{"id":12746,"date":"2013-01-15T15:42:07","date_gmt":"2013-01-15T15:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rcntv.rcn.com\/?p=12746"},"modified":"2023-04-18T16:40:17","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T16:40:17","slug":"behind-the-mic-january-15th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/behind-the-mic-january-15th\/","title":{"rendered":"Behind the Mic – January 15th"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have been an observer of sports almost all of my life.\u00a0 I choose \u201cobserver\u201d in order to make my point.\u00a0 I spent much of my youth watching the NFL, rooting for the Colts; the NBA, cheering on the Celtics; and MLB, as a Willie Mays and New York Giants supporter.\u00a0 Notice I did not say fan.\u00a0 As I remember back to those days, I can say that I truly enjoyed watching the games.\u00a0 I now realize if I TRULY ENJOYED the games, I was not TRULY a fan.\u00a0 You see, I have come to the conclusion that if you are a rabid, color bleeding, screaming, remote throwing FAN, you CANNOT enjoy the game.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For example, suspend your passion for the Eagles or the Steelers or any other NFL team and, for a moment, assume you are a Seattle Seahawk FAN this past Sunday.\u00a0 First, you must suffer (the natural disposition of a true FAN anyway) through a 20-0 halftime deficit.\u00a0 You have watched your team move the ball up the field only to come up short on two \u201c4th<\/sup> and ones\u201d and to have the clock run out at the half when you are in a position to score a touchdown or a field goal.\u00a0 You end up with neither.\u00a0 You are feeling a sickness in your stomach that beverage, wings, chips, dips cannot dissipate.\u00a0 However, a true FAN believes a 20-0 deficit can be overcome \u2013 right?\u00a0 GO SEAHAWKS!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the third quarter Seattle exchanges touchdowns with Atlanta, so the Seahawks do not eat into the 20 point lead at all.\u00a0 Your agony just gets worse!\u00a0 Pass the Maalox.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You know your defense is good.\u00a0 You just need a break and an Atlanta \u201cchoke\u201d (something they are known for in the playoffs).\u00a0 The Seahawks intercept a pass (the break).\u00a0 Russell Wilson runs for a TD, throws for a TD, and hands the ball off to Marshawn Lynch for an apparent score, but he did fumble at the goal line (how is your blood pressure, heartbeat, pounding headache doing now, Seattle FAN?).\u00a0 The ruling is a TD and an extra point is all that is necessary to complete the greatest fourth quarter comeback in NFL playoff history!\u00a0 The extra point is good and the Seahawks lead 28-27 with 31 seconds to play.\u00a0 You, Seattle FAN, have tossed aside the \u201cagony of defeat\u201d and are now experiencing the \u201cthrill of victory\u201d.\u00a0 This rollercoaster of emotions cannot be good for the body, but 31 ticks of the clock stand between you and another excruciating week of playoff football.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Atlanta ball.\u00a0 Matt Ryan to Harry Douglas for 22 yards \u2013 timeout- Matt Ryan to Tony Gonzalez for 19 yards \u2013 timeout \u2013 13 seconds to go.\u00a0 Matt Bryant kicks a 49 yard field goal.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Falcons \u2013 30\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seahawks \u2013 28<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Well, Seattle FAN \u2013 How did you enjoy the game?\u00a0 Feeling sick again?\u00a0 Get used to it. It is a feeling you will now have for 8 months.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

P.S.\u00a0 You know and I know it is all worth it!!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>1.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Although I am not always in favor of all the graphics, sound effects, and commentary offered up by the network football coverage, I really do like the addition of Mike Pereira as a rules interpreter for Fox.\u00a0 He is an expert on the rules and, on a number of occasions this year, has truly enlightened the viewers on some rulings.\u00a0 I wish I could say the same for the sideline reporters.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Notre Dame \u2013 Alabama game was the second highest rated program in cable television history with over 26 million viewers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I think hockey fans will find the shortened season to actually be more exciting since the regular season games will take on much greater importance than they have in the past.\u00a0 Hockey fans are rather rabid in their support and will come to the arenas to support their teams, despite their disappointment in the prolonged negotiations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Ravens double overtime win over Denver and the Falcons dramatic win over the Seahawks were two of the best games ever!\u00a0 San Francisco and New England made it look easy, by comparison.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

5.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Well, I picked San Francisco to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, had my doubts in the middle, but I am feeling pretty good about that choice right now.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Last week \u2013 2-2)\u00a0 (87-53 for the season \u2013 62%)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>SAN FRANCISCO<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

NEW ENGLAND<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have been an observer of sports almost all of my life.\u00a0 I choose \u201cobserver\u201d in order to make my point.\u00a0 I spent much of my youth watching the NFL, rooting for the Colts; the NBA, cheering on the Celtics; and MLB, as a Willie Mays and New York Giants supporter.\u00a0 Notice I did not…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"Yoast SEO Relevanssi index exclude","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4],"tags":[186,223,372,385,484,505],"class_list":["post-12746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-behind-the-mic","category-featured","category-sports","tag-falcons","tag-hockey","tag-nfl","tag-notre-dame","tag-seahawks","tag-super-bowl"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBehind the Mic - January 15th - ATVN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Behind the Mic - January 15th - ATVN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I have been an observer of sports almost all of my life.\u00a0 I choose \u201cobserver\u201d in order to make my point.\u00a0 I spent much of my youth watching the NFL, rooting for the Colts; 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