Podcast: Episode 63A-The Bellotti Chronicles

Since Phil and Tom had already completed yesterday's podcast before reading the news about Mike Bellotti's departure from Oregon, and the surprising news that OU President Richard Lariviere pushed him out the door because the Ducks Athletic Department was not being run properly, they got together again to briefly discuss this topic.

Enjoy.

Hey Corso, the kid is blind

This is what Lee Corso gets for picking Oregon to win the Rose Bowl. The ESPN idiot tries to shake the hand of a blind boy during today's Game Day. It hasn't been Corso's best season.

The only thing funnier this season was when Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien couldn't get any love from his teammates who aren't blind.

ESPN remains ignorant about conflict of interest

According to a few other folks in the blogosphere, ESPN analyst Craig James has been pulled from the broadcast booth for the Alamo Bowl following allegations that his son was disrespected by Texas Tech coach Mike Leach.

But why was he ever scheduled to be part of this broadcast team?

For some reason, ESPN doesn't grasp the concept of a conflict of interest. Having James provide analysis for a game that includes his son is simply wrong. The WWL has ignored this simple contest many times, including allowing Lou Holtz to broadcast his son's games at East Carolina.

Leach has been suspended for the game, but his lawyer is fighting to get him back on the sidelines for Saturday's game against Michigan State.

James was supposed to work with play-by-play man Mike Patrick and sideline reporter Heather Cox. ESPN made the right call, just a little too late.

Jake Locker apparently filled with common sense

Looks like 'Eer and I ('Eye) aren't the only ones who think ESPN's Todd McShay's constant blathering about Washington QB Jake Locker being the No. 1 pick of the upcoming NFL draft was ridiculous. McShay's take led to many media types critcizing Locker's decision to return to UW for his senior season.

According to Profootballtalk.com, Locker didn't receive a first-round grade from his NFL assessment. The source in the story though, does admit Locker could be drafted in the first round because of the need for quality QBs.

The Seattle Times says that the assessment came after Locker's decision to return to school, so he might have still thought he'd be the top pick of the draft when he made the call.

And to that I say - whatever. Locker will benefit greatly from another year under Steve Sarkisian.

And when you listen to Todd McShay tout players as "potential first round pick." Yeah, well, we're all "potential" first-round picks, Todd.

Podcast: Episode 53

Episode 53

An Eye and an Eer: College Football Podcast

Tom may be on vacation, but he wouldn't let his buddy Phil down and not show up for this week's show. Hey, there's way too much to discuss.

We start with coaching hires (Brian Kelly, Turner Gill, Butch Jones and Doc Holliday) as well as coaches signing extensions (Jim Harbaugh). We also discuss the pros and cons of the potential growth of the Big 10 to 12 teams (what will we call the conference then?), as well as talk about the first week of the bowl season (really, are any of you going to watch the New Mexico Bowl?).

Phil also tackles some big topics in our weekly Quick Hitters, including if Mark Ingram was a deserving Heisman Trophy winner and the decision of Jake Locker to return to Washington for another year of apprenticeship under Steve Sarkisian. Tom questions why Virginia Tech DC Bud Foster is never considered a top candidate for head coaching jobs and the strength of Big East coaches.

Another week, another show.

Holtz logic rubbing off on Mark May

Remember when ESPN analyst Mark May picked Hawaii to beat Georgia in the 2008 Sugar Bowl? Now he has said something even dumber.

May, who was recently interviewed by the New York Post, said Notre Dame should hire his fellow analyst Lou Holtz for two to three years so he could return the Irish to national prominence. I could buy this if he was just trying to get Holtz off the set at the World Wide Leader (is Trev Alberts available?).

I'm not sure which statement was wackier. Keep up the good work Mark.

ESPN's creepy voyeurism

Was anyone else weirded out by ESPN's voyeurism during last night's Texas-Texas A&M game? Chris Fowler, Craig James and Jesse Palmer ... sorry The Bachelor were commenting on the lack of passion in some kisses, and applauded another student for having two dates.

In case you aren't familiar with the Aggie tradition. It goes something like this: When the team scores, everybody scores. Whenever the Aggies score points during the game, students kiss their dates.

Interesting fact: James' daughter is a student at Texas A&M. Wonder where she was in the stands?

It's a Cane thing

Now this is a 30 for 30 on ESPN I'm looking forward to watching. The U premieres on Dec. 12.

The trailer brings me back to my childhood when I attended about 3 or 4 Miami games at the Orange Bowl every year, including the classic 31-30 Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska. The Canes were cocky and crass and I loved every bit of it, and I loved those teams.

When Miami walked onto the field you always thought it was going to win ... and most of the time the Hurricanes did. Love 'em or hate 'em, The U had something special in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Now it's time to relive Miami's dominance. The U may not be that far away from doing it again.

Video: Cal's Best lands ugly on head

Just saw this on ESPN and then found it on YouTube. Cal RB Jahvid Best landed ugly on his neck after a crazy leap over an Oregon State defender for a touchdown this evening. According to ESPN, the game was halted form 16 minutes and Best had to be carted off the field. Let's hope that was just a precaution and everything is OK.

UPDATE: AP is reporting that paramedics removed his jersey and were administering oxygen to Best as he left the stadium.

SECOND UPDATE: AP is reporting that Best suffered a concussion, just a week after having a minor concussion, and is at the ER for observations.

Bob Griese apologizes

Apparently Bob Griese realized his "taco" comment when talking about NASCAR's Juan Pablo Montoya was out of bounds and he has apologized for it. ESPN has also released a statement condemning Griese's comment. ESPN's statement lacks information about any pending disciplinary action.

Did Griese really say that?

Watching the Ohio State-Minnesota game on ESPN when they were doing a promo for NASCAR. Chris Spielman asks where Juan Pablo Montoya is in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings? Analyst Bob Griese responds witha somewhat racially insensitive comment. "He's out having a taco."

ESPN's had a crazy week, so this might seem mild. But I'm curious to see if he's back for the second half. The WWL will have to at least suspend him for next week, right?

Now that's the Lee Corso we all remember

It appears Lee Corso is getting back to his old self and shedding the effects of the stroke he had back in May. Watch Kirk Herbstreit, though. He looks like he's about to have a stroke after hearing what Corso says.

No panache at Penn State

When ESPN's Game Day comes to town there is a lot of pressure on the student body to be rowdier and funnier than whatever campus Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso (oh yea, Desmond Howard is on the trailer now) went to the week before.

Penn State's fans this past weekend were up to the task, even as inclement weather approached. But then folks spotted the Erin Andrews sign. No not the one that says "Erin Andrews for Heisman." No the other one. Just look down a little to the left ... you'll see it.

Real classy Penn State.

The best part of that entire day for Nittany Lions fans was when senior meteorologist student Drew Anderson does the weather report during Game Day.

(Hat tip: Penn State Clips)

Plan your Thursday nights

College football and Saturdays go together so well. But I have to admit I love the Thursday night games. ESPN recently released its Thursday night schedule so you can plan accordingly.

Sept. 3: South Carolina at N.C. State (7 p.m.); Oregon at Boise State (10:15 p.m.)
Sept. 10: Clemson at Georgia Tech (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 17: Georgia Tech at Miami (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 24: Mississippi at South Carolina (7:30 p.m.)
Oct 1: Colorado at West Virginia (7:30 p.m.)
Oct 8: Nebraska at Missouri (9 p.m.)
Oct. 15: Cincinnati at South Florida (7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 22: Florida State at North Carolina (8 p.m.)
Oct. 29: North Carolina at Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m.)
Nov. 5: Virginia Tech at East Carolina (7:30 p.m.)
Nov. 12: South Florida at Rutgers (7:30 p.m.)
Nov. 19: Colorado at Oklahoma State (7:30 p.m.)
Nov. 26: Texas at Texas A&M (8 p.m.)
Dec. 3: Oregon State at Oregon (9 p.m.)

Talking Heads take their posts

The ABC/ESPN college football monster announced its TV commentating pairings and a few changes stand out.

- Former General Managing travesty Matt Millen is now a college football guy, as well as his work for the NFL Network on the occasional Thursday night game.

- Mike Patrick (Holee Cow! and a general constant stream of overstatement) gets bumped from Saturday night games and is replaced by Brad Nessler, who will now team with Todd Blackledge.

- The nightmare of giggling Craig James and pretty-boy bachelor Jesse Palmer (rose optional) continues to suck the fun out of Thursday nights.

- James will then team with Patrick for a good ol' boy fest on Saturdays.

- Bob Griese (Bob, can we finish a sentence this year?) will team up with the slightly insane Chris Spielman for the noon ESPN game along with Dave Pasch.

There's other stuff, but frankly, until they put Nessler back with the now SEC-loving Gary Danielson back together, the best announcing team out there will not exist.

ESPN buys Rose Bowl

If it didn't already, ESPN officially owns the sporting world now. The Worldwide Leader added the Rose Bowl to its stable of bowl games starting in 2011. Remember ESPN had already pried away the other BCS games by outbidding FOX.

Look, I won't miss the horrible announcing on FOX. But this means there are almost no bowl games remaining on network TV. This isn't a positive. I get ESPN and so do most of my friends. But not all of the approximately 300 million people in the U.S. have cable or satellite TV.

Personally, this doesn't impact me much at all. I enjoy watching college football on ESPN. It will also mean better announcers and better coverage, since these guys and gals actually do games during the season (unlike FOX).

However, this will probably mean lower ratings for all of the big bowl games in 2011, but the BCS doesn't care as long ESPN is willing to dish over hundreds of millions of dollars. Audience be damned.

Herbstreit is one lucky dude

It's not enough that Kirk Herbstreit has a hot wife, adorable children and a great gig with ESPN. Now the Worldwide Leader is letting him go around the nation during the offseason and interview some of the best in college football.

Above is a good interview with Texas QB Colt McCoy. I thought McCoy was the best college quarterback last season and after watching this interview I love this guy's confidence and think he feels he has something to prove in 2009. Should be an interesting season.

Don't hire Trev Alberts

Trev Alberts as the Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska-Omaha?

Not yet. The former Nebraska All-American is one of four finalists to become the new AD for the Mavericks. He's up against a high school AD, the commissioner from a small Division II conference and a football coach from another small school.

Alberts' credentials? An endorsement from Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne and getting canned from ESPN for refusing to show up for work one day. So who do you think the school will hire? Alberts is probably a lock (see: Larry Coker hire at UT-San Antonio).

We're not questioning Alberts intelligence, especially his football smarts. But this guy's ego will cause a divide at UNO. Clearly Osborne is grooming Alberts to replace him in Lincoln with the much bigger Cornhuskers. If the Mavericks go with Alberts it has all the makings of when the Detroit Lions hired Matt Millen -- failure written all over it.

Nothing is official yet, but let's just say Nebraska-Omaha officials have been warned.

Anti-BCS? Here's a site for you

For all of the anti-BCS and pro-playoff folks out there it seems there is an online movement, which includes College Football Hall of Famer Anthony Davis, that should make you very happy.

There's even a nice breakdown of who would have made the 16-team playoff from 1998 through 2008.

The site is actually pretty crappy looking and makes a weak attempt to leverage political power and opinions to add legitimacy. But the playoff system is not going to gain any real footing unless ESPN demands it. Even then I'd be surprised to see it happen.

Give me my bowls. I still believe it's a better system and wouldn't change a thing.

ESPN poll lacks prestige

If you have been following the daily releases of ESPN.com's "prestige poll," which is supposed to rank all of the schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision in order of prestige. So how do you rank prestige?

The final five were just released and Oklahoma is on top. Yep, that Oklahoma. What a crock.

This is why people hate ESPN. This is what the Worldwide Leader loves. Fans from schools like Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida and Ohio State get all worked up and flood the site with comments and hate mail to the offices in Bristol.

This poll is flawed in so many ways. My biggest complaint is the emphasis put on conference championships. Schools in Conference USA or the Big East are at a big disadvantage since these are relatively new conferences, therefore limiting their ability to earn as many points as say long-time participants of the SEC, Big 10 or Pac-10.

They put in some language about Independent schools earning bonus points if they ranked ahead of at least three of the big six conference champs in the final poll. Only Notre Dame really benefits from that rule.

Thanks for trying ESPN, but this list lacks credibility and ... prestige.