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Why are athletes crossing the virtual picket lines of the TV Writers Guild?

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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 04:43 PM
Original message
Why are athletes crossing the virtual picket lines of the TV Writers Guild?
Wouldn't the networks cave immediately if they didn't have sports programming to fill their schedules?
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rocktivity Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 04:48 PM
Response to Original message
1. Pro athletes aren't broadcast writers
Edited on Fri Nov-23-07 04:52 PM by rocknation
If anyone in sports broadcasting owes an allegiance to the TV writers, it's the people who help broadcast sports--on both sides of the camera.

:headbang:
rocknation
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cloudbase Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 04:58 PM
Response to Original message
2. In the past, baseball players
have had no problem crossing real picket lines put up by umpires.
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rurallib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 04:59 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. probably the biggest reason I don't watch baseball anymore.
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rurallib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 04:58 PM
Response to Original message
3. Lordy that would be funny if they pulled sports
Finally America would give a shit about something. W would jump in immediately, fire all the writers and end the strike. He would then have Elaine Chou name some pary hacks as the new TV and movie writers.
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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 05:02 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. Call me a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
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rocktivity Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 05:58 PM
Response to Reply #3
10. DING DING DING! Rurallib, you're our grand prize winner!
Edited on Fri Nov-23-07 06:23 PM by rocknation
...(I)f they pulled sports, (f)inally America would give a shit about something. W would jump in immediately...

If the writers, on-air talent, and technical personnel involved in sports broadcasting were to walk, sports WOULD be "pulled" whether the pro athletes joined them or not!

:headbang:
rocknation
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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:10 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. What prize do I get for starting the thread in the first place?
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rocktivity Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:23 PM
Response to Reply #12
17. A copy of "The Wit and Wisdom of Dick Cheney"
published by Very Thin Books Press.

:headbang:
rocknation
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Joe Chi Minh Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 05:18 PM
Response to Original message
6. Many athletes, like young celebrities, film stars, etc, don't have the chance to grow up
at the rate and in the way that most other people do, and tend to grow up self-obsessed and shallow. Many perhaps never gain the modicum of wisdom needed to enjoy their retirement when it comes along.
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KharmaTrain Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 05:23 PM
Response to Original message
7.  I'd Be Happier If SAG Joined In
and they should...cause they're next. The Producers and Corporations use these negotiations for the next contract...if WGA loses the battles on download and DVD royalties, they'll be next cause "that's what the others agreed to".

Now it'd be nice to think $1,000,000 a year players would support $50,000 a year writers...but we're far away from the labor solidarity days of the past where if you were union you never crossed a line no matter who no matter where.
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MADem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 05:24 PM
Response to Original message
8. Because they get paid to play, and it ain't their ox being gored, is why.
Unless writers start writing clever lines for them at the postgame sports gaggles, they've no 'vested' interest.
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SheilaT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 05:26 PM
Response to Original message
9. Do TV writers write the scripts
for the games that are played? I thought that the only picket lines, real or virtual, would be for the shows that rely on the script writers.
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Oeditpus Rex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:20 PM
Response to Reply #9
15. The stuff athletes say was written by 'Bull Durham' writer Ron Shelton
"It's time to work on your interviews."

"My interviews? What do I gotta do?"

"You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: 'We gotta play it one day at a time.'"

"'Got to play'... It's pretty boring."

"'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down."
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SheilaT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 01:27 PM
Response to Reply #15
25. I know you're being
somewhat ironic here, but my point is still that the strike by screen writers has absolutely nothing to do with sports.

Although I did like the movie Bull Durham and especially love that scene where the dumb pitcher (played so very well by Tim Robbins) being fed his lines by the savvy, almost over-the-hill catcher played equally well by Kevin Costner. And then later, when the dumb pitcher parrots back those lines so very well. On those rare occasions when I watch a few minutes of an interview with an athlete after a game, I often think back to the movie and admire how well each new generation of athletes learns those lines.
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MadBadger Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:01 PM
Response to Original message
11. Virtual Picket lines? C'mon, is this serious?
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dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:10 PM
Response to Original message
13. you do realize that pro/college sports aren't written, don't you?
nt
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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:15 PM
Response to Reply #13
14. But suppose people of conscience stood in solidarity with other workers?
There I go again, talking crazy talk
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dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:21 PM
Response to Reply #14
16. are you standing in solidarity with them by walking off your job?
don't talk the talk if you won't walk the walk.
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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:36 PM
Response to Reply #16
18. My job doesn't involve television
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dysfunctional press Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 06:54 PM
Response to Reply #18
19. neither does a football players.
and YOU said: "But suppose people of conscience stood in solidarity with other workers?"

where does it say that those "other workers" have to be involved in television, comrade?

maybe someday you'll grow a conscience, and be able to walk the walk you now only can talk about wanting others to do in your stead...:hi:
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muriel_volestrangler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-23-07 07:51 PM
Response to Reply #18
20. Did Democratic politicians stop turning up in Congress
because that's televised too?
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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 06:31 AM
Response to Reply #20
21. Do you think anyone would notice if CSPAN went off the air?
Let's keep it real here
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muriel_volestrangler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 07:01 AM
Response to Reply #21
24. I think we went past 'real' a long time ago
Sports do exist apart from the broadcasts of them. If someone thought that the broadcasts were breaking a strike, then the technicians who work in TV should be the ones refusing to broadcast anything, whether sports, repeats, news, material written before the strike, etc. The sports can continue as live entertainment.
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cgrindley Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 06:34 AM
Response to Reply #18
22. Did you just write that post, sunshine?
if so, you've just provided written entertainment. SCAB!
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taterguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 06:47 AM
Response to Reply #22
23. But I didn't get paid for it
And I had no way of knowing that people would be entertained by it.
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Basileus Basileon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 01:29 PM
Response to Original message
26. Why would they? Their jobs do not involve writing or television.
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Beelzebud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 01:30 PM
Response to Original message
27. Athletes can write?
LOL
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Basileus Basileon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 01:31 PM
Response to Reply #27
28. Sure.
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Beelzebud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-24-07 01:34 PM
Response to Reply #28
29. ROFLMAO!
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