FWST Blog: NBC ready to cover punts, video board

[WoodysGirl]

If either punter Sunday night boots one high enough to reach the giant video board that hangs 90 feet above the Cowboys Stadium field, NBC cameras will catch it.



NBC, which will televise the Cowboys’ home opener against the New York Giants, is altering how it tracks punts. Instead of focusing on the coverage and the returner, cameras will be fixated on the ball.



“We’re going to start initially tracking the ball live because people are going to be wondering about that right away,” NBC Sunday Night Football producer Fred Gaudelli said on a teleconference Thursday. “And then as the game goes on we’ll see. We may just track it in replays. But, initially we are going to cover the punts a little bit differently than we normally would.”



The video board became a raging controversy after a Tennessee Titans punter hit it during the first preseason game at the new stadium. That punt is the only one to bounce off the undercarriage of the 60-yard long video board.



Jeff Caplan

Posted at 04:41 PM in Dallas Cowboys | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

 

[casmith07]

Great.

 

[theogt]

Ho. Ly. Cow.

 

[Switz]

they could track what snacks and drinks Jerry is having in his luxery suit that would be more interesting IMO. Who cares.. drama

 

[Boyzmamacita]

It's absurd to not show the play on the field. Are they actually going the follow the flight of the punt instead of the return and coverage?

 

[Temo]

It's absurd to not show the play on the field. Are they actually going the follow the flight of the punt instead of the return and coverage?

No instead of just showing the returner trying to find the ball like a centerfielder, they'll just show the flight of the ball instead. Not a big deal. If anything, I'm curious to see exactly how close the "regular" punts get to the video board.

 

[adzrne7]

got to be kidding me.........

 

[Four]

look, I love jerry, I love texas, and I love saying "screw you, I am texan" to people.

Just raise the stupid thing, it's the biggest on the planet, we get it. Raise it.

 

[Danny White]

Dallas... where even punts are exciting!

 

[Cowboys22]

I have no problem with this at all as long as they get the camera on the returner before the balls gets to him. Like it or not, the scoreboard affect on punts is and will be a big story until 3 or 4 games go by without a ball hitting it. They are just chasing one of the bigger stories about the new stadium as well they should.

 

[peplaw06]

so are they gonna tell us if the returner calls for a fair catch, or is Al Michaels going to be more worried about whether the ball hits the board?

 

[jchap]

Glad I won't have to watch NBC as I'll be in the stadium

Actually, I think I'll track the ball on punts with my eye to simulate the experience.

 

[Hoofbite]

How about a split screen at least. I'd like to see a punt or two travel but I could probably live with a replay.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

We wont be missing much when Craytons back there

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

I hope either 5 balls hit this game or none come close.....

 

[Plumfool]

If there a fumble a hard smack on the returner we might miss it

 

[Reality]

Am I the only one thinking, "Why not use multiple cameras to track the ball and the players" ???

Show it like normal but after the punt, show the ball tracking camera then if necessary ..

 

[dogberry]

Has the sign on the bottom of the board been moved?

 

[Danny White]

Am I the only one thinking, "Why not use multiple cameras to track the ball and the players" ???

Show it like normal but after the punt, show the ball tracking camera then if necessary ..

That's probably what they'll do. I can't imagine that live, they'll be following the punt alone.

Never know, though.

 

[DallasEast]

Personally, I love it. Now we'll see how much arc Feagles adds to his punts relative to field position. That'll make it even easier to determine whether he's intentionally attempting to hit the videoboard or not.