thudjones
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Five things to watch during Packers-Cowboys
Sporting News.com
Posted: November 27, 2007
Not to brag, because I really am above that sort of thing, but I am going to see one heck of a football game on Thursday night -- the Packers at the Cowboys -- and you, sad soul, are not.
Assuming, that is, you don't get the NFL Network and won't be heading over to a sports bar or a friend's house to watch it. No biggie, though -- it's merely the second time in 37 years that two teams with records of 10-1 or better will hook up this late in the season.
So you won't be missing anything.
"It's not my battle. It's really not," says NFL Network analyst Cris Collinsworth of the massively annoying disconnect between millions of fans and the games that are carried live by the cable network that first went on the air in 2003.
"But I'm hoping that with some of the media attention that this issue, if you will, has gotten, people will have enough advance time between now and Thursday to find a way to watch this game."
Not to slam Collinsworth, because none of this is his fault, but give me a break. Enough advance time to find a way to watch the game? This is the NFL, dude. It's not supposed to be that complicated.
On principle, if I weren't covering that game for work, there's no way -- NO WAY -- I'd go out of my way to watch it on TV. I may be a sucker for good football, but I'm not a pathetic sucker.
And it will only get worse. If you don't already know it, stick this rotten egg in your mouth and suck on it: The Patriots will play at the Giants -- on the NFL Network -- the final Saturday of the regular season. So you might not get to watch the Pats go for 16-0 in what should be one of the highest-profile matchups of the whole season. Boo!
But back to Packers-Cowboys. The five little big things I am most excited to see:
1. Who will be more Favre-like, Brett Favre or Tony Romo? As talented as Romo is, my favorite thing about him is the joy with which he plays. He smiles, laughs, talks smack with defensive linemen, runs around like a maniac and routinely makes chicken salad out of chicken scratch -- all like a young Favre. Old Favre has become more of a pocket passer; he has kind of reinvented himself, which is extremely impressive. But they both still have more fun than just about anybody on the football field.
2. DeMarcus Ware playing like Adalius Thomas without quite as much pub. "Ware is so much more than a pass rusher," Collinsworth told me on Monday. "He is a linebacker who makes plays everywhere. And we'll be talking a lot about him during the game." I'll miss out on the commentary, but my eyes will be locked on to Ware as he covers receivers downfield, stuffs the run and, yes, rushes the passer.
3. Aaron Kampman the madman. The Packers' stud is leading the NFL in sacks with 11.0 (Ware is tied for seventh with 9.0), and I can see him making a run at 20 if he nails the risk-taker Romo a couple of times. You often hear about players' "motors." Well, Kampman is a motor guy and then some.
4. The Al Harris-Terrell Owens matchup. Is Denver's Champ Bailey still the best cornerback in football? I don't know -- maybe it's Harris. One thing for sure is he will line up across from Owens and feel no fear. But Owens will get his anyway, I assume. Two great players.
5. Green, gold, brats and beer bellies outside Texas Stadium. Cowboys fans are great, and they know how to have a good time. But -- sorry, Big D -- Packers fans have more fun than anybody. I live in St. Louis, where the locals love to say that Cardinals fans are the best fans in sports. Bogus! Packers fans crush Cards fans.
Sporting News.com
Posted: November 27, 2007
Not to brag, because I really am above that sort of thing, but I am going to see one heck of a football game on Thursday night -- the Packers at the Cowboys -- and you, sad soul, are not.
Assuming, that is, you don't get the NFL Network and won't be heading over to a sports bar or a friend's house to watch it. No biggie, though -- it's merely the second time in 37 years that two teams with records of 10-1 or better will hook up this late in the season.
So you won't be missing anything.
"It's not my battle. It's really not," says NFL Network analyst Cris Collinsworth of the massively annoying disconnect between millions of fans and the games that are carried live by the cable network that first went on the air in 2003.
"But I'm hoping that with some of the media attention that this issue, if you will, has gotten, people will have enough advance time between now and Thursday to find a way to watch this game."
Not to slam Collinsworth, because none of this is his fault, but give me a break. Enough advance time to find a way to watch the game? This is the NFL, dude. It's not supposed to be that complicated.
On principle, if I weren't covering that game for work, there's no way -- NO WAY -- I'd go out of my way to watch it on TV. I may be a sucker for good football, but I'm not a pathetic sucker.
And it will only get worse. If you don't already know it, stick this rotten egg in your mouth and suck on it: The Patriots will play at the Giants -- on the NFL Network -- the final Saturday of the regular season. So you might not get to watch the Pats go for 16-0 in what should be one of the highest-profile matchups of the whole season. Boo!
But back to Packers-Cowboys. The five little big things I am most excited to see:
1. Who will be more Favre-like, Brett Favre or Tony Romo? As talented as Romo is, my favorite thing about him is the joy with which he plays. He smiles, laughs, talks smack with defensive linemen, runs around like a maniac and routinely makes chicken salad out of chicken scratch -- all like a young Favre. Old Favre has become more of a pocket passer; he has kind of reinvented himself, which is extremely impressive. But they both still have more fun than just about anybody on the football field.
2. DeMarcus Ware playing like Adalius Thomas without quite as much pub. "Ware is so much more than a pass rusher," Collinsworth told me on Monday. "He is a linebacker who makes plays everywhere. And we'll be talking a lot about him during the game." I'll miss out on the commentary, but my eyes will be locked on to Ware as he covers receivers downfield, stuffs the run and, yes, rushes the passer.
3. Aaron Kampman the madman. The Packers' stud is leading the NFL in sacks with 11.0 (Ware is tied for seventh with 9.0), and I can see him making a run at 20 if he nails the risk-taker Romo a couple of times. You often hear about players' "motors." Well, Kampman is a motor guy and then some.
4. The Al Harris-Terrell Owens matchup. Is Denver's Champ Bailey still the best cornerback in football? I don't know -- maybe it's Harris. One thing for sure is he will line up across from Owens and feel no fear. But Owens will get his anyway, I assume. Two great players.
5. Green, gold, brats and beer bellies outside Texas Stadium. Cowboys fans are great, and they know how to have a good time. But -- sorry, Big D -- Packers fans have more fun than anybody. I live in St. Louis, where the locals love to say that Cardinals fans are the best fans in sports. Bogus! Packers fans crush Cards fans.
Hell, i'm about to switch to Grande to get it.