It wasn't exactly The Heidi Bowl, but a decision by FOX Sports to pull the plug on Houston's win over the Falcons in the Austin and San Antonio television markets -- for the Dallas Cowboys of all things -- has Texans fans seething.
For those old enough to remember, it gently recalled an infamous 1968 gaff by NBC, in which the final moments of a riveting Raiders victory over the Jets was cut short for the classic children's tale "Heidi." First you're watching Daryle Lamonica go blow for blow with Joe Namath. Next, you're met with a pigtailed youth prancing about the snow-dusted Alps. Total uproar.
FOX Sports insists it made the right choice.
"Based on general interest in the Texans and Cowboys in both markets we stand by this decision," Lou D'Ermilio, a FOX Sports spokesman, told ProFootballTalk.com. on Monday. "The Texans rating in Austin was a 12.1, while the Cowboy rating was a 21.7. In San Antonio, the Texans posted a 14.8, while the Cowboys did a 27.9."
