The Dugout - September 4
(USA TODAY Sports Images)
The NFL Begins!
People. The time has come. No longer must we stretch for non-work/study related things to do on Monday mornings. The ultimate procrastinator’s tool has returned to us unspoiled from the other side of a brutal, Manning-less winter. Dust off those shoulder pads because the National Football League is back and it all kicks off Friday afternoon as the defending champs Seattle Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers.
Ahh, But Here’s The Thing…
Yeah, so it seems our avenues of coverage are gonna be quite different this year in NZ. Whereas in the past couple of seasons we’ve been able to get NFL Game Pass free and complete, that little shortcut has been boarded up and if we want the full (brilliant) Game Pass package we’ll have to pay for it. Pay for something on the internet!? Do they think we’re stupid? Time to delete the ol’ Game Pass app off the phone then I s’pose. Sorry, Peyton and Eli, but you’re selling a false idealism (in NZ anyway…).
Adding to that nut punch Sommet Sports, who had two Monday games a week last year plus a bunch of playoffs, have also pulled out of the running. There are theories as to why and I expect that these two setbacks are related. Possibly the fact that Game Pass is now a subscription means the rights are more expensive or something or possibly it’s a commercial thing (there’s a theory that VISA stumped the cash for our free GP but are no longer doing so). Or maybe it’s an ESPN thing, which we’ll get to in a sec.
In the past there were a few other countries that got free Game Pass too. The Netherlands and Argentina for example, though both of them are in the same situation as us now. However Game Pass isn’t available at all in America – they have to buy the NFL Network, which is a cable subscription – and so it’s been reported that the majority of free Game Pass users were actually Americans with false VPNs. Clearly they weren’t gonna stand for that. Nice one, USA, ruining it for the rest of the world once more.
So on one hand we can all go back to the dodgy backstreets of the internet for free streams. But on the other hand, Sky subscribers are in for a much improved experience. As of this week, ESPN2 is a real thing for kiwi sports fans and they’ve got a package to rival Justin Verlander’s.
ESPN Australia & NZ has announced an ‘expanded multi-year rights agreement’ to broadcast the NFL in both countries. So, that may just be your definitive answer to the Game Pass snub. But what they’re giving us on ESPN is pretty great. We’ll now get NFL Redzone, which is a live studio anchored show that provides up to the minute key highlights and insight of the morning games. Plus up to 64 live games. That’s all right outta their press release, so a grain of salt, maybe. It’s not as good as what we had last season but it’s better than we had any right to expect, I guess. It’ll have to do.
As For Some Other Stuff...
On the field, there was a massive bombshell to further crush the spirit of Matt Schaub, as Derek Carr (a rookie second rounder) has been tabbed to start for the Oakland Raiders in their opening game vs the NY Jets. He;s earned it on merit in the pre-season, though Schaub’s experience is still valuable. He just looked like such a broken man at Houston and this looked like the clean break he needed. Ah, well. Shoulda thrown a couple less pick-6s, aye buddy?
Then we have Wes Welker. Hmm. He’s been suspended for the first 4 games after testing positive for PEDs, having allegedly slipping ecstasy laced with amphetamines at the Kentucky Derby. Obviosly he’s denying it. Welker’s a top class wide receiver but on this Broncos side he probably won’t make a massive difference. They’re prepared for him missing time with his concussion history anyway – he missed three last season.
And a shout out to JJ Watt, the human wrecking ball that he is. He’s making bank with a new extension that’ll see him earn US$100m over the next six years… the biggest contract ever signed by a defensive player. Man, if Jadeveon Clowney can be half the player Watt is there won’t be a quarterback in the world that’d look forward to facing that defensive line.
The Evolution of Madden
Awesome Sights in Baseball: Bryce Harper Home Runs
Michael Sam Cut From St Louis Rams
In headline news this week, a mid-range pass rushing prospect who was drafted near the very end of the 7th round of the last NFL draft has missed selection to his team’s active roster, despite a mixed pre-season in which he recorded eleven tackles and three sacks. He has since been picked up and added to the Dallas Cowboys’ practice roster, a team coming off a historically awful defensive season.
Quote of the Week:
"You ask me how I feel about domestic violence. I can be very clear about that. If someone physically abuses a woman and/or physically or mentally abuses or hurts a child, then there's no understanding. There's no tolerance for that."
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh on domestic violence in the NFL.
Reverse Quote of the Week:
Comeback of the Week to the Reverse Quote of the Week:
Good Week:
Yusmeiro Petit (San Francisco Giants) – This lad just set one hell of a cool record, retiring 46 consecutive hitters on a streak that stretched between July 22 and August 28 (US). It started at the end of a messy start after which he was moved to a mop-up relief role before getting back in the rotation for the last game in the streak. He beats Mark Buehrle’s 2009 mark of 45.
Minnesota Timberwolves – In the aftermath of trading away one of their best ever players, the franchise has seen a record spike in season ticket sales. It seems that fans are rightly pumped over the arrivals of Wiggins/Young/Bennett with the entire organisation apparently ‘re-energized’.
Matt Shoemaker (LA Angels) – The rookie starter has tied a franchise rookie record with 14 wins, 5 of them coming in his last 6 starts. His ERA sits at 3.14 after hurling 7 scoreless innings against division rivals Oakland, helping his side to a 5 game lead.
Bad Week:
Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) – A US$8,268 fine for taunting in the preseason game vs the Texans after he got in the face of Houston safety DJ Swearinger having thrown a TD on the poor lad. The catalyst was Swearenger’s earlier hit on Wes Welker that saw the WR leave the field for yet another concussion scare. It was Peyton’s first ever taunting flag and he reckons it was worth every cent.
Josh Gordon (Cleveland Browns) – Ban upheld and it’s a season on the sidelines for Josh Gordon. There looked to be a case for a false positive but I’ll leave that to the experts to discuss. It’s harsh, sure. It’s also a situation of his own making. Don’t get strikes one and two and strike three won’t count against you.
Justin Verlander (Detroit Tigers) – Hahahahahahahahaha!
Player of the Week:
Cole Hamels & Co. (Philadelphia Phillies) – It’s been a rough season for the Phillies. At least they have Cole Hamels. He put up a beauty of an outing this week against the Mariners, eventually getting pulled after 6 innings and 108 pitches… while still on a no-hitter! Rough for him, maybe, but the bullpen came in and picked up where he left off, throwing down just the 11th team no-no in MLB history!
Upcoming Dates (NZ Time):
September 5 - NFL Regular Season Begins
September 30 - MLB Postseason Begins
October 22 - MLB World Series Begins