Dec 29, 2005

New York Giants complain about unfair video scoreboard usage

From the New York Post:

"Upset by what they consider to be unfair and classless antics by the scoreboard operator at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, The Post has learned the Giants asked the NFL to look into possible rules violations during last week's 26-23 overtime victory over the Eagles.

When Jay Feely was lining up for the potential game-winning field goal, the image on the jumbo video screen — which hangs lower than many stadiums in the league — showed live action of the kick. The image, though, was purposely distorted, shaken and jumbled in an obvious attempt to disrupt Feely's timing..."

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Football player distracted by instant replay

From the Indiana Gazette:

"Snap judgment. Kansas State's Jeff Mortimer lined up over the football at the Wildcats' 12-yard line in the first quarter of a game at Oklahoma and snapped it back to punter Tim Reyer - who, inexplicably, wasn't there. Reyer was preoccupied watching a replay of K-State's third-down pass on the Memorial Stadium JumboTron and never left the sidelines. "When I looked back on the field, they were snapping the football," he said. "My heart just sank." The ball sailed through the end zone for a safety."

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Fan experience @ Washington games

"Instead of rolling out gimmicks during breaks in play, Washington's teams should remember why fans came to the game in the first place," writes Rich Danker.

"Teams should simply promote their sports. Instead the "Kissin'-Cam" during timeouts the Wizards should cut in to games across NBA and college basketball. The Redskins should do the same at FedEx Field, using the stadium's Jumbotron to broadcast highlights of the rest of the day's games. Most basketball fans who follow the NBA also pay attention to the college game. In the NFL's 16-game season the standings shift weekly with the outcomes of the games. Many fans also are involved in fantasy football and are anxious to know how their players are performing. Instead of distracting fans from their home team, as many executives fear, promoting the overall sport would generate more excitement for the game and the team on the field. It would foster new fans who are attracted to the game because of the enthusiasm and respect the sport is shown. Our home teams should strip down the gimmicks and get back to the basics."

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ESPN's on sports uniforms

Today on ESPN.com Page 2: Year of the Uni

Spelling mistakes, garish colours, and other fashion faults.

Air Canada Centre: "one of the most brutally irritating places to watch a hockey game"

Blogger Howard Berger writes that the Air Canada Centre in Toronto is "one of the most brutally irritating places to watch a hockey game".

He says it's too cold and too loud:
"
Perhaps as a result of housing the quietest fans in professional sport, those in charge of the game presentation pump music to levels that are patently absurd – again, the loudest and most annoying of any arena in the NHL. At least ten times each night, there is some recognizable face on the video board – from Lanny McDonald, to Alex Trebek, to Avril Levigne and Mike Myers – imploring the mundane Leaf supporters in recorded messages to “make noise on the count of three” – which, of course, the majority of the trained seals in the building respond to for five or ten seconds at a time. This season, the Leafs have chosen to copy a dozen other buildings around the NHL by installing an obnoxious, grating horn that is honked whenever the Buds score."

"
I may sound like an old fart by making these observations. I am ancient enough to remember attending games at Maple Leaf Gardens in the 1960s and early-‘70s when the only music played was during the pre-game warm-up and the intermissions. And, it was offered at normal levels that never threatened to split your ear-drums. In the mid-‘70s, the Gardens employed Toronto-based organists Ralph Fraser and Joe Dungale, who took up the practice of playing music during virtually every stop in the action, but again, it was pleasant to listen to, and in lock-step with all the other arenas that featured organists."

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Dec 8, 2005

Timberwolves music page

A follow-up to an earlier post about Orlando Magic music:

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a similar music page set up on their site, listing tracks they've played at recent Timberwolves games. They even have a Minnesota Timberwolves Greatest Hits cd available.

Teams drop Ric Flair from video scoreboard

The Carolina Panthers (and other Carolina teams) are dropping Ric Flair from their video scoreboard features. Flair is in trouble with the law -- he's facing road rage charges:

"It once seemed fitting to feature pro wrestler Ric Flair, one of the Carolina area's most well-known celebrities, in a public service announcement for the NFL's Carolina Panthers. But, in the wake of his road rage charges, the team is no longer interested in featuring Flair in the home game scoreboard announcement that encouraged fans to act responsibly. He did not appear in the message that aired this weekend."

Read the article fromProWrestling.com...

Calgary Flames sing "You Can't Stop a Flame When It's Red Hot"

From 1987, the Calgary Flames perform a karaoke video to "You Can't Stop A Flame When It's Red Hot". It's hard to imagine any pro sports player doing something like this today.

Dec 5, 2005

Orlando Magic music log

The DJ from the Orlando Magic posts his playlist after every game. Nice!

Magic: Music Page

(And good tunes, too -- a nice mix of classic arena tunes, urban music, and top 40 tunes.)

Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascots

The marketing team for the Beijing Olympics has introduced not one, not two ... but five mascots for the 2008 Olympic Games:

"Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, the Five Friendlies will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace--and blessings from China--to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, the Five Friendlies also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals--the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow--and the Olympic Flame."

"Each of the Friendlies has a rhyming two-syllable name--a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together--Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni--they say "Welcome to Beijing".

Read more about the Friendlies...

Halftime Show At Bruins-Devils Hockey Game Disrupted By Second Period Of Play

From The Onion:

"A combination marching band and pompom squad show planned for the halfway point of Tuesday night's Boston-New Jersey hockey game was disrupted by the continuation of on-ice play during the second of the game's three periods, Devils team officials announced Thursday morning."

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Dec 1, 2005

Gary Glitter's strange fame

Aaron Wherry blogs on the strange fame of Gary Glitter. Glitter's "Rock n Roll Part II" (aka the "Hey" song) is a mainstay at sports games in North America.

"In the realm of sports anthems, his Rock n Roll Part 2 is bested really only by Queen's We Will Rock You (because, of course, nothing goes together better than hyper-masculinity and a flamboyant, gay, British rock god). Aside from We Will Rock You, Take Me Out To The Ballgame and the American national anthem, there isn't another song more closely associated with the wide world of sports, professional and otherwise (though college basketball fans can argue for One Shining Moment and Canadians can campaign for the Hockey Night In Canada theme)."

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