MNF = Gag Tonight

Anyone else gagging over ESPN's Monday Night Football presentation tonight?

Every 1st down by the Saints draws some sappy comment about the hope and inspiration and happiness that this football team is bringing this community.

Falcons fan?

Seriously though, that sort of thing can be seriously overdone.

I mean, if I were a big football fan, living in New Orleans, having the team back and playing there would mean a great deal to me, and get me all misty-eyed and stuff. But I'd have to admit it wasn't really important in the grand scheme.

And, more generally, sports, and television as a whole, sappiness is just way on overdrive most of the time.

Hey, I'm a big fan of the underdog, whether it's a city or a team, but yeah, they might be overdoing some. I mean, the pregame is fine, and sure, New Orleans needs some good news, and the players are pumped; but enough already, now let's just play some ball, eh? .

Never mind that the Saints are pounding on the Falcons and have outplayed them tonight...so far.

I'm just tired of seeing U2 at every benefit/fund raiser/awareness concert etc etc. I swear sometimes I think they are doing two live benefit concerts at once.

19george said:

I'm just tired of seeing U2 at every benefit/fund raiser/awareness concert etc etc. I swear sometimes I think they are doing two live benefit concerts at once.

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For a band that hasn't put out a good album in at least 10 years, they sure know how to stay in the forefront.

...

19george said:

I'm just tired of seeing U2 at every benefit/fund raiser/awareness concert etc etc. I swear sometimes I think they are doing two live benefit concerts at once.

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I actually have a theory that Bono is the cause of most of the world's plight. Wherever there is disaster, he is not 12 hours behind it holding a press conference.

Shane

Shane said:

I actually have a theory that Bono is the cause of most of the world's plight. Wherever there is disaster, he is not 12 hours behind it holding a press conference.

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Sort of like Gandalf.



(Couldn't resist - I like Bono ok, but Gandalf he's obviously not....).

When I think football, I think let's get together with the guys and have a good cry.

My post wasn't an anti-Saints post at all....

I just wanted to watch football is all, and I didn't want to see some sappy special-interest story every three minutes.

I'd be curious to know how many actual NO residents were at that game since I think 80% of NOLA is still lving for free in Houston (an exaggeration and a whole other can of worms!)

ada8356 said:

My post wasn't an anti-Saints post at all....

I just wanted to watch football is all, and I didn't want to see some sappy special-interest story every three minutes.

I'd be curious to know how many actual NO residents were at that game since I think 80% of NOLA is still lving for free in Houston (an exaggeration and a whole other can of worms!)

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Yeah, I was wondering as they hyped the Dome, how many 2 and 3 bedroom homes still are not re-built. I think we all realize that there are things a lot more important than sports. It does help people get their minds off of things. but how much did the efforts to get the dome up and running took away from other more needed projects.

Just a couple of other notes...Aren't the Saints going to move to southern California anyway?

And I think that the Houston Texans not drafting Reggie Bush is a much worse mistake than Dallas signing T.O.

You haven't been to New Orleans then. The place is a wreck.

I think it needs to be spoken about more. There still isn't enough being done for them.

19george said:

I'm just tired of seeing U2 at every benefit/fund raiser/awareness concert etc etc. I swear sometimes I think they are doing two live benefit concerts at once.

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Heaven forbid that a band/artist use its celebrity for something good.

ada8356 said:

Anyone else gagging over ESPN's Monday Night Football presentation tonight?

Every 1st down by the Saints draws some sappy comment about the hope and inspiration and happiness that this football team is bringing this community.

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Agreed! I had to turn it off. Its bad enough that we have to sit through the pop star of the week before every game...now this.

Jordan

Shane said:

I actually have a theory that Bono is the cause of most of the world's plight. Wherever there is disaster, he is not 12 hours behind it holding a press conference.

Shane

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This is the only impression you can get of Bono and U2 if all you do is see them in their (near) constant appearances in the media. I would encourage you and anyone else to read "Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2" as something that will give you a whole different take on why they do what they do.

castlecraver said:

For a band that hasn't put out a good album in at least 10 years, they sure know how to stay in the forefront.

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Two comments:

1. Your comment is ironic given that nine years ago, U2 released "Pop," which won critical acclaim but is not an album that many fans embraced with open arms. Many consider it to be one of the band's most lackluster albums.

2. If you read up on U2 -- beyond the Rolling Stone and Spin articles -- you will find that you're absolutely right that they know how to stay in the forefront. Let's take last night's MNF appearance: A. They were using their celebrity for a good cause (helping musicians in New Orleans) and 2. With an album that is approaching two years old, the performance kept them visible in the public. For what it's worth, it's marketing pure and simple.

OK, now that I have my U2-fan indignation out of my system -- and my apologies about that -- here's my reaction to the whole spectacle last night (I didn't watch the game but did see the pregame [to watch U2 of course]):

I thought it was noteworthy and important to make a big deal about the first game back in the Superdome. I think this can be a big morale booster for New Orleans and the recovery effort. Yet, hundreds of millions of dollars were spent just to play football while thousands of people are still living in misery there and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. In that sense, is it worth it?

teamccloud said:

Yet, hundreds of millions of dollars were spent just to play football while thousands of people are still living in misery there and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. In that sense, is it worth it?

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I don't know how many are living in NO, but I do know there are thousands still living in Houston for FREE a year after... and Houston's rising crime rate is how we are thanked for it.

ada8356 said:

I don't know how many are living in NO, but I do know there are thousands still living in Houston for FREE a year after... and Houston's rising crime rate is how we are thanked for it.

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Aaron -- what do you mean for free? Is the state, or is the city, paying their rent/mortgages/taxes?