Final word on Albany game

[macdaddy]

To Bills Fans

 

From: Bob Furlong

 

Date: Sept. 10, 2008

 

Subject: Sunday’s Game on CBS 9/14

 

 

 

I made the call, whether you agree with it or not, to carry the Indianapolis Colts vs. Minnesota Vikings. It’s never an easy decision, but I have to look out for all football fans in the Capital Region. It’s early in the season and the Bills will be at the top of my list when the opportunity arises to air a game. Thank you.

 

 

Bob Furlong, VP/GM

Rfurlong@ wrgb.com

[AJ1]

To Bills Fans

 

From: Bob Furlong

 

Date: Sept. 10, 2008

 

Subject: Sunday’s Game on CBS 9/14

 

 

 

I made the call, whether you agree with it or not, to carry the Indianapolis Colts vs. Minnesota Vikings. It’s never an easy decision, but I have to look out for all football fans in the Capital Region. It’s early in the season and the Bills will be at the top of my list when the opportunity arises to air a game. Thank you.

 

 

Bob Furlong, VP/GM

Rfurlong@ wrgb.com

 

Like suffering Indy fans haven't seen their heroes about 10 - 12 times a season around here.

 

Now, at least we know who to blame.

 

Hope the game is so freaking bad the network pulls the plug at halftime.

[macdaddy]

How about his delivery...

 

...whether you agree or not....

 

WTF???? Asking for a verbal assault in return.

[AJ1]

How about his delivery...

 

...whether you agree or not....

 

WTF???? Asking for a verbal assault in return.

 

My call is to not watch your channel for a good long time.

 

And even FOX showed the Bills last week, you dolt.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

How about his delivery...

 

...whether you agree or not....

 

WTF???? Asking for a verbal assault in return.

 

after years of watching the snubbery of the bills at wrgb, and driving around albany to find the game and some good wings, i bought the 'Ticket. screw 'em. i liked it, not. i actually have boycotted in my own little way over time, and told them so. i can understand this is jets/giants land, i can understand the pats have a following of long-suffering and bandwagon-fans since BB found the 666 on his nogging after a visit to fantastic sams, but i could count the number of fans who would buy this logic on half my scrotum.

[The Dean]

WRGB is owned by Freedom Communications (they own a few TV stations and many small newspapers throughout the country).

 

The CEO of Freedom is Scott Flanders.

 

Stupid Flanders!

[macdaddy]

after years of watching the snubbery of the bills at wrgb, and driving around albany to find the game and some good wings, i bought the 'Ticket. screw 'em. i liked it, not. i actually have boycotted in my own little way over time, and told them so. i can understand this is jets/giants land, i can understand the pats have a following of long-suffering and bandwagon-fans since BB found the 666 on his nogging after a visit to fantastic sams, but i could count the number of fans who would buy this logic on half my scrotum.

 

I've read this three times and can't quit understand what the heck you're saying.

[ans4e64]

Does anyone know of a link to watch it online?

[Lori]

To Bills Fans

 

From: Bob Furlong

 

Date: Sept. 10, 2008

 

Subject: Sunday’s Game on CBS 9/14

 

 

 

I made the call, whether you agree with it or not, to carry the Indianapolis Colts vs. Minnesota Vikings. It’s never an easy decision, but I have to look out for all football fans in the Capital Region. It’s early in the season and the Bills will be at the top of my list when the opportunity arises to air a game. Thank you.

 

 

Bob Furlong, VP/GM

Rfurlong@ wrgb.com

... because the Capitol Region is apparently a veritable hotbed of Colts and Vikings fans who can't wait to watch a gimpy Peyton Manning square off against Tarvaris Jackson in a non-conference battle of 0-1 teams.

 

Good luck with those ratings, Mr. Furlong.

[The Dean]

Does anyone know of a link to watch it online?

 

 

There are a few, i think.

 

I use this one, when I need it:

 

http://www.stoogetv.com/player.html

 

Now, usually, you click on "Other Channels" and the games, and other programming, are listed there. Just click, and you are on your way. Occasionally, you may need the Sopcast player plugin (or possibly the TVU plugin)...usually, for NFL games it is simply Window Media Player, though. Sometimes you have to go to Stooge TV Channels and try Stooge channels 1 and 5.

 

As of last week, they changed the way they did many games (including the Bills game). Right before game time, in the chat window on the right hand side, a moderator lists the games and includes a link. That link is only good for 20 seconds, or so, so you need to click it as soon as it is posted. It opens a new window with the game streaming. If you miss the link, you can post in the chat room, and they will post another one, in time.

 

I have exchanged emails with the head of Stooge TV (he goes by Moe) and he says that links, posted in the chat window, are the way most games will be available, for the near future, at least.

[Just Jack]

My call is to not watch your channel for a good long time.

 

And even FOX showed the Bills last week, you dolt.

That's because the Seahawks are an NFC team. TV Coverage depends on the visiting team conference. NFC = Fox, AFC = CBS

[MetsBills]

what a dink!!! should we still try calling?

[ans4e64]

There are a few, i think.

 

I use this one, when I need it:

 

http://www.stoogetv.com/player.html

 

Now, usually, you click on "Other Channels" and the games, and other programming, are listed there. Just click, and you are on your way. Occasionally, you may need the Sopcast player plugin (or possibly the TVU plugin)...usually, for NFL games it is simply Window Media Player, though. Sometimes you have to go to Stooge TV Channels and try Stooge channels 1 and 5.

 

As of last week, they changed the way they did many games (including the Bills game). Right before game time, in the chat window on the right hand side, a moderator lists the games and includes a link. That link is only good for 20 seconds, or so, so you need to click it as soon as it is posted. It opens a new window with the game streaming. If you miss the link, you can post in the chat room, and they will post another one, in time.

 

I have exchanged emails with the head of Stooge TV (he goes by Moe) and he says that links, posted in the chat window, are the way most games will be available, for the near future, at least.

 

Thanks a bunch, Dean. Sounds a bit confusing, so I may be PMing you gameday lol

[The Dean]

... because the Capitol Region is apparently a veritable hotbed of Colts and Vikings fans who can't wait to watch a gimpy Peyton Manning square off against Tarvaris Jackson in a non-conference battle of 0-1 teams.

 

Good luck with those ratings, Mr. Furlong.

 

 

Indeed.

 

I have to believe that Mr. Furlong is either:

 

1. A spineless GM that is simply too timid to challenge CBS's decision to run the Indy game

 

or

 

2. Telling the truth, and actually requested the Indy game. Perhaps he is from the Midwest and wants to watch one of his teams. More likely, his knowledge of the NFL is lacking, and he just thinks that people will watch to see Peyton Manning. I have to believe that any research would show that there are far more Bills fans than Colts or Viking fans in the Capitol area. An NFL fan would realize that neither Indy nor Minn have any direct bearing on the area's main teams, the Giants, Jets and perhaps, Pats*. The Bills are not only from NY state, but are in the same division as the Jets and Pats*.

 

An analysis of the local ratings are likely to show whatever the analyst wants to show. (Torture numbers long enough, and they'll confess to anything.) Sometimes you have to pay attention to what is actually happening in the NFL to make the best decision. This one is a no-brainer, IMO. The Bills and Jets are likely to be challenging the Pats* for the AFC East title, this year. Right now, the Bills game is likely of great interest to many fans in the area. But, a game between two 0-1 teams from the Midwest doesn't carry much real interest, this time of the year. Later in the year, depending on records and what else is going on in the league, the Indy game might actually be a better ratings draw. But, right now, I seriously doubt it has any cache, at all.

 

So, why would you ignore your local fans, and really show disdain for the only NFL team from the station's state, for a game that isn't likely to produce big ratings?

 

IMO, this is simply a screw up by Furlong, and he isn't intelligent enough to realize it, and/or big enough to admit, and correct it.

[The Dean]

Thanks a bunch, Dean. Sounds a bit confusing, so I may be PMing you gameday lol

 

 

I am planing to go to the game, so I won't be around right before the game. Check it out some night and see how they handle baseball requests.

[Estro]

Did anybody else send the guy an email? I was wondering if a bunch of you wrote to him if he'd have more of a reason to consider switching it to the Bills vs. Jaguars game. You'd have to think that there are more Bills fans in the Capital region than there are Colts and Vikings fans combined, right?

[DonInBuffalo]

My admittedly somewhat cynical take on all of this:

 

Part of Furlong's job is to "appease" like this. Corporate told him what game to air, and that's the game they're going to air. The email response was just a facade to create the impression that he actually cared and what you told him actually influenced his decision.

 

In theory, it's his decision, but a few, or even a few dozen, emails/phone calls wouldn't be anywhere close enough for him to consider bucking corporate on this. His job, the receptionist's job, pretty much anyone you contact there has the same job: Be polite, appease, hang up the phone, and continue to do what corporate told you to do.

 

To get them to do something, it would have to be much more tangible, such as people picketing outside the station (which would embarrass them because other local stations would cover it) or companies such as M&T who advertise on their site threatening to pull their ads. Any email/phone effort would need easily hundreds if not over 1000 people to have any chance of succeeding.

[AJ1]

My admittedly somewhat cynical take on all of this:

 

Part of Furlong's job is to "appease" like this. Corporate told him what game to air, and that's the game they're going to air. The email response was just a facade to create the impression that he actually cared and what you told him actually influenced his decision.

 

In theory, it's his decision, but a few, or even a few dozen, emails/phone calls wouldn't be anywhere close enough for him to consider bucking corporate on this. His job, the receptionist's job, pretty much anyone you contact there has the same job: Be polite, appease, hang up the phone, and continue to do what corporate told you to do.

 

To get them to do something, it would have to be much more tangible, such as people picketing outside the station (which would embarrass them because other local stations would cover it) or companies such as M&T who advertise on their site threatening to pull their ads. Any email/phone effort would need easily hundreds if not over 1000 people to have any chance of succeeding.

 

His reason makes no sense whatsoever considering one team was viewed last Sunday and the other on Monday. He's a corporate appeasing jerk, no doubt.

[AlbanyBill]

I guess I'll be at Legends on Lark St watching...

[BuffaloWings]

I got Furlong's response from Doug Sherman and Ken Schott of the Gazette in Schenectady wrote this:

 

Gazette

 

This just blows me away. There are more Bills fans in my neighborhood than there are Colts & Vikings fans in the area combined. What a f**kin' joke.

 

Not to mention, I was looking forward to watching the Bills live on my 50" HD plasma for the first time.

 

:huh: :D