Third Down

The latest of the XFL Ratings: Well, we were told they couldn't go any lower than a 2.7 but somehow, they managed.  Week #7 got a 2.0 in the overnights, which will probably drop further when the nationals come in.  This is less than a fifth of the first week's numbers and less than half the guarantee to advertisers.  Vince McMahon was making the rounds of the talk shows last week, saying that it takes time to launch a new brand name and that the quality of the playing is finally where they want it to be.  It may be…but unless NBC signed the stupidest contract in the history of television and can't bail out now, they've got to be picking out what's going on in its stead.  A 2.0 rating would get you cancelled on the WB Network.