If you're a connoisseur of sidebars, then you're probably aware of the new video player here on the right — and it didn't even require any fanfare. But you still may not know why it's there. So I'll tell you.
Hustle Belt is one of the newest members of the MAC Affiliate Network, a group of publications accredited by the Mid-American Conference. All this means is that we been permitted to host a MAC Video Zone, which is essentially a whole slew of highlights and exclusive interviews that the MAC cuts for its players and teams.
This does a couple things for "us," meaning you and me: one, it lends the site credibility, as if the SB Nation affiliation wasn't enough. But we'll also be able to intersperse our posts with all these cool videos. For example, suppose we wanted to show you that play by Roosevelt Nix where he just bore through the Alabama offensive line like Taco Bell through a digestive system. Well, okay, here it is:
Pretty neat stuff. the MAC Digital Network has rights to all the games that are not covered by ESPN, so that pretty much axes all those opening week matchups hosted by ESPN3. That's the tradeoff of live TV with a full broadcasting crew, I suppose. But this thing's going to be mighty handy once conference play hits and ESPN doesn't care anymore except to fill weeknight programming.
Also this is another sign that the MAC has made some great decisions when it comes to their website and how they deliver their content, as well as making a social media footprint. This is not me just sucking up. This is one of my big complaints finally being addressed. Add that to the fact that they're hosting and streaming non-televised games on MAC-Sports.com for free and they just keep pushing the right buttons. With this being the debut year I can only imagine the video player and range of content improving.