Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>By RICHARD SANDOMIRPublished: April 28, 2006For 26 years, ESPN had the N.F.L. draft to itself, carrying what was once deemed a nonevent, a silly, talking-heads endeavor and the sports equivalent of a political convention. But a devoted, growing viewership long ago overcame the criticism. And still, somehow, the state of the draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s pompadour remains relevant."If any event typifies how far we've come as a company, it's the N.F.L. draft," John Wildhack, an ESPN senior vice president, said earlier this week.Legend has it that when ESPN suggested to N.F.L. Commissioner Pete Rozelle that it carry the draft, he took leave of the marketing prescience that remade the league and responded, "Why would you want to do that?"The popularity of ESPN's draft coverage has not been lost on the league; it has become an off-season promotional tool that brings the teams together in one athletic meat market to choose future talent in 15 minutes or less.The five-and-a-half-hour first round of last year's draft posted a 4.3 rating (or 3.8 million households), a 13 percent leap from 2004 and an event record for ESPN.But it is not surprising that after allowing ESPN to reap the rewards for carrying the draft since the presidency of Jimmy Carter, the N.F.L. will inaugurate draft coverage on its 30-month-old network tomorrow at 11 a.m. This is a coming-of-age moment for the NFL Network, which has 36 million subscribers. It will also carry eight regular-season games starting this season, with Bryant Gumbel and Cris Collinsworth as the announcers.ESPN and the NFL Network will be at Radio City Music Hall tomorrow and Sunday, their main studio sets mounted on platforms raised above orchestra seats usually reserved to watch the Rockettes dance. They will be 75 feet apart, but Eric Weinberger, the NFL Network's executive producer, jokingly said angles would be scouted to ensure that ESPN's Chris Berman was not in the background of a shot of Mike Mayock, an NFL Network analyst.There seems to be little rivalry between the two, unlike the animosity between NBC and CBS when both covered Super Bowl I. But the draft has not begun. ESPN, which will start its coverage at noon, has the advantages of experience and 54 million more subscribers than the N.F.L.'s TV baby."I feel very confident that we've been the voice of record for 26 years," said Jay Rothman, who has produced ESPN's draft coverage since 1995.In the spirit of cooperation, the networks will share the camera that shows the podium where Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will announce the picks, and they will alternate the first interview of the draft picks (ESPN will get the odd-numbered picks, NFL Network the even-numbered ones).Each will have cameras or teleconference technology with each team.Each will have commentators in three locations.ESPN's draft ticker, which shows selections made and time until the next pick will not disappear during commercial breaks.For the NFL Network, the question is how it will differentiate itself. The draft is, after all, formulaic programming: talk, wait for pick, watch clips, cover pick, analyze pick, interview pick, watch more clips, wait for next pick.Weinberger said his goal was to show more of the draft atmosphere than ESPN usually had, to focus on how drafted players would project as pros, and not have its voices argue over who will draft whom. (The ESPN crew is adept at debating and having team officials occasionally bark at their conclusions.)But in the end, the focus has to be on the formula. If anything sounds different, at least in Weinberger's telling, it may be the presence of Corey Chavous, a St. Louis Rams safety who has developed an obsessive sidelight for an active player, amassing player tapes to evaluate their talent."It's his hobby, his lifestyle," Weinberger said. "We were amazed when we first saw what Corey did two years ago."Chavous jots player analyses in a notebook in a four-color code. "When Butch Davis saw it," Weinberger said, referring to the former Browns coach who will assess the draft from NFL Films headquarters in New Jersey, "he couldn't understand how the guy has time to do it."Weinberger said that the NFL Network, particularly Mayock, had been analyzing the draft since September. "Mike's been doing this on TV every day," he said. "Kiper is like a groundhog, who comes out six weeks a year."Although no other networks are permitted live coverage from Radio City, SportsNet New York will have live Jets draft shows from its studio across Sixth Avenue from Radio City (11 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 6 p.m.). SNY's panel will include the newly hired Ray Lucas, a former Jets quarterback; the analyst John Murphy; and the former Jets linebacker Greg Buttle.There is no shortage of people willing to yak about the draft.</div>I'm thinking I might go with NFL Network, except Mayock's lisp annoys the hell out of me...
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage I think Im gonna watch NFL Network most, but switch between both alot for the interviews.
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage Man Time Warner Cable dont got NFL Network thats sucks for me lol.
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage Stupid canadian televsion networks, I dotn get ESPN or NFL Network unless I subscribe to satellite.
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DP 16 @ Apr 28 2006, 11:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Stupid canadian televsion networks, I dotn get ESPN or NFL Network unless I subscribe to satellite.</div>You should get ESPN, I remember watching Sportscentre when I was in Toronto...
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage ESPN's coverage was horrible. Boomer would just keep talking and talking waiting for one of the other 5 dudes to say something, and most of the time they wouldn't.I switche to Rich Eisen and Corey Chavous..they were good stuff. I'll continue watching NFL Network.
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Combs @ Apr 30 2006, 12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>ESPN's coverage was horrible. Boomer would just keep talking and talking waiting for one of the other 5 dudes to say something, and most of the time they wouldn't.I switche to Rich Eisen and Corey Chavous..they were good stuff. I'll continue watching NFL Network.</div>I watched a bit of both. I preferred tha Analysts on NFL Network, but the side and bottom bar and whole format of ESPN was better.
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage I really wanna get Digi-Cable so I can get NFL Network cuz only thing I can follow the draft w/ is ESPN. I guess I'm lucky to have ESPN though.
Re: NFL Network and ESPN's Draft Coverage <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nick @ Apr 28 2006, 03:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Man Time Warner Cable dont got NFL Network thats sucks for me lol.</div><span style="color:#993399">Trust me...I feel that pain. Luckily, TW is leaving Minneapolis this year and Comcast is taking over (they control the St Paul side of things right now.)</span><span style="color:#993399">ESPN has Suzy Kolber though..... </span>
