MNF Used To Keep Prisoners In Line. Really.

When "Monday Night Football" made its move from ABC to ESPN two years ago, we argued that it wasn't really a big deal at all; the notion of cable as "pay TV," something that few can watch, seemed archaic. Jeez, who doesn't have cable anymore? Well, here's something we hadn't considered: Prisons.

A prison warden in Atlanta has asked his county to pony up for cable ... so his inmates can watch MNF.

Warden Frank Taylor is asking the Clayton County Commission to let him sign up for direct-broadcast satellite service for less than $100 a month. It would be funded with money collected at the prison's commissary and pay phones, which last year amounted to $41,000. "The reason is 'Monday Night Football' is now on cable," he said. "Although it might seem funny, when you have 90 percent of inmates watching something, it is a management tool for the institution."

Yes. "Management tool." Or, you know, they're just making sure that living in a cell isn't punishment enough. We think if a prison would have watched that Seahawks-49ers game last week, there would have been a riot, and justifiably so.

The Penal System's Greatest Management Tool: MNF [Lion In Oil]