Okay, "secretly" might not be the right word, but they certainly didn't make it widely known. Jerry Jones (Chairman of NFL Network Committee) and Bob Kraft (Chairman of the NFL Broadcasting Committee) headed to Philly yesterday, to the home of Comcast, to seemingly talk about the on-going feud between the NFL Network and the cable company. Via the Philly Daily News....

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Patriots owner Bob Kraft were at the Comcast Center yesterday for a meeting.

Was their presence related to the dispute between the NFL Network and Comcast over Comcast charging cable customers a premium for the channel? Probably, because Kraft chairs the NFL Broadcasting Committee and Jones the NFL Network Committee.

Comcast declined to comment and an NFL spokesman said he was unaware of the meeting.

While Jones and Kraft walked through the building, a Comcast employee asked Jones if he planned to get rid of Terrell Owens. Jones smiled and dodged the question.

While the reason for the visit isn't exactly known, I'm inclined to believe that the above explanation is by far the most likely scenario. It's seriously in the best interest of the League to get this whole thing figured out, because as it sits right now, people across the country are still having trouble finding the network on their channel guide.

NFL owners meet with Comcast (Philly Daily News)

Deadspin points us to D Magazine, which snapped Jerruh at a John Legend after-party. If there's a photo that could possibly do double duty on Hot Chicks With Douchebags and Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians, this might be it.

"Come on back to my place and we'll be striking out for oil all night."

According to Sports Business Daily's John Ourand, ESPN has scheduled the first game at the Cowboys' Stadium in 2009, and it will feature a pretty interesting matchup. BCS Championship contender Oklahoma will travel due South to Arlington, TX, where they'll meet up with Mountain West powerhouse BYU....

ESPN will televise the first college football game from the new Cowboys stadium September 5, when Oklahoma plays BYU. The game will be part of ESPN Kickoff Week presented by Gillette. ESPN has not decided yet whether to telecast the game on ESPN or ABC. The game will kick off a five-year deal that will see ESPN or ABC telecast a Labor Day weekend game from the new stadium. "We are delighted to present this compelling game and impressive new venue to a national audience, and look forward to working with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys in future years to build a new tradition in college football," said ESPN/ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer.

That's a great game, and probably the best venue to hold it in. At least since it's not a Cowboys' game, we won't be beat over the head with Jerry Jones interviews and mentions. Although, I don't see how they won't have something with him at some point or another.

ESPN To Televise Oklahoma-BYU From New Cowboys Stadium In September (Sports Business Daily)

This segment of Hard Knocks started out as a look into how some players, like Terrell Owens, deal with the media. Somehow though it quickly turned into a montage of Peter King shoveling his face with popcorn and I couldn't stop laughing.

Hahaha. How random was that? After the Josh Elliott pizza story, I think we officially know how to shut up Peter King. Just put a vat of food in front of him (now if that could only work for him in print as well....hmmmm?).

Also, how pissed would you be if you were painted in that light? Peter King probably didn't take it this way but he seriously got punked by HBO and the Cowboys.

I'm still of the mind set that Hard Knocks is pretty much always entertaining, but this season hasn't been the greatest. It definitely pales in comparison to previous years, but it still has its moments. I've pulled out everything "relevant" from the second that's noteworthy and our grand total is a three minutes. That's pretty bad for an hour show.

Episode Two Featuring: Jerry Jones' Grandkids, Magic Johnson, Ms. Price, Zach Thomas' Ass Muscles, Shrinkage and T.O.'s Driving Habits (it's a tad NSFW so be careful)

In all honesty, you're not really missing anything if you don't get HBO. Hopefully these clips will give you a sense of what's going down, but I think this quote from Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News sums the show up best....

Romo continues to be a bit player while the cameras appear to love Terrell Owens almost as much as he loves himself.

Almost halfway through the series and not a single tense moment. Things will heat up just as they did in The Godfather. They have to. Or else they'll have to change the series name to Soft Knocks.

'Knocks' a tough way to find out you've been cut (Dallas Morning News)

If this doesn't show you how unsympathetic and cowardly the NFL Network is acting in this whole Cable Carriage thing then I don't know what will. NFL Network Committee Chairman Jerry Jones was scheduled to be on the New York radio show Mike and The Mad Dog this morning, but after hearing them side with the Cable Companies he changed his mind. Via Sports Business Daily...

Francesa said Cowboys Dir of PR Rich Dalrymple “listens to the show, and he’s smart and he knows what we were saying, and he’s not going to put Jerry Jones in a position where he’s going to get argued with." Francesa, on the NFL: “They’re the ones who are in the wrong here. I don’t care how many ads they buy in the newspapers, they’re the ones who are trying to push an issue here. They are trying to create a model that was started by ESPN."

Earlier in the show, Russo said the NFL is "so completely wrong, it’s their product. If they cared about you, the fan, and your eyeballs, they would make sure that that product was watched. And they’re not making sure of that”

That's pretty weak sauce if you ask me, but I guess that's what makes Jerry Jones a smart businessman. Never put yourself in an uncompromising situation. Also, good for Mike and The Mad Dog for saying somthing though. I think after tonight the NFL might change their tune because there just won't be the outcry that they're looking for, or excuse me....trying to create. Like someone in the comments mentioned earlier today.....What happens on the NFL Network from February to July? Not much.

And Cris Collinsworth's thoughts on the number of people watching him tonight......

“That doesn’t bother me. As long as they pay me” (From HBO Real Sports)

Live-blog's at 8pm tonight folks. I'm one of the people who pays my cable company money for the program, so I have to use it for something right?