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View Full Version : The CBS sucks thread, 2009 edition



hurleyfor3
03-19-2009, 10:18 AM
Post comments about cbs' sucky coverage here. As in: stuck with a lousy big 10 game because you live in the wrong part of the country, forced to watch end of a blowout instead of being switched to more exciting game, weird splitscreen or camera agnle prevents you from actually seeing anything, too damn many commercials, seth davis is a conceited jerk, and so on.

whereinthehellami
03-19-2009, 10:39 AM
Count me in. Trying to find a TV schedule and coverage map is way too difficult.

Are they doing any games on MSNBC or their other affiliates? Didn't they do that last year or am I imagining that CBS actually went the extra mile?

nyr484
03-19-2009, 10:41 AM
I bought the DirecTV Mega March Madness package and I'm pumped! If anyone else has DirecTV and has been driven crazy by CBS coverage in years past, check this out: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=1100039

Worth every penny if you ask me.

Mr Blue Devil
03-19-2009, 10:45 AM
I bought the DirecTV Mega March Madness package and I'm pumped! If anyone else has DirecTV and has been driven crazy by CBS coverage in years past, check this out: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=1100039

Worth every penny if you ask me.

I got Direct TV for this exact reason!!!

Instead though I have to go out of town all weekend for a wedding so it makes getting it pointless!

DukieInKansas
03-19-2009, 10:48 AM
I got Direct TV for this exact reason!!!

Instead though I have to go out of town all weekend for a wedding so it makes getting it pointless!

Will you have internet access? If so, try mmod.ncaa.com as mentioned on the home page. Added benefit - you can watch Laettner's shot at the end of the UConn game and the KY game plus the end of the '91 UNLV semifinal. :D

Bluedog
03-19-2009, 10:48 AM
Count me in. Trying to find a TV schedule and coverage map is way too difficult.

Are they doing any games on MSNBC or their other affiliates? Didn't they do that last year or am I imagining that CBS actually went the extra mile?

MSNBC a CBS affiliate? I don't think so....No, you're just imagining that. CBS doesn't have any affiliates except for the CW (which is co-owned by Time Warner). Yeah, if games were on NBC, it could be like the Olympics with coverage on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, USA, and Universal...at least CBS puts the games online for free. Duke game not on by me. They should have more readily available coverage maps, though. I do like the broadcasting teams they put together in general.

whereinthehellami
03-19-2009, 10:53 AM
I bought the DirecTV Mega March Madness package and I'm pumped! If anyone else has DirecTV and has been driven crazy by CBS coverage in years past, check this out: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=1100039

Worth every penny if you ask me.

I did it one year a few years ago and hated it. CBS still switched away all the time and multiple channels ended up showing the same game. this happened more than once. I swore I wouldn't waste the money again.

And DTV is a whole other story. For 2 march madnesses after that, DTV tried charging me for it again despite me not ordering it. DTV said that I had to call them up and not order it, otherwise they would just keeping feeding it to me every March. It took multiple irate phone calls for them to say that they would write a note on my acount saying that I didn't want it every year without ordering it. They were like, you still might want to check your account to make sure we don't bill you. I was like, you must be kidding. They weren't. I was like....head....wall....BEER!

obsesseddukefan
03-19-2009, 10:53 AM
Crappy Broadcasting Station

whereinthehellami
03-19-2009, 10:55 AM
MSNBC a CBS affiliate? I don't think so....No, you're just imagining that. CBS doesn't have any affiliates except for the CW (which is co-owned by Time Warner). Yeah, if games were on NBC, it could be like the Olympics with coverage on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, USA, and Universal...at least CBS puts the games online for free. Duke game not on by me. They should have more readily available coverage maps, though. I do like the broadcasting teams they put together in general.

Duh! I was thinking of the Olympics.

throatybeard
03-19-2009, 10:56 AM
I watch CBS and I see BS.
--Nas

gw67
03-19-2009, 11:07 AM
I recall a time when you were happy that they televised the final. I also recall the time when ESPN did all the early round games and I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch games.

The CBS coverage is a long way from perfect. For instance, we get the AU game tonight in DC area and I would like to watch other games. However, I will try not to complain about refs, TV game announcers and color men, the studio commentators and the coverage in general. It is not worth expending the energy.

gw67

DukeUsul
03-19-2009, 04:06 PM
Before I switched to DirecTV, I used to get every single game broadcast on Timer Warner in the Durham area. I'll really miss having that this year. After having that for free, I just can't bring myself to pay for the DTV package.

I'm at home watching the local CBS feed and watching alternate games streaming from CBS. EXCELLENT quality of online streaming. The only downside is that I can see the live scores scrolling across the top of the TV and the online stream of the other games is 30+ seconds behind.

I'll be getting the Duke games here in Durham, but if they were to cut away from the end, hopefully we can still pick it up on the online stream.

Matches
03-19-2009, 04:08 PM
Anyone else in NC having significant audio and video issues with CBS-HD? DISH Network assures me the problem is with CBS and not DISH.

DukeUsul
03-19-2009, 04:12 PM
The video seems to be fine from DirecTV. I have been hearing occasional audio blips.

monkey
03-19-2009, 04:18 PM
Get high speed internet access and watch all of the games for free on the web

BlueintheFace
03-19-2009, 04:48 PM
Are you guys kidding me. CBS IS AMAZING. You can watch high quality video of every single game of the tournament online for FREE!!! The announcers are awesome with G-man, Bonner, and Johnson.

Lord Ash
03-19-2009, 04:52 PM
Can anyone point me to a coverage map?

Thanks!

JDev
03-19-2009, 04:54 PM
I bought the DirecTV Mega March Madness package and I'm pumped! If anyone else has DirecTV and has been driven crazy by CBS coverage in years past, check this out: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=1100039

Worth every penny if you ask me.

Absolutely. I got it for the first time this year, and I am already pleased, three or four games in. You get every game and can watch whatever you choose in its entirety.

Lord Ash
03-19-2009, 05:04 PM
Seriously, why is it IMPOSSIBLE to figure out what game is being shown where? It should be easy to find...

DukeUsul
03-19-2009, 05:12 PM
Seriously, why is it IMPOSSIBLE to figure out what game is being shown where? It should be easy to find...

I went straight to my local CBS station to find the schedule of what they were showing.

mgtr
03-19-2009, 05:41 PM
Have had Directv for 10 years, and Mega March Madness package for at least 4 years. Wouldn't survive without it. And, to confirm what an earlier poster said, once you order it, you keep getting it every year until you cancel it. That is fine with me, since it saves me having to order it, but I can see how would irritate some.

captmojo
03-19-2009, 05:42 PM
Crappy Broadcasting Station

Commercials Be Sacred

Greg_Newton
03-19-2009, 07:02 PM
Here in Tennessee we'll be missing the game in favor of the almighty Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. I will say I was pretty impressed at CBS' online streaming coverage today though, and how quickly you could switch from game to game if you're not that invested in one in particular.

However, the choppiness of watching online just drives me crazy during Duke games... I might have to find a sports bar.

Also - your local CBS affiliate website should have a complete schedule of which games they're showing under the sports tab. Ours did, at least.

KrazyKfan
03-19-2009, 07:37 PM
It's only a matter of time before ESPN outbids them. Then we can get coverage on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN360. Heck maybe they'll put some games on Disney Channel or Animal Planet.

Or NBC could pull a surprise and we could get coverage on NBC, USA, MSNBC, Bravo, etc.

As far as CBS goes, you'll just have to order CSTV.

Devilhawks
03-19-2009, 08:46 PM
I'm neutral regarding CBS, but Time Warner makes it rain here in Durham. All four game feeds available in HD all the time for free. Beautiful.

Farlan
03-19-2009, 10:15 PM
Are you guys kidding me. CBS IS AMAZING. You can watch high quality video of every single game of the tournament online for FREE!!! The announcers are awesome with G-man, Bonner, and Johnson.

Make that G-man, Spanarkel and Bilas!

GoingFor#5
03-19-2009, 10:20 PM
Just switched to the stupid VCU game here

SharkD
03-19-2009, 10:58 PM
I'm neutral regarding CBS, but Time Warner makes it rain here in Durham. All four game feeds available in HD all the time for free. Beautiful.

Actually, you should thank WRAL: http://www.wralsportsfan.com/rs/page/3938592/?view=league

From AVSforums (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16077789#post16077789):

Game 1 - OTA 5.1 / TWC 255, 1051, QAM 85.2
Game 2 - TWC 1052, QAM 76.7
Game 3 - TWC 1053, QAM 76.8
GAme 4 - TWC 1054, QAM 105.6

That said, why the heck can't CBS do what lowly old Raycom does and put the shot clock in the lower line, next to the game clock? The top line scores block the backboard shot clocks, and the crew rarely shows the shot clock pop-up until it's under 5. Does CBS expect us to count down from 35, in our heads, on every possession?

flyingdutchdevil
03-19-2009, 11:09 PM
My internet feed sucks!!!! I hate cbs!!!!!!

Just give the contract to espn!!!!!!

OldPhiKap
03-19-2009, 11:20 PM
I'm not sure why we need a "2009 Version" of this topic. It should be stuck to the top of the front page every season.

Coballs
03-19-2009, 11:59 PM
I'm so confused. I live in Philly and went out to a bar with DirecTV and lots of screens so I could watch Duke (the locally televised game) and the rest of the games. Of course, CBS had a quick trigger and cut away twice in the first half (airing about 6-7 minutes of total game time), and never returned in the second half. I asked the manager if there was an additional DirecTV channel, beside the local CBS broadcast, dedicated to showing the Duke game. He told me that, if there was, it would be blacked out because the game was being televised locally. I don't know if the manager was telling the truth or just didn't want to be bothered (probably the latter). But if he was correct, doesn't that defeat the purpose of acquiring the DirecTV package. Aside from the computer broadcast, how else could I watch the Duke game? I'll probably never figure this out and neither will CBS.

jbond10
03-20-2009, 12:16 AM
I had the same problem (and live in Philly as well). It was extremely irritating to have them "show" the game on the CBS affiliate and then cut out quickly so that it would be blacked out on the package. The only way I could watch it is on the DirecTV MegaMix (all 4 games on one screen), which was not HD and obviously much smaller.

This is however a big upgrade from last year, when they kept the local game blacked out on the MegaMix as well.

mgtr
03-20-2009, 12:26 AM
I agree -- when they were slow on unblocking the HD channel after CBS switched, you could still see all the games (including Duke) on the mix channel. Not the best, but still you could see it and tell what was happening until they unblocked the channel.

Coballs
03-20-2009, 12:38 AM
I agree -- when they were slow on unblocking the HD channel after CBS switched, you could still see all the games (including Duke) on the mix channel. Not the best, but still you could see it and tell what was happening until they unblocked the channel.

Please educate. Does CBS unblocked their channels when the local feed starts switching all over the place?

missfinch
03-20-2009, 01:00 AM
We watched the online feed through a laptop connected to the TV. Was a little choppy here and there but beat the heck out of the cut aways to other games I've had to endure in the past. Turned out to be a lucky thing they weren't showing our game at all here (Phoenix) or I never would have thought of watching the tv through the laptop in time to get it set up when they started cutting away. And yes to whoever asked if the regular CBS HD feed looked out of whack to anyone else.

heyman25
03-20-2009, 02:03 AM
Sean McManus the head of CBS does make odd decisions. I would have cut Billy Packer loose 20 years ago.The 1st round is always a crap shoot if you get to see the whole game.

nyr484
03-20-2009, 02:03 AM
Please educate. Does CBS unblocked their channels when the local feed starts switching all over the place?

Yes, once the local feed starts switching, CBS takes off the blackout and the directv package works perfectly. But, there is a few minute delay. Here in New York, the Duke game was scheduled for the local CBS and therefore blacked out for the directv channel. When the local channel switched to UCLA-VCU during the 1st half, the Duke game stayed blacked out for a few minutes on the directv channel so we had to watch the Duke game on the Mix channel (4 screens in one) until it was unblocked. It was unblocked after a few minutes and then it worked fine. Kind of annoying, but still better than the choice of being stuck with another game or watching online

Rudy
03-20-2009, 08:10 AM
I didn't think the HD feed from CBS was very sharp either--not much better than a non-HD feed.

mgtr
03-20-2009, 08:11 AM
And the larger the screen you have, the better the mix channel works for you, although it is not in HD.

Smitty1911
03-20-2009, 09:01 AM
Yes, once the local feed starts switching, CBS takes off the blackout and the directv package works perfectly. But, there is a few minute delay. Here in New York, the Duke game was scheduled for the local CBS and therefore blacked out for the directv channel. When the local channel switched to UCLA-VCU during the 1st half, the Duke game stayed blacked out for a few minutes on the directv channel so we had to watch the Duke game on the Mix channel (4 screens in one) until it was unblocked. It was unblocked after a few minutes and then it worked fine. Kind of annoying, but still better than the choice of being stuck with another game or watching online

I wish this was the case for me. I kept checking the blacked out channel to no avail (in NoVa). Had to watch it on the $@%$ing non-HD mix channel, which cut out the edges of the picture and was way too small, even on my 46". There were a couple of instances where I celebrated a basket, only to realize that it didn't actually go in. That's a little awkward. Oh well, hopefully that will be the last instance of getting screwed by the blackouts.

BTW, thanks to those informing of the automatic renewal of Mega Mix. Good to know!

dukerev
03-20-2009, 09:24 AM
I'm not a huge fan of CBS Sports, but I have to say that getting any game I want for free online is pretty good. Furthermore, since CBS sent Packer packing, we didn't have to hear him fixated on Binghamton picking up all those early fouls throughout the whole matchup. Lastly, at least CBS doesn't go "FSN" on us and try and show half the game from some weird angle (from a crack in the bleachers, from space, peering around a support post, etc.). They just show the game. If they show the game that they think is most appealing to the most people in an area and then switch to a game that seems more compelling - so be it. Even the mmod.ncaa feed had four different levels of video quality so if you have too much buffering, you can try and adjust. All in all, I think they're doing pretty well by us.

cruxer
03-20-2009, 09:50 AM
They just show the game. If they show the game that they think is most appealing to the most people in an area and then switch to a game that seems more compelling - so be it. Even the mmod.ncaa feed had four different levels of video quality so if you have too much buffering, you can try and adjust. All in all, I think they're doing pretty well by us.

I agree with this statement with the following caveat. When sitting down in the afternoon to watch games, Greenville SC was stuck with a 40-pt unc blowout when the terps were in a close game. If that's the case, why couldn't we get the Duke game at least until it wasn't competitive anymore? I would have no argument if they'd switched about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, but in the middle of the 1st half?

-c

Smitty1911
03-20-2009, 10:05 AM
Lastly, at least CBS doesn't go "FSN" on us and try and show half the game from some weird angle (from a crack in the bleachers, from space, peering around a support post, etc.).

Seriously. It's like they sneak into the arena to shoot video. They must subsidize their income with bootleg DVDs.

cspan37421
03-20-2009, 10:30 AM
I just went to CBS.com to see Duke-Binghamton highlights. You would have thought Binghamton won the game, the highlights were so biased in favor of them. It provided an odd juxtaposition with the score, as they were going in different directions. They seemed to have shown the same Paulus 3 twice, too (they appeared identical, same commentary too - get to hear Kellogg talk about "strategizing" twice, what a treat!). Very lame highlight reel.

captmojo
03-20-2009, 10:37 AM
I'm thinking that CBS has editors, on site in the truck, that really don't have the best knowledge of the game or the game rules. I'm watching a close one last night. A 30sec timeout is called. The announcers converse for 20 seconds, after the TO is called. CBS cuts to a commercial and only gets five seconds of it on the air before having to cut back to the in-bounds play.

Commercials Be Sacred.
Always, take every chance to squeeze in a spot, even when you don't have the understanding that you don't have time for it.
ESPN, or any other multi-channel network can't get the rights away from CBS soon enough.

HaveFunExpectToWin
03-20-2009, 10:41 AM
I wish this was the case for me. I kept checking the blacked out channel to no avail (in NoVa). Had to watch it on the $@%$ing non-HD mix channel, which cut out the edges of the picture and was way too small, even on my 46". There were a couple of instances where I celebrated a basket, only to realize that it didn't actually go in. That's a little awkward. Oh well, hopefully that will be the last instance of getting screwed by the blackouts.

BTW, thanks to those informing of the automatic renewal of Mega Mix. Good to know!

I live in Arlington and there was a delay when CBS switched to the UCLA game, but after a few minutes the Duke game was available on 703 no problem.

bgibbs1001
03-20-2009, 10:44 AM
I live in Marion, NC and the CBS affiliate out of Charlotte carried tghe UCL
A/VCU game even though the station's schedule called for the Duke/Binghamton game.

diesel
03-20-2009, 11:05 AM
I live in Arlington and there was a delay when CBS switched to the UCLA game, but after a few minutes the Duke game was available on 703 no problem.

I live in Arlington Va too and after CBS switched to the UCLA game I went to my PC to get CBS' exxcellent online feed (Silver whatever).

I didn't know about channel 703. What is that? (I have Verizon FIOS service.)

On a related note, I think we could benefit from some collective discussions before the next season on solving the TV problem for Blue Devil games. This year I invested in Extreme HD to get Fox Sports and probably will do so again to get Fox and ESPN in HD. But I also bought the Full Court package to get Raycom games only to be told (correctly) by someone on these threads that I could get the Raycom games on local Channel 6. And I kept wondering why these games were blocked out on the Full Court package!

An old fool and his money are soon parted.

HaveFunExpectToWin
03-20-2009, 12:02 PM
I live in Arlington Va too and after CBS switched to the UCLA game I went to my PC to get CBS' exxcellent online feed (Silver whatever).

I didn't know about channel 703. What is that? (I have Verizon FIOS service.)

On a related note, I think we could benefit from some collective discussions before the next season on solving the TV problem for Blue Devil games. This year I invested in Extreme HD to get Fox Sports and probably will do so again to get Fox and ESPN in HD. But I also bought the Full Court package to get Raycom games only to be told (correctly) by someone on these threads that I could get the Raycom games on local Channel 6. And I kept wondering why these games were blocked out on the Full Court package!

An old fool and his money are soon parted.

Thanks for being a FiOS customer (I work for Verizon), PM me if you ever have any issues.

I was talking about the Mega March Madness package, which is only on DirecTV (much like NFL Sunday Ticket). You get extra channels that have the various CBS feeds, but one of them is generally blacked out and you have to watch your CBS affiliate (WUSA 9 in my case).

Once WUSA switched from the Duke game to the UCLA game, I had to change channels to the Mega March Madness channel. After a few minutes delay, the Duke game was un-blacked out.

Smitty1911
03-20-2009, 12:21 PM
I live in Arlington and there was a delay when CBS switched to the UCLA game, but after a few minutes the Duke game was available on 703 no problem.

Hmm... my timing must've been off as I checked 703 several times. Oh well, guess I'll have to be more vigilant next time. Thanks for the heads-up.

SharkD
03-20-2009, 12:23 PM
I'm thinking that CBS has editors, on site in the truck, that really don't have the best knowledge of the game or the game rules. I'm watching a close one last night. A 30sec timeout is called. The announcers converse for 20 seconds, after the TO is called. CBS cuts to a commercial and only gets five seconds of it on the air before having to cut back to the in-bounds play.

They did that on the last Binghamton TO of last night's game, too, with under a minute to go.


Thanks for being a FiOS customer (I work for Verizon), PM me if you ever have any issues.

Totally OT, but I'd love to be a FIOS customer (TWC/RR is absolutely awful), but Verizon doesn't seem to want to serve the highest concentration of PhDs in the country, and the highest concentration of tech companies this side of the Mississippi (not to mention two large segments of Verizon's three divisions) with fiber. (Interest is high enough in FIOS that it's practically front page news whenever a local Verizon job listing mentions fiber or FIOS.) If you could pass that interest along... it would be great.

Cameron
03-20-2009, 01:26 PM
Anyone have a regional CBS coverage map for the Duke-Texas game tomorrow?

I live in northwest Ohio and am hoping that CBS doesn't show Western Kentucky-Gonzaga...

gumbomoop
03-20-2009, 01:54 PM
Anyone have a regional CBS coverage map for the Duke-Texas game tomorrow?

I live in northwest Ohio and am hoping that CBS doesn't show Western Kentucky-Gonzaga...

According to the TV-time bracket I've just seen, Duke-Texas is lone late game; WKU-Zags are roughly same time as UNC-LSU.

If there were any way whatsoever for local NC affiliates to tell CBS to switch away from Duke when we're winning, I'd bet they'd do it. Duke-hatred is omnipresent and omnipotent in NC. So I'm gonna guess that somewhere in NC, game coverage will end at 10:30, just in time for a local news special report.

Here's link: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ncaa/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009mbkbracketdivision1.pdf

arydolphin
03-20-2009, 02:00 PM
Kansas and North Dakota State are in a close game, and of course, Gus Johnson is doing the game. I want it to stay close so that Gus can go into crazy mode at the end of the game.

feldspar
03-20-2009, 02:03 PM
According to the TV-time bracket I've just seen, Duke-Texas is lone late game; WKU-Zags are roughly same time as UNC-LSU.

If there were any way whatsoever for local NC affiliates to tell CBS to switch away from Duke when we're winning, I'd bet they'd do it. Duke-hatred is omnipresent and omnipotent in NC. So I'm gonna guess that somewhere in NC, game coverage will end at 10:30, just in time for a local news special report.

Here's link: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ncaa/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009mbkbracketdivision1.pdf

The times on that bracket are local, not eastern time.

That means Gonzaga/WKU tips off 5 minutes before the Duke game. (5:10 Pacific Time = 8:10 Eastern Time)

So there is a possibility of not getting the Duke game in its entirety.

gumbomoop
03-20-2009, 02:11 PM
The times on that bracket are local, not eastern time.

That means Gonzaga/WKU tips off 5 minutes before the Duke game. (5:10 Pacific Time = 8:10 Eastern Time)

So there is a possibility of not getting the Duke game in its entirety.

Thank you for this correction. True enough, that TV-bracket page clearly states, "All times local." My fault.

So my special apologies to Cameron for getting up false hopes. Given my paranoia re Duke-hatred, I'm also convinced various local affiliates in NC will happily allow or encourage CBS to switch to a "close" WKU-Zags game if Duke gets up by 5 at any point.

Cameron
03-20-2009, 02:14 PM
Thanks for the help, though.

I will have to continue suffering, as I can't find a regional map anywhere.

Why doesn't CBS have this? What a joke.

camion
03-20-2009, 02:16 PM
Here in Greenville, SC they switched from Duke-Binghamton to UCLA-VCU so I watched 80% of the game on my computer.

Boo to CBS and Charter for tv coverage.

Hooray for http://mmod.ncaa.com for the online feed of all the games.

HaveFunExpectToWin
03-20-2009, 03:47 PM
Thanks for the help, though.

I will have to continue suffering, as I can't find a regional map anywhere.

Why doesn't CBS have this? What a joke.

Who's your CBS affiliate? WTOL in Toledo? (that's what came up in a google search for NW Ohio CBS). They have Duke/TX on their schedule for tomorrow.

Tjenkins
03-20-2009, 04:12 PM
I'm glad I got to see most of the Duke game, but I wish anyone but that sleeping pill Nantz wasn't working that region.

Maxwell1977
03-20-2009, 04:34 PM
I'm glad I got to see most of the Duke game, but I wish anyone but that sleeping pill Nantz wasn't working that region.

A tradition like no other.:p

grossbus
03-20-2009, 05:20 PM
i saw 7 min of the first half.

today, we are getting dayton/wvu. can see a tight etsu/pitt game on the scoreboard, but we don't see any of it until there is less than a minute and the lead is 8. then they keep flipping back and forth when it is clear pitt has it. whoever is making the decisions there must not understand basketball.

gumbomoop
03-20-2009, 07:59 PM
Today, we are getting dayton/wvu. can see a tight etsu/pitt game on the scoreboard, but we don't see any of it until there is less than a minute and the lead is 8. then they keep flipping back and forth when it is clear pitt has it. whoever is making the decisions there must not understand basketball.

Bingo. There's a certain "logic" in showing Dayton-WVU in mid-South, and it was a good game. But at least for Duke-UNC fans, their teams cannot possibly meet Dayton/WVU until NC, and even then unlikely [We're more likely to play, oh, say, Siena or Missouri.....] Of course the uninformed media deciders have not a clue that both Duke-UNC fans, for logical, self-interested reasons, are quite interested in Pitt's progress; and on its own merits a "16 beats 1!" story line interests absolutely everyone. That many of us got not one whiff of the Pitt/ETSU action further cements the "CBS sucks" point. They're certainly ignorant, possibly stupid.

DukieInKansas
03-20-2009, 11:21 PM
I stayed at work to watch the game online last night because it wasn't scheduled to be on here. Tonight I discovered that CBS is showing two different games on their HD channels here. Being in Big 12 country and given that OU starts before 5pm, I may get the whole Duke game on TV. :D

cl15876
03-20-2009, 11:44 PM
I stayed at work to watch the game online last night because it wasn't scheduled to be on here. Tonight I discovered that CBS is showing two different games on their HD channels here. Being in Big 12 country and given that OU starts before 5pm, I may get the whole Duke game on TV. :D

I am confused? Today is 3/20/09, Duke doesn't play Texas until tomorrow night at either 5:45pm or 8:15pm. Are you watching a replay of last night or projecting into the future for tomorrow?

FireOgilvie
03-21-2009, 12:04 AM
WOW! I just saw maybe the worst decision ever to switch from one game to another. As time was expiring in the FSU/Wisconsin game, Wisco had the ball with 17 seconds to go... TIE game. CBS actually cut back to Siena/OSU while the FINAL SHOT WAS IN THE AIR!!! The shot that could have won the game for Wisconsin! Are you kidding me!!? OSU/Siena was in OT, but there was 30 seconds left in the game. Simply stunning.

SharkD
03-21-2009, 12:14 AM
Literally 7 seconds left in the FSU Wisconsin game, and we're watching the officials of the Ohio State, Sienna game watch a TV monitor for 3 minutes with just under 2 minutes to go in that game's 2 OT!???!?

SharkD
03-21-2009, 12:17 AM
2.0 seconds to go in the FSU-Wisc game, and CBS cuts back to the Siena-OSU game!?

FireOgilvie
03-21-2009, 12:21 AM
2.0 seconds to go in the FSU-Wisc game, and CBS cuts back to the Siena-OSU game!?

At least they showed all of the action (for me at least). They cut away while a game-winning last second shot was in mid-air for me earlier (Wisco/FSU at the end of regulation).

DukieInKansas
03-21-2009, 12:23 AM
I am confused? Today is 3/20/09, Duke doesn't play Texas until tomorrow night at either 5:45pm or 8:15pm. Are you watching a replay of last night or projecting into the future for tomorrow?

Sorry for the confusion. No Duke game tonight. I was watching OSU vs Siena on a CBS HD channel and then discovered there was another CBS HD channel that had a different game. It is looking better and better that I can watch Duke on my TV tomorrow. (Plus I had a 3rd game going on my computer.)

GoingFor#5
03-21-2009, 12:33 AM
They did a good job with those 2 games from where I was watching, but isn't a screen-in-screen an option?

FireOgilvie
03-21-2009, 12:35 AM
They did a good job with those 2 games from where I was watching, but isn't a screen-in-screen an option?

With smart and logical thinking like that, you have no future at CBS.



You're totally right... You would think that they could just split the screen in half when two games are down to the wire like that.

captmojo
03-21-2009, 12:36 AM
Isn't broadcast delay an option?

KandG
03-21-2009, 01:07 AM
WOW! I just saw maybe the worst decision ever to switch from one game to another. As time was expiring in the FSU/Wisconsin game, Wisco had the ball with 17 seconds to go... TIE game. CBS actually cut back to Siena/OSU while the FINAL SHOT WAS IN THE AIR!!! The shot that could have won the game for Wisconsin! Are you kidding me!!? OSU/Siena was in OT, but there was 30 seconds left in the game. Simply stunning.


Agree that was horrible...CBS was so lucky that the shot didn't go. If Wisconsin had beat the buzzer in regulation just as CBS switched away, they would have been roasted as the network that couldn't shoot straight.

I have to say that with the games free on the internet and the improved capacity and quality of the online feed, this is the happiest I've been with the overall coverage. If I don't like the game dictated by my local affiliate, I just tune in online to another game, and keep the HDTV on mute (my channel switched away from the Duke game early, so I just brought it up online, as an example). During both overtime games on Friday, I was actually going dizzy watching both games because of the tension in both of them.

The catch, of course, is managing the delay in the online feed -- I trained myself not to look at the scores in the upper left of the screen on TV if I was trying to watch the game online...and if the local affiliate switched over to the game I was most interested in, I would mute my computer. Crazy balancing act, but pure nirvana for a basketball junkie.

brevity
03-21-2009, 03:21 AM
Surely with all the technology available, CBS could create two channels for each game that's broadcast: one that's a dedicated feed and shows only that game (even if various signs of the apocalypse are being reported in other locations), and one that will switch to show the ends of other games that are still hotly contested.

It's just weird to be in a location that shows all four games on separate screens, but then has all four screens switch to one game. I know why that happens, but it would be nice to have the option of a channel that doesn't switch over.

Unrelated CBS complaint: The Boise, ID announcing team (Bolerjack/Wenzel?) sounded a bit racist in the FSU/Wisconsin game when Solomon Alabi failed to get a timely shot off on an inbounds pass with a second left on the shot clock. Instead of saying, "Oh, that's a freshman mistake" or "The players should know that there's no time to dribble the ball" one of the announcers said something about how Alabi was still new to basketball, coming from Nigeria, and probably hadn't figured out the intricacies of keeping time. I'm paraphrasing, but his actual statement was similarly alarming.

GoingFor#5
03-21-2009, 09:13 AM
Surely with all the technology available, CBS could create two channels for each game that's broadcast: one that's a dedicated feed and shows only that game (even if various signs of the apocalypse are being reported in other locations), and one that will switch to show the ends of other games that are still hotly contested.

It's just weird to be in a location that shows all four games on separate screens, but then has all four screens switch to one game. I know why that happens, but it would be nice to have the option of a channel that doesn't switch over.

Unrelated CBS complaint: The Boise, ID announcing team (Bolerjack/Wenzel?) sounded a bit racist in the FSU/Wisconsin game when Solomon Alabi failed to get a timely shot off on an inbounds pass with a second left on the shot clock. Instead of saying, "Oh, that's a freshman mistake" or "The players should know that there's no time to dribble the ball" one of the announcers said something about how Alabi was still new to basketball, coming from Nigeria, and probably hadn't figured out the intricacies of keeping time. I'm paraphrasing, but his actual statement was similarly alarming.

Nah, that's nothing. The same would be said of anyone from any country new to basketball. I think he only started playing basketball in high school.

grossbus
03-22-2009, 09:28 AM
amazing to me that they can time the game starts so cleverly that they have more than one game ending at the same time, giving us the opportunity to go nuts as they flip between end games.

ArkieDukie
03-22-2009, 10:28 AM
I bought the DirecTV Mega March Madness package and I'm pumped! If anyone else has DirecTV and has been driven crazy by CBS coverage in years past, check this out: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=1100039

Worth every penny if you ask me.

I did that once. Games are still subject to local blackout. Translation: if your local station says they're carrying the Duke game, you're hosed. If the local station decides to cut away 10 min into the game and go to another game, it's still blacked out.

GoingFor#5
03-22-2009, 12:53 PM
amazing to me that they can time the game starts so cleverly that they have more than one game ending at the same time, giving us the opportunity to go nuts as they flip between end games.

Get ready for more chaos today...2:20, 2:30, 2:40, 2:50....nice planning there lol.

Grey Devil
03-22-2009, 03:01 PM
....CBS wasn't so bad this year (because I've been able to watch most games uninterrupted via the internet or DirecTV's Mega March Madness) when this happens:

I live in California. Our local channel got the Duke/Texas game last evening, so I couldn't watch it via DirecTV's MMOD offerning. Didn't have it on the internet because I preferred watching it on the big screen. And honestly, I thought the coverage was pretty good....until the end of the game. Then they did that quick switch, without any clue they were going to do it, to the Gonzaga/WKU game. Fortunately, the timing of the play action in the two games didn't hurt what I was watching on the Duke game (even though it was pretty abrupt) until...UNTIL!.....until THE PLAY by Scheyer. Just as he was going out of bounds and the ball was coming out from behind his back the screen went blank!! For six full seconds the screen was black and all I heard was the audio (which was way less than descriptive about the action).

:confused: :confused:

When the video came back all I saw was the Duke bench cheering. Of course the announcers didn't feel it necessary to repeat what happened and it was a full 40+ seconds later (seemed like an eternity!) before CBS got around to showing a replay. I think my heart held still for the full 40 seconds, even though the whole time I was chanting "CBS Sucks! CBS Sucks! CBS Sucks"

Funny how you can go from feeling fine to pure hatred in the span of six seconds....

blu62
03-22-2009, 05:01 PM
OK, it was great to be able to watch the entire Duke Binghamton game on the Internet (while having the Oklahoma game on mute on TV.) However, it was very annoying to watch the FSU game and have the cut to a different game at a most critical time. A similar thing happened in the Duke/Texas game. I have Verizon in MD.

Another nit. Why do they use that annoying camera angle for free throws? You see the ball go up, but not in. Of course you can figure it out from what happens next, but still annoying.

Is anyone else annoyed by Clark Kellogg?

Was it two years ago that Hansbrough was decked by Gerald Henderson? We had to see footage of it during the UNC/LSU game. Seemed unnecessary.

Faison1
03-22-2009, 08:22 PM
CBS SUUUUUUUXXXXXXXXX!!!!!!!! Just thought I would get that off my chest. Thanks for the forum.

captmojo
03-23-2009, 09:16 PM
Man, I hate to sound as continued harping on CBS but I heard the vice-president of CBS programming on Christopher Russo's radio show today. The Louisville/Sienna game was interrupted in both local Louisville/Albany markets for a switch to Mizzou/Marquette right when Sienna had their late last lead. Both markets lost feed to the game of interest during the Cards comeback. Fans, in both places, flooded the telephone lines to their respective affiliates. It was said the Louisville station put a graphic crawl across the bottom of the screen in apology, listing the phone number for CBS in New York and a web address.

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/wilkin/2009/mar/23/college-basketball-stiffs-cbs/

The exec pretty much summed it up as "These things happen."


Also there was an interview with Coach K and one with Seth Davis, on today's show which were very good.

http://www.sirius.com/maddogradio

roywhite
03-26-2009, 07:49 PM
Hmm...a little surprised to be getting UCon/Purdue in this market (Greensboro/W-S). I would have guessed Pitt/Xavier would be the choice. Oh, well.

What game are others getting?

captmojo
03-26-2009, 07:53 PM
CBS College Sports network has Cal-Poly Pomona on. :)