Thank You, NBC, For Making It All So Clear

From MediaWeek, and I realize this has been out for a few weeks, but cut a brother some slack...

The goal, (NBC VP of strategic marketing and communications Mike) McCarley said, is to hammer home the telecast's new slogan, "Sunday Night is Football Night," and to give viewers the impression that the telecast is not just for the hard core football fan, but for the entire family.

"Our new slogan is a simple, short, consistent message that we want to repeat over and over, wherever people are," McCarley said. ... "Last year we spent the pre-season promoting that the games were going to be on NBC for the first time, and explaining to viewers what Sunday Night Football was," McCarley said. "This year we are ramping it up to try to drive more first-time viewers there and to make Sunday Night Football a family viewing habit."

So, just to be very clear about this, for all of the mouth-breathers that NBC thinks are in the audience... last year, NBC wanted to tell you that they had football on Sunday nights. This year, they want you to know it's OK to watch. That sound you just heard was my head hitting my desk.

Um, NBC? NFL? Here's why the ratings aren't as good as they should be, especially since you are always cherry picking a good game. It's the third freaking game of the day. As a football consumer, I'm fairly satiated already. Plus, I've got a house full of people who aren't particularly interested in football (that'd be the Shooter Wife and the Shooter Kids) that would like to see their husband/parent at some point in the day. You know, just to remember what he looks like.

BTW, the Internets tell me that Mike McCarley might be able to be reached at mike.mccarley@nbc.com, 212-664-5528.

I'm not saying, Nation, that you should send email after email, and make phone all after phone call, to him to deliver the simple, short and consistent message that Sunday Night Is Football Night. That would be rude. Contrary to the brand. Not befitting of your lofty status as readers of this fine sports blog.

I'm just saying, it's amazing what one can find in 30 seconds on the Internets.

And that maybe, just maybe, Mike would appreciate a little thank you for all of his hard work. Maybe a sheepish acknowledgment that you, personally, didn't know that Sunday Night Was Football Night last year, but that you're pretty sure you've got it this year. Maybe he could call you back and confirm that.

Because when Sunday Night Is Football Night, I'm thinking it might actually be on Tuesday afternoon, just to mess with my head.