HBO cans "Inside the NFL"

For now, it is.

 

Sorry, I misread what you put.
I thought you meant Sunday Countdown on ESPN, I am talking the whole network, in addition to all the highlight shows on NFL Network that rerun 8,000 times, the syndicated show from the NFL, all the local stations that do preview shows each week, all the nightly mentions of the NFL by the locals, etc.
For the NFL to pretend Inside the NFL was still unique is disingenuous.

 

What would be interesting to know is if there was any kind of negotiation, and if so, where each party stood. Was it rights fees, or did the NFL just pull the plug?

 

I'm not trying to defend the NFL here, but weren't the "Inside" highlights the only ones with the NFL Films sideline/locker room access? Not that those clips were worth much, but I'd say there's at least a small bit of uniqueness there.

 

I wouldn't go that far.

Inside used NFL Films for the highlights. And since the show didn't air until later in the week, they approached it as of a mini-feature on the game than straight highlights.

Also, it was commercial-free. That alone made it unique among sports shows.

 

I don't know how old most of you are or whether you played organized football, ever, or whether you've just been a fan or professional observer (journalist) of football for a number of years, but having watched football 6 months a year for decades, there is very very very little I've gotten from any commentator over the past 10-15 years. The opinions generated and regurgitated on TV, whether color commentators, studio hosts or 'expert' analysis are fairly simplistic or just basic.

You can watch all the highlights, but it is the rare exception that someone spends 5 minutes showing lineblocking, route running, stunting, or explanations of coverages. Why they are used? when? The tree of plays off of 1 formation. When was the last time you heard a play-by-play or game analyst discuss the defenses reaction to a man in motion and whether they can hide their coverage?

How about using that over head camera to focus on the Free Safety or MLB as the QB calls signals. Split Screens as the audience watches what the QB keys in on or from the MLB perspective on the QB. And then explain what the QB is looking for? We allsee Payton barking and throwing his arms around, but why doesn't someone try and explain what he's looking for and what he's changing?

These shows are just better dressed George Michael's Sports Machines or Warner Wolf's video clips.

The puddle is wide, but never deep.

Sorry but Inside the NFL is closer to the simplicity of ESPN or Fox's gameday coverage than to a CSPAN special on the Electoral College.

 

Some interesting access from NFL Films but the show did not evolve nearly enough with the proliferation of highlights available everywhere over the past few years. At times, it sort of felt like a P.M. newspaper. And Dan Marino and Cris Carter made it all but unbearable recently.

 

I always liked watching the film version of a game I watched on television just days earlier. Marino was a bit much most of the time, but I'd hate to see this show evaporate into nothing.

 

I just have this fear that Berman will be on the ESPN-ized version of the show. Instead of NFL Films, we'll get DaRayyydas, the GEEEEEE-men and all his other sound effects.

 

Berman just needs to STFU.

That is all.

 

The show was a must-see growing up, but I haven't watched it in years, since Len Dawson was on. Hate to see it go away though, kind of like having a piece of your childhood disappear.