Bob Costas Is Not Happy With HBO's Decision Makers
Thursday, February 07, 2008
I completely forgot to watch the last installment of HBO's Inside the NFL last night and maybe that's pretty telling of how far down the show has fallen. The head honchos state the reasons for canceling the show are all of the other highlight alternatives out there and that people are just burnt out by the time Inside airs.
While they might ultimately be right that doesn't mean Bob Costas has to be happy about it. Via SBD....
Cris Collinsworth said, “As (Dan Marino) put it to me yesterday, he’s never been fired from a job before.”Well then. That's the way to go out on a good note Bob! Let's not forget that you're the only one of that cast that has another show on HBO that isn't necessarily pulling in the ratings. You know the one named after yourself....Costas Now? Be careful my friend.
Bob Costas: “Who said that any of us got fired? Just because somebody made a boneheaded decision to discontinue one of the best and longest shows on television, that doesn’t mean any of us got fired.”
(The show re-airs tonight, so I'll try to grab the video)
12 Comments:
If you are going to get canned, Bob, showed everyone the way to go outl. Trash your bosses.
Gotta head to the NFL Network now for the sweet slow mo, fast mo or any other mo (thanks, Jeter) highlights.
You still have the Olympics, Bob ... the other sports package event no one cares to watch either.
Now there aren't any good highlight shows anymore. Berman was highly annoying, but I loved NFL Primetime. Now we have to listen to Costas and Olbermann butcher highlights on NBC.
Costas and Collingsworth have Football Night in America too. And Costas especially will do fine, though I find it easy enough to let a guy who lost an income stream blow off a little steam with a comment or two.
I don't get the cancellation of a show that averages 2 million viewers for an unknown show though. What's HBO thinking?
I never have liked Costas. Takes himself too seriously.
Lessee...Collingsworth's mug is on the NFL Network and Goodnight Football in America (or whatever NBC calls it). as is Costas. Marino has the CBS gig (that is unwatchable). The one that should be bitching is Carter. Nevertheless, the show has gone downhill over the years. With Dawson and Nick there were a ton of highlights. I would venture to say there are more talking head segments and less highlights on today's Inside the NFL. And anything that gives us less Peter King is a good thing.
I agree with Bob, it is a boneheaded move. Inside the NFL was the best highlight show period. The NFL Films highlights with that dude's voice over is the gold standard for NFL highlights. Much better then any crap ESPN floats out there. I also enjoyed Costas, Collinsowrth, Marino and Carter's insights as well as Peter King. It's a shame they canceled it. Maybe if enough people complain they will bring it back.
I agree that I used to love Inside the NFL. But I won't miss it. I didn't watch it anymore. It has been a victim of the ESPNization of sports, for reasons you already discussed. Too many talking heads. Not all the games are shown because that would mean you won't get the 4,239th interview with Tony Romo. Celebrity teams. Celebrity athlets. Not good. Besides, NFL-N replays the games during the week anyway--at least for those of you who are lucky enough to get it.
Bob and Dan didn't seem to mind Len and Nick being "fired," now did they?
From HBO's perspective why divorce yourself from the most powerful brand in sports? If ratings were so bad why did they replay it 10x a week?
I agree with Bob. The Highlight package is why many kids followed football. Yeah, there are new technologies but HBO Inside the NFL was the gold standard of highlight shows. It gave you an insight look into the games that no other show did or does currently.
Even ESPN Primetime does not even show highlights anymore.