Blog 7: Three Things In Broadcasting This Week

Problogue: I had another blog post prepared for this week, then three broadcast things popped up over the weekend that truly intrigued me.  So a quick commentary about those things, and a podcast already prepared for next week!

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And I wondered to myself: Is this the future?

The format has been tried many times before, but never met wide acceptance: major television networks have provided alternative channels for big events like NCAA championship football, the Super Bowl, the NCAA men's basketball championships.

The shows have offered an alternative to the traditional play-by-play of the event, with separate hosts giving their commentary, a slew of stats for your consumption, and multiple angles from the telecast shown, among other things.

The advertised purpose, as always, was provide the viewers with a choice during such a big event.  The hidden purpose, as always, was to provide another revenue stream to the networks looking to obtain mega-advertising dollars aside from the traditional broadcast.

But it hasn't really worked.  Until now.

Why didn't previous attempts at an alternative broadcast universe work? They didn't have the Mannings.

The Manning Family Football Franchise has delivered, making Monday Night Football's alternative on ESPN a sensation.  And people are eating it up.

They are one of a kind (pair of a kind?).  You can't invent the chemistry Peyton and Eli have together.

My wife says Peyton and Eli Manning are too wordy and too much for her to simply watch the game action.  And while she's right, I love hearing their explanation of the play, their terms and inside information, the guesses about what's coming next, and their playful interaction, especially brother-to-brother.

And the stories...!

I think the guests are needed a bit, but I also think sometimes three's a crowd.  But some real highlights there too, so guests should be polite and not outstay their welcome.

Poor Steve Levy and company doing the traditional play-by-play on ESPN.  That flash of light they just saw was a new style of play-by-play that has arrived like Marty McFly in Back to the Future.  Or maybe not.  But poor Steve Levy and company...

Fearless prediction: We're going to see a LOT of rip-offs of this format by other networks now.  And it's going to be awful.

The reason: no one else has the Manning chemistry.

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It's a nightmare for a play-by-play announcer.

Paul Allen's incorrect call of a last second field goal attempt Sunday on the Vikings radio broadcast has the internet buzzing and people wondering how that could have happened.

Well, suffice to say it DOES happen...there are reasons for it...and there are correct ways to handle a botched call, or really anything in life.

I am armchair quarterbacking here, because I've never done an NFL game, but I've also botched calls on the air that feel like it's NFL level.  At an NAIA women's championship tournament game once, for instance, my team made a shot that gave us the lead in the final seconds, but I thought it had just tied the game.  Embarrassing, and a bad feeling that didn't go away quickly.

Paul Allen explained the call and the aftermath with Peter King of NBC the day after.  This should be mandatory viewing for sportscasters for several good (and bad) reasons.

Let me preface by saying that I don't know Paul Allen and I've rarely heard his work.  What I do know is that he's a veteran of the booth, has a radio talk show in the Twin Cities, and seems to have a style (meaning his outspokenness, his willingness to offer his own strong opinion, and a penchant for turning a phrase)  similar to the late Rush Limbaugh.  Those were my impressions of the man based on the 30 minute Peter King interview.

The good:

• Allen certainly did own up to the mistake; I mean, what else could you do?
• He openly admits that he "guessed" what the outcome of the kick would be (it was a 37 yard attempt, basically an extra point).
• In the "age of rage" (his phrase) he has shrugged off the criticism.
• Allen knows that social media will have it's say, good or bad, and that's part of the gig.

The bad:

• Although he claims to not even have thought about the missed call until the plane ride home, I don't buy that for a moment.  His explanation and casual demeanor, to me, sound phony and calculated.  Weren't there fire alarms going off in his head as the words left his mouth? 
• His general attitude toward himself, his sports broadcasting and his overall impact on the world of broadcasting go a little beyond "necessary arrogance" mentioned here before.  Again, I've never met the guy, just a first impression.
• Peter King introduced Allen as a kind of latter-day Myron Cope (Pittsburg Steelers announcer for decades), alluding to his Vikings-based emotional calls.  Great for a Vikings fan to listen to, and that's okay because he IS broadcasting for the Vikes, but my gut feeling is that Allen is a little more interested in making sure you know how smart and articulate he is than anything...
• And interested in dropping names.  In the King interview he must have mentioned 20 of the people he knows or is good friends with...which seemed really unnecessary given the topic at hand.
• He did, in fact, guess that the field goal was good.  The rule in sports broadcasting, like good umpiring or referee calls, is to "stay behind" on the call.  In other words, wait a split second to actually see the result of the play and getting it right, rather than anticipate and make a mistake you'll have to apologize for later.

I was all set to become a Paul Allen fan, appreciating him owning up to making a big mistake and being humble; instead, I got a guy who basically said, "I made a mistake but I'm so good that it doesn't matter." 

I guess I didn't stay behind the call on that one.

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And finally...

HBO's Hard Knocks comes to the regular season.  The Indianapolis Colts will be featured beginning later this season.

Good idea?  Not a good idea?

For fans, I think it's great.

I wonder about the coaches and the team, though.  How will this affect them?

Again, per Peter King of NBC, the production of the show will largely be done through remote cameras with a minimum of NFL Films staff actually in the rooms.  Still, it will be a presence.

I suppose the good idea/bad idea was bandied about before the original, training camp Hard Knocks began.  So we'll see how it goes.