CBS/Strikeforce Broadcast Quality Unacceptable

by AnnieAgee on Nov 8, 2009 9:16 AM EST Comment 62 comments

I'll leave it to others to debate the quality of the fights themselves (though I thought the two that went to decision were dreadful), but I felt it had to be said that last night's Strikeforce broadcast had so many awful, maddening, amateurish problems that the entire experience was marrred. I thought the commentary was as poor as it ever was with EliteXC (even without Bill Goldberg), but my main problems are two:

1. The camera work was atrocious and the producer did nothing to make things better. There were far too many times I found myself staring at the referee's ass. Of course, this happens in other organization's broadcasts as well, but usually because the referee walks into the shot. In CBS's case, the producer actually switched cameras to a shot that was already blocked by the referee. And because none of the other camera angles provided a significantly better view, they just stuck with the obstructed view or went to a very narrow shot, through the fence, that was extremely hard to follow.

2. The pacing at the end of the show was totally unacceptable. From the time that the Shields-Miller decision announcement ended and the time that the introductions for Fedor and Rogers began was 13 minutes. Worse, 12 minutes and 30 seconds of that time was commercials, with CBS breaking in twice, briefly, to show a shot of Fedor backstage and reminding us that the main event was coming up. As I sat waiting for the main event, which did not begin until after the scheduled end time of the event, I got angrier and angrier as commercial after commercial came on instead of going back to the action.

In the end, I'll put up with most anything to get a chance to watch Fedor and getting to watch for free was a nice bonus. But is it too much to ask that a nationally televised card, produced by a network with decades of experience with live sporting events, promoted by a company with a dozen major events under its belt, headlined by the greatest fighter of all time, at least have production values that don't make me angry?

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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They are the epitome of unprofessional….agree with everything you said, except I didn’t find Werdum-Silva dreadful, I actually liked that fight, maybe cause Werdum won and that made me see it different…otherwise, well written

by Reaser16 on Nov 8, 2009 9:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with you on Werdum-Silva.

The first round was VERY entertaining, and while the second & third rounds were slower paced, they weren’t terrible. Asking for anything more than one really good round in a HW fight is a fools game. Very few HW fights even deliver that much. Great HW fights like Couture-Nog are an outlier.

by Steve4192 on Nov 8, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I enjoyed the fights and didn’t think the pacing was that bad but I agree 100% on the production values of the show, they were lousy. The camera work was just plain bad, the sound was messed up all through the event and the announcers did a lousy job. Strikeforce put together a really good show and CBS screwed it up on their end.

by who me on Nov 8, 2009 9:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Strikeforce put together a really good show and CBS screwed it up on their end.

Agreed.

Strikeforce (& EliteXC before them) never have these problems on Showtime. If anything, their Showtime broadcasts run too smooth and end up with a ton of dead space at the end of the time slot. The CBS production team sucks.

by Steve4192 on Nov 8, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was a pretty sloppy production – but honestly, I can’t point my finger at exactly what the problems were. I’m not knocking the fights or the fighters, but the whole package just seems second-rate compared to the UFC. MMA needs some sense of bombast to work on TV and Strikeforce doesn’t bring any sizzle.

A lot of people knock the UFC for doing pretty much the same exact stuff every show – but they generally run like a Swiss watch. Even the WEC shows that run over their time limits are very tight.

I did like the Werdum/Silva fight, but I literally fell asleep during the Mayhem/Shields match.

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by MMAEruption on Nov 8, 2009 9:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I thought the fights were great… not much meaning to them but very good nonetheless. The problem is people in mmaland were “valuing” this card way more than warranted:

Imagine for a second if Zuffa put the following line up on network tv:

Anderson silva vs Chael Sonnen
Damian Maia vs Patrick Cote
Thiago Silva vs Vladimir Matyushenko
Junior Dos Santos versus Roy Nelson

People would go ape shit at how stupid that card would be… well guess what: everyone of those fighters are ranked just as good or better in the BE rankings than the fighters and matchups used in the Strikeforce card…. and the google trend data combined is even better than the strikeforce card.

Lets compare fighter for fighter:

More people in general equate anderson as being the best fighter in the world than Fedor (due to Zufa’s marketing). Chael is ranked #7 in his division while Brett is ranked #8.

Maia is ranked #5 while Jake Shields is ranked #12. Cote is #16 and Mayhem is #24.

Thiago silva is ranked #7 and Gegard is #8. Matyushenko is #20 and Soko is #22.

Dos Santos is #6 and Werdum is #13. Roy Nelson is at #21 and bigfoot silva is at #22.

If Zuffa put that card on Network TV it would be shit on from blog to blog… but since it was non-zuffa everyone in this soap opera overvalued it like it was some kind of second coming when in actuality it was akin to having the “CFL” on CBS.

by mmalogic on Nov 8, 2009 10:27 AM EST reply actions 13 recs

People pretend that they are all about “competition” because it’s “good for the sport”, but then get wet over Strikeforce and Dream joining forces. People laud the Pride yellow/red card system of taking money away from fighters in the middle of a fight, yet complain that the UFC giving bonuses for having an exciting fight/submission/knockout is corrupting the sport. Machida and Cane own Sokoudjou when Sokoudjou is at the zenith of his accomplishments and the win breaks them into the bottom of the top 10 LHWs. Mousassi beats a totally exposed Sokoudjou and is now going to be ranked by some in the top 5 in the LHW division.

I thought it was a great card, but it is hard to fully enjoy when the announcers and pundits are constantly overselling it.

by Jahbulon on Nov 8, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 6 recs

The UFC basically did put on that card...

in Chicago and it was much more poorly received both live and by fans on tv.

I mean, yeah…it’s different to be on free TV vs. PPV. But Let’s not pretend that card didn’t happen in the same market and get a much worse response.

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by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 8, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The difference is people weren’t talking beforehand like that UFC card was completely awesome, like they were the SF card.

by ufc4 on Nov 8, 2009 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs

that’s because anything that isn’t the UFC is the greatest of all-time…like every Affliction card (including the 2 that didn’t happen), they were the best cards in the history of mma top to bottom, last night was the best card this year…if it’s not the UFC it’s the best ever…

by Reaser16 on Nov 8, 2009 11:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is true but would this UFC chicago card have been called “monumental” or “the best” or “the most historic card” in MMA history if it aired on network TV? or Debuted the UFC on Network TV? it would have been shit on from one corner of the blogosphere to the next.

sometimes Zuffa tests certain parameters to see what kind of draw a fighter is/becomes with certain build up/promotional strategies.

You try to do this with only announcing certain fights and track ticket sales but fight camps cant help but leak fights and everything gets fucked up and the data isnt as reliable so you get one or 2 ppv’s like this every year… (at least one is by design and the other is by necessity). A debut on Network TV is a different animal.

by mmalogic on Nov 8, 2009 11:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Was the best fighter of the past decade debuting on network television?

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http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Nov 8, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The point is, people calling the card “historic” or “monumental” (and I’m not one of them) aren’t really speaking about the fights themselves.

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Nov 8, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d be happy with that card.

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http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Nov 8, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

When can I expect to see this card for free on network tv?

by nottheface on Nov 8, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

Strikeforce broadcast 4 top 10 fighters and 6 top 25. UFC 102 had 5 top 10 and 3 Top 25 , 103 had 4 top 10 and 4 top 25, and 104 had 2 top 10 and 4 top 25 (all rankings at the time of the fight). Each UFC also had five fights on their main cards compared to 4 for Strikeforce. In addition only Strikeforce and UFC 104 had the no. 1 fighter in their weight-class on the card.

by nottheface on Nov 8, 2009 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Excellent point.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Nov 9, 2009 12:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Watching Fedor fight > watching Anderson Silva fight

I love AS. He’s my favorite fighter and has been since he beat Leban. However, there is just something special about Fedor fights. He could have fought in someone’s garage and had it filmed on a camcorder and I would still stay home on a saturday night to watch it

by HighNoon on Nov 8, 2009 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd actually enjoy...

…some of those fights.

by Vlad on Nov 8, 2009 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

not the point

we enjoyed the SF fights, too.

If you can't laugh at yourself... Who can you laugh at?
The Packers, that’s who.
-- The almighty Manimal

by TheViking83 on Nov 9, 2009 12:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m pretty sure the reason for the gigantic commercial break after the MW title fight was because CBS oversold their ad space.

They obviously didn’t plan for the title fight going all five rounds and figured they might get a few more full commercial breaks rather than the short breaks you get between rounds. Then, with a backlog of paid commercials still waiting to be shown, they just ran ’em all in one gigantic block right before the main event.

by Steve4192 on Nov 8, 2009 11:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Then they aren’t MMA smart. I feel like most people saw this going all 5 since Mayhem is almost impossible to finish and it was hard to imagine he could have won. Shields by decision was the easiest call of the night

by HighNoon on Nov 8, 2009 4:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

His purple face while getting choked disagrees

'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko

by Well Read Idiot on Nov 9, 2009 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But not as much as the belt around his waist agrees ;)

Seriously, that RNC would have finished the fight with 5-10 more seconds, but that was really one of the only blips on the ground control radar.

by Tedd Welch on Nov 9, 2009 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In my mind, the two biggest fuck ups were:

1. Putting it on tape delay on the west coast. Maybe the viewer/ratings math works out, but I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who watched it live on my computer instead of 3 hours after on CBS.

2. Not fitting the Coenen-Modafferi fight, which took a little over a minute, on CBS. Why treat woman’s MMA like a stepchild when it’s proven its worth and is the major area of differentiation with your chief rival?

by Jahbulon on Nov 8, 2009 11:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

CBS/Strikeforce Broadcast Quality Unacceptable

You hear that, CBS/Strikeforce? Annie Aggie is not impressed.

Bottom line, it was a good free show, thats all that matters.

Mauricio Shogun Rua #1 LHW in the World. The TRUE Champion.

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Nov 8, 2009 11:57 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

I don’t know for you, but watching TUF is way way more painful to me, I even stopped watching it live cause I can’t stand how many commercials you guys have in the US.
Yesterday was okay, probably because it was 5AM/6AM for me and I tend to be more patient when I4m half asleep :).

10/24

by spectaa on Nov 8, 2009 12:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

While I agree with you to an extent they are trying to bring in the casual viewer and therefore this type of stuff DOES matter.

by ufc4 on Nov 8, 2009 2:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can we please have a Strikeforce event without comparing it to UFC?

Fuck!

Mauricio Shogun Rua #1 LHW in the World. The TRUE Champion.

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Nov 8, 2009 11:58 AM EST reply actions 7 recs

It really isn’t an apt comparison. The two organizations are, and should be, held to different standards.

Ranking MMA

by JRN on Nov 8, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sure

And while we’re at it, let’s quit comparing Burger King to McDonald’s, Ford to Chevy, and Coors to Budweiser. I mean why would we compare two things that are competing? That’s ridiculous.

by ufc4 on Nov 8, 2009 2:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Because its more like comparing Peyton Manning to Mark Sanchez. Sure they are competing, but its just not a fair comparison. Strikeforce JUST stepped up from being a regional promotion to become a major player. Really this was their first step toward becoming a big promotion. They still haven’t even had a PPV yet.

The UFC is a polished machine with the experience and fighter stable to make it look easy. The truth is that its not, and it takes a long time to make a great promotion. Strikeforce has lots of potential

by HighNoon on Nov 8, 2009 4:26 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

Strikeforce was just on network tv, that is a huge step and puts them squarely in direct competition with the UFC. If you don’t want to be compared to the top tier companies then you probably shouldn’t put yourself in the position of direct competition with them. Fair has nothing to do with anything in the entertainment business, if your going to step out on the big stage you better look like you belong there.

What is sad about this topic is that these are all CBS issues not Strikeforce issues, we should expect top notch production values out of the top network station.

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 8:54 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

these are all CBS issues not Strikeforce issues

Including the direct competition with the UFC. Strikeforce really needed to build themselves more before being pushed into this, but CBS/Showtime really wants to beat Zuffa and doesn’t care about what happens to Strikeforce.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Nov 9, 2009 10:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was a FREE SHOW on network TV with Fedor!

Geez, there’s not pleasing some people. Sure, they ran too many ads before the main event. But this show was free BECAUSE they sold those ads. They couldn’t get them in earlier, so they got put in before the main event.

I got to see Fedor fight for free in HD on a major US network. I’ll take it.

"I would approve signing a pitcher that ate kitten tacos if he won 20 games a year." -BPinOK

by duck on Nov 8, 2009 12:06 PM EST reply actions 9 recs

1. New to the internet? If you hadn’t noticed internet MMA fans pick every single major MMA event apart in detail. Talking about the shows is what we do. If a free Zuffa show had these kinds of issues then they would get picked apart too, hell they get picked apart anyway.

2. Free is no excuse for a major network having second rate production values on a show. These weren’t Strikeforce issues they were CBS issues. If CBS had these kinds of production issues with a random NFL game then people (and the NFL) would absolutely come unglued. CBS provides “free” entertainment to it’s viewers every single day, hell providing free tv entertainment is the business they are in.

3. Second rate production values make the entire card, and by extension to casual viewers the entire sport, look second rate. It’s Strikeforce that should be pissed about these issues because they delivered on their end and I would be willing to bet that CBS is charging them for production(they charged EliteXC).

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 9:14 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

New to MMA internet :)

Man, I was usin’ AOL 2.0 with my 9600 baud modem while y’all were still playing original Playstation!

Did that sound “Get off my lawn!” enough? :)

I do agree with points 1 & 3. However, I’ve seen NFL games with a shit-ton of commercials crammed in the 4th quarter. It’s called the Super Bowl.

"I would approve signing a pitcher that ate kitten tacos if he won 20 games a year." -BPinOK

by duck on Nov 9, 2009 6:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m old and grouchy, hell I remember pre-personal computer and and my first gaming console was a extremely expensive machine known for the ability to play more than one kind of pong.

The most expensive commercials for a Super Bowl are the ones in the first quarter because there is no guarantee that anyone will still be watching by the fourth.

by who me on Nov 11, 2009 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

here s what they did bad

they had poor promos before the fights.
they did not have post fight interviews for the undercard
and for the mainevent the fighter did not have in entrance
just two guys in the rings
and olus the commercials where way over blown
the elite xc last show they had beeter production then this. bottomline cbs production of this was second rate

by SHOWMAN 56 on Nov 8, 2009 1:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You lost me when you said Silva/Werdum was a bad fight

You just don’t enjoy MMA then.

Also, their production value destroyed Elite XCs. I thought they actually did a good job for their first attempt at making a show that had to include commercials

by HighNoon on Nov 8, 2009 1:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But it wasn’t their first attempt. This was produced by the same people that did all the Elite cards

by Phildo on Nov 8, 2009 1:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And it was a hell of a lot better than those.

So clearly they are headed in the right direction.

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 8, 2009 3:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Camera work was a little bad

ok i agree with you on the camera work that could of been better . I really enjoyed Shields Mayhem i dont know what you were watching yeah it slowed in the last 2 rds but it was still a good fight. The time between Shields Mayhem and Fedor Rogers was a little to long but eh ill cut them some slack
This was a good show better then anything Elite XC put on i want more

Twitter @mikemazzacare

by MaZZacare on Nov 8, 2009 1:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

though I thought the two that went to decision were dreadful

broadcast had so many awful, maddening, amateurish problems that the entire experience was marrred

The camera work was atrocious

The pacing at the end of the show was totally unacceptable

As I sat waiting for the main event, which did not begin until after the scheduled end time of the event, I got angrier and angrier as commercial after commercial came on instead of going back to the action.

at least have production values that don’t make me angry?

So, don’t watch the next FREE card and save yourself the near death experience you must have suffered, you poor thing. I weep for what you must have endured.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-drama-queen.htm

Conflicts and disappointments are natural side effects of the human experience, but for a certain personality type known as a “drama queen,” life’s little setbacks can trigger explosive emotional outbursts and other irrational behaviors. The term “drama queen,” or less frequently, “drama king” is usually applied to someone with a demanding or overbearing personality who tends to overreact to seemingly minor incidents. A drama queen often views the world in absolutes, and only has two settings on her emotional control button; zero and ten. Psychologists might describe a drama queen or king as a neurotic personality with histrionic tendencies, meaning they tend to become needlessly dramatic whenever order is disrupted.

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 8, 2009 3:24 PM EST reply actions 12 recs

Fucking Rec'd

Mauricio Shogun Rua #1 LHW in the World. The TRUE Champion.

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Nov 8, 2009 3:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So if I don’t care for the camera work or announcers that say stupid things then I can’t watch the fights? Man that’s harsh ;D

What I find most hilarious is that apparently a lot of people don’t realize that we are all “drama queens” when it comes to MMA. There have been multiple discussions in the internet MMA community on numerous sites as to whether Roy Nelson is too fat and the Shogun vs Machida decision literally generated a week+ of intense and heated discussion. If your on sites giving your opinion on MMA issues then you might as well slip on the glass slipper and head for the ball.

Heck is there any more of a drama queen move than posting in detail about how someone else is a drama queen? Well maybe rec’ing that post :p Welcome to the dance Cinderella.

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 9:31 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs

Someone shit in your cheerios?

Maybe complaining about someone complaining about someone complaining is even worse.

Also, if you notice, I made some words bold. That may help you get the point.

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 9, 2009 10:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn’t complaining about complaining about complaining I was making fun of complaining about complaining because that is funny. Hell now it is even fuunier due to you getting overly serious and offended. Shame i am on my cellphone because this would be the perfect time for a “The internet is serious business” picture :D

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 11:15 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Cry more.
Butthurt much?
Interweb noob.

Any other trollisms you missed?

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 9, 2009 11:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You should know better than that. If I was trolling I would be doing more than just pointing and laughing. Hell I have been discussing the subject fairly seriously and straightforward throughout the comments section it’s just that your post made me laugh…..a lot

If you like I guess we could engage in a dead serious discussion of whether internet MMA fans are overly dramatic and take themselves and their personal opinions way too serious but then that would suck the fun out of the pointing and laughing part of things.

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 12:30 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you for taking the time to come and repeatedly post about how people shouldn’t be posting things. You’re opinions are valid and unimpeachable. You win, sir.

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 9, 2009 12:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But trying to tell people what they can and can’t post is what made your post so damn funny, I was laughing at you trying to do that (well that and the over exuberant rec to your post like you were really laying down some wisdom)……..hey wait you’re not trying to troll me are you?

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 12:58 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you for your comments. They have been duly noted and will be forwarded to the proper department.

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 9, 2009 1:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously I have offended you somehow and I apologise.

by who me on Nov 9, 2009 1:52 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

the announce team last night sucked big time in comparison to friday nights Challengers Series. i made the observation that the trio of al bernstein, pat militech and stephen quadros did a great job and i didn’t hardly notice them but for a few times, which tells me they are doing a great job. i think al has made a great transiton from boxing to mma and pat makes alot of great points without going overboard and they call all the fights very fairly. yep they’re, even better than goldie/rogan, who need to add randy back desperately.

THE STRIKEFORCE SHOW WAS FREE, SO NO ONE SHOULD COMPLAIN-BLAH,BLAH,BLAH! so what! the UFC along with the WEC gives us more free QUALITY shows that anyone else, and they come under constant scrutiny, from the announce team to the production value, so why shoundn’t Strikeforce? everyone knows that they, the UFC do this to help sell their ppvs and to keep the fans intrest up, not just out of their goodness of their hearts. again, so what? niether did Strikeforce last night. they have an agenda as well, time will show that. :)

by bdw on Nov 8, 2009 8:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

This really is a CBS problem, not a Strikeforce problem. Strikeforce’s Showtime cards run like a well oiled machine, but every time CBS does a show (whether it be EliteXC or Strikeforce) they have all kinds of problems. IMO, a big part of the problem is that CBS has got MMA housed on the ‘CBS Entertainment’ side of their house rather than the ‘CBS Sports’ side of the business. A sports production crew would be much more familiar with the challenges of producing a live sporting event. The entertainment guys just aren’t used to working without a net.

I don’t understand why CBS feels the need to reinvent the wheel. There is already a highly experienced MMA production crew under the CBS/Showtime umbrella. Why not just use the Showtime production crew rather than trying to work out the kinks with a completely different crew.

Is it any wonder the UFC didn’t want to hand the production reigns over to the network?

by Steve4192 on Nov 9, 2009 8:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thank God for DVR

I was able to skip all of the commercials, but there sure was a bunch of them.

by Patrick79x on Nov 9, 2009 8:51 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Main event in overtime...

…was probably a counter against the UFC’s counterprogramming. Their “UFC Main Events” ended at 11. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stalled on purpose.

by INGO B on Nov 9, 2009 11:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I doubt it

I think it’s more likely, as someone else suggested in another thread, that they over-sold their ads and had to fit them in somehow. Poor planning, I guess.

"Why am I here? Why does my mind have wings? Why do blue midgets hit me with fish?!" - The Tick

by mythbuster on Nov 9, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

haha

I’m picturing some doofus CBS ad exec who knows nothing about MMA or boxing having this conversation:

Dumb guy: “We’ll be able to squeeze about 2 to 3 minutes of commercials inbetween each round.”

Smart guy: “Ummm, the event is going to be live, and they only get a minute between rounds. How are we going to do that??”

Dumb guy: “Oh shit…”

If you can't laugh at yourself... Who can you laugh at?
The Packers, that’s who.
-- The almighty Manimal

by TheViking83 on Nov 9, 2009 12:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn’t stand the crappy music they had running in the background and the graphics were dated. It reminded me of watching an old NFL game on ESPN classic. I won’t complain to much because it was free fights, I liked all of the fights, and Fedor was the main draw. While the production was terrible I’ll overlook it because it was free. I wouldn’t pay for that.

"I will do nothing lightly. When I walk, I will walk heavily. When I fight, I will fight with conviction. When I speak, I will speak strongly. When I love, I will love with everything"

by dedstrk316 on Nov 9, 2009 8:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I couldn’t stand the commentators. Gus Johnson with his makeup and lipstick was annoying to look at and listen to. These guys sounded like pitchmen for Fedor and sounded like they knew very little about the sport of MMA. Joe Rogan can be irritating at times but at least he knows the sport, the terminology, and the fighters’ backgrounds.

What’s up with the cheerleaders lined up down the aisle like it’s the XFL or WWE? Don’t get me wrong, I like the girls but the excessive fireworks and all that seemed to take away from the seriousness of the event. It was weird cause I had a younger sister that walked in while we were watching the Shields/Miller fight and she thought we were watching WWE because of Miller’s intro. Anyone else feel that all that was a little excessive for MMA?

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by brohamm1978 on Nov 9, 2009 11:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs