For the moment, there are traditional rivalries in the NFL. But don't be shocked if the team owners make a mockery of those, too.
First went allegiances to fans. Who can forget or forgive the Colts for packing in the dead of night and making fast tracks to Indianapolis from Baltimore? How about the wanton disregard for the fans of Oakland when Al Davis saw a pot of gold in Los Angeles?In the past week, the NFL owners have taken another hatchet to the league's storied legacy. By accepting Fox Television Network's $1.58 billion deal for four years of NFC coverage, these rich men took the money and ran from their 38-year partnership with CBS Sports. Showing how much CBS thought of tradition, that network unsuccessfully tried to muscle in on NBC for AFC games.
So we're left with all sorts of storylines for 1994.
NBC, which threatened to walk from the league because of at least $115 million of losses over the past four years, will make a large deal of being the elder statesman of NFL players. It cost them a 16 percent increase in fees to remain in the game.
ABC, which paid $925 million for Monday nights, the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl in January 1995, will march toward the 25th anniversary of Monday Night Football while stubbornly passing off Dan Dierdorf and Frank Gifford as suitable broadcast partners for Al Michaels.
ESPN, which kept second-half of the season telecasts for $510 million, will get better and better at chronicling the action. The biggest problem these days at the all-sports network, besides putting a muzzle on Joe Theismann, is to better its excellent product.
TNT, an NFL player with a renewal of its contract for first-half telecasts for about $490 million, will have a strong sports year with Lillehammer Olympic telecasts in the winter, NBA playoffs in the spring, and NFL in the fall. If only they can leave overmatched Gary Bender in Lillehammer.
Fox, which brought us "Married With Children," will liven up a league which has endured too many jokes about being the Not Fun League. And if you thought Chevy Chase bombed on Fox, how do you think Al Bundy will sound on analysis? Actually, despite the fact that Fox might lose $155 million a year on the package, the purchase is considered a shrewd way to back up its claim of being America's fourth network.
"It's all part of a long-term strategy," said Rupert Murdoch. "You can have 500 channels (in the new galaxy of cable television), but no one will have this but Fox."
CBS, without a major sports franchise, will dismantle its massive sports department and leave only enough personnel to staff NCAA Tournament basketball and golf shows.
As for CBS on-air talent, not even megastar John Madden knows much about the future.
"The thing that happens next - I haven't gotten to that yet," he said glumly.