DISH drops MSG, MSG Plus

There is nothing like television carriage disputes to make me miss my previous life as a football beat writer. But . . . here goes:

Effective at midnight, the DISH Network satellite service no longer is carrying MSG and MSG Plus after the sides failed to come to terms.

“DISH has rejected numerous fair and reasonable proposals at rates, terms and conditions consistent with our deals with other operators," Dan Ronayne, MSG Networks' executive VP and general manager, said in a news release.

As is customary in these matters MSG has set up a website for unhappy fans of the teams whose games it carries. It's called www.iwantmsg.com.

Fox's regional sports networks also are off DISH for now.

DISH set up several websites with amusing names for their disgruntled customers:

FoxShakedownDISH.com, WeOfferedFoxAFairDeal.com, FoxRefused.com and HowMuchMoreCanWeTake.com.