Posted Monday/October 15, 2001; 11:37 a.m. PDT

Touchdown: Shaun Alexander!

Seattle Times NFL reporter Les Carpenter, wrote another great article about the lunacy of the NFL Blackout Policy, but the Seahawks were blacked out anyway. Seattle is among the Blackout Elite; the Seattle Times and P.I. are leading authorities on the way it slaps Fans SMACK DAB in the face! Across the nation in Florida, the city of Jacksonville is a "7th-year Blackout Rookie". What's a harder slap, than being forced to watch the New Jets/Miami Dolphins game (Helluva game, by the way!), while the Seahawks are giving the Denver Broncos an "AFC West Farewell ass kickin'" at home? Jaguars Fans being FORCED to watch reruns of The Pretender, ER and the Andy Griffith Show, THAT'S WHAT! Despite the dramatic finish between Miami and New York, SEATTLE Fans would rather see the SEAHAWKS! But at least we were watching FOOTBALL! Jacksonville's first season of blackouts is such a "rude," rude awakening, the mayor sprung into action.

Interception by Reggie Tongue!

Jacksonville's situation is BAAAD, but they've only had two games blacked out. If a team needs a "Blackout Exemption," it's the Seahawks. This team was almost moved. This team was saved. This team got a BIG TIME second chance. This team got a new owner. This team got BIG TIME lucky with a new stadium. This team got a Super Bowl-winning coach. This team still lost BIG TIME. This team can't sellout right now. This team needs to fill the new stadium next season. This team needs to be TV...BIG TIME, as does EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE NFL...PERIOD!

The Jacksonville Jaguars's first non-sellout, is a RED FLAG of the NATION wide ecomonic-social-political changes for Fans, that the NATIONAL Football League refuses to acknowledge, let alone address. But that's EXPANSION TEAM...to AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME...to BLACKED OUT in SEVEN SEASONS! You GOTTA address that!! NFL New Millennium is completely different than NFL 90's; radically different than NFL 70's. Yet the main justification for blackouts is something the late, great, former NFL Commissioner, Pete Rozelle said during the Disco Era. Paul Tagliabue is endeavoring to be forever linked with greatness, by making a Pete Rozelle's statement, his mantra. The only problem is, Commissioner Rozelle's statement was made during his time, without a "Back to the Future II Sports Almanac" to know the future commissioner's challenges. Pete Rozelle's greatness will ultimately be the biggest blemish on Paul Tagliabue's legacy. Crazy, isn't it?

It's good to be the king!

The NFL Blackout Rule needs to come tumbling down like Humpty Dumpty sitting on the Berlin Wall. It's killing the free trade of NFL teams in their own markets through its ridiculous rigidity, despite changing times, teams, locations and economics. New Millennium Pro Football is governed by a 30-year old "Dictatorial Rule." It's time for a "Redress of Grievances" and it starts with New Millennium NFL Fans and the Turn On The Lights The Party's Over" Petition. NFL Fans get with The Party because it's the ONLY WAY to protect our markets and save our teams! The NFL has left Fans deserted on "Blackout Island," but together we can be SURVIVORS!

Part 2 : Part 4