Will You Be Able to Watch the Eagles on Thanksgiving?

Senator Arlen Specter tried to make himself useful for once and sent a letter to the NFL to get the game shown on more than just the NFL Network. Initially, it appeared to have worked.

This Thursday's Eagles-Cardinals game on NFL Network will be simulcast on WPVI in Philadelphia; viewers in Harrisburg, York, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre who get the station on cable now will be able to watch, as well. But the Phoenix station airing the game isn't carried on any cable systems outside the local market, so no additional fans will have access.

But then, this article says that deal fell through:

From the Evening Sun:

Contrary to news reported by The Associated Press in Monday's edition of The Evening Sun, the Thanksgiving Day NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals will be not shown locally.

Comcast spokesman Fred DeAndrea said Monday that the NFL Network and WPVI-TV, Philadelphia, which will televise the game, and Comcast could not work out an agreement by which the game would be shown on any station other than the NFL Network.

Who to believe? Say you're over your Aunt Marie's house for Thanksgiving and you just woke up from your post turkey nap and want to watch the Iggles as you put your feedbag back on to down some apple pie. Will you really get to see the game if she doesn't have NFL Network?

Good thing my parents have the NFL Network and a 60 inch HD TV taboot.

>>NFL Network available to more viewers [MCall]
>>Thanksgiving day game only on NFL Network [Evening Sun]

Comments

[Chris]

Luckily for me, I am physically unable to watch the Eagles play anymore. So it doesn't really matter if Grandma and Grandpa have the NFL network.

[Not a fan of five]

I have it at my house but I won't be there. Don't know if my brother has it. As long as there's the internets and beer I'll be happy.

[Kulp]

TV Guide says the game is on locally.

[Joe]

I thought you were asking us if we'd be able to STAND watching the game.

[thegreatwarden]

i agree with Chris. I honestly can't stomach the Eagles anymore. Enjoy the game!

[Hummer]

I can.

I'd rather shove a fork in an electrical socket though

[Pete D]

@Kulp, its on locally on the areas that would get WPVI over the air, but it won't be on for those extended-areas that only get WPVI over cable.

[Blues]

Let's sign Shaun Alexander and not give him the ball.

I'll probably get amped up for the first quarter and depressed by the time we're down 14-0 a few minutes later and proceed to enter my food-induced coma.

[themajor]

i will watch it but I am sure Id rather be kicked in the junk by the second play when mcnabb throws his first pick.

[slowski]

who cares

[HLH]

I'll be able to watch the game and will be watching it. I'm an Eagles fan regardless of the qb or how the Eagles are playing. The one good thing I see coming out of these hard times is all the bandwagon and fairweather fans will find other teams to cheer for.

[Joe36]

Im actually going to the game dont really know what kind of reaction everyone is going to give mcnabb and the offense though and its going to be crazy cold

[ryan]

I'm glad I talked my mom into buying that HDTV a few months back, but she's not sure if she gets the NFL Network, if not, it'll be off to the bar with a belly full of pie to watch the birds.

[will]

im actually playing in the game so i dont have to worry

[mike c]

I will be going to the game. Hopefully the holiday has no effect on what the crowd normally is like.

I'm hoping if the offense gets introduced that Don gets his normal big ovation, but if he plays bad he gets what he deserves.

[EricStAngelo]

Damn. Taboot Taboot.

[Richard]

wasn't this the same guy that said that kenenedy was shot by one bullet?...he is a idiot..and why do we keep voting for this dumbass

[mike]

this really stinks. my other programming gripe is with the flyers and cn8. if you don't have comcast as your cable provider, you're shut out. why don't more people complain? philly fans are being shut out several games.

[Steve]

I get it at home but my sister doesn't and that's where I'm eating. I think I'm gonna cut out early, I know we're not great but it's not every year the Birds play on Thanksgiving.

[Ben]

Glad I'm in the Philly area then.
/hums Action News theme

[Paul]

I'm confused by the story, but does this mean if you have cable of any sort and don't get the NFL Network you will not be able to see the game on the cable version of ABC/WPVI 6; that only people who receive over the air WPVI will be able to watch the game on that channel.

[Wilson]

I called my local cable provider (or my parent's cause that's where I'll be eating...), which is Service Electric in Allentown, they told me that any cable provider that carries 6abc will have the Eagles game....so that should be Jersey shore to Harrisburg and Scranton to Slower Lower Delaware if I'm not mistaken....I also complained about the Flyers because theyre blacked out on Service Electric and they told me it's out of their hands...guess its comcast flexing their muscles

[JBizzle]

What are the odds on Roderick Hood being the defensive player of the game with two picks, one going for a td?

[jnew]

I say McNabb breaks his ankle but throws for 4 TD's anyway. Oh wait what year is this? I really just want McNabb to call the plays the whole game regardless of what Reid says, win the game so we can all see the Reid is the problem.

[bizurk]

Move closer to your world, my friends, take a little bit of time.....

Maybe we should give thanks that we're not fans of the Lions or the Raiders. I know it's been bleak recently, but football's a funny game..... the Giants had a mediocre QB with a good defense and a middling record this time last year. I don't believe for a second that the Iggs can run the table the way the G-men did last year, but it can always be a lot worse.

[Mitch]

Yea the Eagles suck. They will not make the playoffs and there will be a lot of problems and issues to deal with in the off season, mainly Donavon and Big Red. However, I am an Eagles fan. Have been and will be for my entire life. And despite the terrible play and poor play calling I will be watching the game with the same enthusiasm and disgust as I would any other game. I mean WE ARE PHILADELPHIA! The BEST damn sport city and fans in the entire world, no question.

I challenge all to not drop down to other cities levels and become fair weathered fans. We are there in the good times and, yes, even in the bad. Stick it out! Be cheering and hoping that the Birds got the message and rebound in a big way! Why not, right?

FLY EAGLES FLY!

[bizurk]

I'm hoping for a 'Last Boy Scout'/'Varsity Blues' moment where 5 says screw it, I'm callin the plays. That would be a 2 on my personal 'finger scale' ((am I the only one that ever saw that movie?))

[Adam]

@Blues: I was totally thinking the same thing. Shaun Alexander would look great sitting on the end of the Eagles' bench, all Christmas-ornamenty.

@mike: CN8 won't have you to kick around much longer, since Comcast just announced they're pulling the plug on the network. At least there's Versus, right...right?

[Mr. Bryan]

Service Electric in Allentown carries NFL Network.

[ben]

first pick by Mcnabb is gonna make me wanna take a big ole heapin sh#t. Then I will have room for pie.

[Pete D]

@Ben,
I didn't think of the gastro-effects of the Eagles sucking. You make a great point there...maybe their ineptitude will clear the way for another slice of pie.

[bcapp]

Andy Reid is Wilson!

[stevefredericks]

you can complain as much as you want but if you cant set 3 hours a week aside to watch a .500 football team then dont call yourself a fan.

its more fun to watch a team lose with no expectations than it is to watch one lose with expectations.

lower your expectations, put merrill reese on the radio, laugh at the mormon, and enjoy the fact that youre not watching the arizona eagles (which, as the educated know, could easily be the case).

[mike]

@bizurk- thanks for the info.

[F Goodell]

The NFL can suck me hard if they think I am paying them to watch 1 game all year.

[will]

oooh im roger godell, ill enforce a few rules here, a rew rules there, but.. in the end, ill treat the NFL like its a reality tv show cause im a huge pussy. hi im rich and im still a pussy from last sentence.

[Chris]

My inability to watch is not because I'm a fairweather fan. If that was the case, I could just blithely stop paying attention to the Eagles. I honestly can't bear to watch a decade of great teams go out with such a whimper. Last week I kept having to walk in and out of the room because the game was making me sick to my stomach. I'm sure I'll end up watching most of it tonight, but it feels like watching friends get into a car accident.

[Matthew]

It's the Eagles! Who will not want to watch.....or at least have the game on as you doze off in between turnovers?