Just watched the Auburn-Oregon game on SEC Network

[tigersauburn217 2]

So here I am sitting on my couch and looking forward to having the BCS Championship game on to watch. Man, I don't know if it is because the SEC Network just started and they need the ad revenue, but this was pathetic. I am not exaggerating here, over the two hours it was probably 40 minutes of game coverage and 80 minutes of commercials. They left out so many key plays, including the biggest (or second biggest) play of the game. They go from Oregon tying it to commercial to Auburn on the 20 yard line with 1:30 to play. How do you not show Mike Dyer's incredible run? A few series before, they show Auburn at it's own 1 yard line but don't show the defense stopping Oregon at the goal line. It was show 1-2 minutes of football, bunch of commercials, Brent saying "due to time constraints we forward progress after this..." more commercials... come back for 2 or so minutes of football. If there was an injury, they kept rolling. Replays, they kept rolling. But if there was commercial timeout at the game, even if there was one on the play before (say before 3rd down and didn't convert) they made sure to stick to each commercial break. It was really sad and pathetic.

[WarTiger 3,923]

See, I just don't get this issue about "due to time constraints". They own the broadcast rights, they own the network. I don't understand why they have to edit the games at all. Eliminate the halftime, but there's just no rational reason to edit these games at all. I wish they would at least explain why they do this, then I wish they would stop and just show the entire game.

[WarEagle84 0]

The "time constraints" are so they can fit in more games, and eliminate some of the more "boring" stretches. I don't have a problem with that in principle, because they do want to appeal to a wider audience that generally doesn't appreciate defense, but I would at least like them to put up a graphic indicating a summary of the action that is being skipped (e.g., Auburn gained 24 yards on 6 plays and punted. We move ahead by 3:32, Oregon ball at their 26.) And there is no excuse for what tigersauburn217 described. That's just sloppy and lazy.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,762]

Yeah, they even did that with the top 25 games, when they had NOTHING else to show on the ESPNU network. I know the 2nd and 3rd quarters were fairly boring, especially to be coming from the top 2 offenses in the nation, but if you're just watching the game, you don't really get a feel for the game.

[AU64 10,122]

SEC just buys these packages which are designed to fit a time slot.......and gotta have time for the numerous commercials. It was curious about the "time wasted" waiting on the re-play decisions...but maybe they were wanting to build some drama. I recall the same in the Iron Bowl replay where the spent the entire 5+ minutes panning back and forth along the Bama bench while the decision was being made to put the one second back on the clock.

I've watched the 2010 BCS replay a number of times....always one of my favorite AU games.....sometimes, the entire game...and then a couple times with the Reader's Digest version like last night. Either way....the good guys won and I get excited all over again about that last drive and the FG at .00.02.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

I wondered if anyone else noticed that. I was watching it too and they actually showed the first three plays of the final drive for AU then all of a sudden we are at the 20. My son yelled at the tv "what about the Dyer run!!!" I was stunned, then they proceed to show every time out and the replay review of Dyer's TD and the timeout between that and the game winning FG. Stupid stupid stupid and it pretty much ruined watching the ending.

[russnagel1 26]

I noticed that as well, I was actually quite surprised by it. I was really looking forward to that play. How can you replay the game without the Dyer run? The only thing I can think of the person doing the editing is completely incompetent. I understand the need to fit the game into a time slot, but there was a lot of footage from the first half where few points were scored.

[Weegle777 78]

Did they do the same with the turd/LSU game afterwards?

[tigersauburn217 2]

They re-played Kick Six and I only caught the last few minutes of the game, but this time they didn't stop for commericals. Perhaps it was because there were no commercials to break to on the last few drives. I turned it on when Bama had 2nd down with a little over 3 minutes to play. I guess the refs / production crew just let the rest of the game play out after the blocked FG for Auburn's final offensive drive.

[WarEagle84 0]

I've been watching replays on the Big Ten Network over the last month, and I have to say they do a MUCH better job of editing their games than the SEC Network.

[ertrader 206]

I like the way CBS does the "SEC Express" replays. At least the game I watched they showed EVERY SINGLE play, but eliminated all in between play ball spotting, huddling, timeouts, replays etc. They did show a few replays of crucial plays. They are able to get an entire game in a 60 minute show, even including commercials.

[WarEagle84 0]

BTN does something similar they call BTN in 60. I haven't watched it closely enough to know if they include every single play, but they cut out between-play activity. I like it.

I caught part of the '08 SECCG between UF and Bama last night, and they went to commercial with Bama at their own 9, and when they came back, Bama was inside the red zone. No disclaimer about time constraints, just skipped part of the game. I had to rewind to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Very amateurish.

[topangatiger 0]

I like the way CBS does the "SEC Express" replays. At least the game I watched they showed EVERY SINGLE play, but eliminated all in between play ball spotting, huddling, timeouts, replays etc. They did show a few replays of crucial plays. They are able to get an entire game in a 60 minute show, even including commercials.

Exactly this. It's a great way to show all the defensive stops, all the near - miss plays, and gives the best feel for the game as it was played. Side benefit is cutting out a lot of pointless commentary. I wish they had this type of replay for all games. Hope they still have it at all, seemed hit or miss for a while.

[TexasTiger 13,039]

I rewound just to make sure I didn't somehow miss Dyer's run.

[AU64 10,122]

I rewound just to make sure I didn't somehow miss Dyer's run.

Nope...like it never happened...one moment we were on our own thirty or thirty five and next thing we know, AU is first and ten at Oregon 20.... That's what we mean by Auburn Fast....even faster than the kick 6 run.

[meh130 1,053]

Yep, they cut out an AU touchdown of the 2013 Iron Bowl but left a UAT drive to end the half.

As for the 2010 Natty, I have it on DVD. I cannot watch the first three quarters, only the fourth. Not sure why. Maybe it is just because I want to savor those last minutes in the stands where I thought: Option 1: Dyer scored, and we won the Natty; Option 2: Dyer didn't score, but Wes will kick the FG and we just won the Natty; or Option 3; Dyer didn't score, Wes misses, we go to OT and we are about to win the Natty.

Just the feeling, we were so close. It was over, it was finally over. After the B.S. of 1983 and 2004, by getting down to the one-inch line, we had effectively won the game. No AU fan in the stands felt otherwise. Get this replay over, end the time out, and give us our 'Ship!

God, what a feeling that was.

[AURex 2,033]

Can watch most of the full games with commercials and filler edited out on YouTube.

SECN = commercials and ignorant talking heads, with a few minutes of game as filler in between. Waste of time.

[WarEagle84 0]

Wow. Just wow. I've been sitting here for the last 30 minutes or so with ESPNU showing a replay of last weekend's Va Tech- OSU game as background noise. I noticed a trend, and rewound the DVR to make sure. This is literally what they have aired:

• I joined it just as VT was scoring the first TD to go up 7-0. Off to commercials.
  
• They came back with the standard "due to time constraints" disclaimer, and OSU had the ball at the 2. One play, tie score, more commercials.
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, a dramatic 3rd down conversion by VT, injured player, more commiercials.
  
• "Due to time constraints...," Va Tech TD to go up 14-7, ensuing kickoff and 2 plays of OSU drive, end of 1Q, more commercials.
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, a missed OSU 40 yard FG attempt, more commercials
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, a missed OSU 27 yard FG attempt, more commercials
  
• "Due to time constraints...," OSU 63-yard punt with 35-yard return, followed by an actual 8-play drive for VT TD with :52 left in half.
  
• No disclaimer, 7:15 left in 3Q, one play, OSU pass intercepted, more commercials
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, an OSU TD pass, more commercials
  

I changed the channel.

This is pathetic, ESPN.

[AUsince72 11,084]

Wow. Just wow. I've been sitting here for the last 30 minutes or so with ESPNU showing a replay of last weekend's Va Tech- OSU game as background noise. I noticed a trend, and rewound the DVR to make sure. This is literally what they have aired:

• I joined it just as VT was scoring the first TD to go up 7-0. Off to commercials.
  
• They came back with the standard "due to time constraints" disclaimer, and OSU had the ball at the 2. One play, tie score, more commercials.
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, a dramatic 3rd down conversion by VT, injured player, more commiercials.
  
• "Due to time constraints...," Va Tech TD to go up 14-7, ensuing kickoff and 2 plays of OSU drive, end of 1Q, more commercials.
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, a missed OSU 40 yard FG attempt, more commercials
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, a missed OSU 27 yard FG attempt, more commercials
  
• "Due to time constraints...," OSU 63-yard punt with 35-yard return, followed by an actual 8-play drive for VT TD with :52 left in half.
  
• No disclaimer, 7:15 left in 3Q, one play, OSU pass intercepted, more commercials
  
• "Due to time constraints...," one play, an OSU TD pass, more commercials
  

I changed the channel.

This is pathetic, ESPN.

It ain't much different anymore with LIVE games (and not just ESPN but every network who shows live football). Anybody my age or older can probably remember the days of going to a non-televised game..... I know NON-televised?!?!? Yes....there was a time... I have been to many games over the years (non-televised) that lasted less than 3 hours....heck, some even @ the 2-1/2 hour mark during the wishbone days. Commercial television is a run-away train and it'll never change because commercials are money and money makes the world go 'round...

Whether it's college football, or even the NFL, I get so tired of hearing about "ways to speed up the game". Well, for 75+ years the game time was FINE before the networks commercialized it so much. The game doesn't need to be sped up.... the commercial breaks need to be brought under control!! ARRRGHH!!!!

And for these replays.... yeah, I love the "due to time constraints" garbage.... Well...WHAT time constraints?!?! You're a freakin' 24 HOUR sports network (ESPN, SEC, et al). All you have to do is SHOW SPORTS! So just what exactly is CONSTRAINING YOUR TIME?!?

Okay, off the soapbox... I'm now...

[trout54 55]

time restraints so they can show "recruiting nation" or "CFB Daily" re-runs back-to-back-to-back-to back-to-back-to-back. makes perfect sense to me. SMH

[WarEagle84 0]

FWIW, I did submit an online complaint to ESPN. Here is their response:

Thank you for your e-mail.

We appreciate you taking the time to write and share your thoughts with us. We have shared your comments with the appropriate personnel for their review and consideration.

For additional fan service, be sure to follow the ESPN Fan Central team @ESPN_FanCentral (http://twitter.com/ESPN_FanCentral) and like their Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/ESPNFanCentral

Sincerely,

Myra

ESPN Viewer Response

--------------- Original Message ---------------

I watched nearly an hour of this "game". It could better be described as a highlight reel punctuated by commercials. I had it on in the background while I was doing other things, but I finally got fed up and changed the channel. 6 of the 8 possessions while I had it on were 1 play! I had to rewind to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I missed a lot, but it wasn't because I wasn't paying attention. Absolutely pathetic.

You are really abusing the "Due to time constraints..." concept. I understand the need to fit the game into a time slot, but you've got 5 or 6 networks to fill with 24/7 sports. Your time is not so constrained that you have to cut out so much that the game is unwatchable. Air enough to get the feel of the game, or air something else! I would not have kept it on 5 minutes if I weren't otherwise occupied in the room while it was on. Your viewers and your advertisers are getting cheated.

I'm not holding my breath.

[AUsince72 11,084]

FWIW, I did submit an online complaint to ESPN. Here is their response:

Thank you for your e-mail.

We appreciate you taking the time to write and share your thoughts with us. We have shared your comments with the appropriate personnel for their review and consideration.

For additional fan service, be sure to follow the ESPN Fan Central team @ESPN_FanCentral (http://twitter.com/ESPN_FanCentral) and like their Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/ESPNFanCentral

Sincerely,

Myra

ESPN Viewer Response

--------------- Original Message ---------------

I watched nearly an hour of this "game". It could better be described as a highlight reel punctuated by commercials. I had it on in the background while I was doing other things, but I finally got fed up and changed the channel. 6 of the 8 possessions while I had it on were 1 play! I had to rewind to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I missed a lot, but it wasn't because I wasn't paying attention. Absolutely pathetic.

You are really abusing the "Due to time constraints..." concept. I understand the need to fit the game into a time slot, but you've got 5 or 6 networks to fill with 24/7 sports. Your time is not so constrained that you have to cut out so much that the game is unwatchable. Air enough to get the feel of the game, or air something else! I would not have kept it on 5 minutes if I weren't otherwise occupied in the room while it was on. Your viewers and your advertisers are getting cheated.

I'm not holding my breath.

I like it. I think I'll take my rant and do the same on the off chance it does some good..... BWAHAHAHAHHHAAA!!! Still, I'll give it a shot.