Daily Dirt: This is as good a time as any to reinvent network TV scheduling

Daily Dirt for Dec. 22, 2021
I’d be legitimately excited about a night featuring nothing but westerns … welcome to today’s three thoughts in Vol. 165 of the Daily Dirt.

1. If I had my way …– I would reinvent how network (ABC, NBC, CBS) television is presented to the public. For example:   

• Monday would be comedy night.
• Tuesday night would be for dramatic shows.
• Wednesday would be western night.
• Thursday would be detective television.
• Friday would be movie night.
• Saturday and Sunday would be for sports, with one exception. Each network could designate an early Sunday evening hour for news programming, such as “60 Minutes”.

Viewers would always know what to expect on certain evenings, and if that wouldn’t meet their satisfaction, there are plenty of other available outlets such as satellite TV, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, etc. And those seeking for news presentations would always have Fox, CNN or one of the other networks that deal with that entity.

I would sign screenwriter Taylor Sheridan to whatever kind of contract extension I could at Paramount. This is the guy who is responsible — for the most part — of bringing us “Yellowstone,” “1883” and “Mayor of Kingstown”.

Speaking of contract extensions (not to mention raises), if I were the TV bosses who control the purse strings tied to the contracts of Joe Davis, 34, and Jason Benetti, 38, I would be doling out some serious cash. These two are the future of major sporting events. Davis is familiar to many for his play-by-play work with the Dodgers (he succeeded Vin Scully), and Benetti is the popular voice of the White Sox. They also do college football games, and in the case of Davis he is a rising star among NFL announcers.

2. Best-looking NFL uniforms:

1. Cleveland Browns, when they wear teir old-school Brown jerseys like they did Monday night. (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Steve is the biggest homer since Homer Simpson. JRG)

2. Oakland Raiders. Ahhh … the soot and the silver of the Rai-duhs!!

3. Cincinnati Bengals. Their new models are quite stylish, unlike the freak-show look they’ve had in recent years. (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: More Ohio nonsense. These unis are hideous. The Dallas Cowboys should be in this slot. JRG)

4. New York Jets. The Jets have always had a quality jersey, dating back to Broadway Joe. (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This version of the Jets uni, yes:

Not the crap they are now wearing. JRG)

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Those powder blue jerseys are quality, and stir memories of Keith Lincoln and John Hadl.

3. The events I am most looking forward to in the upcoming Winter Olympics, which begin Feb. 4:

Hockey. More fisticuffs, and less finesse, should be encouraged — especially when we play the Russians.

Curling. There is something incredibly fascinating about this bizarre sport that looks like it should be conducted at the nearest bowling center.

Any kind of skiing or ski jumping. Be honest, we love the crashes.

Snowboarding. Largely because we know the Americans will always be in contention.

Skating. Who doesn’t love a solid salchow or axel?

Steve Fact O’ The Day Steve has never been on a pair of skates in his life, not will he be anytime soon.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. We will not be sending him to Beijing.