Unless Bengals are playing and sometimes even on commercials I just watch redzone. Many people like me are doing exactly that. That's part of this as well. Notice Fox or Cbs is only getting rating when they are at 4:00 competing with 1 other game. Why do think that is?

Seems to me the NFL has gone over-saturation mode. I used to love watching two games on Sunday, then Monday Night Football. Howard Cosell used to drive me nuts, but I would always tune in. Now there's football on Thursday night, three games on Sunday and usually a piss-poor game on Monday night. I turned off ESPN when Skip Bayless would drone on endlessly about some topic just to get a reaction. I loved watching highlights on Sportscenter, but then Chris Berman had to keep on with his nicknames of players, and it all got old. i rarely tune into ESPN these days.

And it cracks me up that many of you are whining about politics being brought into a discussion on ESPN, then do the same damned thing on a sports message board. Hypocrites much?

Sounds great to me. Haven't cared for ESPN for about the last 10 or more years. More Entertainment Tonight
than a sports channel. Maybe the Monday Night games can go to NBC, FOX or something, would love this.

(11-03-2017, 02:33 PM)MTBengalsFan Wrote: Seems to me the NFL has gone over-saturation mode. I used to love watching two games on Sunday, then Monday Night Football. Howard Cosell used to drive me nuts, but I would always tune in. Now there's football on Thursday night, three games on Sunday and usually a piss-poor game on Monday night. I turned off ESPN when Skip Bayless would drone on endlessly about some topic just to get a reaction. I loved watching highlights on Sportscenter, but then Chris Berman had to keep on with his nicknames of players, and it all got old. i rarely tune into ESPN these days.

And it cracks me up that many of you are whining about politics being brought into a discussion on ESPN, then do the same damned thing on a sports message board. Hypocrites much?

The difference is that on here, politics is only discussed in the specific section dedicated to politics. If politics spills out in other forums, the discussion is moved to the politics section. This is so if you want to discuss politics, you have to go to the politics section.

(11-03-2017, 03:01 PM)PhilHos Wrote: The difference is that on here, politics is only discussed in the specific section dedicated to politics. If politics spills out in other forums, the discussion is moved to the politics section. This is so if you want to discuss politics, you have to go to the politics section.

Right, but this thread isn't in the politics section,  but is largely bout politics.

(11-03-2017, 03:17 PM)MTBengalsFan Wrote: Right, but this thread isn't in the politics section,  but is largely bout politics.

I disagree. Yes, there are political elements, but I feel the thread is mainly over ESPN and the NFL's ratings and while there is SOME discussion on the anthem kneeling, I personally don't feel it's enough, yet, to warrant moving the thread. And, so far, the mods seem to agree.

(11-03-2017, 03:24 PM)PhilHos Wrote: I disagree. Yes, there are political elements, but I feel the thread is mainly over ESPN and the NFL's ratings and while there is SOME discussion on the anthem kneeling, I personally don't feel it's enough, yet, to warrant moving the thread. And, so far, the mods seem to agree.

Exactly. Some (myself) have mentioned the kneeling as a reason for the ratings drop or why they've personally stopped watching, but we aren't arguing or diving deep into WHY the protests are happening or whether we back them. So far the discussion has remained on topic and isn't very political, so no need to dump it in PnR.

(11-03-2017, 01:47 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I think the NFL was primed for a fall for all the reasons you listed, then the protests (mainly politics being infused due to them) was the crowbar that broke the camel's back. People follow sports for an escape. Now we have to hear commentators talk politics after the latest kneel session. Our sports sites look like yahoo news or MSNBC.

Yes. Before Mr Trump interjected himself into the situation I just kinda ignored the kneeling. I don't think it's appropriate, but it doesn't ruffle my feathers like it does for some. The flood gates opened after that rally, and it was a news story.... Not a sports news story, a national news story. I'm not being partisan or political for my disdain for this issue either. I feel the president has bigger fish to fry than what some twenty somethings are doing on a football field. I felt the same way when Congress was meddling on steroids in baseball a decade or so ago. There are real problems in this country, and kneeling isn't one of them. Now it's harder to get away from those problems, and just watch a sporting event.