Posted Monday/October 1, 2001; 12:21 p.m. PDT

Ricky Watters on the go...

It doesn't matter why it exists. Nor does it matter it shouldn't. It kind of matters it took the NFL's return, after the week of chaos to lift it. The fact of the matter, the outdated NFL Blackout Rule was miraculously and unilaterally lifted on Sunday, September 23, 2001. God bless America and the NFL! Now, two BIG questions: 1. What did it hurt?; 2. What purpose did re-instituting it September 30, 2001 serve?

Hopefully NFL Blackouts are as unwelcomed to Fans throughout the country as they are here in Seattle where they've reached epidemic proportions. The "non-sold out/non-blacked out" 27-3 at home spanking by the Philadelphia Eagles was demoralizing, but AT LEAST Seahawk Fans were able to see what went wrong so we could talk about it on KJR Sports Radio. In baseball, it's "Root, root, root for the home team…." In football it's, "How can we root for the home team if we can't see 'em?" The Mariners have televised virtually every home game this season. Of course, all of those games were sold out, making it a "sour apples to juicy oranges" comparison. But so what? You get the point. Baseball Fans want to see baseball. Football Fans want to see football; even BAAAAD football. Now we're talking "NFL" here, so don't go start the XFL back up just because we're talking about BAAAAD football. We're not talking THAT bad!

...Ricky going...

For one Sunday in September 2001, the NFL "saw the light," or at least "turned it on." A week later, the greatest sports league in the world, the "beacon of light" for both MLB and the NCAA, went back into its ancient cave. The league peeked its head and retreated far from the Fans. Back into the Dark Ages of its ridiculously outdated policy. Who...what...when...why...how would it hurt if the Blackout Rule was abolished forever? NO ONE...NO WHERE...NEVER...IT WON'T...IT CAN'T! The NFL took a "tippy toe" forward and a "15 year penalty" backward. It's just another Poli$port$Biz issue that Fans have ABSOLUTELY no direct input, which allows the league to thumb its nose. Kudos for getting the referee issue settled, but no one consulted the Fans. Fans have a sense of what's fair and what isn't. The debate raged for a week on whether or not to play NFL games the Sunday after "Terror Tuesday;" the PAYING PUBLIC just listened to what the leauge and players thought. Not vice versa. Jumping back over to baseball, the Collective Bargaining Agreement will expire in 30 days, but will MLB consult the Fans on what direction to go? Hell no! But UNITED, the Fans would have to be heard!

...Ricky gone!

The "States are Uniting" like never before. WeTheFans.com has been been on a "uniting mission" since March 1999. We urge NFL Fans to unite and help this Site persuade the NFL to "keep us out of the dark." The NFL Blackout Rule is the "Triple Crown of Double Jeopardy." Fans that can't afford to attend games are penalized by not being able to see them on TV, since Fans that can afford to go don't, because the team is BAAAAAD. The way the Nation does business has forever changed, but the National Football League has gone right back to status quo. Thanks for the bone.

Come on NFL Fans! Get with the WeTheFans.com by signing the Turn ON The Lights, The Party's Over" Petition!

Speaking of Blackouts