NFL Network had more of a challenge than they had anticipated last week in getting their production and technical crew from their Thursday game in Houston out to San Francisco for another game on Saturday.
Some crew members working those broadcasts were also scheduled to work on NBC's Sunday Night telecast from Giants Stadium in New Jersey. They had planned on taking red eye flights from SF and arriving in plenty of time for the show.
However, the fierce winter storm that had battered much of the country and was forecast to be in the NY metro area on Sunday, caused NBC to call an audible. They, uh, "strongly requested" that the crew members they share with NFL Network not go to San Francisco at all, but rather travel directly to New Jersey, ensuring their presence for NBC's show.
Following lengthy discussions between the two parties, it was determined that some of the shared crew would be allowed to honor their NFL Network commitments. However, the end result was that over half of those crew members were forced to bail on a show.
NFL Network lucked out replacing those people because CBS had a crew across the bay in Oakland, setting up for a Sunday Raiders game and were able to fill the open positions.And for those NFL Net/NBCers who actually worked in San Francisco? Naturally they all caught their scheduled flights, had no weather delays, and made it to the Meadowlands on time.
To save everyone the drama and confusion, NBC could have stepped up and been heroes. For a fraction of what they paid to digitally, uh, "enhance" Faith Hill's arms and face in the SNF show open, the Peacock Network could have chartered a plane to deliver the people they value so much.
That they chose to play bully instead speaks in volumes usually reserved for John Madden.
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