Posted 4/23/2009, 12:47AM, by Matt Veto
By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com
We’ve had this conversation before, but it begs resurrecting. We’re all very angry the Cubs are not on T.V.
And they won’t be on T.V. again April 30. But the reasons for the absence of Cubbie blue will be different.
On April 30, WCIU will have the game. That’s a Chicago-only network that is guaranteed rights to a certain number of games each season. Wednesday night, though, caused a stir.
Comcast SportsNetPlus is an auxillary Comcast station that it typically uses when it’s overbooked. The Chicago Blackhawks scored an agreement to have all of its games on television this season. The Hawks played Calgary last night in the playoffs during the Cubs-Reds game.
Typically the Cubs get shoved onto Medicacom Channel 22, or Channel 78. That no longer seems to be the case this season, and I haven’t been able to really land a specific reason as to why this is happening, but with a little Googling, it seems the acquisition of the Big Ten Network might have something to do with it.
Whatever the reason, it’s annoying, even though we didn’t really miss out on much last night.
Speaking of annoying (I kid, I kid…sorta) there’s a guy that I work with in the media world who loves to send anti-Cubs email to me and other Cubs fans periodically. While I usually give him the simple pat on the back and a “Yes, I do realize the Cubs haven’t won a World Series in a 100 years, and I thank you for being so concerned about a team you don’t follow,” this one was actually pretty hilarious.
Seems that a guy is hoping to put the “die” in “diehard Cubs fan.” Here’s the link.
so these offseason signings are turning out pretty awful so far. gregg has the highest ERA on the team. bradley and miles have the 2lowest batting averages. rich harden actually has more hits than bradley and the same amount as miles.
at least heilman is a good pickup thus far. i really feel that this years team is not as strong as last year because some of these guys are just not helpful acquisitions. why get miles when you have 2 gritty singles hitting middle infielders in fontenot and theriot? why downgrade from wood to gregg? why lose derosa and pick up bradley? so far these decisions aren’t looking too hot.
Posted by Robbie on 4/23/2009, at 1:01 am
I want you to keep on Mediacom about this issue. As I told you the other day, I told the lady from Mediacom that I was going to the media about this issue. As for the WCIU issue, I addressed that at the Cubs Convention this year. The Cubs top execs have said those games are suppose to be shown on ESPN outside the Chicagoland area including what they called “downstate” IL. We’ll see if that comes to pass.
Posted by Jeff on 4/23/2009, at 5:46 am
Does anyone trust Gregg? His trouble is fans in Wrigley can lose patience pretty quickly and that would be all we need to have our closer enter the game to the sound of boos.
You get that a lot from Cardinal fans. When is the last time the Cubs won a world series? Well the Cards won in blah blah blah. My answer has become, if it was really all about world series titles, we’d all be Yankee fans wouldn’t we.
Posted by DLReynolds on 4/23/2009, at 8:55 am
Good point, DL. Well said.
As for Gregg, I’m not sure I trust him or any of the relievers. Of all of them, I really see Marmol as the most reliable, and we all know he has his moments.
Then again, I guess I felt the same way about Wood at times, but I still think Wood had more upside the Gregggggg.
HA! Jeff, I will do my best!
Posted by Matt Veto on 4/23/2009, at 10:50 am
I’m willing to be patient with Bradley….he does give us that get angry we need (I remember last Oct and well no one had that spark that he could bring, without Sweet Lou kicking an ump) For Gregg, I’m willing to wait just a bit longer, new team, knee surgery and that two inning performance showed us just what he can do.
As for the TV issue we are not downstate enough for the Chicago Market, same effect on Cardinals games, the issue is more needing to get rid of WCIU’s deal.
Lastly I like the Cubs idea of naming the cat “Ozzie” so it can chase rats LOL
Now lets take the series and send tooth pick Dusty back home.
Posted by Travis on 4/23/2009, at 11:02 am
What’s the over-under on number of toothpicks Dusty goes through in a game? 6?
Posted by Matt Veto on 4/23/2009, at 11:15 am
The TV thing is a pain! However, the game WAS on Mediacom last night. After some ridiculous searching around the internet, I found myself at a Comcast page that allows you to enter your zip code and it will tell you what channel your cable provider runs CSN+ games on. Ours (if you have Mediacom out of the Quad Cities AND their digital cable) is channel 95 now instead of 22 or 78.
With that said, I felt like I was in junior high again sitting in my basement watching after hours Cinamax trying to make out what might be happening through the scrambled picture. The image last night on channel 95 was in and out and pixeled. It would come in clear as a bell for a minute and your would hear Len and Bob briefly, then it would be like a carnival mirror. It was trying to come in, but never did the whole game. It seemed like a feed problem.
As it turned out, there wasn’t much to watch anyway, I guess, but check that channel 95 in the future if you have Mediacom digital cable to see if maybe the feed will be fixed.
Bradley…he has always produced…as long as he is not injured, he will be fine.
Gregg…YIKES!!! I don’t know about him.
Posted by L. Janzen on 4/23/2009, at 12:04 pm
Sometimes the Cubs can look as vulgar as scrambled late-night Cinamax!
Good sleuthing, Janzen.
Posted by Matt Veto on 4/23/2009, at 2:07 pm
Matt-
You are more than welcome over the Ivy Envy palace whenever you can’t get the Cubs. We’ll be outside, rain or shine.
If it’s cold, we’ll go inside.
Posted by Corey on 4/24/2009, at 4:02 pm
did you look at todays starting lineup? only 2 batters have a batting average over .234!!! including 3 guys that are .179 or lower!!! i know several regulars aren’t playing, but still, thats a pretty awful looking lineup early in the year…
giving up 3 in the first doesn’t look to great either!
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