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Favre must win over many detractors
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008
You had to figure with a three-way tie going into Sunday's final round, the Bridgestone Invitational would be an easy selection for television viewers throughout the country.
Someone forgot to tell TV watchers.
Despite a leader board that showed a horse race between Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Lee Westwood, the ratings for the Bridgestone took a dive equivalent to Wile E. Coyote plunging over a cliff with an anvil attached to his leg. Overnight ratings plummeted 34 percent over last year, when Tiger Woods won the tournament.
Woods, who is off the tour while recovering from knee surgery, is the reason the ratings tanked.
The viewers the Bridgestone attracted are hard-core links fans who would watch a tournament regardless of who's involved. They play the game. They know the player rankings and, more importantly, they know names other than ''Tiger Woods.''
The ones who bailed on this year's event? Not so much.
For the casual golf fan, it's not the sport they want to watch, it's the charismatic Woods who is must-see TV. This puts the networks that have rights to broadcast tour events in the position of having to expect diminished ratings until Woods returns to the course. Not exactly a good thing when you're in a business based on advertising revenue.
Make no mistake, Tiger Woods is golf right now. He brings the prestige. He has brought more cash to purses and, with respect to television, he apparently is the one who's bringing the numbers.
And we're off . . .
I caught some of the NFL game Sunday between the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins on WKYC (Channel 3) and promptly was reminded why they call it preseason football. Players were in pre-training camp form for the most part.
Meanwhile, announcers John Madden and Al Michaels offered commentary that shows the two vets are ready to go.
Amazing that after more than 40 years in professional football, either as a coach or broadcaster, Madden can still excel in his role. He marveled at the numbers former University of Hawaii and now Redskins quarterback Colt Brennan put up in his short stint in the game.
Brennan, who endured a Troy Smith-like free fall in the draft this past spring, led the Redskins on two impressive drives and showed some pop on the ball as well as touch. He played like a guy who looked as if he wanted to prove something.
If Brennan keeps playing this way, tongues could start wagging in D.C. if starter Jason Campbell doesn't perform. Given the amount of money owner Dan Snyder has spent on his team over the years, it's time for the Redskins to do something other than make it as a wild card into the playoffs.
As Favre's world turns
These days Brett Favre's return is getting more coverage than his retirement did in March.
With Favre in the Green Bay Packers' training camp, ESPN presented a special edition of SportsCenter at 12:30 Monday afternoon dedicated to the soap opera that this situation has become. At this point the only thing missing is a title
sponsor.
This could run the risk of overkill if it weren't for how ESPN treats the subject. Robert Flores hosted SportsCenter with former players Marcellus Wiley and Cleveland native Mike Golic offering insightful commentary.
''People want to support Brett Favre because of the type of player he is,'' Wiley said.
Indeed, but Wiley also said that Favre is going to have to win over a lot of detractors.
Golic has a way of cutting through the noise the way only a few have bothered to in talking about this situation.
''It's a win-now league,'' Golic said, ''and their best chance to win is with Brett.''
That is the only thing that should matter in Green Bay.
Short take
The Big Ten Network will air Big Ten Tonight: Football Practice at 9 tonight. The show will cover all of the conference's programs and begins the journey with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.
You had to figure with a three-way tie going into Sunday's final round, the Bridgestone Invitational would be an easy selection for television viewers throughout the country.
Get the full article here.
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