The NFL schedule is out and once the league has totally screwed ESPN over.
My reaction? Great. The Worldwide Leader is evil. Their production values stink, their analysts are pompous jackasses, they waste too much time pimping up fake controversies and I can't stand their idiotic celebrity interviews in the middle of the games.
The NFL has once again given ESPN a sharp poke in the ribs in the hopes that maybe, just maybe they'll get the hint, in that if they want a better slate of games in '08, their whole operation has to be way more professional in '07.
I doubt ESPN will get the message. They're propping up their "fantastic" schedule as I type this. Also, their reporters keep taking credit for exclusively breaking stories when they clearly haven't. Sometimes the NFL network's Adam Schefter is the victim - and it may be too convenient that the reporter at the league's in house network gets all the scoops - but not always. Local newspaper and radio guys have gotten screwed by ESPN this offseason as well.
Anyway, if you want proof that NBC has the better schedule of games for Sunday Night Football, here it is:
Last year's 12 playoff games make a paltry 14 appearances on MNF. They have 25 on SNF.
Last year's elite 8 have 12 showings on MNF. 17 on SNF.
The final four have 6 on MNF. 9 on SNF.
Finally the two Super Bowl teams have 2! combined appearances on MNF. Have you ever heard of a Super Bowl team having less than three appearances before, let alone less than two? Well it's happened this year. Chitown and Indy get 5 combined slots on SNF.
ESPN's trainwreck features the Broncos three times (they missed the playoffs), the boring-ass Ravens three times, and the Bengals, Niners, Titans, Saints, Pats, Falcons and Steelers twice each. Of those, only the Saints and Pats were even playoff teams.
And don't forget, NBC has "flex scheduling" in Weeks 11-17 too, so if any of last year's contenders go on to become dogs this year (and vice versa) they can switch their game to something more appetizing later on.
Congrats against ESPN. Y'all just paid a thousand dollars for a hand job with the girl asking "Are you close yet?" every ten seconds. Well done.
Oooh, also, here are your NHL playoff predictions...
1st round
West
- Detroit over 8) Calgary in 7
- Anaheim over 7) Minnesota in 5
- Vancouver over 6) Dallas in 6
- San Jose over 4) Nashville in 6
- Buffalo over 8) NY Islanders in 5
- New Jersey over 7) Tampa Bay in 7
- NY Rangers over 3) Atlanta in 5
- Pittsburgh over 4) Ottawa in 7
*West
- Vancouver over 1) Detroit in 6
- San Jose over 2) Anaheim in 7
- Buffalo over 6) NY Rangers in 6
- Pittsburgh over 2) New Jersey in 7
- San Jose over 3) Vancouver in 5
- Buffalo over 5) Pittsburgh in 6
5) San Jose over 1) Buffalo in 6
Yeah, I'm a homer. Sue me.