To say the Ravens? 33-30 overtime loss to Cleveland Sunday was not your normal telecast would be an understatement.
Sitting in the CBS remote truck outside M&T Bank Stadium, the production team ? lead by veteran producer Bob Dekas and director Cathy Barreto ? was more than a bit curious about what was going on.
Dekas on the end of the game: “First you have Matt Stover hitting what looked like the game-winning field goal for Baltimore with 26 seconds left to make the score 30-27. Then you have Browns quarterback Derek Anderson hitting two quick passes to set up Phil Dawson for the game-tying 51-yard attempt with no time left. The officials waved it bad, but we knew right away that it had hit the back of the bar. We blew it up and showed the fans at home just where the ball had hit. We called the replay booth, and they told us the play was not reviewable. But it was clear to us when we replayed it that the ball hit the back of the bar, and the field goal was good. In the end the officials got it right. It was a wild day for sure.”
Dekas on replays of field goals: “When the game is on the line the NFL should allow the review of field goals. This game alone will help get that advanced at the league office.
Dekas on replays in sports: “As technology gets more sophisticated, we are able to show the viewers ? as close as we can ? what they would see if they were standing on the sidelines. Of course, that helps with the officiating of football and basketball games.”
Looking ahead to a big holiday full of football.
Thursday has a triple-header that starts with Detroit hosting Green Bay at 12:30 p.m. on FOX, followed by the Cowboys and Jets from Dallas at 4 p.m. on CBS. Then the NFL Network is back with live football, topping off a great Thanksgiving day with theColts visiting the Falcons at 8 p.m. College fans get ESPN?s Primetime offering of Southern Cal at Arizona State at 8 p.m.
On Friday, CBS offers Arkansas at No. 1 LSU at 2:30 p.m. and then Texas and Texas A&M in their annual grudge match at 3:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Maryland plays N.C. State in Raleigh on WNUV at noon). The Terps are looking for their sixth victory, which would make them bowl eligible. On ESPN2 at noon, it?s Virginia Tech and Virginia in Charlottesville with a berth in the ACC title game on the line.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on www.examiner.com.
