Do you feel this has changed at all with the way games are broadcast? I feel like with the advent of HD and SkyCam, I spend more time analyzing the play calling and keeping track of what's going on in the trenches.
Do you mute the announcers? They're the ones constructing the narrative. And of course, the replays and camera angles are a huge part of the production too. So yes, it has changed with more technology: the virtual l.o.s. and 1st down lines, better slo-mo, more cameras. It's all part of the package to tell the story.