So I'm watching the 9 am Eastern time SportsCenter on ESPN and as they go to commercial they show a shot of the BG-UT game and the voiceover says, "God bless the MAC. They'll play anytime."
Said with the typical smarmy, smug, I'm-cooler-than-you inflection almost all ESPN announcer use, it sounded like anything but praise or a compliment. It sounded like, "we got this little monkey-puppet conference on a string and we're making them dance by putting their biggest games on when we want!"
Maybe I'm over-sensitive 'cause we got whooped, but that's how it sounded.
Oh yea, tune in Wednesday when the MAC West will be decided at 1:30 pm.
I know that Commish Chryst has said next year things will change. I hope it will change for the better. If not, we'll be kicking off at 7 am for an ESPN "Pigskin Breakfast"
Well the Falcons and Rockets did not make a very good case for NOT continuuing. Last week a distant relative of mine from Miami, FLa. called a closer relative to ask them to call me and see what happened to Nick Moore and if he was OK. Say what we will about how it sucks for fans, it sure gets attention and when you have a major (yes, niu fans it IS major) rivalry game that goes 2 OTs and has championship implications its gonna build some national interest. Today's 1:30 game however is just plain stooooopid!
RobbyFalcon wrote:So I'm watching the 9 am Eastern time SportsCenter on ESPN and as they go to commercial they show a shot of the BG-UT game and the voiceover says, "God bless the MAC. They'll play anytime."
Said with the typical smarmy, smug, I'm-cooler-than-you inflection almost all ESPN announcer use, it sounded like anything but praise or a compliment. It sounded like, "we got this little monkey-puppet conference on a string and we're making them dance by putting their biggest games on when we want!"
And that's fine with me.
Nothin' gets handed to our teams. We have to work twice as hard in the MAC. I almost consider it a badge of honor.
If playing on Tuesday night gets us on TV -- well, as far as I'm concerned, all ESPN needs to do is tell us when they want the game to start. We'll make room for the cameras and Aunt Melba will bake a pie in case ESPN's announcers get hungry at halftime.
Interesting thoughts. Here is an excerp from ESPN.com's Pat Forde:
"The MAC's Weeknight Warriors
College football has long since ceased being a Saturday-only sport, but the boys from the Mid-American Conference (25) have spent the stretch drive playing almost exclusively between Monday and Friday.
By the end of this week, MAC teams will have played 18 weeknight games. Eight of the MAC's final 11 league games are weeknight affairs.
Toledo (26), for example, played its last Saturday game Oct. 29. By the end of the regular season, the Rockets will have played games on Tuesday (twice), Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
This midweek mania means three things: more television exposure for a low-profile league on the ESPN family of networks; more logistical challenges for teams trying to establish a rhythm throughout their seasons; and more challenges for fans to leave work early and/or stay up late and attend these midweek games.
"All the increased exposure has been a real positive for us," MAC commissioner Rick Chryst (27) said. "We've had a very competitive league, and this week has been reflective of it. Five teams are competing for a spot in the championship game."
Which is, naturally, on a weeknight: Thursday, Dec. 1.
Despite the benefits in terms of exposure, Chryst said that changes will have to be made for next year, when Division I-A goes back to 12 regular-season games in a 13-week season. Whittling it down to a single bye week makes midweek games that much more challenging.
"Our schedule is going to have to be much more structured, I think, to make it work," Chryst said.
The commish anticipates having games selected a couple of weeks in advance for midweek television exposure, which would give ESPN the opportunity to select the most competitive and important matchups and still give schools a chance to prepare for some scheduling upheaval.
"We want to sustain the exposure we've had, but bring a little more structure to it," Chryst said.
And how have the coaches, who crave continuity, reacted to being bounced all over the calendar?
"Our guys have been really good," Chryst said. "I think they understand that to try and grow the league, this comes with the territory."
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools."
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