Who's Going To Read the Internet To Me Now?

Since the local cable company and the local sports oligarchy have finally come to an agreement, I'll have the Big Ten TV on my cable box this year. Not that it matters much this weekend since the Michigan game - ie the only game I really care about - is showing in the network's late, 3:30 slot. But the next time Michigan is playing some also-ran and the nets decide it's not worth the airtime, I'm covered.

Given that the two sides waged a bitter and self-immolating campaign last year, I'm not sure who's the winner here. I suppose it really depends on the contract the two sides have reached (I'm too lazy/disgusted/apathetic/pick one already to track down but if the Big Ten had to give up the farm to get a face-saving deal that pays them extremely little then it's not so good for them. On the other hand, if they're raking in the dollars from a sweetheart package then, well, the cable companies took the bath here.). But the Big Ten channel is on the basic cable package not on a premium tier. Since that was one of the big points of contention that Comcast and other providers dug in their heels about and seem to have given in on, I'm going to say it was the Big Ten that won the day.

I know who lost, though: G4TV.

Because they were the channel that Big Ten TV replaced. The former Tech TV's now shuffled off to the premium channels that I don't have and I'm...

Well, okay, I'm not really pissed. But I feel like I should get my hackles up to salvage some geek pride. I mean, sure, the nerds got kicked to the side by the jocks. Happens all the time. But I should be outraged, right?

I mean, now how am I going to watch...uh. Well, there's... Actually, you know, I can't remember the last time I watched G4. Outside of, you know, It's kind of hard to get worked up about losing it when I'm not even going to miss it. But G4 was one of those channels that I never watched - thanks to Hulu and YouTube and everything else, I hardly watch any TV these days, when you get right down to it - but whose presence always comforted me.

Kind of like the Big Ten Network now.