NFL is Anti-Capitalism

The following the text of a complaint I just sent to the NFL.  The NFL policy for years has been that you only get the local games plus two others on Sundays.  The networks are required to stay with the local broadcast even if it has long since been decided, only switching to bonus coverage after all the kneeldowns in a 21 point blowout.  On top of this, they are running banner ads on ESPN.com advertising that if you live outside of the U.S. you can stream all NFL games over your computer in HD.

WTF?  Why can’t we do this?  Why wasn’t this possible for us like two freaking years ago.  The crazy thing about all of this is that it’s not like I’m ripping off the NFL or trying to abuse their product or steal from them in some way.  I, and lots of others like me, are just trying to consume their product.  Yes, I know, Marxist cultural theorists are probably spinning in their graves right now about how I’m participating in my own oppression by even getting this worked up about a sporting event, but it’s less my desire to watch the Titans and more my desire to resolve this paradox that drives these comments.  arrrggggh.

Wait, let me get this straight.  My tax dollars are used to subsidize NFL stadiums.  Players salaries and owner’s profits are derived in part from what I spend on tickets, merchandise and watching advertisements, and yet anyone outside of USA can watch my team in HD, but I can’t because I don’t live in my hometown anymore?  Oh, this makes tons of sense.  Wake up NFL.  You might be the only business that tries to dictate to its users when/how they can consume the product.  I understand that I could pay however much money it costs to break my cable contract and then pay more for internet and phone all so I could switch to directtv and have the privilege of paying for Sunday Ticket, but that’s not a realistic option.  I honestly just don’t understand why this is so damn hard.  All I want to do is give you my money in exchange for a product you sell.  Why is this so difficult?

Renewing Minds, Renewing Spirits

Please, we implore you, stick around to watch the dance solo at the end.

Who’s Scared of Palin?

CyberBullying

We at STN are tired of the so many internet bullies with their incessant demands that we add them as friends on Facebook.  Note to the world: Just because we add you as a friend, do not expect us to actually use the stupid thing.  We are not going to poke you or update our status or write anything on your wall.  We are adults.  We have better things to do.

Travesty

Alex Smith [QB 49ers] will be put on IR today.  I know most of you don’t care about Alex.  Hell, I hardly care about Alex.  But when the great history of mistreatment and general assholishness in the NFL is written, chapter 1 may very well be titled The Alex Smith Debacle.

Since the 49ers took him in the draft, they have done nothing but jerk this kid around, supplying him with an endless rotation of offensive coordinators (new one EVERY SINGLE YEAR) and head coaches, most of whom were more offensive than offensive, if you get what I’m saying.  All the while Alex gets beat up because the rest of the team around him sucks like no tomorrow and can’t block anyone.  Then this last offseason the niners go out and get yet another offensive coordinator whose calling card is emptying out the backfield, eliminating the tight end and offering the QB as little protection as possible (see: Warner, Kurt).  So what happens?  Smith gets hurt and then benched and then finds out that he’s hurt so badly he’ll miss the rest of the season (broken collar bone).  The Niners will certainly release him after the season is over.

Now I’m not saying Alex is a great QB.  I’m just saying that we still don’t know.  NOBODY could have succeeded under these circumstances.  And if anyone ever earned 24 million dollars while posting a QB rating in the mid-60s, it’s this kid.

Random Thoughts

I don’t know that these things are connected, but something tells me that they are somehow:

1. I have no idea how I could sustain this energy level for 20 years, or an entire semester.  Class takes so much energy and also provides so much in return.  I want to give as much as I can in a sustainable way.  I think the trick is to push it right to the limit so that I leave with just a little more energy returned to me than I gave.  The difficult part, aside from trying to make such a calculation, is that what I get out of class is directly related to what I put into it.  The more I give, the more I get…but there is a point of diminishing returns-otherwise known as burnout.

2. It is, I think, the greatest frustration in my life that when I look at other people, they do not truly understand the depths of my love for them.  I wish there was some way to communicate these feelings better.  I wish my students, coworkers, the girl running the register at the grocery store, could understand in some way the way that I feel about them.  But then, to tell them would just be creepy.

3. Carbon Leaf is really, really underrated band.  Seriously, check out their myspace page for some samples.  I’ve got a thing for lead singers who don’t play instruments yet still manage to pull it off.  I think it’s so much more genuine than most of the lead singers who just learn a few chords and use the guitar as a prop more than anything else.  Shit or get off the pot, you know.  Anyway, Let Your Troubles Roll By and Life Less Ordinary are great songs.