abc and their intro

[Wolf]

ABC Sports apologizes for steamy intro to 'Monday Night Football'
By ANDREA ADELSON, AP Sports Writer
November 16, 2004

NEW YORK (AP) -- ABC's ``desperate'' bid at cross-promotion backfired on ``Monday Night Football.''

The network's steamy intro to the Philadelphia-Dallas game, featuring a naked Nicollette Sheridan jumping into the arms of Eagles receiver Terrell Owens, drew complaints from viewers and the NFL.

ABC Sports apologized Tuesday for the segment, used a day earlier to promote the hit show ``Desperate Housewives'' and broadcast just nine months after another football flap -- the Janet Jackson Super Bowl fiasco.

`We have heard from many of our viewers about last night's 'MNF' opening segment and we agree that the placement was inappropriate,'' ABC Sports said in a statement.

The NFL called the intro ``inappropriate and unsuitable for our `Monday Night Football' audience.''

``While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost,'' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

The spot showed Owens and Sheridan in an empty locker room, with Sheridan wearing only a towel and provocatively asking Owens to skip the game for her.

After she dropped her towel, he smiled, agreed to be late for the contest and she jumped into his arms. Sheridan was shown only from behind and above the waist after she dropped the towel.

Then the shot panned out to two more stars of ``Desperate Housewives,'' Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman, watching the scene unfold on a television and commenting on desperate women.

The Eagles said they appreciated ABC Sports' apology.

``It is normal for teams to cooperate with ABC in the development of an opening for its broadcast,'' the team said. ``After seeing the final piece, we wish it hadn't aired.''

ABC has broadcast ``Monday Night Football'' with a 5-second delay this season, a precaution after Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at February's Super Bowl.

At halftime of that game, Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Jackson's brassiere, exposing her right breast to a TV audience of some 90 million. The Super Bowl was broadcast on CBS, which was fined a record $550,000 by the FCC.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

I have mixed feelings about this.. one minute, I think they went over the top(with the young viewers out there) the next minute...kids nowdays know alot more that that I did at their age and anything aired on TV realy isn't provacative anymore.

[WWJD]

It was inappropriate and they should be embarrassed.

[kbourda]

Is it about as inappropriate as all the Levetria and Viagra ads they show during those games?

[WWJD]

I think those ads are inappropriate also but ABC wouldn't think so since they're getting millions to air them and I understand that it's a business.

But yea I'd rather see ads for TV's or food or whatever rather that those medications.

[dan7]

Originally Posted by WWJD

It was inappropriate and they should be embarrassed.

Frankly, the intro was done in very good taste. I wish the NFL would stop pandering to prudes; after all this is 2004, not 1854.

[V Man]

I guess I'm on the fence on this one. I think that Local TV has gone to far lately, with butt sceens on NYPD Blues, and others. So with that in mind, the intro wasn't as bad as some of the other stuff ABC and other networks are showing. I thought the idea behind the intro (since Deseperate Housewifes is so popular) was funny, but instead of the towel maybe do the lingeree (sp) thing like they did with the Redhead.

[cuppacoffee]

Stupid introduction to a football game. There definitely was some pandering going on. There are dedicated channels for people who wish to watch that sort of trash.
Describing disgust at a complete lack of morals as prudish would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.

[tana]

I agree with VMan - the idea behind it was funny, esp with TO - but they could have had the same affect with her in bikini or other.

[TheOgre]

*envelope pushed*

[chicagotexan]

Yes they should be embarrassed for choosing the wrinkled prune instead of the smokin latin gal or Terri Hatcher. Yuuuuuummmmmmm. People it was a goofy promo. Stop being so hyper-sensative. Not everything on TV should be geared at 12yr olds. Get over it.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by TheOgre

*envelope pushed*

Must be the marxist conspiracy rearing its ugly head again.

[texasguy346]

I can understand why some people are upset about it especially those on the west coast. Being edgy is fine, and I understand why ABC wanted to promote one of it's hit shows to a different audience. However, when I saw it to open up MNF I thought to myself "Hmm that pushing it a little too far". They did the right thing by apologizing.

[Porky]

This is one of those "time and place" type things for me. As an adult, I didn't mind seeing a sexy woman drop her towel. But, there was no forewarning, and football is a family sport. I am quite sure there are thousands upon thousands of sub-teens watching the game with their family. Parents can make up thier own mind on whether their children shoud watch Deperate Housewives, but here this gimmic was sprung upon them, so they couldn't make an informed decision. This was the wrong time, and the wrong place for such a stunt, and CLEARLY innoproiate. I find it had to believe anyone would think otherwise. Then again, I think the erictile dsyfunction ads are as equally in bad taste, but that's just me.

[Double Barrel]

Frankly, being "offended" is purely a freewill choice. So was I offended by it? No.

But did I think it was lame, nothing but cheesy promotional garbage on the part of ABC? Hell yes!

It had NOTHING to do with football, and quite honestly, while I understand the entertainment aspect of the NFL, I think it is distracting away from the freakin' sport itself.

So Sportscenter spends valuable time talking about this stupid LAME intro instead of talking about the sport of football. Just like the TO showboating a week before, we are subjected to continuous coverage of irrelevant mind-numbing drivel instead of hearing about the strategy and tactical aspects of the sport we love.

And to add insult to injury, Desperate Housewives is a really stupid show.

QUIT WASTING MY FOOTBALL COVERAGE WITH TELEVISION GARBAGE!!

I'm a friggin' FOOTBALL fanatic, NOT a cheesy t.v.-drama / reality-television / insert-braindead-program-here fan.

[Blake]

I think if parents are going to go ape nuts over their kids seeing something like that, then they need to move to some remote location where they can hide their kids from the world. The ad didnt show anything. It was promoting a show the company airs.

cuppacoffee:There are dedicated channels for people who wish to watch that sort of trash.

There is a dedicated channel for people who wish to see Terell Owens in full uniform, and a female that shows nothing? That channel will probably fail.

But seriously. If you dont want your kid to see THAT, then lock them in their room, and turn on a disney tape...

[WWJD]

Originally Posted by DC_ROCK

But seriously. If you dont want your kid to see THAT, then lock them in their room, and turn on a disney tape...

It's almost kind of funny considering the topic but ABC is owned by Disney.

[redlion]

I didn't find it offensive but then again I have no kids but prolly would feel the same. I really don't see the big deal. Have you seen the commercials they play on tv during the football games more than half use sex to sell their product. I don't hear anyone trying to shut down those things. This whole Janet thing has made the FCC too sensitvie on things.

[chicagotexan]

This is the kind of moaning that's gonna lead to the eventuall removal of cheerleader shots and close-ups on tv. Oh no!! A pretty girl in a skimpy outfit doing a provacative dance, at a football game!! This must be stopped.

[Hervoyel]

Sometimes I get the feeling that there's a segment of the American population that's just looking for something to call in and complain about. This was the biggest non-issue I could imagine and nothing next to last years Super Bowl breast fiasco.

The intro didn't show anything you can't see on just about any network at just about any local time on any given day of the week.

[TheOgre]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Must be the marxist conspiracy rearing its ugly head again.

Yes I said that in jest. I think that the NFL and viewers overreacted. She showed her back. HER BACK. Call the press and lock down ABC.