Normally every season an NFL televising network has the Super Bowl, that network changes their graphics. This past year, CBS changed their graphics during the preseason in anticipation of their co Super Bowl. The last time they did that was 2006... the last time they hosted a Super Bowl.
Fox too changed their graphics to their current scheme in 2006 as well, even though they did not have the Super Bowl until the end of the 2007 season. This season, Fox will have the Super Bowl, so does that mean they will debut new graphics and scoring bug?
When Fox won the NFC package from CBS in 1994, they were the first network to use a scoring bug (called the "FoxBox.") It was a simple see-through box that displayed the score, quarter and time, which Fox used for several years until 1998.
ABC began using both a scoring bug and the electronic first down line in 1997 and their graphics were changed every year until ABC lost Monday Night Football in 2006.
NBC has basically been using the same graphics since they returned to the NFL in 2006. They have only hosted one Super Bowl so they may switch them up next season when they will host their next Super Bowl.
NBC hosted Super Bowl XXXII in 1998. Their coverage of the game was rather boring and uninterested. They used no scoring bug, no electronic first down marker, no nothing.
Meanwhile, Fox updated the FoxBox in 1998 in anticipation of hosting Super Bowl XXXIII and CBS was back with the AFC package (beating out NBC for the bid) and they used their own rendition of the FoxBox (which was updated of the years until this past year, where they opted for a scoring banner).
CBS changed their scoring bug in 1999 and used it through 2000. A new one debuted for Super Bowl XXXV and it was kept through 2001.
In 2001, Fox's year in the Super Bowl rotation, the FoxBox was retired, and Fox debuted a generic scoring banner that has been updated a few times over the years (the same thing was done for their baseball coverage too).
Personally, I have not like Fox or CBS' graphics since 2005, especially Fox's, because I feel it's too small and too hard to read (even though it covers the whole screen!)
Is it a big deal with me? No, but with how much football I watch I notice it.
27 July 2010
Catching 1,000 Passes Does Not Matter in the NFL Anymore
10 years ago, there was only one receiver in the 1,000 receptions club, and that was Jerry Rice, of course. In 2000, Cris Carter caught his 1,000th pass, and in 2002 Tim Brown caught his 1,000th. The fourth receiver to catch 1,000 passes was Marvin Harrison, and he did so in 2006. In 2008 Isaac Bruce caught his 1,000th and then the next season T.O. did as well. If tight end Tony Gonzalez catches exactly one pass this year, he will have caught 1,000, the first tight end to do so And this year both Randy Moss and Torry Holt have legitimate shots at joining the club.
The next two to reach these sort of numbers are no-brainers: Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson. Johnson has played seven season and has 587 receptions. Fitzgerald has played one less season and has 523 receptions. I see no reason to think that these guys will also have their 1,000 if their numbers stay the same over the next seven seasons. Antonio Gates also has a pretty good chance of catching 1,000. He has 479 receptions and has played the same number of seasons as Johnson.
Every time a receiver has caught 1,000 passes, it has become less of a big deal. In 2002 when Tim Brown caught his 1,000th pass, (on a Monday Night game against the Jets) the game was stopped for five minutes when his family members, friends and coaches came onto the field to congratulate him. (And as a fun fact, on the next play Rich Gannon threw a touchdown pass to Jerry Rice) I do not recall when Harrison caught his thousandth, to be honest. I found out by wondering who would be the next after Brown and looking on pro-football-reference.com and I saw that Harrison had already caught 1,000. When Bruce and Owens did it, they certainly did not stop the game for them.
The next two to reach these sort of numbers are no-brainers: Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson. Johnson has played seven season and has 587 receptions. Fitzgerald has played one less season and has 523 receptions. I see no reason to think that these guys will also have their 1,000 if their numbers stay the same over the next seven seasons. Antonio Gates also has a pretty good chance of catching 1,000. He has 479 receptions and has played the same number of seasons as Johnson.
Every time a receiver has caught 1,000 passes, it has become less of a big deal. In 2002 when Tim Brown caught his 1,000th pass, (on a Monday Night game against the Jets) the game was stopped for five minutes when his family members, friends and coaches came onto the field to congratulate him. (And as a fun fact, on the next play Rich Gannon threw a touchdown pass to Jerry Rice) I do not recall when Harrison caught his thousandth, to be honest. I found out by wondering who would be the next after Brown and looking on pro-football-reference.com and I saw that Harrison had already caught 1,000. When Bruce and Owens did it, they certainly did not stop the game for them.
Yes, Torry Holt Still Plays in the NFL
EDIT: This post was made before Holt was put on injured reserve, which means he will miss the entire season, and possibly will retire too. Oh, well. Read this post anyway.
Anyone remember "Big Game" Torry Holt? I'm sure you do. He played 10 plentiful seasons with the Rams. He was cut by the Rams in March of 2009 and was subsequently picked up by the Jaguars and started 12 games last season, catching 51 passes for 722 yards with no touchdowns - the least productive season of his career. Holt was released by the Jags on February 11th and signed with the Patriots in April.
Of all the latest Patriots talk surrounding Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Randy Moss, I have heard no mention of Holt, one of the most productive receivers in NFL history, whatsoever. I wonder why. Yes, he will be 34 this season, but Jerry Rice was one of the league's best receivers well into his 40s. And his teammate, Randy Moss, will be the same age too.
Holt was the fastest receiver to reach 10,000 yards receiving and currently stands at 920 receptions. If his numbers stay on their current path and he plays in 2011, or whenever football may return, he will be the seventh or eighth receiver catch 1,000 passes. I say "or eighth" because Randy Moss currently stands at 926 receptions. Barring any injury or downturn in production, he will catch his 1,000th pass this season as well.
Am I an idiot to think that Torry Holt will have a big year this year and have a resurgence in his career? In the Patriots system and with Tom Brady at quarterback, I don't think so. He can't possibly throw every pass to Welker and Moss.
Anyone remember "Big Game" Torry Holt? I'm sure you do. He played 10 plentiful seasons with the Rams. He was cut by the Rams in March of 2009 and was subsequently picked up by the Jaguars and started 12 games last season, catching 51 passes for 722 yards with no touchdowns - the least productive season of his career. Holt was released by the Jags on February 11th and signed with the Patriots in April.
Of all the latest Patriots talk surrounding Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Randy Moss, I have heard no mention of Holt, one of the most productive receivers in NFL history, whatsoever. I wonder why. Yes, he will be 34 this season, but Jerry Rice was one of the league's best receivers well into his 40s. And his teammate, Randy Moss, will be the same age too.
Holt was the fastest receiver to reach 10,000 yards receiving and currently stands at 920 receptions. If his numbers stay on their current path and he plays in 2011, or whenever football may return, he will be the seventh or eighth receiver catch 1,000 passes. I say "or eighth" because Randy Moss currently stands at 926 receptions. Barring any injury or downturn in production, he will catch his 1,000th pass this season as well.
Am I an idiot to think that Torry Holt will have a big year this year and have a resurgence in his career? In the Patriots system and with Tom Brady at quarterback, I don't think so. He can't possibly throw every pass to Welker and Moss.
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