I see threads for other wrap-up shows, but nothing for this, so I thought I'd start one.

I've always been a sucker for a well-done highlights package, and I thought this week's show did amazing work on the Steelers-Colts game. I absolutely loved how when Porter sacked Peyton and the Steelers took over on downs, they played it exactly as if it was the end of the game: the Steeler announcers going "and the ballgame is Pittsburgh's!" and "we are off to Denver!", the exact same triumphal wrap-up music they play at the end of a game package (the horns, and that little flourish at the end), even the slo-mo shots of the Steelers walking off the field. The only difference here was that they were just walking to the sideline and there was still time to go.

Then on the next play, the Bettis fumble, I thought they did a great job of blending the calls by both the Colts' announcing crew (whose play-by-play guy had such a sound of resignation in his voice, calling the run, until the fumble happened and he perked right up) and the Steelers' (loved the guy who couldn't do anything else but go "oh my gosh!" over and over) along music that was suddenly all sharp and scary (heavy on the strings and percussion). And the sequence after that was just great: announcers talking excitedly, Hines Ward bent over, replay of the tackle, Cato June demanding the crowd "give it up" for Gary Brackett, a Steeler assistant coach looking at the JumboTron in shock, Heath Miller on a knee, Manning hitting Reggie Wayne, and the music carrying us through it all. And I also loved the shot of the Steeler being tackled by an injured teammate while Vanderjagt crossed in the foreground, dejected and a little sickened. Just great work. I absolutely love this sort of stuff.

Can I thank Bob costas for being the only person in the media to point out making pass interference a 15 yard penalty would lead to recievers getting mauled 16 yards beyond the line of scrimage.

Eh. It doesn't happen in college. I like the idea because it means that penalties are not as ridiculously game-changing as they are currently. If a PI is called, fine, it's 15 yards. That's usually big enough in college. The amount of PI calls per game is roughly the same in each league.

I just don't want games decided by 40-yard penalties. Especially when you can't review those penalties.

This show got so much better when they dumped Len Dawson and Nick Buoniconti a couple of years ago and brought in Costas and Marino.

I wish they would put in on HBO ON-Deman, as I often times miss it.

I second the request for On Demand access!

I like Cris Collinsworth and Dan Marino, but I could use a little less Chris Carter. Bob Costas rules and I'm sorry he's left for the rest of the season to go do the Olympics. However will I stomach Bryant Gumbel?? (I loathe him).

Costas rules. "Speaking of Matt Hasselbeck…were we speaking of Matt Hasselbeck?" Heh. I understand that he has to be in Italy for Olympic prep (even though the Games don't start until after the Super Bowl), but I dread Gumbel, who can do the sedate anchor thing, but will probably suck at trying rein in Cris & Cris when they spin out of control. (Marino is, IMO, less likely to go completely off the rails than the other two.) This week may be bad enough, but as next week's show is the all-bloviation Hype Week show, I'm already dreading it.

(BTW, for those who don't like Len and Nick, Hype Week is traditionally when they bring them back for a retrospective. Personally, I enjoy seeing them—what I dread is Jimmy Johnson. Or even Jerry Glanville, for that matter. Here's hoping my luck holds.)

In lieu of On-Demand, the second-best alternative I can suggest is getting DirecTV. With the separate East & West Coast feeds to choose from, you get four shots a night to catch the show, and HBO2 runs the show on Saturday night if you've missed it all week long. Plus, I think they're bundling in a DVR nowadays, so you can just have the hard drive grab it, regardless of the time.

Bumping this thread rather than lump it into the "NFL on FOX, CBS, ESPN" thread.

Was it just me, or did Cris Collinsworth look positively embalmed last night? I think it was just an effect of the massive floodlights they were using in the outdoor nighttime set, but man, it made him look creepy.

I did laugh at Costas's repeated digs at his cohosts during the Bill Walsh profile. First, in the intro, he mentioned that Walsh's final game as 49ers head coach was a Super Bowl defeat of "Cris Collinsworth's Bengals," then mentioned during the profile narration that Walsh defeated "Dan Marino's Dolphins" in Super Bowl XIX. I'm amazed he didn't find a way to nail Carter while he was at it. He's got a lot of 'nads pickin' on those guys, considering he's the one guy that never suited up on a football field. I can imagine they can have fun digging on each other*, but wouldn't it get annoying coming from Li'l Bobby?

*Although, given Marino's infamous reaction to Boomer Esaison's "Peyton Manning is his generation's Dan Marino" dig on The NFL Today last season, maybe not.

Am I the only TWoPster still watching this show? I thought it came back as strong as ever. I never get tired of slo-mo highlights and male sports bonding. I like Chris Collinsworth and Bob Costas so muh better on this show.

I've always like this show. It's on the DVR record list. I like their slo-mo highlights also and the announcer has a cool voice. Also like the players' sideline chatter. Lewis Black is OK, but I like him better when he is more angry and foul mouthed like he is in his stand-up act. He has to "nice it up" for the Costas crowd. I'm not a big fan of Marino, however. He's not the sharpest marble on the Christmas tree.

never mind.

The show has been canceled. Too bad. I noticed a decline in the show anyway. First, they scaled the show down. The highlights are already shown with the NFL Films clips on NFL Network. BUt considering NFL Network has scaled down on their NFL Films clips with the reworking of NFL Replay to pretty much show mostly repeats of the network feed, I wish Inside the NFL got to show more of the Voice of God NFL Films highllights.

I never miss the show and was surprised to see that tonight's was the last one. Why was it cancelled? Everybody's watching the NFL network?

Another reason not to keep HBO after The Wire is finished, I guess.

WTF!!!!!!! They can't cancel this show. I will be lost without it during football season. Somebody please post the info on how to complain.

A good start on complaints.

I've enjoyed this show for such a long time. There are a lot of highlights/analysis shows out there, but somehow INFL managed to still be unique and definitely worth watching. I suppose it might turn up elsewhere, but it is still a shame.

The hosts, especially Costas, were definitely pissed. But they took it out well, especially having Dawson and Buoniconti there.

I was surprised to hear that this was Cris Carter's first and only TV job - I'm sure he'll get another.

Thanks for the link -- I just fired off an email citing my disappointment. I feel as though part of my childhood is disappearing.

Good news (sorta) for all you Inside The NFL lovers. Showtime has picked it up, and while they haven't picked any tv personalities yet, Peter King thinks they will go with talent from CBS, maybe, James Brown, Phil Simms and Michael Strahan.

Great.

Just what we need.

Yet more blatant New York bias and throw in a cocksucker (Strahan) as an added bonus.

Here's the full story. What's weird is that Peter King also said in an earlier article that he expects Strahan to work for Fox.