Patriots changing how they will broadcast preseason games

From Chad Finn's column:

As previously reported in my Globe media column in June, Ch. 4 reporter Dan Roche and former Patriots tight end Christian Fauria will serve as the in-booth hosts of the revamped broadcast.

Rather than providing traditional down-and-distance play by play, particularly when the starters are out of the game, they will instead lead more of an informal discussion about players, issues, and other points worthy of analysis.

Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham -- a budding star as an analyst -- will provide input from the sideline. Steve Burton will serve as the more conventional sideline reporter.

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“[The preseason broadcasts will be] a talk-radio-type program without the yelling and the screaming and the agenda-driven stuff. We’re looking at the preseason games as an opportunity to try something different. Make it more conversational, make it more analytical and insightful.

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Patriots formally announce changes to preseason broadcasts - Touching All the Bases - Boston.com

So they are going the radio talk show route for when the scrubs go in. I hear that Steve from Fall River wants to know if there will be a call in line so he can rehash the arguments why the Pats let players like Ty Law and Asante Samuel go during the broadcast.

I like that they added Chatham and dumped Criqui and Randy Cross, but I don't know if I particularly care for this format with Dan Roche being the moderator.

Yeah this should be interesting especially if callers are allowed to phone in.


I saw this news was picked up by Florio's site. Of course they can't help themselves but make a snide anti-Patriots remark at the end of the article but that is to be expected from that site. I don't think I'll be linking to it any time I post here.

I am an old sap, would have liked to have seen a role for Troy Brown..

I don't think they'll let people call in. I'm ok with this for the pre-season, at least for games 1, 2, and 4. I'd prefer a standard game-call for game 3, since you'll see the starters for more time.

But in the others, while the scrubs are in, I don't need a play by play. I think a discussion of the battles taking place while showing the plays is an interesting concept. Curious to see how it shakes out.

They could always fly me over to commentate on games... whilst drunk. I have no doubt I would still make more sense than the "Pros" on NFL Network.

The reason I watch preseason, or at least one of the reasons, is to see the 'Scrubs' play. If they are going to babble on about the Patriots Hernia extraction or spew differences between Wes and DA for a quarter, I will be very disappointed. But then again, it could not be as bad as all the other years...or could it.

Patstopia said:

The reason I watch preseason, or at least one of the reasons, is to see the 'Scrubs' play. If they are going to babble on about the Patriots Hernia extraction or spew differences between Wes and DA for a quarter, I will be very disappointed. But then again, it could not be as bad as all the other years...or could it.

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Yup. I hope their analysis includes what's going in the games, how certain players — including scrubs, new guys and bubble guys — respond in given situations. Pre-season games are a great time to satisfy a lot of curiosity among fans, not go on at length about ongoing story lines that are well covered elsewhere.

Looking forward to Chatham on the sidelines. THAT could be epic.

Sicilian said:

I don't think they'll let people call in. I'm ok with this for the pre-season, at least for games 1, 2, and 4. I'd prefer a standard game-call for game 3, since you'll see the starters for more time.

But in the others, while the scrubs are in, I don't need a play by play. I think a discussion of the battles taking place while showing the plays is an interesting concept. Curious to see how it shakes out.

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The second preseason game is being broadcast nationally.

Seems like a good idea to me.

Patstopia said:

The reason I watch preseason, or at least one of the reasons, is to see the 'Scrubs' play. If they are going to babble on about the Patriots Hernia extraction or spew differences between Wes and DA for a quarter, I will be very disappointed. But then again, it could not be as bad as all the other years...or could it.

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Yeah, I might have to switch over to the radio while watching the game on my TV. I hate the fact that there is a 5-second delay on the radio, but it still might be better than what I'm reading about.

I'm good to try this format, esp Chatham, but hope they tube those Looooong sideline interviews with the obnoxious twerp from Sam Adams beer

And here I was hoping to see some interesting news. Like maybe they were going to show some footage from Brady's helmet-cam.

I am glad to be done with Criqui. He is awful. How he still calls ND football on the radio is incredible to me. I don't mind Randy Cross, he knows football, is not a great commentator but isn't bad hosting his radio show on Sirius and out of Atlanta.

As for the new format, I'll let it play out. It appears, to me, that this is aimed at the pink hats and the people who will call sports radio all weekend in a panic when Brady goes 2-5, Ridley only gets 4 yards on 5 carries, and they lose 24-21 when the 3rd stringers are in there.

What is interesting to me is what NFL Network will do. When they air preseason games, they typically take one half from one team's broadcast and half from the other. Will NFL-N air this new format?

Aren't they going to be doing some sort of "rogue broadcast" on Patriots.com with Paul Perillo & Andy Hart from Patriots Football Weekly In Progress webradio show?
I can take portly Perillo but I give Andy Hart until the 3rd quarter for him to break character & revert back to his pseudo roid rage obnoxious personality. The guy's lucky he's in sports journalism because locker room culture is the only workplace someone like him would be tolerated with his jock bolthead behavior. He's incompatible with the other factions of society.

Whatever. As long as they tell me who is actually playing and if they look good it'll be an improvement.

No more Don Criqui and Randy Cross?

Gee, I wonder how former Patriots LT Todd Light feels about that....

They couldn't dump Criqui and Cross fast enough in my opinion. I wonder how Todd Light feels about this?


Edit: Ha! Shockt327 beat me to it!

Shockt327 said:

No more Don Criqui and Randy Cross?

Gee, I wonder how former Patriots LT Todd Light feels about that....

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Todd Belichick said at the press conference today that he's only worried about winning the next game and has no comments about Criqui and Cross.

Shockt327 said:

No more Don Criqui and Randy Cross?

Gee, I wonder how former Patriots LT Todd Light feels about that....

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"They HATE their network! They HATE their network!"

Uncle Rico said:

Yup. I hope their analysis includes what's going in the games, how certain players — including scrubs, new guys and bubble guys — respond in given situations. Pre-season games are a great time to satisfy a lot of curiosity among fans, not go on at length about ongoing story lines that are well covered elsewhere.

Looking forward to Chatham on the sidelines. THAT could be epic.

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I watch preseason for the "scrubs." I really hope this isn't chitty chat bull, while no one pays attention to whose on the field and what they do. There's a lot of competition at receiver, pass rusher, linebacker and now TE.

I'll try to stay optimistic since the bar is so low from the last duo, they probably can't limbo under it.

what's wrong with down, distance and telling me who made the play, by the way?

this seems like a good place to ask: Anybody have a preseason live promo code or referral code? It'd save me $3-4 and get you a $10 gift card if I use your code.