The Morning Tailgate

When you’re named “The NFL Network”, there really isn’t any bigger week than the Super Bowl.  Sure, for some geeks the combine and the draft may be considered a more significant event (we’re looking at you, Mayock), but if your entire purpose is to cover one league from top to bottom, during the week of said league’s championship you should probably be at the top of your game. 

So how is the NFL Network celebrating the 2009 Super Bowl?  By not letting one minute go by without bringing the heat.  This week, the Network busted other sports channels in the mouth by going with live coverage from Tampa via their NFL Total Access show… for 24 hours straight.  

That included live coverage from the Media Day venues, live coverage from the team hotels, live coverage of Adam Schefter running around the team hotels like a maniac trying to get scoops, Mike Mayock staring at scouting tape the entire time without using the bathroom or blinking one time, Rich Eisen dressing up like a prostitute in hopes of getting a player to proposition him on a hidden camera, Marshall Faulk sweating profusely and through it all will were those annoying little advertising banners they set up behind the desk.   At least that’s what we remember, but forgive us, its hard to stay awake watching NFL pre-game hype for 24 hours. 

Regardless of whether our account of their coverage was completly accurate or not, we offer a bratwurst to the NFL Network for sticking to their guns and making it that much more difficult for someone to avoid excessive Super Bowl hype.  Do what you’ve gotta do this week, because starting Monday, no one will care about you for a while.

Janurary 29

1957 - Due to the start of coast-to-coast travel, major league baseball considers a plan creating a player pool to be used in the event of a plane crash. Wow, that’s reassuring. “Hey guys, we’re going to lump you into this player pool in the event you suffer a terrible, firey crash. Way more dangerous than all those times you left to serve in the war.”

1958 - Stan Musial sets a National League precedent, becoming the first player to sign a 6 figure deal, worth a total of $100,000. These days, he could sign for as much to to do this.

1989 - After nine years of use, the game-winning RBI stat is dropped, with Keith Hernandez the all time leader at 129 GW RBI. Keith Hernandez’s mustache finished second with 58.###MORE###

Andy Katz, ESPN - A Duke/NC rivalry always takes Andy Katz to a special place. Not because it’s good, old-fashioned basketball…but because he really thinks Coach K and Roy Williams would be quite a match in a pool full of Jell-o.

(See the Entire “Oh” Face Collection here)

After the startling revelation from Kirk Radomski, two thirds of the Nation voted that Doc Gooden never used steroids.

They apparently forgot that steroids increase nostril passages.

Oh wait, that’s the cocaine that caused the big nostrils. Right on.

Josh Bacott provides a formal questionnaire to determine which of the three Kurt Warner fan camps you belong to.

The Sports Hernia stops by with some of their award-winning work.