Mike's Marbles

I tuned in to Dan Patrick's show yesterday afternoon and heard Dan complaining about the NFL Network's decision to air an NFL game between the Chiefs and Broncos where almost no one can see it.

You know, like ESPN used to air Duke-North Carolina on ESPN2 where almost no one could see it.

Patrick made reference to the Duke-Carolina game, but dismissed it because no one can get NFL network.

But that was what ESPN2's campaign was all about: To have fans pressure their local cable company into picking up ESPN2. Sorry, Dan, but it's the exact same thing. ESPN taught the NFL this trick, there is no shirking the responsibility.

This morning ESPN has an in-your-face-NFL comment on ESPN.com about the game, saying "you can follow it on ESPN.com."

I hope ESPN enjoys stewing in the juices of its own creation for once. Enjoy not watching the game with the rest of us who missed all those Duke-Carolina games because our cable provider wasn't ready to pick up ESPN2, Dan!

And I'm sure the NFL Network's decision will work just as well as that one: Holding viewers hostage for their own financial gain and using viewers to force feed cable providers yet another bloated sports network.