Who Dat?

The Saints pulled out a gutsy win over their tough divisional rivals, the Carolina Panthers. Their opening drive was a 9-minute grinder, ending with a Deuce McAllister touchdown - their first opening drive score since the 2003 season! The rest of the game was hard-fought, and more than a bit sloppy. One play saw a Carolina interception called as a fumble, immediately upon which, the Saints player who recovered the ball lateralled to a teammate who in turn mishandled the toss and fumbled it back to the Panthers. Carolina got two rare "illegal touching" calls on back-to-back plays (the first was declined in favor of a more serious penalty), both of which were touchdowns that had to be called back.

Even the commentators were out of synch. On one play, the call on the field had been a Saints fumble and turnover, which the Saints challenged on the basis that the player was already down. The call was reversed and no timeout assessed against New Orleans. The commentators seemed to think the referees had initially ruled the player down and kept insisting that there was not enough evidence to overturn the call and give the ball to Carolina. It was a strange moment.

By far the worst moment of the game came near the end. With 19 seconds left to play in regulation, the score tied, and the Saints with the ball near midfield, KTBC Fox 7, our local affiliate, went to commercial break and switched over to the Dallas Cowboys / San Diego Chargers game, four and a half minutes before the kickoff of that game. Local viewers were not allowed to see the 47 yard field goal that won the game for the Saints, except in replay.

If you believe that watching Local Sports Team can ameliorate tragedy or bring hope (I do not), switching away from the game had to be a slight to the thousands of displaced Gulf Coast residents staying in the Austin Convention Center, and the uncounted others staying with friends and families here. From a business perspective, it seems as though the Saints, already headquartered in San Antonio, will be playing at least four "home" games at the Alamodome. Say what you will about the Cowboys, for now, the Saints are the local team. Promoting the team on television makes good business sense. Besides, the sports media has been selling the Saints as America's Sweetheart Team for a few days now, and at that moment in time, those 19 seconds were the most compelling thing on television.

If you wish to contact KTBC Fox 7 to complain about their programming decision, they can be reached at:

KTBC FOX 7
119 E. 10th Street
Austin, TX 78701

Main phone number: (512) 476-7777
Main fax number: (512) 495-7001