Thursday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Tonight, the Raiders and Chargers will play Thursday night football at Qualcomm Stadium. It starts at 7:15 p.m.
Unfortunately, only those folks lucky enough to have the NFL Network can see the game. That’s less than 50 percent of the TVs in the country that have cable.
Of course given the records of the teams – the visitors’ 3-9 record against the home team’s 4-8 mark – maybe the league’s inability to make progress in clearing the NFL Network on more cable outlets is a good thing.
But there’s something more about the coverage of the game tonight. It’s going to be shown in digital three-dimension as part of an experiment by the NFL. Selected theaters in Los Angeles, New York and Boston will carry the game in 3D. Whether views will have to wear the funky glasses is unknown; there is now 3D technology that does not require the clunky eyewear. Amazingly, no theaters in the Bay Area will have the broadcast.
The whole idea seems pretty cool. Imagine LaDainian Tomlinson running right off the screen into your lap, or Antonio Gates reaching up, out and off the screen to catch a pass. Imagine that owner’s box shot of Al Davis … now that’s a scary thought right there.
“We want to demonstrate this and let people get excited about it and see what the future holds,” said Howard Katz, the NFL’s senior vice president of broadcasting and media operations, in a news release.
Of course, these are the same people who said the future held that every home would receive the NFL Network and they can’t get their programming on Comcast or Time Warner, two of the major cable operators in the country. Costs for the network have reached a point that league owners have considered dumping the whole idea, or selling to an already established group like ESPN. So far, no progress has been made on that front, so the broadcasts of eight games here at the end of the season go unseen by most fans.
The league is working with two Los Angeles-area companies to create the event—Burbank’s 3ality Digital and RealD of Beverly Hills. 3ality will shoot and transmit the game. Previously the company has done “U2 3D,” the first live action film shot in digital 3D. RealD makes the 3D cinema projection technology that dominates the market.
The idea of 3D is not new to the NFL. Super Bowl XXXVIII, made famous for Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction,” was filmed in 3D. Now that would be interesting to see with another dimension. But no live telecast has been tried to date with this technology.
“The NFL has played an important role in the evolution of media and consumer acceptance of emerging technologies,” said Katz. “This broadcast will be an exciting test of how 3D could affect fans’ experience in the future.”
Those who have seen 3D say it’s a remarkable advancement even from high-definition TV. A football game should literally jump off the screen.
That doesn’t seem to impress Raiders interim head coach Tom Cable.
“I’m not even sure what 3D means,” Cable said. “Does it have something to do with blocking somebody? It’s good for us to have this opportunity to play … where everybody can watch. It gives us a chance to show everybody how much progress we’ve made.”
Maybe. The Raiders have dropped the last nine prime-time games they’ve played.
Of course, most of the country won’t see the game, not even in 2D. It’s a problem the NFL needs to correct and correct soon.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On December 4, 1977, the Chiefs lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-7 in front of 38,488 fans at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bengals dominated the game by running for 220 yards, almost as many offensive yards as the Chiefs had all day (239 yards in total offense.) Double Heisman Trophy winner RB Archie Griffin ran 18 times for 80 yards. Bengals FB Pete Johnson had 13 carries for 63 yards. QB Ken Anderson threw a pair of TD passes to RB James Brooks and TE Pat McInally. The Chiefs only score came on a 47-yard throw from QB Mike Livingston to RB Mark Bailey.
On December 4, 1988, the Chiefs beat the New York Jets 38-34 before a crowd of 30,059 at Arrowhead Stadium. It was one of the more amazing fourth-quarter comebacks in franchise history. Down 27-21 going in the final period, the Chiefs outscored the Jets 17-7 in the final 15 minutes, including a one-yard TD run by RB James Saxon as time expired that provided the winning points. The Chiefs started out with a 14-0 lead on a pair of touchdown passes by QB Steve DeBerg: 40 yards to WR Carlos Carson and 41 yards to WR Stephone Paige, who later caught a 33-yard scoring throw as well. Paige finished the game with four catches for 113 yards, while Carson had four balls for 82 yards. A one-yard TD run by RB Christian Okoye set up Saxon’s winning score.
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO …
Former Chiefs WR Bobby Sippio was born on this day in 1980. Sippio played in nine games last year for the Chiefs.
UPDATE ON DERRION THOMAS
We brought you the story several weeks ago about Derrion Thomas, the son of the late Derrick Thomas, and his phenomenal performance in a game against Rockhurst High in the Missouri state playoffs. More and more folks have caught up with the young D.T. story, including this recent piece from USA Today.
OPPONENT NEXT/DENVER BRONCOS
Linebacker Jamie Winborn’s presence in the Broncos defense has helped stabilize that unit after early season problems.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
A Minnesota judge has issued a temporary restraining order and halted the suspensions of Pat and Kevin Williams by the NFL. Again, stay tuned there is more to come on this one.
Apparently the first thing that Giants LB Antonio Pierce did when he found his teammate Plaxico Burress with a self-inflicted hole in his thigh was call the team trainer. Plus, the folks in New York are putting the heat on the NFL and its security department.
PRE-GAME FOR THE RAIDERS AND CHARGERS
More talk about the future of Norv Turner in San Diego.
The last time the Raiders played the Chargers, JaMarcus Russell had a good game. No, really.
I think the 3D capability would mean most to the fans in being able to see better for themselves whether a ball was fumbled before it hit the ground, or whether the player was out of bounds on the TD scamper, etc.
Bob said: Costs for the network have reached a point that league owners have considered dumping the whole idea, or selling to an already established group like ESPN.
Bob, are you talking about the Thursday night NFL package or the entire NFL-N? I assume it’s the 8 game package but seeing the NFL-N go to another entity wouldn’t surprise me either.
The NFL-N’s programming has gotten stale and predictable over the past year or so, in my opinion. I can almost always predict what the hosts are going to say and comment on during the Total Access shows, for example.
The NFL-N has a few excellent features such as NFL head referree’s Mike Periera’s weekly segment but those vignettes are few and far between. The NFL-N is showing itself to be a low budget operation with less budget by the month.
Interesting to note that early on, they felt they could get Time Warner and Comcast to cave to their initial demands of having their network on a basic tier package when, all these years later, the standoff continues.
its all about $$$
Good new??? DJ moved to MLB for rest of year. Notice the chiefs have found 3, thats right 3 first round picks, who lose their “concentration during games”. Bowe, Dorsey, and now DJ. WOW, one would thing the chiefs would want 1st rounders to be impact players not guys who lose themselves regularily during the 16 game season.
YIKES!!!
Al Davis in three D, It’s Christmas not Halloween.
This whole NFL Network thing is exactly why I have a Sprint Blackberry and Sirius Radio. If you have a TV capable phone, you can watch the NFL Network for free via the Sprint phone.
You can also just get the audio feed. Beats paying for NFL Field Pass and that expensive Comcast sports tier. Here in the land of Comcast (Pittsburgh, PA), we have no hope to get those games on our HDTV without shelling out a large chunk of change.
…of course, I still have not seen my Chiefs play this year. Because of local restrictions, I’m relegated to Sirius radio or the 101 online feed for the Holthus/Dawson playcall.
Bob,
Not sure I am to hip on 3D. Where do we get the glasses is this something else the fans have to pay for? Happy Birthday Bobby Sippio!!!!! :0)
Rin remembers 3D glasses from the 1950s…I used to watch Lassie with ‘em – man was she hot – va va voom! Just like the Chiefs prospects for the future!
Keep up the great work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is behind you and we know that you will lead us back to glory very soon now.
AND NOW, Clatk Hunt – and Rin Tin Tin – have RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man!
Great point Rich…..you could re-name it the Cowboys/Patriots Network. They spend too much time talking about player’s off the field. I think they should focus more time with the game/plays not the players/arrests.
I think NFL N. should broadcast exclusively on the Internet.
Screw all the cable Co’s and Networks.
If KC ever gets back to prime time, let alone Thursday nights, I may start worrying. I picked the right year not to get cable
.
Makes me glad I have Direct TV with Sunday Ticket, I get to watch the Chiefs every week!