Television was different years ago. Broadcasting days used to end shortly after midnight and the station would carry test patterns until new programming started, usually after 6:00 a.m. Game shows were different in the early days of television too. When a contestant missed a question or failed in a challenge to end their bid to win, the announcer would routinely say, “No, I’m sorry, but be sure to pick up your consolation gift on your way home.”
It was a much kinder time.
Today, stations are broadcasting and streaming 24-hours a day on more outlets than any of us could have imagined fifty years ago. As for game show participants, some are removed from their participation today with trap doors that drop them to who knows where without even a word before sending them off.
Years ago, when a National Football League team was eliminated from postseason possibilities and got a chance to close out their season against an opponent that did earn a postseason slot, they took their frustrations out with a big effort. Particularly if the opponent headed to the playoffs had nothing to play for in the season finale.
Well, here is the good news, while a lot of things have changed over time, that little gem is still in play. Case in point is Sunday's NFC West contest between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. Last week, the Seahawks narrowly won their game at Soldier Field in Chicago to keep their prospects of winning their division this Sunday over the Rams alive.
Had the Rams lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, this game would have been for the NFC West Division title. Even after the Rams edged the Cardinals in Los Angeles, the Seahawks still had a chance to win the West if three of six teams lost in Week 17 matchups. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, only two lost, the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. The final straw to eliminate Seattle was the Sunday night overtime win by the Washington Commanders which made this week’s game at SoFi Stadium meaningless. That is meaningless as far as the playoffs are concerned.
The Rams are division champs, first team to win a division title after opening the season with one win in five games. The Seahawks are eliminated.
Eliminated, but not without a bitter pill to swallow.
An early season loss to the New York Giants on their home field can be looked back at as the reason they aren’t in the 2024 playoff field. A narrow loss two weeks ago at home after taking a late fourth quarter lead over the Minnesota Vikings could be pointed to as the reason first-year head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t preparing his team for a home game against a Wild Card team.
Well, while so much has changed over the years, particularly on how the games are broadcast into our homes, some things stay the same. When a team is eliminated from the playoffs and matched up against the team that is going on in front of them, they take their frustrations out big time.
The Rams are preparing for the postseason, the Seahawks get one last shot at redemption … even if it is for no other reason than hollow revenge.
Good to know some things stay the same.
Qoxhi Picks: Seattle Seahawks (-5½) over Los Angeles Rams