"It's so cool to be able to watch all the games now on The mtn. on DirecTV. I'm really glad they were finally able to strike a deal to make this happen. ... One thing is left to do and that is The mtn. to broadcast in HD. It's not good that the highlights of the games on The mtn. shown on other networks are in SD and all the other highlights of games are in HD. I hope they switch to HD soon, but I'm not holding my breath."

Ben Jaussi, president, Gonzaga Society for Law and Business:

"After watching The mtn. for a few days and understanding that it's only been on the air for a few years, my reaction was this: With all of the people willing and desperate to work in sports television, be it on-air talent, producers, or camera operators, etc., that's the best they could come up with? From the name of the shows (Mountain Cap) to the design of the sets, even the anchor's wardrobe (Todd Christensen was wearing an ash gray suit, circa 1981, with a red tie with way too much pattern), it just seems cheap and sophomoric. The worst decision was putting Craig Thompson in a tuxedo talking about the 10-year anniversary of the MWC. He looked so awkward in the full body shot too, which unfortunately was used every time he was on camera. One of my friends commented that the shows and telecasts look as good as a community college broadcast. I understand that might be a stretch, but there is huge room for improvement."

From Brad Foster, Phd film studies student, Oklahoma State:

"Honestly, I was just glad to be able to watch the game! That said, the quality was poor, at best. It was difficult to make out players at many times unless the camera was fairly close-up — being the first game, I was hoping to get a good understanding of who plays where, new numbers, etc., but the poor video quality made it difficult. Again ... I feel bad with these complaints because I at least get to see the games this year. ... "

From Mark Stoddard, South Dakota:

"I live in Aberdeen, South Dakota, outside of the MWC footprint. I purchased my DirecTV and purchased the Sports Pack a couple of months ago. I am excited to get to watch BYU games again on TV and not have to sit in front of my internet listening to the game on the radio. The mtn. is an OK network. They have a lot to improve on, but as long as I can see the games and the plays, I am happy."

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com