420 Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Giants football ticket holders; mark these words and be forewarned: You know those tickets you bought for that Sunday, Nov. 12 game against the Bears at Giants Stadium, the game you were really looking forward to, the game scheduled to start at 1 p.m.? Well, unless the Bears and/or the Giants are having rotten seasons, that game will be moved to 8:15 p.m. But the NFL doesn't have to inform you until Nov. 1. We get this on very good account, so you may want to start moving those tickets. Then again, sitting through TV commercials for 31/2 hours in 35 degrees instead of 55 degrees and driving home after midnight on a work/school night instead of at 5 p.m. might be added fun. We keep reading and hearing about NBC's fabulous new NFL deal, the one brilliantly negotiated by brilliant Dick Ebersol, the one that allows NBC, starting in Week 10, to cherry-pick games then plug them in on Sunday nights. And, The Post has learned, NBC, barring unexpectedly bad won-loss records, already has selected the Bears-Giants game as its first cherry-pick. In addition to "brilliant," the upbeat word being used to describe this new kick in the teeth is "flexibility." But the flexibility belongs to NBC and the NFL. Ticket-holders - hundreds of thousands of them - can go to bait-and-switch hell. And on short notice. Not that they now count for more than money, anyway. Meanwhile, it's not such a brilliant deal that similar wasn't discussed many times before. For years, when ABC had Monday night games, there was plenty of talk about boosting ratings by allowing ABC to make late-date game switches. But such a plan could, in the past, never be approved. Why? Because of the great, last-minute inconvenience it might cause ticket-holders? Don't be silly. The cherry-pick plan couldn't happen because Fox and CBS, with pre-existing contracts, would have screamed murder. This contract-time around it got done, not due to Ebersol's brilliance, but because NBC will pay the NFL $3.6 billion over the next six years. Once again, that oh-so-special relationship between TV and sports, the drug-addicted hooker formula ("Do anything you wish to me, John, just as long as you pay me") was at work. There's nothing brilliant about that. This new deal allows NBC to turn afternoon games into night games, 12 days in advance for games played in Weeks 10-15, and six days in advance in Week 17, the NFL's last regular-season Sunday. For example, on Dec. 17, Week 15, the Eagles are scheduled to play the Giants here at 1 p.m. On Dec. 5, that game can be moved to 8:15 p.m., especially if the Chiefs and/or Chargers (NBC already has Chiefs-Chargers penciled in) turn up duds. On Dec. 31, Week 17, the Jets are scheduled to be home against the Raiders, at 1 p.m. On Dec. 24, that game can be moved to 8:15 p.m. for NBC's money. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! However, we're told NBC already is planning to turn the Steelers-Bengals 1 p.m. game into its New Year's Eve Sunday nighter. Ahh, a winter night game outdoors in Cincinnati. And hey, fans - especially you drunken ones - be careful driving home; those roads get extra slick late at night. Don't forget, too, it's Drunk Night in America! The others NBC has in mind to short-notice switch to night games are Redskins-Buccaneers (Week 11), Eagles-Colts (Week 12), Seahawks-Broncos (Week 13) and Patriots-Dolphins (Week 14). In recent seasons, patrons of the best NFL teams learned to expect the worst schedules (more 4:15 and night games) the next season. Bad teams get to play at the most traditional (civil) hours, the next season. Now the NFL won't even wait until next season; it'll start to punish fans and patrons of the better teams right there, during the season. Not that the NFL won't do for itself what it will do in exchange for NBC's $3.6 billion. On Dec. 30, the Giants will play at the Redskins on the NFL Network, part of NFL's new, self-gifted deal (it will be televised here on an over-the-air local station, as well). That game, outdoors, will begin at 8 p.m. Hey, look: There's Redskins' owner Dan Snyder seated in that nice, warm luxury box! Happy New Year to ya, Daniel! Oh, yeah, brilliant. The NFL is now selling off to TV what's left of its sense of common decency. It's increasingly doing what once would have been out of the question. How brilliant! How flexible! Meanwhile, being an NFL ticket-holder and being a complete idiot is beginning to mean just about the same thing. Small wonder that the profile of ticket holders is tracking drunker and drunker. Over to you, Roger Goodell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gateb Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 HA! I knew it! I told everyone this would happen as soon as the schedule came out! Bitchesss Edit: Wait, how did the Post get word of this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jeans Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 GRRRRRRR. IF IT'S CHANGED WE HAVE TO SELL! AND I WANT TO GO TO THAT ONE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambrosio Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 GRRRRRRR. IF IT'S CHANGED WE HAVE TO SELL! AND I WANT TO GO TO THAT ONE!!! same, its the one set i bought from my dad this year and now i might not be able to go... ugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jranieli Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 You gotta be kidding me. I was going to get tickets for this game and it might be a night game now. I am not driving home late pretty drunk unless it is a bus. Lets home the Bears suck this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nas Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 You gotta be kidding me. I was going to get tickets for this game and it might be a night game now. I am not driving home late pretty drunk unless it is a bus. Lets home the Bears suck this year. What's the difference between drivingt drunk drunk at 5 pm or late night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jranieli Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 What's the difference between drivingt drunk drunk at 5 pm or late night? because I have to drive an hour and a half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MontyPython Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 What's the difference between drivingt drunk drunk at 5 pm or late night? night games = next day at work sucks! ever been to a night game before at Giants stadium??? it takes forever to get out of the parking lot...I would get home at 2-3 am sometimes, only to wake up at 6am....espc if I burned all my days off before September/October, I would drag myself in to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gateb Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Anyone else go to the Giants Cowboys 2003 MNF game? Enough said. Worst game ever. It ended at what, 1:16? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue in Iraq Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Oh cry me a fuckin river you faggots. Man up, go to the game, drive a whole hour and a half and go to work in the morning. Go to bed early the next night. Stop being such fuckin girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jeans Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Oh cry me a fuckin river you faggots. Man up, go to the game, drive a whole hour and a half and go to work in the morning. Go to bed early the next night. Stop being such fuckin girls. I work midnights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MontyPython Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Oh cry me a fuckin river you faggots. Man up, go to the game, drive a whole hour and a half and go to work in the morning. Go to bed early the next night. Stop being such fuckin girls. yo dude or whatever lowlife maggot you fucking are... go fuck yourself... .... that felt better, much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooboxx Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 jeezuz - call in sick. Its easy. especially if you have a hangover... you really sound like yer about to croak. Sorry.... I'm a west coaster and I would kill to watch Giants play at ANYTIME. I'd put in vacation days and clear my schedule just to catch a game. You all sound very spoiled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawRen1 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Like Shoo says, schedule a vacation day the day after. What's a big deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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