Friday, March 29, 2002

Is the NFL right on schedule?

As has been the case for a few years now, it’s impossible to tell

By Dan Arkush, Executive editor

Forget about Easter weekend, Passover and the nationwide openings of "Panic Room" and "The Rookie."

The NFL’s 2002 schedule has been officially released, and nothing else seems nearly as important.

Yeah, right. And after I’m done writing today’s web column, I’ve got a hot date with Ashley Judd — with my wife’s blessings.

Truth is, the annual release of the NFL schedule has become increasingly insignificant because of the complete and total unpredictability that has become the league’s most dominating characteristic.

That’s why the league’s powers-that-be made such an effort recently to convince Fox and CBS to agree to a flexible late-season scheduling arrangement that would enable games on those networks to be switched to Monday nights, replacing matchups that had turned into duds after looking like potential blockbusters at the start of the season.

Of course, it came as absolutely no surprise whatsoever when the network honchos said "no way," since the idea of rival network ABC benefiting at their expense was about as appealing to them as Gwyneth Paltrow’s dress on Oscar night.

Mark my words. At season’s end, you can bet there will be at least a couple of up-and-coming playoff entrants that will be virtual no-shows on prime time, perhaps including even the eventual Super Bowl victor.

Which teams are we talking about? Who knows? The Super Bowl champion Patriots’ roster didn’t really begin to take shape this past season until after June 1, when they masterfully acquired many of their key components.

Here’s a prediction: At the end of the 2002 regular season, look for at least one of the five teams that have been granted the maximum three Monday-night appearances (Bears, 49ers, Steelers, Rams and Eagles) to be big-time busts, while at least one of the three teams with no prime-time appearances at all (Panthers, Bills and Chargers) becomes a showcase attraction of the highest order.

A few more thoughts before signing off:

• The schedule-makers have boosted the Bears back into the prime-time limelight, no doubt taking into account the potent Windy City TV market in great part responsible for the highest-rated game during the 32-year history of "Monday Night Football" — the 1985 tussle between the Bears and Dolphins. But you have to wonder how many Chi-town residents will actually be in attendance on Monday night, Oct. 7, when the Bears play host to the archrival Packers in Champaign, Ill., which is where all Bears "home" games will be taking place while Soldier Field is being reconstructed. Can you imagine going to work the day after driving back from Champaign following a game that probably won’t end until 11 p.m.?

• The Niners, who like the Bears have risen from the ashes following a surprisingly strong 2001 campaign, appear to have really caught the schedule-makers’ collective fancy. Not only will they be playing in the 2002 campaign’s first regular-season game (Thursday night, Sept. 5, vs. the Giants in the Meadowlands) and last regular-season game (Monday night, Dec. 30, at St. Louis). They also are opening the NFL’s 2002 preseason slate when they face Steve Spurrier’s revamped Redskins on Aug. 3 in the American Bowl in Osaka, Japan. Which means the possibility that 49ers WR Terrell Owens will make an ass out of himself before the season runs its course has never been greater.

• For the third straight season, the Rams will play four games in prime time, which is the maximum number allowed per team. And that’s a good thing, since they remain the league’s liveliest attraction by a large margin, win or lose.

Time to go. Ashley awaits.

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2001 - 2002 Season