My Official Green Bay Packers blog

I’d been skeptical when I read the reports about Time Warner Cable passing out rabbit ear antennas for their cable customers who lost WLUK, the local Fox affiliate that carries the NFC Packer games (some Packer games against AFC opponents are on CBS, like the Colts game in 2 weeks). I’ve seen enough media blitzes to know it was probably going to be 50 pairs of rabbit ears for their 150,000 customers affected; just enough for a photo op from the Post-Crescent and Press-Gazette. But I was way wrong.

Time Warner Cable gave out 20,000 antennas and AB switches leading up to last Saturday. So I called today to see if they had any left. Since I missed the game last week and it sounds like no progress had been made, I figured I’d either have to give in to some bars 2 drink minimum to watch the game, or I’d need rabbit ears myself. I was in luck - TWC had just received a new shipment a few hours ago, so I raced over to the Appleton location on Northland.

Freaking zoo. The picture below does not do the situation justice. Behind the orange traffic cones in the parking lot there were three people whose only job was to quickly stuff an antenna, AB switch and instruction packet into the hands of anyone who walked up. No customer verification. If you had questions there was a tech desk set up 20 feet away with two nerdy types with example television hookups on three different TVs perched atop a fold-out table, ready to answer your questions. They were giving a unit away about once every 4-5 seconds.

When I got my antenna and AB switch, I realized how serious this battle between Time Warner Cable and WLUK really was. This was the antenna I got. This was the AB switch. All told, $30 in hardware. But let’s just say for argument’s sake TWC was able to buy in bulk and get a 30% discount. That’s still over $20. And if they gave away 20,000 of these before Saturday, I’m sure they gave out another 5-10,000 today.

Doing some college level math (for a football player, anyway), 25,000 units at $20 per unit gives us $500,000. And that’s not including streeting their trucks to deliver these little presents or the labor to staff the tents and tech table. But half a mil is a round number, so let’s stick to that.

I think Time Warner Cable is taking the long view on this, crushing any uprisings early. If I had to hypothesize, they’re doing this because if they cave now, rates will go up a little, but that’s not the big picture. The big picture is, in 2011 when NFL broadcasting rights are up for renewal/rebid, another network in the Green Bay market might own the rights to televise Packer games. Now that network will have TWC by the short and curlies over the re-transmission of the broadcast signal. Fox will already be getting it’s extra cash, so it may not care, and now the new network will want it’s piece, too, and will have that single ace in the hole, that one programming gem that must be televised to the masses here.  And let’s not kid ourselves - without the Packer games, WLUK pulls their signal and you never hear from them again.   Nobody cares enough about House or The SImpsons to leave cable.  WLUK had the one bargaining chip that TWC had to have.  That’s why the big spend on Chinese antennas to keep their customers happy.

Because pretty soon WLUK’s advertisers are going to be beating down their door asking for discounts or refunds on their ad dollars due to reduced reach, reduced penetration.  Oh, there’s penetration going on here.  Just not the good kind.

And this same scenario may play out in every market where a major sports franchise plays. So squash ‘em now in the hopes that this fight won’t have to be fought in other markets in future years.

Holy chit. $500,000 is a lot of money.  And yeah, it was that important.  Important enough that Dish Network had set up shop about 50 feet down the road with a van and speakers and a big vinyl banner saying something about Time Warner Cable and demanding something.  Packer games, probably.

But I got my antenna and switch hooked up, and we’re ready to go for the game against Seattle.  The picture is a little grainy, and reminded me that the last time I watched over-the-air broadcasts of television was in the mid-80’s.  Back then the HBO lineup for Saturday was Rocky III, Rocky III, Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, Rocky III and an encore presentation of Rocky III.

How ’bout you?  Got Antenna?

Technorati Tags: mes, WLUK, Time Warner Cable, Is That Penetration I’m Feeling?

Here’s what I think I’d do, given the current state of the defense and the Packers’ general performance on their three game losing streak. If you want to get your gambling freak on with these picks (and why you’d trust my picks given my current track record, I have no idea), you can bet on Green Bay Packer games at BetUS.com.

@ Seattle - Seattle is favored by three. Koren Robinson’s role will probably be diminished as the core set of receivers returns to health. But the Packers are not playing to their ability (shorthanded as they are on D). I’d take the Packers.

Indianapolis @ Lambeau - From what I’ve seen of the Colts, they’ve been getting pushed around. Dungy had originally built that team for speed, not strength, and it would appear they aren’t even that fast now. The Texans nearly beat ‘em last week. But with that win, and this being their second roadie in a row, I think the Packers can beat ‘em. If the Packers are getting any points, take ‘em.

@ Tennessee - They’re off next week, then face the Royals in KC in week seven. Oh, it’s not the Royals? It’s the Chiefs? Same difference. The following week they play the Colts at home for a pretty big AFC game. Might be ripe for the picking. But unless our defense gets healthy, I wouldn’t bank on it.

@ Minnesota - A bag of hammers for a QB and a skilled but overpromising Adrian Peterson, in the Dome of Mediocrity. This is a case where the Favre Turf Jinx won’t hurt the Pack. Pick Green Bay.

Bears @ Lambeau - Lovey loves him some Packers. He always has his guys ready for the Packers and the Bears are winning against teams they aren’t supposed to (and the teams they’re supposed to crush are getting pile-driven). Take the Bears.

@ New Orleans - They lost two close games against what are turning out to be two top-tier teams. Let’s face it, the Packers are not top-tier right now. In their house, I’m taking the Saints.

Carolina @ Lambeau - Third tough game in a row. If Rodgers still has two shoulders at this point in the season, they have a chance. But I’d take the Panthers.

Houston @ Lambeau - At least there’s still one game that’s a presumptive win. Packers big.

@Jacksonville - Some pick them to go to the Superbowl. I doubt it, but they’re still a tough win. I’d take the Jags.

@ Chicago - Bears again.

Detroit @ Lambeau - The Bikini Girls will rally the squad to victory against what may be a 1-14 team. If the Lions have no wins at this point, however, they may put it all on the line in this game and only take 30% of their plays off, just to avoid the “perfect” season. That could make it tough on the Pack, even if the stands are filled with young, tanned women wearing only dental floss in sub-zero temps.

Add to these picks the Packers’ current record of 2-3 and we have ourselves a 7-9 season, and probably missing the playoffs. Maybe you’d be better off making your NFL betting picks on a team other than the Packers. And if you did, I happen to know of a good sportsbook, if you get my drift.

Maybe I oughta buy that Brett Favre jersey in New York Jets colors.

Technorati Tags: Green Bay Packers, If I had a million dollars, I’d bet on the Packers

All morning I kept checking TWC channel 12 to see if by some miracle, I’d be able to add another millimeter to the ass groove in my couch as I watched the noon Packer game against Atlanta.

Instead, I was left to surf every other channel in the basic cable package to try to find something, anything to do with NFL football. Maybe an AFC game on our CBS affiliate, showing as-they-happen highlights of other games? Like from the Packer game, maybe? Nope, they only carried the late game.

So what did I get to watch? I got to find out all about P90X and the 50 year old dude that created the system. Hurry! Get your copy today!

I also got to watch Chalene Johnson sell her Turbo Jam exercise dvd’s. I’ve come to the conclusion that she’s a spider woman. Arms and legs are way too long for the size of that torso. A short, blonde spider woman with ripped abs and salt water boobs.

Ultimately I was left watching chick bowling. Chick. Freaking. Bowling. ESPN had their score scroll rolling at the bottom of the screen of chick bowl-a-thon, and that was the best I could do at that moment. I stuck with it for a full 40 minutes to watch updates. On the scroll. Morse code would have been quicker. Two cans and a string. Carrier pigeon.

Not being able to take it anymore and needing perfect silence in a house full of kids to listen to the game on the radio (and knowing I’d never get that), I piled the family into the minivan, filled their sippy cups with Jack Daniels and listened to the game while we circled the Fox Valley of the 41/441 loop. Oh yes, we did.

I own several large trucks. I believe I’m prepared to park one in each: the offices of WLUK, and the offices of Time Warner Cable.

Oh yeah - and Wayne Larrivee could not have gushed more about Rodgers playing through pain. Whoopdeedoop. From looking at the video highlights and stats at NFL.com, I can tell you the defense is really banged up, Turner outperformed Grant (hard to believe!) and Rodgers threw for over 300 yards. But they lost to Atlanta 27-24.

I hear the game was pretty fun to watch.

I guess I’ll be looking for a pair of rabbit ears this week.

Technorati Tags: Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Time Warner Cable, WLUK, Lin TV, Hard Sucking Noise