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Keeping Score
BOTTOM of the sixth, one out, tie ballgame, runners on second and third and Benny Agbayani at the plate. Day-O? More like
Day. . . NoAnd . . . And . . .
The computer crashes.
This is what the World Series has been reduced to in our office: ESPN.com GameCast on the Macs.
All because the powers that be at KHON-TV decided to delay telecasts of the weekday games until prime time . . . or "family-viewing time'' as they're calling it.
What do they think this is? Monday Night Football? The Sydney Olympics?
This is the World Series, for crying out out.
I hate being teased. All the playoffs were live. Both weekend Series games were live.
When KHON didn't send us the updated listings for this week, we - erroneously - assumed that Games 3, 4 and 5 would be live as well. And printed it as such.
Silly us.
Yesterday's official statement from Robert Pennybacker, Director of Marketing, came via fax:
"We at KHON understand that our decision to air weekday games on a delayed basis has not gone over well with some fans. Our decision, however, was based on servicing the largest audience possible.''
Pennybacker goes on to write about how, with Agbayani playing and because he is such a role model for Hawaii's school children, that the station wants to make the games available to them after school hours and after school activities.
I don't know about your kids, but my teen-aged son is usually in bed by 9 p.m. That was about the middle of the fourth inning . . . IF you were watching last night.
And I know people who didn't. They tuned to the game on their car radios driving home after work and, when finding out it wasn't on TV, went back to listen on the radio.
One woman who called to complain said there was no way she would watch the tape-delay after knowing what the score was (live) after six innings.
"They're holding the public hostage,'' said another caller. "I work. I have to get up early. I can't stay up until 11. (Or about the time Agbayani's double drove in Todd Zeile with the go-ahead run in the eighth).
"In this age of technology, this is an abomination."
Believe that's spelled V-C-R.
PENNYBACKER, by phone this time, did tell me that the station had received complaints when KHON televised the games live last week.
It displaced the station's kids programming (NASCARRacers, Digimon Digital Monsters) as well as Dr. Laura, Oprah Winfrey and Jeopardy.
(OK, Alex, I'll take "Dumb Decisions" for $200).
One does have to wonder if the station's decision wasn't based partially on money. Pennybacker said advertising revenue for live weekday games last week was "a wash.''
At least KHON didn't try to impose a blockade on the live satellite feed to adult drinking establishments.
"We understand that some people will go elsewhere to watch (it live),'' said Pennybacker. "There will be no legal action on our part.''
There also will be no live reports from KHON sports anchor Ron Mizutani for the 6 p.m. news. In New York, Mizutani sent his pregame material around 1 p.m. yesterday. His postgame "live'' stuff aired as part of the 10 o'clock (more like 11:30) news last night.
Too bad. Yesterday's game ended at 6:16 p.m., about the time KHON's sportscaster John Veneri went with his "Close Your Eyes Time'' routine.
Unfortunately, that's what a lot of people had to say before getting to see Agbayani's game-winning double . . . delayed.
Cindy Luis is Star-Bulletin sports editor.
Her column appears weekly.