Rutgers fans held hostage

Earlier this season, Michigan fans were used as bargaining chips when the Wolverines’ game at Boise State against Ball State was televised exclusively by ESPN U – a network not carried by most cable providers in Michigan. Fans were forced to head to bars that have dish network or direct TV or rely on friends with satellites. The NFL network is about to do the same thing to Rutgers fans albeit in a much more sinister way. The NFL network has exclusive rights to the Texas bowl matching Rutgers and Kansas State and New Jersey has the same problem Michigan did – most cable providers don’t offer the NFL network in their basic package. So most Rutgers fans will not be able to get their team’s bowl game.

New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg sent a letter to the NFL on Wednesday urging the league to allow the Dec. 28 game to be shown on local television. Fat chance Franky, your fans are getting the royal shaft job. A notice on the Texas Bowl website has the grim news for Scarlet Knight fans:

"NFL Network is the exclusive broadcaster of the Texas Bowl," it read. "The Texas Bowl can only be seen on NFL Network. If you don't have NFL Network, you won't get the Texas Bowl. Call your local cable provider and ask for NFL Network now."

My suggestion to Rutgers fans is this: don’t give in! Go to a local bar, relax and enjoy the game. Immediately following the game do yourself and other college football fans a favor and protest, call your local cable provider and demand that they REMOVE the NFL Network from any packages. Threaten to switch to satellite if they don’t immediately remove the offending channel from all packages. If enough people protest maybe the network execs will realize that fans are not pawns. I know it’s a pipe dream, but nothing great was ever accomplished easily.

In other financial news, Minnesota needs your help. The ongoing stadium construction got good news this week when estimates were found to be $29.4 million dollars over budgeted due to a better interest rate. The bad news is that the portion the university is responsible for is $43 million dollars short due to a lack of private donations.

It takes time to raise money," he said. "If we don't raise it in fundraising, the Department of Athletics will be required to cover the remaining balance."

I can almost see the telethon now – won’t you help a poor, fledgling athletic department? Your donation of $1,000 will feed 10 administrators for a week. Call now, operators are standing by.