NFL to let Cowboys giant HD scoreboard stay as-is, at least for 2009
By Richard Lawler 
posted Aug 30th 2009 7:16PM
posted Aug 30th 2009 7:16PM
The NFL has ruled on the Dallas Cowboys punt blocking super-sized videoboard deciding to leave it where it is, 90 feet above the playing field, at least for this season. That's no surprise to us, on the last EHD Podcast we figured no one would be able to tell Jerry Jones there's a problem with his billion dollar baby, obstructed view seating and all. So far there's just the one strike in the books, but if it happens again, it is a dead ball and the clock and down will both be reset. Haven't seen the punt heard round the world yet? Check after the break for a clip of the kick that caused all the commotion, though we're still waiting for a ruling on whether or not Gears of War tournaments on the thing are still legal. 
Well... if they decide they don't want it hanging there anymore, I'll voluntarily take it.
you'll do that for them? such a sweetheart
Now this is what I call inhabit industrial microclimates. This will surely facilitate algorithmic programs.
That's what she said.
I couldn't afford the electricity to power that thing even for a few days.
Da Niners trashed them, so their big fat scoreboard didn't do them any good. :^)
More $millions wasted in the name of the NFL. The NLF caved to Dallas' demands on the board. Lame.
Wow, slow news day!
Not really, it's Sunday.
My thoughts exactly.
A news day to slow they're using news from Friday.
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2009/8/28/1005718/nfl-oks-jerry-jones-video-board?ref=yahoo
*so
I blame the public schools for my poor grasp of the English language. I went to the private ones, but yeah.
I think engadget should leave ESPN to handle sporting news since they are way late on this information.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/dallas-cowboys-hd-scoreboard-hanging-too-low/
They posted back when it happened. It's a large gadget so it kind of counts.
@Templarian: This specific news story was announced 2 days ago, so yeah Engadget is a little late on this. I don't think the OP was referring to this though, just the story in general.
:)
The Cowgirls still suck.
.. the chrome off of trailer hitches.
.. a golf ball through a garden hose.
I think they should leave it just as it is forever. Baseball is currently the only sport where each playing surface/area is different. What if Fenway didn't have the Green Monster? I say Dallas has the Black Blocker. Punters need to aim for distance without going high.
+1
I agree.
If I'm the punter, I'm aiming for the scoreboard every time. They could raise the screen 15'-20' and then their troubles would be over. Jerry Jones just doesn't want to spend the money, he already spent over $1B... redonkulous...
golf too
Punting isn't all about distance. Hang-time (height) is critical to allow your team to get down field and make a tackle....
um... ever think about sailing? i think its the most varied of all playing fields :)
a) old news
b) U2's stage is 100 feet tall and requires the video board to be raised, they are handling the bill.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/sports/?ArID=250613&SecID=5
If you read the article, you'd know that when the screen is raised for U2, it won't work, and they'll have to lower it again to make it work. Also, not old news.
Thank you.
But with U2's situation, the screen will be disconnected, and it will be lowered back down after the concert. It would be more expensive to raise the screen and have it be operational.
Wasn't earlier rumor suggesting that the scoreboard was lower than usual that fateful game because of a Paul McCartney concert a few days prior? I guess now it's kind of proven that the heighth is meant to be where it was, but immediately after that was the belief held by most local sportscasters.
@Templarian
They are late on the news that the NFL will allow the Cowboys to keep the screen as is.
Oh, didn't realize that. Me it's sunday they needed to find something to write about. hmm.
Meh**
Bad grammar aside, your comment makes absolutely no sense. LCD screens used for PCs are entirely third party and are bought from separate manufacturers, and have no ties to the operating system or platform.
As far as Mac goes, they still buy LCDs from other manufacturers, but they dress them up in puke worthy Apple skins to make it look proprietary. Therefore, the allusion to a Mac LCD superior is totally false and irrelevant.
And, even if there were proprietary LCDs for both platforms, Microsoft's would be inherently better because Apple is a shitty company.
look, are they going to let me play nazi zombies on that thing, or what? stop kicking footballs into it and give it to gamers!
@Rose: Let me get this straight. If they had purchased their screen from Apple, who, as pczuneman so kindly pointed out, is supplied by third parties anyway, they would have magically been imbued with the power to hang their screen high enough? Oh, that makes perfect sense now. Thanks for clearing that up.
Only the Cowboys that they can pull of being in a electronics blog and sports blog.
Best of Both Worlds. WOOHOO!
How bout them Cowboys!
the screen was already raised, making this entire story irrelevant. the day after the punter hit the screen, they were out on the field with 2 cranes raising the screen. one of the people i work with has pictures of the entire ordeal and everything (he was there taking a tour of the place). i am assuming the Cowboys' management is covering up that fact for PR reasons.
Those 2 smaller screens look stupid, who commissioned this pile of dung? President Camacho?
Wait, I think I understand what Rose is saying. Since the biggest monitor that Apple sells is only 30", it would be small enough to easily raise.
Solution: buy a 30" scoreboard.
wait, even if apple personaly made the screen and had it running on apple software vs mitsubishi and whatever operating system they use..... how would the ball magically pass through the screen?
unless items actually go though mac screens, im sorry im not personally an owner so im not sure of wheather apple has invented magic yet or not.
Ummm, are you sure it's 90 feet? You may want to check that one. Seriously...it's 90 meters, closer to 300 feet.
Ummm, are you sure it's 90 meters? You may want to check that one. Seriously...it's 90 feet, closer to 30 meters.
@sitruc -- I stand corrected. It just seems like 90 ft is not all that high, especially when they want a 5+ sec hang time on a punt. Oh well.
Are you implying that the Titans punter can punt a ball 300 feet into the air?
He must be really good.
No, no, it 90 KILOmeters....
For 5 seconds, Google says 100 ft:
http://www.google.com/search?q=(2.5+sec)^2+*+9.8+m%2Fsec^2++%2F+2+in+feet
Amazing how 20 seconds of math can save you embarrassment in front of the whole world...
Embarrassment in front of the whole world, eh? I didn't realize that an error on a nerd blog was that horrific, or that the whole world was reading this thread. You'd think there would be better comments, or in other languages.
@ Joe. Thanks. Slight embarrassment, yes. But not the end of the world just an error (in my judgment).
The more I thought about it the dumber it sounds: ~100m = ~30-story building. Oh well. I just could have sworn that when this first happened (during the Titan’s game) the height that was talked about was much higher than 90 feet. Oh well. Should be interesting to see how many times the board will be hit during the season.
Punters will never hit this in an actual NFL game. The only reason the punter hit it two weeks ago is because he intended to and kicked it straight into the air. In anything other than an exhibition game, that won't happen because kicking straight into the air from your own 40 yard line, is counter-intuitive to winning.
exactly - hey folks we have a winner here... that is the correct answer