Headline: MSG Threatens TV Blackouts

My good friends at Time Warner just informed me that MSG (a NYC sports network) is raising their rates by 53%. It's time we stopped this vicious cycle. Players demand larger contracts, owners and leagues charge more for TV rights, TV Networks up the advertising, cable and satellite rates. Guess who pays in the end?

I watch a lot of sports on MSG, but I'm willing to give it up. This happens year after year. Some network asks for 53% and maybe they will settle for 25% and everyone will think it's a good deal. Well, I DON'T. Let them try to make ends meet with no cable or satellite TV revenue, and no advertising revenue (since nobody will be watching, why would advertisers pay?). Those of us who pay the bills have to do something about this or nobody will.

If you're a Time Warner customer who is being "threatened" by the loss of MSG, please let them know that they can take MSG and put it where the sun don't shine. What's more, if they DO negotiate a new rate that is a nickel above the rate of inflation, we'll start an effort to boycott MSG.

Tebowing

There are almost daily news reports about athletes an non-athletes "Tebowing". On the field, on the court, in the halls. Does this signal a resurgence of Christianity among US youth?

I think not. While there are undoubtedly many Christians who have added the Tebow move to their repertoire of religious gestures, most of the newbies who are drawing all the attention are doing it because it's COOL. A sports hero is doing it. Everyone is talking about it. I'll do it too. I want to belong. I would bet that if some new superstar saluted with the "sign of the horns", we would have an epedemic of that. How would the media and school administrators react to that?

End the "Official Review" Crap

When a player in a sporting event makes a mistake, he doesn't get a "do-over". If he makes a lot of mistakes, he gets fired. Why can't we go back to that mode of operation for the officials. All this review crap totally destroys the flow of the game. The referees get to see it once in real time, they make a call. Sometimes they blow one. They aren't any more perfect than the players. Let's give the human element back to sports officials.