ESPN, Give Us More

ESPN needs to take us to the next level.

We no longer care about the quality of the stitching on the near tackle's uniform pants.

We want it all; the whole field.  We want 22 players, sideline to sideline, the way the coaches watch film.

We also want it now... live.

We're talking, of course, about the NFL and watching it on television.  And by we, I'm referring to the millions of fellow Fantasy Football managers and League Commissioners who want MORE!

We're talking about the main camera view on an NFL Football Game.  It's too zoomed in.  On the average passing play, viewers get to see the o-line/d-line battle (which we know is a very important part of the game.)  But what we really, really care about is what gives us Fantasy Points.  And that occurs DOWNFIELD.  Somewhere off the screen, in general direction of where Aaron Rodgers is looking.

Show us the battle downfield.  Zoom out the camera, so we can see more than the pocket forming and Tom Brady finding the ... who?  Who'd he throw it to?  I can't see, we're still zoomed in on the running back because of play action.

Seriously, we are experts here.  Fantasy experts, sure, but nonetheless...  We have the needed data, but we need to be able to administer our own "eye test."  And if I can't see Roddy White get in and out of his pre-season breaks, how in the world do I know if he's worth more than $37 in the 10-team, auction, keeper?  If I can't read the secondary and see Colin Kaepernick go through his progressions with my own two eyes, will I ever know if he's "keeper worthy" at $16, in a deep Quarterbacks year?

Here's the game plan for testing (more like proving) this idea:

• Monday Night Football, maximum eyes to give sufficient sample size. We're not talking about a Cardinals/Browns game here.
• One extra camera, actually maybe even an existing camera, because ESPN will show us replays with a zoomed out view, but never live action.
• One extra channel, just like the golf and tennis majors where ESPN and DirectTV give us four or five channels dedicated to different views.  For the Masters, they have a specific channel that shows only Amen Corner or follows a particular group.  GIVE THE PEOPLE THE CHOICE!!!
• No extra announcers, no need for a separate crew just pipe the audio through both channels.

The only difference is that "Camera 1" for the alternate, next-level, super-fan channel is the zoomed out, full field view.  You still show the instant replays, the close ups of coaches screaming at refs, and Sanchez picking his nose or eating hot dogs.  Just fit more of the action into the over-sized high definition television screen.

Or maybe I'm the only Fantasy Manager who cares about what's going on downfield and wants to see more than the line of scrimmage.  Maybe I'm simply ahead of my time... which totally explains why I will be defending two League Championship trophies this fall.