Call centers get earful from fans

So, how did Saturday's call-in effort to satellite companies over their non-distribution of The mtn. network go over on Saturday?

By many accounts, calls were made to DishNetwork, DirecTV and even Comcast, the negotiating partner on the side of the Mountain West Conference.

Some call center representatives were ignorant of the issue, some were informed, others were misinformed. But as planned, reports were registered, messages relayed.

Here's a sampling of what was relayed.

Karen McCabe of Riverton, who went back and forth with a DishNetwork representative, concluded: " I don't think their programming VPs give a crap about MWC sports or The mtn. Oh well, it didn't hurt to try. It would be devastating not to see BYU sports, but I think all subscribers who switched to Comcast just to be able to see BYU or U. of U. play, should cancel their service until Comcast is ready to negotiate with the satellite companies."

Scott Wiley, from Sammamish, Wash, wrote: "I know you guys are covering the local dilemma but please be careful not to give Comcast a 'get out of jail free' card when you ID the culprits. We in Washington lost our games, too, and Comcast doesn't carry The mtn. either. That seems to leave as our only option paying to watch on a computer screen. Uh, uh. How can anybody, especially Comcast, argue that Dish or Direct should carry it when they've left their own clients blacked out, too."

Writes James Wilson, "I called DirecTV today with the rest of the effort and I was told that they will have The mtn. on August 25. They wanted me to sign up, and I told him I'd gladly do it on August 25 if they do in fact have The mtn. He claimed to have checked with his supervisor to assure the start date of The mtn. He had obviously fielded several calls about it. I hope it's true. If not they ought to be exposed for being dishonest in an effort to gain more accounts payable."

Then there's John Riley of Sandy. "For the past 15 months I have been following with great interest the MWC TV fiasco. You have all missed the point. The problem is the moron the masquerades as commissioner.