SlingTV—Not Quite Ready for Prime Time

As a “cord-cutter” and a football fan, finding a way to stream college games has been getting better, but after watching the buffering symbol instead of watching the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide in the National Championship game, I cancelled my subscription to SlingTV. Oh, if you want to watch “Vintage Flip” on demand (which is one of my favorite HGTV shows, by the way) then all is well. But let lots of fellow fans try to see the national college championship, and there are many, many technical issues.

We tried everything— change computers, different web browsers, modem reset. In the end, we switched between listening to WSB radio, which worked great except for the visuals, of course, and trying to at least see some of the instant replays. Even if the interface had worked, the evening would have been disappointing, as hubby’s beloved Bulldogs lost, but we didn’t see much until the end of the game. Perhaps a few fans dropped off, because the stream got better during the forth quarter and overtime.

I think SlingTV is a good alternative for folks who might want to see some mainstream news or some obscure shows, but for sports, which was the only real reason I signed up, it is lacking. In September, I’ll be looking for a new way to stream college football, and YouTube TV may be my next attempt to feed my need for live sports.

Fall means Football (college football, please!)

Although the pro players, owners, coaches, and (sometimes) games are in the news these days, I’ve always been far more interested in college football. There are several college programs in Georgia nowadays, but for decades the main focus has been on the largest university in the state (Georgia, also known as UGA, the Bulldogs, the Dawgs, etc.) and the lesser known but just as proud Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (with such monikers as the Ramblin’ Wreck and the Jackets.) When the two play each other, I root for the Dogs, but otherwise I love watching Tech take on foes in the ACC. Lately, I now have a very soft spot in my heart for Miami, having given the fabulous Coach Mark Richt a second chance at head coach, so now I also follow Miami (go ‘Canes!).

College football is better for a variety of reasons, but primarily it is all about entertainment. Folks like me, who never played football past grade school touch games with my male cousins, do not watch to relive glory days or to see how our bets come out. Nope, we watch to see the mascots do their thing, to watch the crazy get-ups worn by frat pledges, and to see the raw emotions of players in their late teens or early twenties. Because players are limited by eligibility and academic rules, there are always new stars rising, too. Football is a team sport, and college players go above and beyond for their teams. The cliché, “the good old college try” stems from that teamwork that makes college athletics special.

Go Dogs (and Jackets, and ‘Canes).