I was going to write something about the NFL and then I changed my mind and decided to write about the TV fall schedule. Later, I realized something very important. I could be lazy and write about them both at the same time. Would it work? Probably not, but doubts never stopped another Kelsey Grammar comeback vehicle!
Here are some early season summaries for NFL teams, players and TV shows.
"How long can we pretend this isn't working? Are we fooling anyone? No? Maybe a little? No?" - Cleveland Browns/ "Cougar Town"
I was going to give this one to a new NBC show that will go un-named since I'm too afraid to take a shot at it. (Seriously - I'm afraid for my life and job if I even start to consider poking fun at future of the network.) Luckily for this example, "Cougar Town" also works. How did either of these gameplans actually get approved? Jamal Lewis is old, Braylon Edwards is so crazy he just got traded for some spare parts, Eric Mangini probably gets outcoached by the computer on Madden 09 and the Anderson/ Quinn QB controversy shouldn't even have been considered a controversy. Controversies are generally interesting. Oh and "Cougar Town" is about as funny as a common council meeting.
"Weren't sure they would come back but thank god they did" - Brett Favre/ "Castle"
I'm neither here nor there on Favre but the league is more exciting and fun with him in it. I love "Castle" though. It's funny, smart and it actually seems like they have fun making it. Come to think of it, I'm going to Hulu it right now.
"Somehow managing to exceed the very high expectations placed on them." - New York Giants/ "Glee"
Both feature casts of relative unknowns and a lot of pressure. So far, both are bringing it every week. There are some lingering doubts about both (When will Eli collapse again? Will "Glee" still be cool after twenty episodes?) but I like their odds.
"We thought it would be a total disaster and guess what? It is a total disaster." (Also known as the Dennis Green Memorial "They are who we thought they were!" Award.) - St. Louis Rams/ "Eastwick"
I don't even want to talk about these two debacles. As I watched "Eastwick," I was in complete awe of how absolutely, unrelentingly awful it was. Why did I watch you ask? Nostalgia mixed with laziness. Scenes from "The Witches of Eastwick" movie were filmed in my hometown when I was a kid and I guess I was curious to the update.
"Built up sleeper potential all summer long, play well every week but still flying under the radar" - San Francisco 49ers/ "Community"
The Niners look good. They were already a fun team and now we're hearing that MC Hammer has helped to broker a deal with Michael Crabtree? My brain needed a control/alt/ delete as it tried to process that meeting. "Community" is probably my favorite new show on TV. It's gotten better every week.
"Is it 1995? Why is this on my TV? When will it go away?" - Joey Galloway/ "Melrose Place"
Interesting ideas that seemed good at the time. Not so much now. At all.
"When did this turn from a promising team full of potential into an absolute train wreck?" - Tennessee Titans/ "Heroes"
There's probably a joke to made about Vince Young's mental breakdown and the supervillian on "Heroes" who eats brains but I can't quite find it. If you're still watching "Heroes" or waiting for the Titans defense to wake up, I admire your commitment but please be sure to turn out the lights when you're done. Both of these teams are very PS2 in a PS3 world.
