My pursuit of a way to watch ACC Network programming has taken a dramatic turn.
Where we were before: Comcast, which to this writing still hasn’t come to terms with ESPN on a carriage agreement to be able to offer ACC Network to its customers, was out, and Lumos Networks, a local service provider, was in.
Update: Lumos is back out. Comcast is scheduled to come back out on Monday to get us back online with their cable and Internet.
The image I’m trying to leave with you: me, tail tucked between my legs, begrudging, et cetera.
The folks at Lumos are nice, but their service just isn’t working for me. The On Demand options are almost nonexistent. I counted nine movies in the HBO section, and scattered, scattered, scattered, offerings elsewhere.
Considering that in 2019 people are used to watching TV at times other than when shows are scheduled to air, that’s just never going to work.
This, on top of issues with picture freezes, the DVR not recording shows.
It’s a First World problem, sure, but, I mean, you live in the First World, you want to watch TV, you should be able to watch TV.
Where ACC Network factors in here: it’s just not that good.
The weekday morning show, featuring Mark Packer and Wes Durham, is a major disappointment.
I know that the two have had an apparently successful Sirius XM ACC-themed show, but … I don’t see how.
God love ‘em, but Packer and Durham are both setup men. They need somebody interesting sitting with them to make the show worth watching/listening to.
It seems like half the show is taking calls from listeners, which is the laziest way to book TV/radio known to man.
These guys have the entirety of the ACC World tuning in.
If it’s me, I’ve got beat writers covering every team, I’ve got coaches, I’ve got TV and radio broadcasters, I’ve got famous alums.
I don’t have enough time in three hours a day, five days a week, to do everything I want to do.
These guys, they take calls, and talk to each other, and occasionally have a guest.
Zzzzz.
This runs for three hours, 7-10 a.m., then replays in its entirety, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
One-fourth of your weekday, right there.
Then there’s an evening show, “All ACC,” that looks like a campus TV production, but I’m sure will get better over time.
Actually, I’m not sure of that.
I’m just saying that because you’re supposed to say that, to try to be nice.
It can’t get worse. That’s me telling the truth.
The football studio team is basically the B bullpen playing out the string in a 13-4 blowout.
Mark Richt is there almost certainly because he wants to keep himself in front of people to remind the world that he’s a football coach.
Eric Mac Lain, had to look him up, apparently played at Clemson, which, I had to look him up to find that out.
He seems, at least, to be having a good time doing whatever he’s doing on the set.
Jac Collinsworth sounds like his dad. Not sure that’s a compliment.
EJ Manuel is showing potential. Which is to say, he’s the only thing worth watching in this lineup.
Finally, there are games. This week, one on Friday night, three on Sunday.
Roughly 12 hours of your week, if you watch them all, and watching them all, this week, means watching Kansas at Boston College, Furman at Virginia Tech and Bethune-Cookman at Miami before you tune in for UVA-Florida State.
If you watch all four of those from start to finish, you need help, and I’m serious.
Long story short: I’ll slog my way through life without it until Comcast comes around, or doesn’t.
Just letting you folks know, you’re not missing out on much, if anything.
Column by Chris Graham
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