maybe $500,000 a game or so? -- I could see this happening.

NFL Network to Hire Al Michaels? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 01 May 2008 17:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN NFL Draft Ratings Drop

Michael David Smith — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:04:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Media Watch, ESPN, NFL Network

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said the decision to change the start time of the draft to later in the day on Saturday, and to cut the amount of time between picks, was an attempt to make the draft more appealing to fans.

Preliminary TV ratings suggest that it didn't work. From Sports Media Watch:

the final rating for the event was down only 3%. ESPN drew a 3.4 national rating with 5 million viewers for its coverage of the 2008 NFL Draft, down slightly from a 3.5 and 5.1 million in '07.

Ratings for the Draft remain the lowest in five years; the 3.4 rating is the lowest since the 2004 Draft drew a 3.1.

This is bad news for ESPN, but it could mean any number of things: It could mean there was less interest in the NFL draft this year than there had been in previous years. It could mean that increased interest in the NBA playoffs led sports fans to change the channel. It could mean that fans dislike the new format. It could mean that more fans are watching the draft on NFL Network (ratings for NFLN are not available).

But, one way or another, fewer people watched Chris Berman and Mel Kiper this year than in any of the last four drafts.

ESPN NFL Draft Ratings Drop originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Seems Ill Prepared for New Fast-Paced NFL Draft

Sportz Assassin — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Media Watch, ESPN, NFL Network

I must admit that I usually stay loyal to a certain brand. However, I may have to finally make the switch to NFL Network's coverage of the NFL Draft. ESPN hasn't been wowing me.

In fact, they've left me frustrated. I understand that advertising is the lifeblood of television, but I don't need 400 Under Armor commercials forcing me to miss ... I dunno ... actual picks.

Because of the commercials, we missed the Lions make their pick live. Because of the dozens of talking heads spread all over the country, we missed Roger Goodell announce Glenn Dorsey as the Chiefs' pick. Just now, they were shouting over a cheering crowd who was acknowledging the NFL honoring members of our Armed Forces.

We have Chris Berman being ... Chris Berman (we all saw the "hold the Mayo" comment a mile away). Keyshawn Johnson can't use words to convey his thoughts. We miss all the trade announcements. Whenever something breaks ... they all start stuttering and grow silent.

Oh, and they've been ruining the suspense by showing guys chatting on cell phones and wearing team hats well before the pick is announced (Awful Announcing has been watching both networks and says NFL-Net actually has the trade details five minutes or so before ESPN).

By the way, if you look hard enough, you can actually see advertising for NFL Network's draft coverage while watching ESPN. Nice.

If you didn't know, the NFL skimmed down the draft by giving teams just ten minutes for their pick instead of the usual 15 minutes. It really seems that ESPN hasn't figured that out because they are trying to cram all kinds of people and things into that smaller time frame. Instead of seeing the actual draft, we miss it because all these people are trying to figure it out. It sucks.

Everything else is great. The HDTV is sparkling (NFL-N's isn't) and there is enough information swirling on the screen to make you cry. However, what's happening in the main box in the middle is a mess.

UPDATE: Mike Tirico pulled out this nugget: The last time we waited to the 25th pick for a receiver to be taken was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2006. In the one draft since then ...

ESPN Seems Ill Prepared for New Fast-Paced NFL Draft originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Madden '09 Announcers: Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:21:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Fans, NFL Media Watch, Video Games, NFL Network

We found out yesterday that Brett Favre will be the face of Madden '09. Today, courtesy of Awful Announcing, we find out whose voices we will hear doing the broadcast on the game.

Madden NFL 09 will also feature a network-inspired broadcast presentation. Players will benefit from the authentic football knowledge of an in-booth play-by-play and color commentary team featuring Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond. In addition, numerous graphical enhancements have been made, including realistic weather and grass, sleeker player models and exterior stadium views.

That's kind of big news. First off, it pretty much confirms the Hammond/Collinsworth team on NFL Network (imagine Bryant Gumbel on the game). Second, it takes us away from having John Madden and Pat Summerall/Al Michaels in our ears.

Apparently John Madden will be in the game in some form (I mean, it is the 20th anniversary edition and Brett Favre is on the cover) but it hasn't been revealed.

Madden '09 Announcers: Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cable Companies Want Money Back From Giants-Patriots Finale; NFL Says No

Michael David Smith — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:23:00 EST

Filed under: NY Giants, Patriots, NFL Media Watch, Boston, New York, NFL Network

When the NFL decided to put the Week 17 Giants-Patriots game on CBS and NBC, instead of exclusively on NFL Network, almost everyone was happy -- the fans who wanted to see the game but didn't have NFL Network, the executives at CBS and NBC, the members of Congress who were pressuring the league.

However, the cable companies that already carried NFL Network and had been paying the league for the right to offer the channel to their subscribers in large part because of that game, don't feel so good about it.

Sports Business Journal reports (via PFT) that those cable companies want some of that money back, and the NFL is saying no. The cable companies say they ought to get 12.5% of the money they spent back because they lost 12.5% of the exclusive games they were going to show. The NFL isn't willing to do that.

That means that in addition to all the problems the NFL is having with the cable companies that don't carry NFL Network, now it's having problems with the cable companies that do carry NFL Network. As successful as the league is on so many fronts, at this point just about everything related to cable TV is a thorn in the league's side.

Cable Companies Want Money Back From Giants-Patriots Finale; NFL Says No originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bryant Gumbel in 1980: I'm Not a Whiz at Play-by-Play ... I Don't Like My Voice

Michael David Smith — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

There were two basic complaints about Bryant Gumbel, the recently departed play-by-play voice at NFL Network, and both of them are addressed in this post at the New York Times' Fifth Down blog. The first is that he made too many verbal gaffes, like the infamous time that he called Tony Romo "Rick Romo":

The second was that his voice wasn't right for the job of being a play-by-play announcer. And it turns out that in a 1980 Sports Illustrated article, Gumbel acknowledged just that:

"I'm not a whiz at play-by-play announcing," says Bryant Gumbel. "I don't like the sound of my voice. And I was never a professional athlete. My ability is to digest a lot of information, which I dispense calmly and articulately while everyone around me is going bananas."

Gumbel pretty much nails what his harshest critics say when he says he's not a whiz at play-by-play and doesn't hve a good voice for it. But overall, I think Gumbel got a little bit of a bad rap because he didn't get enough credit for the way he interacted with his color commentators on NFL Network: You could always tell Gumbel's background was as an interviewer because he set up the ex-players in the booth with penetrating questions.

The Gumbel era will be remembered as a failure, as eventually the voice and the mistakes became too much to overcome. I'm not sorry to see him go, but I also think he got more criticism than he deserved.

Bryant Gumbel in 1980: I'm Not a Whiz at Play-by-Play ... I Don't Like My Voice originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marv Albert Should Replace Bryant Gumbel as NFL Network Play-by-Play Announcer

Michael David Smith — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:49:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

Now that Bryant Gumbel has stepped aside as the play-by-play man on the live regular-season games broadcast by NFL Network, the big question in sports broadcasting is who will replace him.

The answer should be Marv Albert.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today suggests that Albert would be a worthy candidate, and he's absolutely right. Although I was never as down on Gumbel as most people, the fact is that if NFL Network wants to the exact opposite of Gumbel, Albert is their man.

People complained about Gumbel's voice. Albert has the best voice in broadcasting. People complained about Gumbel's inexperience. Albert has been doing play-by-play for close to half a century. People complained that Gumbel wasn't prepared enough. Albert is known for meticulous preparation.

Albert currently works basketball and Monday Night Football on the radio, and he should be able to fit the NFL Network Thursday and Saturday games into his schedule. This is a move NFL Network needs to make.

Marv Albert Should Replace Bryant Gumbel as NFL Network Play-by-Play Announcer originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bryant Gumbel Leaves NFL Network

Michael David Smith — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, The Word, NFL Network

Bryant Gumbel is leaving his position as the play-by-play voice of live games on NFL Network, it was announced today.

Both parties said it was Gumbel's decision to step aside. Gumbel released the following statement through NFL Network:

"I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to call NFL Network games the past two years, which was a new experience for me," said Gumbel. "But we've agreed that we'd all be better served going in different directions. There are a lot of talented people at NFL Network. I thank them, I wish them well, and I have no doubt that they will be very successful going forward."

NFL Network President and CEO Steve Bornstein released a statement calling Gumbel "One of the great broadcasters of our time." But he had never worked in play-by-play before he was tapped for NFL Network, and many viewers and critics thought he struggled to learn on the job.

NFL Network will begin looking for a replacement to call play-by-play on its eight live regular-season games immediately. Cris Collinsworth is expected to remain as the network's primary color commentator.
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Bryant Gumbel Leaves NFL Network originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deion Sanders Earns Place in the Hallowed Hall of Retro Douche

Stephanie Stradley — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:21:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Cowboys, Falcons, Ravens, Redskins, Yankees, Braves, Reds, Giants, NFL Network

Confession time. I believe that one of the most genius sites on the interwebs is the precisely titled Hot Chicks with Douchebags. (warning not terribly NSFW) The founder of the site, Douchebag1, receives pictures from readers of beautiful womens paired with guys who are douchebags. Lots of websites attempt to arouse and amuse their male readership in one place, and this site is probably the most honest, direct and successful at it.

It's well written and very funny. There is something strangely poetic and philosophical in DB1's quest to find the platonic form of the perfect chica matched with an appallingly preening, gesturing, greasy, oft-orange douchebag. And to speak movingly about how wrong it is. This is hard to explain without pictures, so I guess I will send you directly to some of the HCwDB immortals such as Fish Slap, Joey Porsche, Oompa Prompa, and Millenium Bag. (yeah, there is some vulgar language in those links and the ones below too, if you are the delicate flower).

Recently, DB1 declared that Deion Sanders has earned a place in the Hallowed Hall of Retro Douche. The case is made with the above YouTube video and DB's discussion and reader comments on same. It is nearly impossible to watch that entire video. I couldn't and now I have that "song" as a ear worm. "Must be the money....that's turning them on." Exactly. You've been warned.

Thanks to DB1 for bringing attention to the menace of global douchebaggery, and good luck with your upcoming HCwDB book.

Deion Sanders Earns Place in the Hallowed Hall of Retro Douche originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Films Lays Off 21 Employees, One GM Blames Struggles of NFL Network

Michael David Smith — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:46:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NFL Network

In a sign that not even the mighty National Football League is immune to the economic downturn, the Philadelphia Daily News reports (via PFT) that NFL Films laid off 21 of its 283 employees last week, or 7.5% of its workforce.

"Films is facing economic challenges just like any other media company, including the newspaper industry," said league spokesman Brian McCarthy. "Ongoing technological changes also forced us to re-evaluate the way we operate to remain competitive.

"To address these issues, NFL Films has had to look for ways to better structure its organization, which resulted in the termination of 21 people."

The inability of the NFL and HBO to reach an agreement to continue showing Inside the NFL was a factor in the financial problems of NFL Films, but one league general manager said NFL Network's failure to get a spot on all the major cable companies is a bigger problem:

"The network is making money, but not nearly as much as the owners want," the GM said. "And that's primarily because of this standoff with Comcast and Time Warner. The subscription number [for NFLN] is nowhere near what they expected at this point."

The company line from the league, however, is that NFL Network had nothing to do with the layoffs.

NFL Films Lays Off 21 Employees, One GM Blames Struggles of NFL Network originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Network Wins Appeal Against Comcast, Is This Good or Bad?

Stephanie Stradley — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Fans, NFL Network

Satellite TV doesn't work well where I live, so I am a cable subscriber. This meant I couldn't get NFL Network until Comcast took over Time Warner Cable in the Houston area. Comcast, unlike TWC, did show NFL Network, but on a special sports tier that cost more money. They were able to do that because Comcast won a court ruling that permitted them to put the network on a sports tier.

Well, yesterday an appellate court disagreed with the lower court in the Comcast-NFL Network dispute saying that the contractual language between the two parties is too ambiguous to rule for either side. From what I can piece together from vague media reports, it appears that the lower court as a matter of contract interpretation decided that the contract allowed Comcast to put it on a sports tier. The recent ruling overruled that saying that this isn't an issue that can be resolved by looking at the contract itself, but rather this is a fact issue that requires discovery and a trial.

It's unclear to me what this means in the short term: Whether all Comcast subscribers will get NFL Network, whether it will stay on a sports tier until the lower court decision is completed, or whether it will be removed off of Comcast all together. A spokesman for the NFL said that this ruling means that "ultimately" all Comcast subscribers will get it like they used to before it was tiered.

I guess this is a good thing for me personally if cable subscribers not interested in a startup channel that repeats the same "America's Game" commercial over and over again has to subsidize my sick NFL habit. Or a bad thing if this causes Comcast to take the NFL Network off of my TV until the two semi-monopolies take their good sweet time to work things out or has a court decide it for them.

NFL Network Wins Appeal Against Comcast, Is This Good or Bad? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indianapolis Hotels Wired With NFL Network

Michael David Smith — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft, Indianapolis, NFL Network

Notes on a trip to the NFL Scouting Combine.

While the NFL Scouting Combine is going on, most people staying at hotels in Indianapolis will have in their rooms what millions of cable customers wish they had in their homes: NFL Network.

The league made arrangements with most of the hotels in the city to have its own network shown in hotel rooms while the Combine is going on, reasoning that the players, coaches, scouts and reporters in town for the event will want to keep up on all NFL-related news. (The NFL did the same thing with hotels in Phoenix for the week leading up to the Super Bowl.)

I think it's great. There's really no such thing as too much Mike Mayock.

Indianapolis Hotels Wired With NFL Network originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sedrick Ellis a Better DT Than Glenn Dorsey? Mike Mayock Thinks So

Michael David Smith — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:51:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Network

NFL Network's Mike Mayock, who for my money is the best NFL draft analyst anywhere, offers this explanation for why he ranks USC's Sedrick Ellis -- and not LSU's Glenn Dorsey -- as the best defensive tackle in the 2008 NFL draft:

"They are both great football players and it's a very difficult evaluation between the two as to who is better because they are both top-10 picks. What I like about Ellis is that he played nose tackle in a 3-4 defense at USC and that will appeal to 3-4 NFL teams. In addition, he will also appeal to the 4-3 teams because he has the quickness to play the "three technique." Dorsey is a great football player and I give him credit for playing through injuries the past few years. However his durability is a concern."

I think Mayock makes a pretty good case, particularly about the versatility of Ellis, who looks like he could play anywhere -- I even think he could be a 4-3 defensive end if that's what the team drafting him needs. Dorsey is pretty much your standard 4-3 defensive tackle, and I'm not sure where else he could play.

I also think there was a long period of time when Dorsey wasn't particularly productive during his senior season. Obviously, the fact that he was playing through a knee injury is the primary reason for that, but when NFL scouts analyze tape, they'll see a lot more highlight-reel plays from Ellis than they will from Dorsey, and that can't help but sway them.

One other note: USC listed Ellis at 285 pounds while LSU listed Dorsey at 299. There is no way on earth that Dorsey only outweighs Ellis by 14 pounds. I'm putting the over-under for Dorsey's combine weigh-in at 320.

Sedrick Ellis a Better DT Than Glenn Dorsey? Mike Mayock Thinks So originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Costas Isn't Pleased With the Cancellation of 'Inside the NFL'

Tom Mantzouranis — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:06:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, TV and Movies, NFL Network

HBO kind of sprung the cancellation of Inside the NFL, the 31-year-old staple, on the day of the last show. The cast and crew didn't find out much sooner than we did. Which prompted this:

Bob Costas assured his colleague Cris Collinsworth that they hadn't been axed: "Just because somebody made a boneheaded decision to discontinue one of the best and longest shows on television, that doesn't mean any of us got fired."

I understand, to a point, HBO's decision -- with taping on Wednesday, fans in the hyper-digital media age have already seen highlights thousands of times over, and anyone tuning in to a replay later in the week is hearing analysis of issues that have since developed, rendering it obsolete (at the very least redundant).

But I still enjoyed the show a lot. None of the others have use of the NFL Films highlights, which are invaluable (especially with players and coaches mic'd up). I liked the mix of talent, who seemed to have a genuinely friendly chemistry, and their informal style of discussion. The think pieces were well done. And, yeah, the analysis itself wasn't top-notch, but it was on par with most of the other shows.

The show will be back on another network, but who knows whether it will resemble this incarnation at all. Instead of letting such an institution go, I'm not sure why HBO -- supposedly progressive -- didn't find a way to re-tool for the modern age. Costas is right, this move is a little boneheaded.

Bob Costas Isn't Pleased With the Cancellation of 'Inside the NFL' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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