Calls Flood ESPN Over Lack of Football on Monday Night

Written by Garrett Hargrove

BRISTOL (AP) - Little Trey Huguley is an average guy.  He has an average job.  And like most average guys, he likes coming home after a long day of work on Monday to Monday Night Football.  This Monday was no different.  Trey settled into his La-Z-Boy recliner, popped open a beer and turned on the TV.

“What the @$#% is this?” Trey exclaimed when he saw what was on TV.  He checked his watch and his program guide.  It was the time and channel for Monday Night Football, but sadly there was no football on.

Only the Ravens vs. the Browns.

Trey proceeded to call up his local cable company.  After a long hold, Trey began to get antsy as it was coming up on time for the end of the first quarter and the last thing he wanted to do was miss some real football.  When the cable company representative came on, they mentioned that they were flooded with calls about the situation and they were looking into it.  They assured Trey that they had checked their connections and this was the proper ESPN feed.  The problem had to be on the ESPN end of things.

Rather than spend an evening without football, Trey spent the next hour on hold.  Finally he got through.

“Hi.  My name is Trey and I’m calling to ask why there’s not football on.  Its supposed to be time for Monday Night Football but when I turn it to ESPN all I see is…” But Trey is cut off.  He goes pale white and his jaw drops at their response.

“Sir… this IS Monday Night Football.” The representative informs Trey.  Trey turns to the TV.  It shows The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens going in for half time with the score 0-0.  Trey begins to enter the seven stages of grief.  First denial.

“No.  No it isn’t.  You’re lying.  Switch it over to the real game!” Then the Pain and guilt.  Trey begins to shake.  Then comes the bargaining.

“Well… could you just replay the Pats-Colts game?  No?  Please?”  Trey hangs up the phone.  Then comes stage 4.  Loneliness.  Trey stares at the on screen program guide that reads Monday Night Football.  Trey clutches a pillow and tries to hold back the tears.

Now should come the upward turn.  Trey turns back on the TV.  On screen Cleveland blocks a Baltimore extra point.  Trey sobs and turns off the TV.  There will be no recovery tonight.  Trey is one of millions of fans who voiced their hurt and betrayal at ESPN for playing Baltimore vs. Cleveland in lieu of Monday Night Football.  One ESPN email server shut down after the wave of complaint emails hit.

ESPN Issued the Following Statement Tuesday Morning:

We here at ESPN constantly strive to bring you the highest level of sports entertainment.  The unfortunate events on Monday night that led to us broadcasting the Cleveland Browns versus Baltimore Ravens.  We are looking deep into our broadcast practices and standards to ensure that this never happens again.  Several things we are exploring:

  • Contracting the Browns from the NFL
  • Permanent ban of Brady Quin from television in general
  • An Emergency override system that, at the push of a button, will switch the ESPN broadcast to something better than Browns-Ravens like Michael Jordan highlights, classic Super Bowl moments or even paint drying.
  • Using Common Sense when Picking games for a National Broadcast

We offer our sincerest apologies and hope that you will continue to look to ESPN for your sports news and actions.

But that still doesn’t give Trey or the millions of other Americans their Monday night back.

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6 comments op “Calls Flood ESPN Over Lack of Football on Monday Night”

  1. WhackSmacker said:

    Now you know why Monday Night Football was moved from ABC to ESPN…

  2. Garrett Hargrove said:

    Are you saying it WASN’T because ABC hates poor people who can’t afford cable?

  3. Trey said:

    That Trey guy sounds rad.

  4. Andy (BigRed) said:

    I felt the same way!!!!!!!!!! It was a bad game!!!!!!! Not as bad as the Cowboy vs. Green Bay game!!!!

  5. Garrett Hargrove said:

    The thing with the Cowboys game was that it was at 3:15 on Sunday. Several other games on. Monday Night Football is a cherished event. Something they, in advance, should see as one of the premier games of the week. Any game containing Cleveland, Oakland, Kansas City, St. Louis or Tampa Bay should not make it to the second round of discussion when talking about what games should be considered for this time slot. At least with Buffalo, you would tune in to see if Terrell Owens goes all Kimbo Slice on Trent Edwards.

  6. Mark B said:

    The British football system has six different levels for all of it’s teams. If you are, say, one of the top two teams in the Football League Championship, you get “promoted” to the Premiere League next year with another promotion coming through a playoff system. If you are one of the bottom three in the Premiere League you get “relegated” back to the Football League Championship.

    I think it’s a great system and one that needs to come to America. That would probably mean that the Browns would be relegated to the college ranks with Florida taking it’s place in the AFC North.

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