Part of me is happy that the Bulldogs season opener will be televised in prime time on ESPN. But the other part of me is pissed that Fresno State is just ESPN's bitch. It is like this every year, ESPN says jump and Fresno State says how high. I know Fresno State doesn't have a pot to piss in when it comes to negotiating television times, but the University has to grow some balls.ESPN is available in more markets than the deuce, but a 5 pm kickoff in early September in Fresno, WTF? It will be like 115 degrees on the field, and the poor saps sitting in the East stands will be looking straight into the sun for the entire first half. Honestly, I think the stadium will be half full at best at kickoff. Fickle Fresno fans will bitch about work, the heat, the early Friday night kickoff and the pessimists will be calling for loss. So why even brave the heat, when you can sit on your ass at home and watch it in ESPN HD. The diehards don't seem to mind, but there is just not enough of them to go around.
Fresno State has played on every day of the week, except Monday and Wednesday, since 2001 in Bulldog Stadium. ESPN has been the culprit and will always have their way with Fresno State until the 'Dogs break through the glass. Back in 2003 ESPN moved FS's game with Oregon State from Saturday to a Friday 7 pm kickoff in the first week of September. Only 35,000 showed up in 100 degree heat for 7 pm kickoff against a hated Pac 10 team. I don't see any way FS attracts more fans, against Nevada, with a 5 pm kickoff, while the team is in the midst of a four game losing streak. Fresno fans are just too fickle as it is, give them another a reason to wuss out and they will.
Pat Hill's goal is a BCS bowl bid and a national title. Therefore, he will schedule whoever and whenever to give his team the best shot at his unrealistic goal. Let us not forget the national exposure he covets. In order for most non-BCS schools to get TV time, they must play whenever ESPN deems necessary. ESPN is the pimp and Fresno State is its best ho.
So when ESPN is in a bind and can't find a 'bigger" school to move its game to an 8 pm ET kickoff on Friday September 1, who does it call do the trick?
ESPN: Hey FS, we know it’s f*cking hot in Fresno during the summer, but do you mind bending over and moving your kickoff time right in the middle of that f*cking heat?
FS: OK, but......?
ESPN:Compensation? Don't worry we'll give you a bigger TV audience to showcase your half-empty stadium of fickle fans.
FS: We don't mind taking in the ass, as long as you're happy.
ESPN: Whatever bitch!
I like I said, part of me is happy that the Nevada game has been moved to ESPN.
5 comments:
Folks, this post is a little tongue in cheek.....By all accounts the time change improves the chances people on the East Coast taking a glance at the game. However, the 10 pm ET kickoff usually assured the 'Dogs would be on every TV late night at the sports bar, while everyone is getting plastered.
reno cant stand the heat, this will be a little pay back for them pushing the game back later and us fans shakin in the cold and eating frozen hot dogs up in reno last year
Saturdays are reserved for college football. Saturday night games in September are a Bulldog tradition and usually sell out in Fresno. Friday night games, no matter who the opponent is, never do, case in point OSU in 2003.
The sun shines directly into the east stands until at least 7:35 pm in early Sept. I have sat through it, it is a bitch for just that 1/2 hr or so, but 2 1/2 hrs is just plain brutal for Bulldog fans.
ESPN2 moved last year's Nevada game to prime time national telecast. ESPN has returned the favor per se this year for FS. The players don't care when the game is played, but IMO fan turn out will be way down for a 5 pm kickoff in 100 degree heat, when the game can be seen from the luxury of your own home in HD.
Joe Blow fan must choose take time off of work, which he may or may not be able to afford, or leave work a few minutes early and catch the game at home on TV.
Look I realize many of you think MDG is a bit off on this 5pm start time situation but I have to say I completely agree with him. For the fans that read this blog a 5pm start doesn't matter, we are die hard Bulldog fans. We will watch games no matter what time they broadcast or play them. Unfortunately the city of Fresno does not have nearly as many die hard fans as it does fairweather fans. I wrote the article on this blog "Where is the Love?" because I feel like our city is too down on the Dogs.
Every year people here tend to expect the Dogs to go undefeated and win it all when the truth is we have not won the WAC outright yet. Fans here are fickle and will find every reason not to go to a game. The Nevada game will now be a hard sell because regardless of wht people want to believe, 5pm is a horrible start time in our city where as 7pm is much more accomodating to the central valley public. You might as well cancel any plans for people from out of town coming to the game, they won't make it from work where as at 7pm that was still a possibility. Really in the end a bad move by the Dogs here. ESPN 2 was fine, at least it was already on tv.
Here we go again with these Friday games huh? Is there more money involved for the switch we made? That's the only thing I can see that would lead to this. I really doubt we'll have a full house for the game. I'll do my best to make it but some of us can't leave too early when there's still work to be done because some of us have bosses or clients who couldn't careless about football. Sometimes it isn't upto me or other Bulldog fans (die-hard or not). With that said, I think it'd be an amazing feat if we could get a sellout. I'll give my ticket away if I have to and I think others should do the same if they can't make it.
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