I gave in to cable. I had to, guilty as manipulated.

I've been a DISH Network guy for a dozen years, bought in when it was a pricey venture. I've got two dishes on my house and a portable dish in my camping trailer, so in the summer I can sit out in the wilderness, feed chipmunks, smell the pines and still tune in to the British Open and NBA playoffs.

Of course, my wife fought taking a satellite dish camping, but I lobbied hard and won.

Now, my beloved gray dishes are roof ornaments, and the four receiver boxes I invested in are black rectangle paperweights. Camping next summer I'll be relegated to making meaningful conversation, playing cards, taking nature walks, collecting pine cones, taking naps and other fogy stuff.

Why did I change?

Because I needed to get The mtn. and it's not on satellite. I held out as long as I could.

Now, I don't usually see all the games live because I cover other games. But, now, with The mtn., I do get valuable rebroadcasts of games to catch up on later, with not only the local schools, but the other conference teams, coaches shows and other features. It is educational, enlightening and informative, even if production can improve.

We keep hearing the dish guys might get it up in the sky in a few more days, a few more weeks, but it's all guesses, promises and rumors, a situation forged by the Mountain West Conference with parties that either lied, are incompetent or are greedy. Maybe all three.

Finally, I get to see this mtn. network. It's still got some polishing to do and I'll give it space to wiggle and grow because it will improve in the months to come.

My mother-in-law lives in my "West Wing" in a little apartment we had made, and she's a big college football and basketball fan. With satellite, she was locked out from seeing Utah and BYU games. Now, she comfortably sits her 84-year-old bones on her new couch to hear Todd Christensen repeatedly say "onus" and think he said "anus" and watch Bronco Mendenhall barf.

I think I'm her favorite son-in-law once again.

Through the switch, I came to the obvious conclusion that Comcast won and manipulated me.

The cable giant waited me out and got me to abandon my beloved dish. Ever since Comcast bought half of CSTV — the MWC's original partner — it seems folks have been dealing under the table and making my calls to switch, now I understand why.

The mtn. should have been up on the satellite and on Cox Cable (Las Vegas and San Diego) months ago. Because that hasn't happened, it feels like double-talk and promises broken.

The victims?

MWC fans, the MWC commissioner's office and the schools, not to mention regional and national exposure and impact on recruiting.