All-Access: Training Camp

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TigerBlog sat down on his couch at about 1:15 Saturday afternoon and flipped on the TV.

Then he started counting the number of college football games that were on at that moment. He made it all the way to 11 - and he doesn't have any premium sports channels, which would have pushed that total into the 20s. And then there is ESPN3, which would push that number twice as high probably.

That's a lot of competition for the viewer. And for the consumer, for that matter, since why buy a ticket and go through the hassle of going to a game when there are so many options available on TV and online?

That's the reality of the matter for those who are hoping to get consumers to buy tickets, and it's being felt on every level of the sporting world.

Then there's the oversaturation issue. TigerBlog couldn't decide what game to watch. Nothing was leaping out at him. Ohio State vs. Kent State? Bowling Green vs. Indiana? East Carolina vs. Virginia Tech? Pitt vs. Florida International? UConn vs. Bowling Green? Maryland vs. West Virginia? Syracuse vs. Central Michigan? There were others too.

As it turned out, some of these games were great. TigerBlog didn't stay with any of them though. He watched another "Breaking Bad," which he's getting into, even as he's overwhelmed by how many episodes there are.

On the other hand, "Breaking Bad" was made to run on commercial TV in a one-hour time-slot, whereas on Netflix they're in 45-48 minute blocks without commercials. Still, TB still has 53 episodes to go. According to TigerBlog Jr., TB should be done with that in about three weeks.

Meanwhile, back at college football, TigerBlog didn't really feel strongly about any of the games that were on early. He roots for East Carolina out of loyalty to Scott Jurgens, the former marketing director here and there who is currently at Montana State, for whom he also now roots.

There were two games he was really interested in Saturday.

First was Georgia vs. South Carolina. TigerBlog roots for Georgia, because the guy whom Andi picked on "The Bachelorette" this past season was the brother of Georgia's quarterback last year - or maybe it's actually because MotherBlog lived in Georgia before she passed away and rooted for the Bulldogs.

If you didn't see this game, South Carolina won by virtue of the closest measurement in recorded history on a fourth-and-inches near midfield with 1:20 or so to play.

The other game was Rutgers-Penn State, which started at 8. TigerBlog saw the beginning and end and listened to some of the middle on the radio. To say that the Rutgers radio team is a bit homerish would be quite the understatement. TigerBlog's favorite part was when Ray Lucas called one of the refs a "clown" for his spot on a third-down, even as his partner Chris Carlin was saying how it was a good call after watching the replay.

Anyway, two things about that game. First, Rutgers Stadium looked unbelievable on television. It was jammed with more than 53,000 fans, almost all in scarlet. Second, it was an excruciating loss for Rutgers, which won't have too many better chances at a Big Ten win this year.

The question TigerBlog heard the most this weekend was "how did Princeton do today?" The answer was "Princeton hasn't played yet."

That changes this Saturday in San Diego, where the Tigers open the season at 4 Eastern. You can hear it on WPRB FM 103.3 with Dan Loney and Craig Sachson; those two will do the away games this year, while it'll be Loney and Dave Giancola on the home games.

The Tigers - and the rest of the Ivy League - can't wait for Saturday to get here fast enough. It's been a long wait, as it always is, with not only the start of the college football season but also the start of the season for every other Ivy sport.

For the football players, it's now a 10 game, 10 week sprint.

If you want to know what it takes to get ready for that sprint, then there's a video today on goprincetontigers.com that chronicles just that. It's All-Access, Football Training Camp.

The video, done by Princeton cinematographer John Bullis, follows the Princeton football team around a few days of its camp. It includes footage from meetings, practices, team gatherings and other activities, as well as interviews with Max Lescano, John Hill and Connor Kelley.

The piece is 19 minutes or so, and worth every second.

The "All-Access" series that Bullis has done here started last winter and spring. It will continue this fall. They're excellent pieces, and they do an outstanding job of showing what the experience is like for the Princeton athlete. Women's volleyball is coming next.

The football one is little longer, but make sure you check it out.

And then get ready for kickoff Saturday, and for the nine that follow. Princeton is the defending champ and preseason pick to win again.

Let's find out how it goes.