The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 38

By Greg Johnson Times Staff Writer The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday ordered Time Warner Cable to immediately restore NFL Network programming to customers onthe Adelphia and Comcast systems that the cable giant recently acquired. The FCC issued its temporary order two days after Time Warner Cable announced that it would no longer send NFL Network programming into those households. The FCC order will remain in effect until the agency completes a study and issues a final ruling on whether Time Warner Cable wrongly ignored a federal regulation that requires cable operators to give customers 30 notice prior to eliminating any programming. The agency ordered an expedited review but gave no indication of when it would issue afinal order. For viewers, the decision means that the NFL Network will reappear on their television sets in time for the first pre- season NFL game to be broadcast on Aug.

11. The league-owned network will broadcast 52 preseason games and eight regular-season contests. The NFL, in a Tuesday filing with the FCC, said that it was important for its NFL Network programming to be available during the preseason when fans form their viewing habits for the coming football season. In a prepared state- mentThursday, the league welcomed the and said it hoped to continue discussions with Time Warner Cable about a long-term deal to carry the NFL Network. Time Warner Cable on Thursday described the temporary order as In a prepared statement, the company said that the order issued without offering us the opportunity to respond to the NFL The disagreement surfacedthis week after Time Warner Cable closed a deal that added about 1.6 million subscribers in the Los Angeles area.

Time Warner Cable and Comcast Corp. recently completed the purchase of the bankrupt Adelphia Communications Corp. About 400,000 of those new Los Angeles-area Time Warner Cable customers had paid for the NFL Network programming, a Time Warner Cable spokeswoman said. Cable Firm Must Offer NFL Network FCC issues temporary order forcing Time Warner Cable to restore channel on L.A.-area Adelphia, Comcast systems. D4 LOSANGELESTIMES hilip Rivers has a most-valuable-player candidate in his backfield, a transcendent tight end in his sights, an up-and-coming defense in his corner, and the future of an NFL franchise in his hands.

But is Rivers, who has yet to make his first pro start, the right quarterback to lead the San Diego Chargers where they want to go? One of the most respected offensive minds in football an AFC competitor, no less has no doubt about that. made the statement that whichever team winds up with Philip Rivers is going to the Super said Tennessee Titansoffensive coordinator Norm Chow who coached Rivers in his freshman season at North Carolina State. a bold statement, I know, and not saying it will happen right away. But he has that kind of ability and more, Chow says he was quietly lobbying to trade for Rivers last season, when it looked as if the Chargers might keep Drew Brees instead. The Titans wound up drafting Texas quarterback Vince Young in doing so taking a pass on Matt Leinart one of star pupils at USC.

Chow said, was hoping we might get Antonio Gates San two-time Pro Bowl tight end, could tell from the start that Rivers was his kind of quarterback. Having waited almost two seasons to take his first meaningful NFL snap after being chosen No. 4overall in the 2004 draft, Rivers looked like an old pro when he finally got his chance. It came in the second quarter of a 2005 finale, at home against Denver whenBrees suffereda shoulder injury. As the Chargers walked to the line of scrimmage for first pass play, the quarterback looked over to Gates and gave him a hand signal to adjust his route.

It was a simple gesture, sort of a wiggling sign, but it told Gates plenty. a sense, I had been trying to get Drew to do that all said Gates, who saw the same hole in the defense Rivers did. saying that abetter player or better leader, but that mentality is really impressive. To come in a game and on the first play change the play the offensive coordinator has given you alone just let me know that this guy had the capabilities to be a The story have an ideal ending; the pass to Gates fell incomplete, and Rivers enjoyed only moderate success in the 23-7 loss. Still, that flash of chutzpah earned him instant respect with at least one of his most influential teammates.

saw the way Peyton Manning commanded a huddle in the Pro Bowl, told people where they were supposed to be, changed the Gates said. seen Tom Brady do the same thing. And when I see Philip do it, like, While wildly premature to compare him to Manning and New Brady, the Chargers are expecting big things from Rivers, who was promoted in March when Brees signed as afree agent with New Orleans. San Diego, coming off a 9-7 season that was better thanitsrecord suggests, is hoping Rivers becomes the first Chargers quarterback to notch a playoff victory since Stan Humphries in 1994. Coach Marty Schottenheimer whose team has been in camp for a week, likes instincts.

are some people that have an intuitive ability when it comes to making decisions in he said. players, their development happens more quickly because it have to come by rote Things seem to come naturally for Rivers, the son of an Alabama high school football coach. He never stepped on the toes of Brees, yet never really acted like an understudy. There many teams in which the star players flock to the locker of the No. 2 quarterback for daily games of dominoes and cards.

extremely magnetic as a center Nick Hardwick said. wants to be around Explained Rivers: last two years I view myself as a backup. I mean, I was. I accepted that role. But I always looked at myself as a starter and tried to approach it from that Not everything in life has unfolded at such a leisurely pace.

24, and is already a father of three daughters the youngest born last month having married his childhood sweetheart, Tiffany five years ago. He had a spectacular career at North Carolina State, where some compared him to John Elway for his strength, poise and quick release. There, he used his unconventional, from-the-shoulder delivery to throw for 13,484 yards, second-most in NCAA history. The Chargers asking Rivers to be a star, at least not right away. The focus of the offense remains running back LaDainian Tomlinson their MVP candidate, andtheir dream scenario hasRiv- ersfollowing in the footsteps of Ben Roethlisberger drafted seven picks after Rivers flourished with the help of an outstanding running back and receivers, a solid offensive line and a punishing defense.

The San Diego Steelers? Gates likes the sound of that. Roethlisberger won a Super he said. was supported by the guys around him, the Jerome Bettises the Hines Wards what trying to And Rivers is happy around to help put that plan in motion. For most of last season, he had doubts. He figured he would be a starter somewhere this season, but he had no guarantee it would be in San Diego.

The Chargers might have let him go too, had Brees not suffered a serious injury to his throwing shoulder. was Rivers said of last uncertainty. every day, talk to Tiff and it was like, I going to be here? Am I going to be somewhere Honestly, I hoped it would be right here. I like this team, the coaching staff, the organization never been done First things first. Rivers, after all, is essentially afirst-year player looking to make his first NFL start.

He has been working on his consistency, often mixing higher-percentage passes with squeeze-it-in-there throws. He calls it being and a fitting metaphor for his career. had to stay aggressive and stay hungry, and yet still be he said. easy. There were days when I probably live up to it to the fullest, but for the most part I stayed on course, hoping that this day would AM ARMER ON THE NFL Make Calls; Can He Answer One? Denis Poroy Associated Press GO WITH THE FLOW: Philip Rivers (17), with running back LaDainian Tomlinson, showed a take-charge attitude in his NFL debut but has much to prove as he takes over as Chargers quarterback.

By Sam Farmer Times Staff Writer The job is hard. The answer at least in the eyes of one former NFL owner is easy. Red McCombs, former owner of the Minnesota Vikings, says Roger Goodell should be the next NFL commissioner. With the field down to five candidates, the successor to retiring Paul Tagliabue is expected to be chosennext week at league meetings in Chicago. has to be their said McCombs, who, since he is no longer an owner, have a say in the matter.

see why going through all the delays. a Current team owners are mum on which way leaning. The finalists are Goodell, right-hand man and the chief operating officer; league attorney Gregg Levy; Frederick Nance, a Cleveland lawyer; Robert L. Reynolds, vice chairman of Fidelity Investments; and Mayo A. Shattuck, president and chief executive of Constellation Energy.

Goodell, 47, who over the last 24 years has worked his way up from NFL intern, is the best-known of the finalists among ownersand was a key player in more than a dozen new stadium deals. look at the last round of agreements with broadcasters, the contract with the union is all settled, and Roger has been in the middle of all of said McCombs, who sold the Vikings for $600 million in May 2005. smart and he stays behind the scenes. see any situation where owners would want to step outside the But the owners have been careful not to identify a favorite. To be elected, a candidate must receive 22 of the 32 votes.

think that a good challenge to have here, to elect a commissioner out of this particular said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, a member of the commissioner search committee. guys have shown the ability to deal with the owners, the problems, our constituencies, the fans. These guys have shown it Candidacy Gets an Endorsement Former Vikings owner McCombs says top aide is a choice as next commissioner. nament is $1,500, he says hebelieves he can make a living playing the game. He now has a sponsor, a gaming web- site, gorillagamer.com, and says there is no shortage of tournaments; EA Sports sanctions a 32-city tournament that offers prize.

really good, although it may be hard to pull it off, you can make more than $100,000 a year playing the Wynnsaid. think we will see more of said sports television consultant Neal Pilson. ideal where you have a dedicated but small audience. You might see shows for offbeat sports such as hunting and Paul Swangard, managing director of the James H. Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon, calls the Madden pay-per-view show good litmus is such an iconic brand in the sports video game genre.

Electronic Arts really built its business on the success of Madden, and sort of the flagship he said. has looked to the movie industry for ways to create excitement for its products. But I know if seen amovie to have a pay-per-view event creating excitement for seeing a product for the first Might much-anticipated cars or computers be next for pay per view? only going to work for brands that have that established, cult Swangard said. Madden Nation out there is playing this game, and buys a new version every year. But this also speaks to the idea that EA has paid for the exclusive rights to be the NFL video game producer.

As a result, looking for ways to make that money But, he added, the preview be a one-hit Times staff writer Mike Terry contributed to this report. on satellite and cable television pay-per- view channels as well as ESPN.com, are quick to discount the notion that it is little more than an infomercial that costs $19.95. is a critical difference between this show and an said Geoff Reiss, senior vice president in charge of original entertainment division. infomercial tries to get you to buy a product. The viewers who pay for this program do not need to be sold.

Most of them will be lined up outside a Best Buy, or wherever, at midnight on Aug. 22 to buy the There have been 6 1 2 million copies sold of NFL The company estimates that about half of those buyers are casual players and the other half a mix of avid players and hard-core fanatics. that second group that the pay- per-view special is out to reach. main goal was to make as entertaining a show as possible. Secondarily, we want to see what the demand is for this kind of said Brandon Barber, senior manager of entertainment marketing for EA Sports.

Both Reiss and Barber said they would be extremely happy with 100,000 buys. Such demand may well be there. Sales of the series have reached more than $1.5 billion since Electronic Arts debuted it in 1989 51 million copies and counting, including sales of more than $250 million for NFL is the No. 1 selling sports video game of all time, and now they have Madden for good. The former coach recently signed a lifetime contract with EA Sports, according to his agent Sandy Montag.

The demand for the game has swelled as its graphics and features have become ever more sophisticated. EA even produced a new edition to coincide with the release late last year of the Xbox 360 in which every seat at every NFL stadium is represented. The 70-year-old Madden is directly involved in the making of the game, but not the marketing. In Pasadena two weeks ago, he said he yet aware of the pay-per-view show. But he is aware of the popularity.

people who were around me when I was coaching know me as a Madden said. known as a broadcaster by people who watch me on television. I get the the group that plays the video It is believed that Madden makes considerably more off the video game than the estimated $5 million a year he makes as a broadcaster. pay-per-view telecast evolved from last eight-episode reality series, on ESPN2. which looked at people who play the video game.

The pay-per-view telecast is more informational than the reality series. Gamers now will have the ability to manipulate a lead blocker and running backs now run asthey do in a real game. In other words, Reggie Bush runs differently in the video game than, say, Corey Dillon. The game also rates the NFL players. The highest possible rating is 99, as Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning does.

The show was taped a month ago in an Orlando, and features five of the top Madden gamers, plus EA Sports producers and technicians who work year-round on the game. Among those five is Rod Wynnof Inglewood, who also appeared on is now a full- time Madden gamer, having recently quit his job an account coordinator in a heath insurance brokerage office. Although the most he has ever won in a Madden tour- Christine Cotter Los Angeles Times DEDICATED: Rod Wynn, 30, of Inglewood quit his job as an account coordinator to become a full-time Madden gamer. Popularity Climbs Madden, from Page D1.