Role reversal

I see the NFL admitted it was wrong about ONE of the calls this weekend. Comparing this to baseball, it is sort of funny. Everyone remember Game 2 of the ALCS? Boy, every article was lambasting Doug Eddowes for mucking up the call. But, none of the articles I read about the NFL games this weekend hardly mentioned the numerous questionable calls. Not until a day later was there any coverage. Why?

I think the main reason is the quality of fans. NFL fans, by and large, are more or less fair-weather fans. Think about it; it's easy to be a fan- the games are on one day a week, nothing else is on at the time, and they are very user friendly- lots of commercials to get beer and snax, idiot commentators shoving 200 replays at you. People can watch and be entertained.

Baseball fans, however, make a commitment to the game. They have 162 games to watch; the games are often on cable; and the game has a lot more nuances that require complex understanding. (Yeah, yeah, football has nuances. But, how often do you hear commentators brag about the quality of line play, blocking, etc.? Far less than you do about big hits, showboating, etc. It's like NASCAR. Or WWE.) People are investing lots of time in this sport, and as such, they want it to be PERFECT. Football...less so. And, of course, there is the old canard about not letting the officials lose the game; players do.

But, this is exactly the wrong attitude to have. Rarely does one play make a difference in baseball, and, with a 162 game schedule, it is facile to blame one game for not making the playoffs. Even in the ALCS last year- the teams had FIVE more games to play, and with a 1-1, series it was still anyone's series. In the NFL, one game can make a difference, and the playoffs- win or go home- standards should be MUCH higher. One play CAN ruin a season. Yet every year, it's like hillbillies on parade.

Why don't NFL beat writers run to criticize the shitty officiating? It's one thing to see it on PTI. Are they afraid of losing their press passes? Are the football writers not the best of the bunch? Does Paul Tagliabue have incriminating photos?

And, of course, the funniest thing is, they have instant replay to make sure they get the right call...

On to something more intellectual than football (Next I'll be comparing Skoal), tonite we are seeing "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World." Thank God it is free, but review to follow at 11.

M