A Critique of CBS's Football Telecasts

[PatsWickedPissah]

I know it's in to trash the NFL network commentary but I cannot tell you how much better their telecast is than the vaunted CBS who telecasts AFC games.

1. Picture quality far superior - I don't know WHAT the problem is with CBS. Even if the show is in HD their HD is not up to snuff.

2. HD Converters suck - The Pats telecast had their digital converter running behind and giving us jerky stop motion time and again last Sunday.

3. Many CBS games are not in HD - like this game Sunday vs Houston. CBS's analog picture quality is also sub-par.

4. CBS cuts away to a commercial instantly after a play. Few replays. Then they are CONSISTENTLY late rejoining the action, often missing the snap. NFL's coverage flows so much nicer. LOTS of replays. Lots of angles.

5. ALL coverages, CBS, FOX, NFL insist on showing the LOS around the middle of the screen. STOP THE INSANITY! Why do we need to see 5-10 yards BEHIND the RB??? If they only positioned the view with the RB at the far edge we could see the D lineup and be able to READ DEFENSES! I know only us hardcore want to read Ds but there is so much more to the game when you have this view.
Of course to do this you cannot cut back late from a commercial like CBS does consistently. No time to even tell 3-4 from 4-3 with CBS.

I ignore all announcers so differences there don't bother me.

End of rant for now.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I know it's in to trash the NFL network commentary but I cannot tell you how much better their telecast is than the vaunted CBS who telecasts AFC games.

1. Picture quality far superior - I don't know WHAT the problem is with CBS. Even if the show is in HD their HD is not up to snuff.

2. HD Converters suck - The Pats telecast had their A to D converter running behind and giving us jerky stop motion time and again last Sunday.

3. Many CBS games are not in HD - like this game Sunday vs Houston. CBS's analog picture quality is also sub-par.

4. CBS cuts away to a commercial instantly after a play. Few replays. Then they are CONSISTENTLY late rejoining the action, often missing the snap. NFL's coverage flows so much nicer. LOTS of replays. Lots of angles.

5. ALL coverages, CBS, FOX, NFL insist on showing the LOS around the middle of the screen. STOP THE INSANITY! Why do we need to see 5-10 yards BEHIND the RB??? If they only positioned the view with the RB at the far edge we could see the D lineup and be able to READ DEFENSES! I know only us hardcore want to read Ds but there is so much more to the game when you have this view.
Of course to do this you cannot cut back late from a commercial like CBS does consistently. No time to even tell 3-4 from 4-3 with CBS.

I ignore all announcers so differences there don't bother me.

End of rant for now.

6. The camera focuses on a closeup of Brady's face way too long. I would love to actually see defensive movement and reallignment.



But I agree on everything, but I don't have HD. They consistently have bad angles on the cameras or they miss the play out of the screen.

I'd love to listen to Gil and Geno but it runs behind the telecast.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Unfortunitly, **** Endberg who I felt was a honor for him to call Pats games, is a shadow of his former self.. He no longer should be brodcasting NFL Games..

 

[DarrylS]

My biggest critique of CBS here in RI and on Cox Cable is that we never get anything in HD. both them and the Fox affiliate are owned by the same company and they have been in negotiations for about 4 years now with no conclusion. I get the NFL Network in HD, which is ok.. but on most sundays have to watch the game w/no HD.

Call, email try all kinds of stuff, to no avail.. really pisses me off.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

To make it worse for you, I do not even pay for NFL network telecasts but Comcast Boston which covers Southern NH telecasts the Thursday night game out on INDHD2 where I can watch it without paying for the package includes the NFL network. The NFL picture is so much clearer than CBS's attempt at HD. I don't know what CBS is doing to the signal processing.

 

[checkedout]

I don't have HD so maybe I shouldn't be here but I much prefer CBS over NFLN and especially can't stand FOX!

 

[cstjohn17]

I am likely in the minority but I have never really paid attention to the people who bash the announcers. These days I DVR the game and watch it without most of the filler. Although it is fashionable to rip the various networks I like Cris Collingsworth, he doesn't sugar coat the game and actually adds the insight of a former player. Gumble needs to turn up the volume but doesn't bother me.

I know it's in to trash the NFL network commentary but I cannot tell you how much better their telecast is than the vaunted CBS who telecasts AFC games.

1. Picture quality far superior - I don't know WHAT the problem is with CBS. Even if the show is in HD their HD is not up to snuff.

2. HD Converters suck - The Pats telecast had their digital converter running behind and giving us jerky stop motion time and again last Sunday.

3. Many CBS games are not in HD - like this game Sunday vs Houston. CBS's analog picture quality is also sub-par.

4. CBS cuts away to a commercial instantly after a play. Few replays. Then they are CONSISTENTLY late rejoining the action, often missing the snap. NFL's coverage flows so much nicer. LOTS of replays. Lots of angles.

5. ALL coverages, CBS, FOX, NFL insist on showing the LOS around the middle of the screen. STOP THE INSANITY! Why do we need to see 5-10 yards BEHIND the RB??? If they only positioned the view with the RB at the far edge we could see the D lineup and be able to READ DEFENSES! I know only us hardcore want to read Ds but there is so much more to the game when you have this view.
Of course to do this you cannot cut back late from a commercial like CBS does consistently. No time to even tell 3-4 from 4-3 with CBS.

I ignore all announcers so differences there don't bother me.

End of rant for now.

 

[unoriginal]

I don't have HD so maybe I shouldn't be here but I much prefer CBS over NFLN and especially can't stand FOX!

Is it just me or does Fox mix in crowd noise at a much lower decibel level than ABC and CBS? I know its just an aesthetic complaint but it does seem to make the games less exciting to watch.