Tag Archives: Sports

Daytona 500 Pre-Race Hype

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NASCAR and the NFL are a lot alike. I wrote here about the pre-game hypage for SB XLI. Not to be outdone, here’s the pre-Daytona 500 coverage, all times EST:

  • 10:00 – 11:00 ESPN2 – NASCAR Now
  • 11:00 – 12:00 ESPN2 – Michael Waltrip Racing: A New Era
  • 11:00 – 2:00 SPEEDtv – NASCAR RaceDay
  • 2:00 – 7:30 FOX – The 49th Daytona 500

    • The FOX coverage also includes about an hour of pre-race hype; the green flag flies around 3:15. Also not included was ESPN2′s airing of the movie 3 at 8:00 this morning, as well as SPEEDtv’s marathon 70+ hours of broadcasting from Speed Weeks.

    I plan to ass up and watch all the action on the new big teevee, and tune to one of the NASCAR HotPass channels (794 – 799 on DirecTV), to see a race as never before.

    And, on this date in 2001, Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 500. Another reason the racing’s not the same.

    -k-

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    Happy Kansas Day

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    On this date in 1861, the State of Kansas was admitted to the Union. I looked at last year’s Kansas Day post, and every sentiment I expressed there still applies.

    I’d love to be back there again, to live out my remaining days amongst salt of the earth people, to be able to see the Chieves and Jayhawks without paying out the wazoo for some sports package. I’d love to be able to drive to my maternal side of the family for their annual October dinner. I’d love to live in a place that’s a real community, where people look out after each other without being overbearing buttinskis. I’d love to live in a place where Friday night high school football is the event of the week. I’d love to live in a place where wheat fields wave like the sea. Did you know there are more colors of green and gold in a wheat field than you ever imagined? I ‘d love to see a sunset that stretches for miles across the sky. I’d love to be there in pheasant season, and know some hunters who share their bounty (SWMBO and I have had some magnificent pheasant out of our smoke pit).

    Man, I miss all that.

    -k-

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    One Away from Being The Dean

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    The Texas Tech Red Raiders men’s basketball team defeated Bucknell 72-60 this afternoon. The victory gave the Raider’s coach Bob Knight his 879th coaching victory in Division I basketball, and ties him with the venerable Dean Smith for the all-time coaching win record.

    And the best is yet to come:

    Knight’s first chance to own the top spot all by his sweater-wearing self comes Thursday night at home against UNLV.

    I’ll be watching, and rooting. I’m inspired by people who love what they do; I’m even more inspired when they rise to new heights.

    -k-

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    A Tale of Two Networks

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    I’d previously bemoaned the fact that my brother-in-law’s CableCo doesn’t carry the NFL Network, resulting in our not watching the Kansas City Chieves on Thanksgiving night. Scott, aka The Fat Guy, suffered through listening to his Cowpokes on the radio, since he couldn’t get NFLnet.

    Only yesterday, I wrote about NASCAR’s HotPass package for 2007.

    Let’s compare and contrast the two plans:

    Neither the NFL nor NASCAR is ashamed to squeeze the last nickel out of fans, but the NFL’s network is in the position of browbeating CableCos, SatelliteCos, et.al., into carrying it. And the NFL wants the carriers to pay them up front, and oh by the way, please put NFLnet in your base package lineup. The result is spotty coverage for the network at best, and the ones who lose are the fans, who are deprived of the chance to see their team play. To say nothing of market penetration and such.

    Now, look at NASCAR. Fox Sports has paid dearly to carry NASCAR events next year; on their own, Fox developed the HotPass idea, ran it by NASCAR, who loved it. Presumably, NASCAR got paid again for HotPass. Fox is providing the additional cameras, equipment, and announcers to make it a reality. Now, Fox has subscriptions to sell, with making a profit in mind. In the meantime, conventional race coverage is not affected; fans won’t miss out on what they’ve had for years. Those who opt-in can have a real value add in HotPass.

    So let’s sum up: NFLNet tries to squeeze out more money, by providing just another means to distribute an existing product. It can hardly be argued that Bryant Gumbel and Chris Collinsworth bring much to the microphone to make the telecasts sizzle.

    NASCAR, having already been paid, probably twice, provides another way for the fans to enjoy the sport, without taking away what anyone already has.

    -k-

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    One for the Tie, Two for the Win

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    A big salute to Bob Knight, who coached the Texas Tech Red Raiders men’s NCAA basketball team to a 71-56 victory over Arkansas this afternoon. This victory brings the General one shy of the all-time Division I win record, currently held by Dean Smith.

    I’ve always loved Coach Knight, and am delighted that the best coach ever to step on a basketball court is on the verge of making basketball history.

    In his own words, the Coach’s post-game observation:

    ”Doesn’t mean anything to me,” Knight said. ”It means I’ve coached a long time. You guys think too much about records.”

    And to Myles Brand, former president of Indiana University, who fired the Coach and subsequently went on to become President of the NCAA, where he’s bullying schools about “insensitive” logos and mascots:

    Pfffffffft!

    -k-

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    To Whom Do I Complain?1

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    I sat down a couple of hours ago, all primed to watch Kansas Jayhawks basketball. They played the DePaul Blue Demons in Chicago this afternoon.

    SWMBO and I buy the ESPN Full Court package each year, at a cost of $100.00 or so for the season. That usually gets us our games of interest. Today, ESPN saw fit to broadcast the game on something called ESPN/U, also one of their channels. DirecTV wants another $12 per month to get ESPN/U, which is part of something they call their “Sports Package.” This package includes 24 or so Fox Sports Channels, any 8 of which are broadcasting the same game simultaneously at any given point in the day.

    Not willing to extend our DirecTV plan, we listened to the game on XM Radio, and cringed as the Jayhawks went down to defeat today.

    I don’t know if it’s ESPN’s or DirecTV’s policies that resulted in our not seeing the game on TV. It’s not even worth the effort to call either network. What I will say is that I’d be all for kicking TV out of my life entirely, if there were a way to view the following:

  • Prison Break
  • CSI Miami
  • Jericho
  • Friday Night Lights

    • In addition, I’d like to be able to see a few sporting events throughout the year. I’m even willing to buy a Mac Mini, or something comparable, and dedicate it to teevee watching. I’d lash up any kind of gear necessary to make that happen, and pull the plug on the whole bunch. For what we pay DirecTV in a year’s time, we have a good down payment on an alternative.

    -k-

    1 – That headline, proper English and all, is in memory of all the long-suffering English teachers in my life.

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    It’s Only a Game

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    The NCAA’s campaign against “politically incorrect” team mascots and logos has hit a little snag in North Dakota, where a judge has blocked the banning of the name North Dakota Fighting Sioux.

    From the article, this gem of illumination from the NCAA:

    The NCAA, which designed its policy to avoid a confrontation in court, issued a written statement saying it still expected to prevail.

    “We are disappointed in the preliminary ruling but will continue to defend the NCAA’s right and responsibility to enact guidelines in the best interest of our member schools, our student-athletes and our fans,” the statement said.

    This probably means that at best, the NCAA is scared shitless of lawsuits against them; at worst, that their desire is to achieve a homogenous clump of schools, each with about zero distinguishing characteristics. As far as the student-athlete label goes, everybody knows that’s utter nonsense. The late, great, Paul “Bear” Bryant summed it up best years ago with these words:

    It’s pretty hard to rally around a math class.

    Indeed.

    -k-

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    Oddsbeater

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    How about that Barbaro!? He’s made a slow, steady recovery from injuries that would have been fatal to 90% or so of the horse population. He still has a way to go, and even though he won’t be on-track for the Breeder’s Cup this weekend, we can all salute this great competitor.

    Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be watching the Son of Barbaro in the Kentucky Derby a few years hence.

    Read the linked article; Barbaro was not the only one with heart and spirit in his recovery to date. Even though it’s sad, there’s still much to be thankful for.

    -k-

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    Good Afternoon, Football Fans!

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    One great thing about growing up on the Kansas/Nebraska state line was the great college sports teams; Nebraska football in the fall, Kansas basketball in the winter months. It didn’t hurt a bit that both states fielded competitive, and even championship teams in their respective sports.

    And today, the first games of the new college football season were played. FOX Sports had the foresight to choose Nebraska and Louisiana Tech for part of the afternoon fare. It was an awesome sight, and Nebraska prevailed 49-10.

    I love the huge Husker thrashings of yore, and hope they continue.

    -k-

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