Because our 3-year-old son threw out the remote control at some point over the holiday weekend, I watched Michigan-Alabama on the all-22 broadcast that I could access via my Amazon Fire TV Stick with a separate remote. I’ve watched all-22 before, obviously, but only as a replay during the week, after I have a fairly good idea of what has already happened. I’ve also been lucky enough to see many games in person, perched high enough on the 50-yard line with similar views.
However, it struck me this time just how much the NFL doctors up a broadcast to play up the drama. When watching all-22 live, we know a receiver is open from the second the ball is snapped. We know, pretty definitively, whether the quarterback is holding the ball for too long or the receivers can’t get open.
The game is cut and dry and, in its own way, the game is quite beautiful. It’s football. Not whatever the NFL has become; part reality show, part footsie between the announcers and the coaches who give them the best access and information during the week influencing the commentary, wholly absurd experience.
