Heard Around the BTN Offices today...

[tweeterhawk]

Congrats Jon............you have paid your dues, starting with 'Miller Time' emails, providing Hawk news long before the blog, tweeter days.

Good luck and GO HAWKS!!!

+1. Looking forward to the show, Jon, and congratulations for moving up so quickly.

 

[cuinknk]

So which one of you will play Colin and which one will play Michelle?

If Jon is going to stick up more for the David's of the conference, that would make him more of a Michelle. However, a much less attractive Michelle.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

-Spoke with someone that was in Iowa City last week for the night practice that will air tomorrow night on the BTN. Keep in mind that the BTN is only around for one day, typically.

Said Indiana's defense didn't look great...which is to be expected. Northwestern didn't have a very good day of practice when they were in town, either.

I told him my biggest concern with Iowa is their offensive line. He looked at me, and right away said 'I wouldn't be worried about it based on what I saw.' and I got a grin on his face and he grinned back...was good to hear.

I was in town for a rehearsal of 'The Pulse', the show I will be co-hosting with LeCharles Bentley. It will air Thursday nights at 8PM CENTRAL. It's going to be all opinions...we'll probably dance close to the flames on a few topics that might get some folks at Big 10 schools a bit sideways, but we have the BTN's blessing...just be respectful is the way I am looking at it.

The show will also have huge fan involvement...from twitter, email and more...there will be entire segments devoted to what the fans have to say on issues, and there will be polls where you get to pick a side and after LeCharles and I give our opinions on a topic, we reveal what the 'Big Ten Nation' has to say about it...I think the reveals will be cold to us, so we'll see what you have to say after we speak our peace.

I can't begin to tell you what a first class operation the BTN is...the studios are state of the art, the control room is out of this world and the people are some of the best in the industry at what they do...even the makeup specialists used to work on the Oprah show

When you walk in that place, you feel like you have stepped into the Big Time. I am not saying that about myself, because we have a long way to go to polish the edges...I am talking about everyone else...but also it's expected of you, because you are there and they chose you to be there...you had better bring it or get left behind.

I hope you all a) watch it b) take part in the interactivity and c) enjoy it.

Amazing how far the BTN has come. My first impression was of a third-rate, small-town public cable access production, complete with women's field hockey reruns all summer, esoteric interviews late at night, etc. And there IS still some of that. And no two ways about it, Friday Night Tailgate is lame, even with Charissa. And that grilling show on Saturdays with Charissa and/or Melanie? Bad. Just bad.

But Revsine, DiNardo, Griffith, C-Mart, Mason, et. al., are top-notch any way you cut it. Football production values are excellent, broadcast/color personnel just as much so, and they DO cover--unbiased--other conference action when warranted.

 

[LutherHawk]

Though I have never watched that show, I know what you are talking about. This is sort of a PTI meets Sports Nation kind of thing.

Great! Why reinvent the wheel. Those shows are interesting, evocative, whimsical, and most importantly, entertaining. A show with a couple of guys just debating non-sensical topics back and forth with no input from the 'audience' is a bit outdated and bland (see College Football Live).
The main key is to actually provide relevant information in a light, fun, rapid format.

Can't wait to see the show, Jon!

 

[SLarew]

Congrats on the show. Please do deaf and hard of hearing fans a favor and ask them to do close captions for your show. They do captioning for games (FB and BB) but none of their talk shows so I watch other channels on weeknights.

Long time ago, they said they would be doing more but havent seen it. If their technology is as advanced as you describe, they shouldnt have a problem doing it.