Shame on You MASN! Shame on you MLB!

Look, in today's era of technology, you can not call yourself a "sports network" without providing at least some of your games in high-definition. Last year MASN with it's monopoly coverage of both baseball teams in the mid-atlantic region, declared that some of their games would be broadcasted in HD in 2008. As this article points out, we are only two months away from opening day and no plans for the upgrade have been announced.

Nationals fans have Bud Selig to thank for this. Back when the DC area was granted a baseball team, their television rights were given to the Orioles as a consolation for allowing the Expos to move there. Does this make any sense at all? When will major league baseball get with the times. Did the Redskins or Capitals receive anything when the state of Carolina was granted NFL and NHL teams? Both of those teams had claimed their territory through the Tar Heal state since their inceptions. Unbelievable.

Get with the times MASN. High-Definition is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.

And get with the times MLB. Franchise territories change over time. What a concept huh?

Article courtesy of TVPredictions.com.

MASN: Still Working On HDTV In 2008
The network is the last holdout in offering high-def broadcasts of Major League Baseball.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 1, 2008) -- MASN, which has the broadcast rights to the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles, says it's still working to air "some" games in High-Definition during the 2008 season.

MASN's lack of HD coverage to date has become both a local and national issue for baseball fans. As of now, the Orioles and Nats are the only two Major League Baseball teams that will not be broadcast locally in High-Definition during the 2008 season.

Many Nats and O's fans have expressed their displeasure on baseball message boards -- and in e-mails sent to TVPredictions.com.

But Todd Webster, a MASN spokesman, told TVPredictions.com today that the regional sports network is still talking to cable and satellite operators about providing high-def coverage this season.

"We're still planning for some (Nats and O's) games (in HD) this season," he said. "We're working with the affiliates (cable and satellite operators) to expand their capability for (MASN in HD.)



But Webster acknowledged that "not much has changed in the last six months" in those discussions. "But we are still trying to work it out."

The regional sports network told the Baltimore Sun last year that it might offer high-def coverage of the Nats and Orioles this year. But today, less than two months before the 2008 season begins, the network has still not announced its high-def plans.

Every other MLB team has already announced that its regional sports network will provide some games in high-def this year, including the Kansas City Royals, which were not broadcast locally in high-def last year.

Webster said it's still possible that MASN could make a HD announcement by Opening Day.

In the past, MASN has said it has not offered the two teams in high-def because it did not have a dedicated HD channel.

However, the sports network could broadcast some games in high-def and offer them to cable and satellite providers who in turn could show them on their HD channels. It could also launch a high-def simulcast channel and ask the cable and satellite operators to carry it.

In addition, MASN could offer some HD games to Washington area station WDCA (channel 20), which can transmit in high-def. The sports network has shown standard-definition Nationals games on WDCA during the past three seasons.

A Mark Tinordi Update

An interesting article on what the former Capitals defenseman is up to these days. Courtesy of www.usahockey.com. Coaching Feature

Former NHLer giving back to nation's capital's Washington Nationals By John Raffel Feb. 21, 2007 Special to usahockey.com The transition from an NHL career to coaching in the junior ranks has been a smooth and enjoyable one for Mark Tinordi. For the past three seasons, Tinordi has coached in the Washington Nationals in the junior hockey ranks in Laurel, Md. A longtime pro defenseman, Tinordi was thought of as an imposing force at both ends of the ice throughout an NHL career that endured for nearly 700 games. At 6-foot-4, he was recognized as a blueliner who was a punishing hitter with a hard shot from the point. His tenacious style eventually wore down his body after a dozen big league seasons. After 663 games in the NHL, most of them with the Minnesota North Stars, Tinordi had 52 goals and 148 assists for 200 points, plus 1,514 penalty minutes. In 70 NHL playoff games, he had seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points and 165 penalty minutes. Tinordi saw action in the old International Hockey League with the Colorado Rangers in 1987-88 and had eight goals and 19 assists that season. A season later, he played with the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings of the IHL. After spending several seasons in the minors, Tinordi’s NHL career took off in 1988 when he joined the North Stars. He was a key player for the team when it reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1991. One of the best seasons for the NHL defenseman was 1992-93, when he had 15 goals and 27 assists. He also played a year for the franchise after it relocated to Dallas. He was traded to Washington in 1994 and played there for five years, leading the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup finals appearance in 1998. He was claimed by Atlanta from Washington in the expansion draft on June 25, 1999. He retired after playing 48 games and battling injuries in 1998-99. Including his own youth hockey days, Tinordi said he’s been involved with hockey since his youth for about 30 years. When he retired from pro hockey, he had a personal reason for staying involved in the sport. “I have a son who is 16 now,” he said. “When he was in Junior B, I started coaching the team. This year, he moved up to Junior A. Tinordi appreciates the efforts that he sees from his players. “The Washington Nationals have been the youngest team in the league, and yet we’ve made the playoffs. I’ve coached the sons of other pro players.” It’s a profession that suits Tinordi just fine. “I wanted to keep coaching,” he said. “I like the kids. They’re at an age, from 16 to 19, where they’re fun to coach.” Tinordi’s team is having a strong 2006-07 season. It’s been competing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. “It’s a very good league,” Tinordi said. “We’re happy with it. I think it’s come a long way. “We have to get more kids to play. We don’t want to see them eliminate programs. There are a lot of teams guys can play with. We’ve just struggled to get some recognition. We have had a few players on the U.S. National Teams. There are quite a few kids who have gone on to higher levels since I’ve been here.” Like any junior program, one of the primary goals of the Capitals program is to get its players some notice from the collegiate ranks. “You have to go to a lot of different places to get some good recognition,” Tinordi said. “We have a lot of good players and we’re working at giving them some notice.” Tinordi said his program will use the Washington Capitals’ new practice rink next season. “That will be a very good deal for the kids,” said Tinordi, who also has a son that plays Bantam Major Hockey. “Probably next year, I’ll be watching him a lot.” Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc.