IT’S not just that Cablevision has turned Madison Square Garden into a tomb. It’s not just that Cablevision is synonymous with arrogant financial self-interest, the kind that regularly deprives millions of New Yorkers from watching their teams on TV.
Cablevision has also taken MSG Network, once the shining model for all regional sports networks, and turned it into a ghost channel, desolate, barren, a TV stop surrendered to “This Space For Rent” signs.
Yesterday, MSG re-ran Saturday evening’s “SportsDesk” every half-hour from 6 a.m. until noon. Saturday afternoon and then yesterday afternoon, MSG totaled four hours of time-buy infomercials. Unless one is in the market to purchase a collection of “Dean Martin Show” tapes, there’s too often no reason to watch MSG Network, not anymore.
And, unless Time Warner and, ultimately, its subscribers, come up with a lot more money for a whole lot less, Cablevision will continue to eliminate MSG and its Mets telecasts from 2.4 million homes. The Mets are the best of what MSG Network has left, and they’ll be through with Cablevision after this season.
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Too funny. During Yankee radio post-games John Sterling is often forced to listen to tape of his ridiculous, narcissistic calls. Saturday, after the Yank loss in Baltimore, he set the scene before an audio replay of an Alex Rodriguez at bat was heard, one in which Sterling hollered, “IT IS HIGH! . . . IT IS FAR! . . . it’s off the wall.”
White Sox 2, Mariners 1, an 8 1/2-inning game Saturday, lasted 1 hour, 39 minutes. Orioles 7, Yanks 6, an 8 1/2-inning game Saturday, lasted 3 hours, 46 minutes.
Ch. 11 Metscasters Dave O’Brien and Tom Seaver on Saturday knew that Marlins reliever Guillermo Mota was an ex-Dodger but neither seemed to know – or saw fit to note – that he was the guy with whom Mike Piazza had two hit-by-pitch episodes (2002 and 2003). That Piazza’s defensive replacement, Ramon Castro, would soon end the game with a hit off Mota added to the absence of interesting context.
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What’s the statute of limitations on contempt of Congress? David Stern years ago passionately testified that legalized gambling must never even come near the NBA. Since then, Stern has allowed the NBA’s and its teams’ logos to appear on state lottery tickets. Now, Stern says he’s seriously considering a bid to hold the 2007 All-Star Game in Las Vegas.
Speaking of guardians of the games, how is it that sportswriters knew that the Dominican Republic was a steady steroid stop for U.S.-bound professional baseball players but Bud Selig didn’t? Heck, how is it that teenaged golf caddies in the Dominican knew but not the commissioner of Major League Baseball?
The Metro Radio Sports Reporters Assn. has named Jets WR Justin McCareins and Knicks P.R. man Sammy Steinlight the winners of its annual Good Sport Award “for their thoughtful consideration of radio journalism.” . . . Say, if that West Side Stadium gets built, how many people will avoid Manhattan when the Jets play at home?
Soon, parents will schedule sessions with psychologists to try to figure out why their 14-year-old son would rather play ball instead of poker, with the rest of the boys. Add the Speed Channel to the list. Thursday night it aired a Texas hold ’em game among NASCAR drivers.
This is your brain on the save rule: Reds closer Danny Graves, Saturday, pitched one inning, allowed two hits and an earned run. It was his third save. Last year Graves had 41 saves (and nine blown saves), a pile of them similar to Saturday’s. He allowed 77 hits (12 HRs) in 68 innings. And if he keeps piling up saves, he’ll one day get a lot of Hall of Fame votes.
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Friday made it one full month since a Cablevision service rep assured us that her boss will call to explain why we received no rebate or credit for at least 240 advertised, promised, but undelivered, NHL games. We’re beginning to think that we might not get that call.
Part of the new language spoken by baseball broadcasters includes, “He knew it was gone.” That means the guy went into his “SportsCenter” pose instead of running toward first. It’s a weak way to recognize that the guy didn’t run and why you chose not to criticize him for choosing style over function.