Saturday, December 8, 2007

Example #536 of How Government CARES About You

Senator John Kerry is a lot of things. A guy who flip-flops more than an IHOP cook on speed working commission. A Senator from a state that spawned the man-whale that is Ted Kennedy. A political opportunist with a horrible sense of timing.

And now, he's showing his true colors as a football fan. Kerry recently sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell and National Cable & Telecommunications Association President and CEO Kyle McSlarrow regarding the NFL Network showing some high-profile games only on the NFL Network. There's been a lot of finger-pointing about this, but it's nice to see that a powerful and well-known Senator used all of his governmental power...to write a letter.

Before you get on Kerry's bandwagon, let me point out a couple of things to you. First off, this situation has been known for quite some time without Kerry even acknowledging it. But now that the New England Patriots (who, surprise surprise, play in the very state Kerry represents) is on the verge of possibly having a perfect regular season schedule, Kerry all of the sudden CARES! And guess who is having a game broadcast on the NFL Network in the very near future? The New England Patriots!

Pandering for votes so soon, Senator?

Here's the other side of the equation to consider. The NFL Network is a premium network, meaning not everybody will get it. If you have the money and desire to get it, you can. And the NFL is in the business of professional football to make money, and the NFL Network is a way to do that. (An admitted stupid way to make money, I grant you, but a way to make money nonetheless.) In order to make money, you have to offer an attractive product or service, so the NFL Network would have to pick some of their high-profile games for them to make their service attractive.

Now, here's the radical part. They're giving customers...what they want!

As far as who's to blame for the limited number of people who can get the NFL Network, it doesn't matter. If a particular game means that much to you, you can either buy the service or you can go to some place that has. Any sports bar worth its salt will have it, so all you have to do is go there and have a good time. What the people complaining the loudest about the NFL Network don't get is that they have the power to fix the situation if they thought about it instead of whining.

Or getting a waffling Senator from Massachusetts to whine on their behalf.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Baghdad

2 policemen were injured when gunmen attacked Adhemiyah police station in Adhemiyah neighborhood north Baghdad around 1,00 pm.

3 bodies were found in Baghdad today in the following neighborhoods (1 body in Amil, 1 body in Doura and 1 body in Sadr city).

Diyala

A suicide woman wearing an explosive belt detonated herself among the civilians near the center of the local committees in Al Mu’alimeen neighborhood in Muqdadiyah town east of Baquba city around 9,30 am. 16 civilians were killed in the explosion (8 men, 5 women and 3 children) and 27 others were wounded (19 men, 4 children, 2 Sahwa members and 2 women).

A suicide car bomb attacked a joint check point of the Iraqi army and Sahwa in Al Mansouriyah area, part of Muqdadiyah town east of Baquba city around 5,00 pm. 10 secuirty members were killed (7 members of the Iraqis army and 3 members of Sahwa) and 8 others were wounded (5 Iraqis army soldiers and 3 members of Sahwa)

Kirkuk

Gunmen killed a civilian and injured another when they shot them in Al Wasiti neighborhood downtown Kirkuk city yesterday night.

A civilian (young farmer) was killed in Al Tali’a village, part of Rashad town west of Kirkuk yesterday night.

An intelligence office from Beshmarga Kurdish force was injured yesterday night in Al Shuhada neighborhood downtown Kirkuk city. A security source said that the gunmen using a pistol with a silencer in the attack.

Salahuddin

Gunmen exploded a pipeline of crude that transfers the crude from Kirkuk refinery to Biji refinery north of Baghdad early morning today. the security sources said that a spot of crude leaked to Tigris river and the pumps of drinking water were stopped because of the oil spot.

Mosul

Iraqi police killed a suicide bomber who was wearing an explosive belt after one hour chasing in Shirgat city south of Mosul city today morning.

Gunmen killed the chief of Rabi’aa police station Jabbar Khalaf, a high rank officer and four other policemen when they attacked their convoy while they were going to work in Rabi’aa police station (120 Kms west of Mosul city north Iraq today morning.