While You are Sleeping - NFL Network Pre-Game Show

There are very few reasons to be up early on a Sunday morning. One big reason, if you are an NFL fan, is to watch NFL Networks early morning show First on the Field. The show airs from 7am-9am on the NFL Networks and features Former running back LaDanian Tomlinson, and co-hosts Sterling Sharpe (former Wide Receiver) and Melissa Stark (Monday Night Football and Today Show). The show has a good mix of entertainment and information for the days games each week. Fresh off the field Thomlinson gives a good feel from a players perspective and Sharpe has been doing these pre-game shows since his retirement and has earned a role as a host/co-host while still bringing the ability to break down plays and games. Just about every network has their own version of a pre-game preview show and this one ranks right there with the best of them. What sets it apart is the ability of Melissa Stark as the host and helps guide the ship. Knowledgeable, skilled and attractive...a deadly combination. 

No other Pro football show features a female host which sets First on the Field apart from any of the competing shows. Erin Andrews (Dancing with the Stars and formerly ESPN) is the host for FOX's NCAA Football show on Saturday Nights and also does a good job on that program. 

Stark, who worked on Monday Night Football in the early 2000's left that gig to focus on family. Since then she has done some work on the Today Show. Stark brings a nice balance of classic journalism and can control the show in her role as co-host, but also offers great football knowledge to the show. Her ability to deliver either insight or statistics while keeping it entertaining is a remarkable and it proves to be in that role. Now it must be noted that she also possesses the other skills that helps one on the television excel as well. There is a reason that some people are just better in other mediums. There is a reason for that old saying "a face for radio". The television is a visual medium and like it or not looks count. There is no denying that she is stunningly beautiful and probably possesses the most stunning pair of legs since Mary Hart from Entertainment Tonight (and she reportedly had each insured for $1 Million each, so $2 Million total). If that doesn't keep you tuned in and willing to get up to watch who knows what is.

Pigskin Thursday

It may not be a marquee match up like Colts and Patriots but tonight kicks off the NFL mid week game with the Bears and 49ers facing off. Granted that these games are scheduled on Thursdays on the NFL Network so they can help bolster the ratings for a station that on the whole doesn’t get a whole lot of viewership. In Canada, even though we have that channel we can’t watch it there, we get it on Sportsnet. I will leave that alone for now as every time there is some sort of TV availability issue I get a little riled up about the lack of options that Canadians are given. It has become a big pet peeve for me, so I will drop it...for now and just this time.

Having this Thursday match up just means that we are getting close to the American Thanksgiving and the Lions and cowboys traditional double header. Good times.

It makes for a nice option to have on a Thursday, there will be lots of flipping with football, plenty of hockey (Sens-Flyers), some good NBA games (LA Lakers & Phoenix) and if there is time between periods and quarters mix in some of the comedy shows on NBC. One thing for sure is more football is not a bad thing. When you can get Pro Games on Monday, Thursday and Sundays and some NCAA games on Saturdays, that ain’t not bad. You know you are going to miss it when it is gone in February.

Thankfully the CFL is in playoffs and not eating up valuable TV time on Friday nights (however the only good thing about the CFL, the Grey Cup will be happening soon).