04/16/24
February 19, 2010
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Elvis Stojko gets right to the point.
posted by smithnyiu at 05:18 PM on February 19, 2010
We felt like we were entitled to the huddle.
Australia doesn't win many golds at the Winter Games*, but when we do, can we at least see it on the telly? Thanks.
*Eat yellow snow, Poms.
posted by owlhouse at 05:20 PM on February 19, 2010
Well, I want a pay-per-view option that would let me see whatever events I'd watch...but the last thing US cable and satellite companies want is cafeteria-style service, where you only pay for the programming you want. They have a highly profitable system of legalized extortion now, though, so why change?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 06:32 PM on February 19, 2010
They have a highly profitable system of legalized extortion now, though, so why change?
Huh?
posted by grum@work at 06:40 PM on February 19, 2010
Olympic half pipe: go big or go home. Olympic figure skating: play safe and win gold.
posted by mkn at 07:08 PM on February 19, 2010
WHISTLER, B.C. - The African skier known as the Snow Leopard can now add musician to his improbable list of accomplishments.
Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong has defied the odds by becoming the first person from the snowless African country of Ghana to qualify for the Olympics, and now he's entered the recording studio with Canadian fiddler Ashley MacIsaac to record a benefit song for his Olympic dream.
Acheampong said Thursday he was coaxed into the recording studio by MacIsaac, who wanted to contribute to the Snow Leopard's Olympic dream - like many Canadians who have donated everything from ski hills, new cars and luxurious accommodations.
posted by rumple at 08:07 PM on February 19, 2010
25 Great Sports Accidents and Injuries
posted by geekyguy at 10:16 PM on February 19, 2010
LINE OF THE DAY: I'm playing Tiger Woods Online and a guy named Namemaker just came on and said, "How do you activate the Perkins' waitress feature?"
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:13 PM on February 19, 2010
They have a highly profitable system of legalized extortion now, though, so why change? Huh?
What's confusing? The cable companies in the US have legal local monopolies based on the idea they couldn't possibly survive if they had to open their cable infrastructure up to anyone who wanted to sell TV to people. And they hold off a la cate channel buying by suggesting it will reduce diversity of programming. For some reason all the Free Marketers in Congress aren't willing to let TV channels sink or swim based on demand. Make up your own joke about the free market for their pocket, it's too early here.
posted by yerfatma at 08:53 AM on February 20, 2010
WHISTLER, B.C. - The African skier known as the Snow Leopard can now add musician to his improbable list of accomplishments.
From the article: "Acheampong, who describes his skiing style as copy cat, said he won't win a medal at Whistler, but he won't finish last, either."
I'm trying and failing to figure out who's going to finish behind this guy. He doesn't even show up on the list of start-authorized FIS competitors.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:10 AM on February 20, 2010
A monopoly isn't "legalized extortion". You aren't being forced to pay for cable. Nobody is demanding money from you.
That's why I gave the "Huh?"
posted by grum@work at 12:03 PM on February 20, 2010
Yeah, grum, I can always choose to simply not watch any television, which is what I do. Personally I find rules-lawyering "you can always choose to do without xyz altogether" pseudo-arguments to be distractions from the more important issues, but your mileage evidently varies.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 05:31 PM on February 20, 2010
Personally I find rules-lawyering "you can always choose to do without xyz altogether" pseudo-arguments to be distractions from the more important issues, but your mileage evidently varies.
Get over yourself, lbb.
You used the phrase "legalized extortion".
I couldn't figure out how cable companies "legally extort" someone, so I simply typed "Huh?"
That's it.
yerfatma stepped in provided an explanation. I didn't agree with it.
The point of the "doing without" statement I made is that it completely undermines the "extort" part of your rant. If you'd said "legally rip you off", I would have chuckled and probably nodded in agreement.
You then came back, didn't like how the discussion was going, so you retreat with the "Oh, you want to get technical? You're missing the big picture!" baloney defense.
posted by grum@work at 11:12 PM on February 20, 2010
I'm playing Tiger Woods Online
fraze, what's your name on there? I've been playing since the beta opened...
posted by MeatSaber at 10:52 PM on February 21, 2010
I refuse to let Tiger Woods' contrition kill the huddle.