Published 22:25, September the 21st, 2009
NBC skips right over super mario
Now we finally know what the new Yankee Stadium has been missing: Crow’s Nest Dancers. This insight comes courtesy of Jerry Jones and the Sunday night infomercial disguised as a football game NBC put on for Cowboys Stadium. If only Al Michaels hadn’t incorrectly described the women in Cowboys star Spandex gyrating on high platforms as cage dancers. (Freudian slip?)
Oh well, at least the network managed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Eli Manning is indeed married to a good-looking blonde. Those who didn’t know Abby Manning from Dear Abby sure do now after the highest rated prime-time game in 11 years. Eli’s wife received the type of air time usually reserved for a Jessica Simpson or a praying Red Sox fan on Fox.
With the cut-away friendly wife and all of Jerry’s toys and guests to show —look, it’s LeBron James and he’s not wearing a Yankees hat! — the real star of Giants’ 33-31 win had to be worked in between the cracks.
You know, Mario Manningham, the wideout who changes everything for the Giants. Where was the backstory to swat away any one-game wonder talk? Anyone who watched Manningham at Michigan knew he was immensely talented.
Where was the mention of yet another stroke of genius by GM Jerry Reese? Manningham fell to the third round in the 2008 draft after scoring a six out of 50 on the Wonderlic test. Where was the ripping of the Wonderlic’s validity after that twisting touchdown reception Manningham caught in the corner of the end zone?
As good at its production was, NBC showed an inability to adjust to the new story. It’s good that Eli received almost as much praise for his 330-yard game as media darling Mark Sanchez does for one of his 163-yard games. But this was Manningham’s night. Reese did his homework. Too bad Chris Collinsworth and Michaels didn’t.
Monday-night malaise
Sometimes, “NFL analysis” lacks any real analysis. Rex Ryan deserves plenty of credit for the Jets smackdown of Bill Belichick, but not one NFL voice points out how much the Buffalo Bills beat up the Patriots just six days earlier.
New England got plenty of mileage out of that Monday Night miracle, but it also obviously paid a heavy price. What happens the week before, especially if it’s a shortened week, determines a lot in the NFL. That first Monday Nighter played a large part in setting up the Patriots’ pain.
The studio shows, though, never recognize this. Instead, they give more rehashes of Rex’s phone call.
– Chris Baldwin covers the sports media for Metro.
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