MaineMoxie

Yeah, if it's on your local channel then it isn't on the Sunday Ticket channels (which are in the 700s). However, if they switch mid-game (like the did with the Bills-Cowboys game here in Maine), within a few minutes it should automatically switch over to the Sunday Ticket channel from your local channel (once or twice I've seen complaints about it taking too long, but it's only happened that one time for me and I've been a subscriber for years).

I never meant that this obsession with branding had anything to do with actual revenue. No offense to any of you out there who are excellent marketing people, but my personal experience (repeatedly) has been that there is sometimes a tendency to focus too much on marketing, especially when the marketing folks are given too much say in the actual product itself. In normal business, focusing too heavily on marketing to the detriment of the product itself usually ends in abject failure. In the NFL, the revenue sharing deals that are in place seem to actually reward teams like the Bills who focus more on the overall NFL experience "package" since they're partly propped up by the league. I'm starting to think that revenue sharing has its drawbacks (though it also clearly has its advantages as well).

Like I said: branding and merchandising. It's not even about football anymore. Makes you wonder just how accurate some of these numbers are. We know Jacksonville "fiddled" with their numbers by covering up seats. But, as numerous people have pointed out, it's no longer about how many fans are actually in the stands. It's about the brand (I mean, look at the Yankees - they got admonished by MLB because the seats behind homeplate - which are the ones everyone on TV sees - were empty most of the time because they cost $2000 apiece).

Makes you wonder how teams like Cincinnati stay in business. Oh, wait, it's all about merchandise and branding these days. I forgot.

NFL Attendance Statistics I thought this was interesting. We're averaging more than the Pats* this year.

I just tried voting, but it came up blank. Wait, now it worked. Looks like the Bears are ahead at this point.

I have no doubt that Fitz is banged up. So on fourth and inches when they should have run a QB sneak, why not put in Brad Smith? Aren't we paying him for this kind of thing anyway? I like Mega Mind and he's done a good job outcoaching a few of the best, but I expected to see more creativity in both the play calling and the utilization of players (e.g. CJ, Brad Smith, etc.).

I wish they did offer it, but it just means football is getting to be more like baseball - better viewed in person. I hate TV baseball coverage. You can't see the shifts or the body language of any of the players which is the key to a lot of great baseball. But I think this just goes to show that the NFL is more interested in a neatly packaged "product." I don't think it's a giant conspiracy to keep fans ignorant, but I think it is an attempt to market certain aspects of the game. Like most of the major sports it's simply no longer about the game. It's about making money.

I needed that after this debacle.

Ok you've got an inch to get. Why not run a QB sneak?

Not a big fan of the officiating crew today either, but if they lose it's their own fault.

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out why they challenged this. (I hate Jim Nantz, by the way. Says it's "always a good call" or something like that. Really?)

And why do they insist on using Brad Smith as their returner? To justify the contract they gave him?

They've got to get more creative on offense.

D needs to come on big here. Seriously need a pick 6.

Looks like they're just wearing their road unis at home because the next two away games will have them wearing their home unis. No blue pants: BuffaloBills.com

Nice job! Great story. The more you stop and think about it, the more amazing Fred's story seems. He didn't just make his way up through the ranks to the NFL - he made it up through the ranks to become a legitimate MVP candidate at age 30 (which is old for a RB, though we know he hasn't had the years of bodily abuse yet).

Or Brad Johnson, for that matter.

That's awesome. Love it.

I think that's the most encouraging thing. They were 5-2 in 2008, but I seem to recall the schedule being much easier. Plus the two losses were by a combined 6 points, both to 5-2 teams.

LMAO, that's awesome.

And if you look at their schedule from here on out, they're all winnable games. I'm not saying they'll run the table - far from it - but they have the ability to win any one of them.

Fox's Curt Menefee went there too. Three's a little unusual for a Div III school most people haven't heard of.

I'd like to occupy RWS, but not to protest the upgrades. I'd rather protest Overdork and Littman. I'm sick of these morons. Why isn't Fitz signed?

The "Los Angeles Dilemma" Now there's a team nickname. What would their mascot be?