chongli

This is true! Evan Washburn, Tom Rinaldi, Shannon Spake, James Palmer, and Steve Wyche, who all were side-line reporters this year, actually underwent sex changed before the season! 😄

LOl. In reference to 68 reporting/not reporting as eligible, Football Zebras responds like a boss: The tweet he replied to, now deleted, just said if Football Zebras is going to blindly support the refs, he is unfollowing him.

Kenny Albert said in an interview with Chris Bumbaca of USA Today that when the Sunday NYE day game in Seattle was announced on the schedule this spring, he put in a request with FOX to cover this game, knowing he would be in Seattle the next day to do the NHL Classic:m. Of course, at the time, FOX had no way of knowing that game would be FOX's most distributed game and worthy of the A-team. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/12/30/kenny-albert-nfl-nhl-broadcasting-seattle-seahawks-kraken/72050817007/# "When the NFL schedule came out this year, Albert quickly circled the Seattle-Pittsburgh matchup and relayed the preference to his bosses at FOX. Of course, there was the chance the game could have been flexed to another network at this point in the season. But Albert knew he wanted that game, because the other five NFL games on the network that Sunday are mostly on the East Coast, with the next closest being in Houston. “I’m looking forward to the next couple of years when the calendar shifts and January first will be mid-week,” Albert said. “That will certainly help, as far as logistics.”

The XFL and USFL will officially merge and become the UFL with eight teams. Announcement is tomorrow (12/31) on FOX at 12 noon ET:

Well, I guess everyone has their own opinions. I try not to focus too much on the announcers. Mike Freeman, from USA Today, who wrote the article above, says they work well together: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-freeman/2023/12/29/amazon-prime-al-michaels-kirk-herbstreit/72053806007/ "Michaels has actually been a miracle for Amazon Prime. He meshes well with analyst Kirk Herbstreit who isn't flashy but his straightforward bluntness with little bombast is refreshing. "Kirk has been wonderful to work with," said Michaels. [...] Also, Michaels' trademark cornball humor is still intact. During Thursday night's game, and after hearing fans making banging noises, Michaels said: " “Somebody’s pounding on that trash can. The Astros must be in town.” He was of course referring to the Houston Astros' sign-stealing enterprise from their 2017 season. After a few seconds, Michaels added: "I'm sorry. Don’t rip me." I won't. It was funny."

UPDATE: CBS Early: Bowling Green KY: MIA-BAL to LV-IND (Fri) Map has been changed.

LOL. Yeah, childish, but I like the restraint on the part of the hosts: Story: https://awfulannouncing.com/radio/cleveland-host-prank-calls-pittsburgh-station-browns-clinch-playoffs.html "Cleveland radio host prank calls Pittsburgh station after Browns clinch playoff spot" "That was apparent on Friday as one Cleveland radio host celebrated the Browns’ postseason-clinching victory over the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football by prank calling a Pittsburgh radio station to gloat. As 93.7 The Fan’s The PM Team W/Poni & Mueller discussed the Steelers’ upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks on Friday afternoon, the show took a call from a listener named “Jim in Ohio.” After thanking hosts Chris Mueller and Andrew Fillipponi “for the vine,” Jim proceeded to state that expected to enjoy Pittsburgh’s game against Seattle by “laughing my a** off” before posing a question to Fillipponi. “Have you picked out a good place to watch the playoffs yet?” Jim asked. After Fillipponi responded that he hadn’t and asked why Jim was the inquiring, the caller proceeded to remind him of a social media post that the host had sent to Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II in November. “That’s what I’m reading, baby! That’s what I’m reading baby!” Jim said. “Turn it up! Loud and proud, Poni!” It soon became clear to the hosts that “Jim” was actually 92.3 The Fan’s Ken Carman. “You sound like a crappy store brand version of Ken Carman,” Fillipponi said. “Buddy, this is the crappy, drunk, store brand version of Ken Carman. We’re still celebrating out here, baby boys!” Carman confirmed, before launching into a rendition of the Michael Stanley Band’s 1998 Browns anthem “Here We Go Again.” At that point, all Fillipponi could do was ask Carman if the Browns would be playing “that devious creep” — presumably quarterback Deshaun Watson — in 2024, before one of the hosts curiously pointed out that Michael Stanley is dead." The actual call: I admit: I had to look up "vine". Also, still don't know what "rack me" means.

Damn...you have had some very interesting and very useful jobs! This, and also at Amazon (mentioned in the other thread). Sounds challenging and rewarding. Very nice.

UPDATE: Al Michaels says he will return next year to continue broadcasting TNF on Amazon Prime: "I feel good," Michaels said. "I feel healthy. I feel fine. I told Amazon that I'd do three years and next year will be three, and I'm definitely doing it. We'll see after that." "I still love this job. I still get a charge out of going into a stadium and watching the best in the world do what they do. I'm still really happy so that's the big thing. [...] "Amazon has been really great to me and I'm appreciative that I've been a part of helping them grow their NFL presence," Michaels said. Michaels has actually been a miracle for Amazon Prime. He meshes well with analyst Kirk Herbstreit who isn't flashy but his straightforward bluntness with little bombast is refreshing [...] Herbstreit earlier this month defended Michaels from criticism that some of his broadcasts lacked energy. "He hears the noise. I don't think he's like, 'I'll show them. I'm going to really bring it this week.' He’s definitely not doing that," Herbstreit said. "He has more of an ‘F you’ attitude about it than 'I'm going to show them.' He thinks it's a bunch of bullsh--. I think it's a bunch of bullsh--. And I think it's just a narrative that social media's kind of running with."

UPDATE 3: CBS Late: Salt Lake City UT; all Montana; Twin Falls ID: LAC-DEN to CIN-KC (Fri) FOX Single: Greensboro NC: PIT-SEA to SF-WSH (Fri) Bismarck ND: PIT-SEA to NO-TB (Fri) Columbus OH: NO-TB (back) to PIT-SEA (Thu) Maps have been changed.

The Chargers are opening a brand-new training facility in El Segundo next May as they are trying to improve their image: The Chargers will also pursue Jim Harbaugh to help improve the team, according to Colin Cowherd: https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/sports-illustrated/arena-nfl/si-los-angeles-chargers-nfl/47c4f534/chargers-news-colin-cowherd-states-bolts-will-pursue-jim-harbaugh/ "Chargers News: Colin Cowherd States Bolts Will Pursue Jim Harbaugh"

That really sucks for you, especially since there is a blackout in your area. The NFL wants you to buy Sunday Ticket. Or a Bills backers bar in your area would have the Bills game. But you could also be me. I get Las Vegas at Indy, San Francisco at Washington, and Cincinnati at KC. On a related note, I see there are quite a few Tampa Bay area fans here. Awesome.

Yes, since the Week 18 schedule won't be released until during or right after SNF, there will be delays. Last year the FOX maps came out on the Wednesday, but late, at about 4 PM. They usually come out around 9:30-10:30 AM. And the CBS maps came out Thursday, around 9 AM. Even then, not all maps were pushed out. On that same note, you can expect the broadcaster announcements Monday or even Tuesday, although a few may come trickling in before then as the networks have a few games that don't matter. The international schedule probably will be known as normal, so there may be a separate thread announcing them.

So Damar is the leading candidate to be the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, to be presented at NFL Honors in February. Here are the odds from Covers.com from December 26: A listing from December 20 had Hamlin at more of a lead: https://www.covers.com/nfl/nfl-comeback-player-of-the-year-betting-odds Damar Hamlin -750 Tua Tagovailoa +1,200 Baker Mayfield +1,200 Joe Flacco +1,200 Lamar Jackson +2,500 Russell Wilson +3,000 Gardner Minshew +10,000 Jake Browning +15,000 T.J. Watt +15,000 Drew Lock +20,000 Other candidates mentioned were Matt Stafford and Brock Purdy. Damar is getting a lot of blowback from fans: A few fans, however, do have common sense, and support Hamlin: You have to give the award to Hamlin. He literally died on the field, was in a coma, and then comeback and played. Sure, he was inactive a lot and may not be a minor player, but he is an NFL player to date. Flacco and Mayfield played great, but they didn't die! Damar literally came back!

UPDATE:

This is a very weird thread to wake up to this morning, eyes still blurry. It feels like deja vu. I had to check to see who the OP was and if this thread was sarcasm. The choice of words: "not so far fetched" didn't help either (vs. "somewhat probable"?), lol.

UPDATE 3: CBS Early: Sacramento, Monterey and Chico CA: MIA-BAL to LV-IND (Wed) CBS Late: Idaho Falls ID: LAC-DEN to CIN-KC (Wed) Maps have been changed.

But only five can make it this year.