Ten Television Personalities That Make College Football Great
by Jay Coulter on Jun 15, 2009 3:00 AM CDT
in Football
Email
Print
The best to ever walk the sideline? Without question.
My wife likes to joke that Chris, Kirk and Lee of ESPN GameDay moves in with us in late August and refuses to leave until early January. There's a lot of truth to that statement. When you stop and think about it, the television personalities that invade our homes during college football season play a big role in our enjoyment of the game. There are those that we love to hate, those that we love to look at and some that actually make intelligent conversation.
I've given it some thought and come up with my top ten favorite college football television personalities. They are ranked in no particular order. These are the people who play a big role in making college football great. On Friday, I'll share my list of the 10 least favorite college football television personalities. How does my list compare to yours?
Here goes...
- Chris Fowler - He's hands down the best studio host in the history of college football. In a lot of ways, he's the voice of college football, coming into our homes to kickoff the college football weekend each Saturday morning. Fowler is without question the most talented of the three ESPN GameDay personalities.
- Rece Davis - He's an Alabama graduate and one of the best. His College Football Final show on ESPN at midnight Saturday is mandated viewing for all true fans. He works more than any other studio host, doing live cut-ins from early afternoon to after midnight. Should Fowler leave, Davis is next in line for his seat.
- Erin Andrews - She's hands down the best looking person to ever grace a college football sideline. This Florida graduate gets better looking each year. She's the only person on the planet that can make a Vanderbilt-Miss State game must see TV.
- Todd Blackledge - Who would have guessed that a former Penn State quarterback could become an SEC favorite? He's the best color analyst in the game and his Todd's Taste of the Town turns good, hole in the wall restaurants into major tourist attractions around the country.
- Vern Lundquist - Admittedly, Lundquist is an acquired taste. For the first two or three seasons on CBS Sports he was a train wreck. He's still not great today. But now that he's been around for so long, it's hard to imagine him not calling games on Saturday afternoon. As for his partner, Gary Danielson, that's another story completely.
- Ron Franklin - The biggest mistake ESPN ever made was taking Franklin away from the Saturday night SEC broadcasts. For my money, he's the best play-by-play man in the business when it comes to the SEC. The Ole Miss graduate is rarely seen these days, often being relegated to second-tier games on ABC Sports.
- Tim Brando - The Louisiana native brings college football to the mainstream with his weekly national radio show and continues to anchor CBS Sports coverage of the SEC. His stock has dropped in the last year because of weekly appearances on The Paul Finebaum Radio Show. More than once, he's lost his cool with callers and seems reluctant to accept the changing media landscape.
- Bonnie Bernstein - Not as widely known as Andrews, Bernstein made her way over to college football on ESPN after a stint as a sideline reporter for CBS Sports. The Maryland graduate has the brains and the football knowledge to go with her incredibly good looks.
- Lee Corso - The man everyone loves to hate gave fans a scare this off-season when he suffered a mild stroke. Sure his logic is nuts and his picks are rarely on target, but College GameDay would just be another show without him. Let's hope he's around for many years to come.
- Brent Musburger - If the phrase, "You are looking live," doesn't send chills down your back then you are not a true college football fan. Musburger stepped in for legendary play-by-play man Keith Jackson a few years ago and has kept the ABC Sports franchise going strong. Let's hope the new SEC contract with ESPN means more opportunities for Musburger to call games down South.
30 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Nice Post
You are right on, about almost all of these. I have to say that Brent Musburger, while being excellent, get on my very last nerve. He tends to lock on a player (ie Reggie Bush or whoever the USC QB is) and will not shut up about him. Last season it was Colt McCoy and Michael Crabtree. Just thinking about it gets on my nerves. I can take about a half, and then I have to take a break. The problem with that is the ABC night game is always a great game.
And Verne… ole Verne. He is a staple in the SEC. When he is gone it will be quite odd, but with that said. He is terrible at getting players names right. He does try, but the game is moving too fast for his aging mind. It will not be long and he will be like Munson was a UGA. “Stafford passes to HIM, and HE breaks a tackle and has only one man to beat… awe…. he was talked by THEM down on the left sideline.”
If you are a War Damn Eagle, you can War Damn anything.
Whoever it is at ESPN that is responsible for Erin Andrews to be doing dugout reporting during the CWS needs a raise.
She’s so versatile! Football and now Baseball.
You're kidding, right?
Blackledge? Mr. “What’s Brittany Spears doing right now?” (with 30 seconds to go in a 2 point game). Why he’s even given a microphone is beyond me. Like I care what he stuffs in his pie hole.
Where are the Pat Summerals and Keith Jacksons of the modern era? Certainly not on the list above.
I’d rather listen to the ‘three daves’ than any of the above.
That wasn't Blackledge
That was Mike Patrick
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 15, 2009 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions
You beat me to the punch
Patrick is the one of the worst. I think he just likes to hear himself talk. I know it won’t make a lot of people happy, but frankly Keith Jackson was terrible his last few years. If you think Musburger is prone to hyperbole he obviously learned from the best.
http://hobnailboot.wordpress.com/
Dude
I was watching the game in my Atlanta apartment with like 10 of my friends and we all did a double take at each other to make sure we actually heard right. Of course a reference to Britney Spears is appropriate on the first play of the opposing team’s OT possession after the home team just took a field goal lead. What a guy.
http://hobnailboot.wordpress.com/
Besides Mike Patricks bad timing. I still think he should be on his list.
by war damn philly on Jun 15, 2009 9:20 AM CDT reply actions
are you drunk?
‘When you build a house and you make it hurricane-proof by putting certain kinds of windows in it, and use cement instead of stick construction and all that kind of stuff, you’re getting prepared for what? A hurricane that may or may never every come." ’We’re going to have 12 hurricanes next year, we know they’re coming.’
- Coach Nick Saban
Excellent Post!
You are absolutely correct about Chris Fowler. Todd Blackledge is incredible (although I still haven’t forgiven him for beating us in the NC game in the ’83 Sugar Bowl). Erin Andrews needs no further comment. But let me say I CAN"T STAND Musberger.
I say bring back Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles, Coach Bryant, Dooley and Dye !!!!!
To be honest
I hate most of the guys that call college games. They are incapable of staying out of the way and often seem more focused on making themselves the bigger story. It’s like having a bunch of little Chris Bermans out there b/c honestly, Musburger, Jackson, Corso etc. appear to enjoy making themselves more of the story then the actual game.
Don’t get me wrong, i’m a Braves fan and I love our biased, homer announcers b/c i’m in each season for the long run and it’s incredibly annoying to get on a national broadcast with Fox and they spend half the game talking about the Yankees and Red Sox. College football is plagued with that phenomenon (remember ESPN interviewing Jim Leavitt during an Auburn game) of the talking heads rambling about anything other then the game at hand. Factor in to the incredibly biased nature that some crucial games are called/covered at the end of the year.
We were treated with this
http://deadspin.com/217295/the-road-to-glendale-is-paved-with-trojans
And who could forget Danielson’s pie charts on why Florida should go to the title game over USC/Meechegan? Also, I recall that during the 07 Ohio State vs. Meechegan game that ESPN/ABC had been hyping as the actual naitonal championship, the folks at ABC went ahead and said that as soon as the game is over, the two teams should play again for the MNC. Not that the NFL or NBA is great, but their announcers let the game be the story, not their egos or some underlying agenda.
I always thought...
that Jill Arrington was/is hotter than Erin Andrews. She left ESPN abruptly a few years back for reasons unknown.
by War Eagle Atlanta on Jun 15, 2009 10:35 AM CDT reply actions
Thank God
No Herbstreit. Or freakin Desmond Howard.
"What's got two thumbs and loves SUVs from Gadsden? THIS GUY!"
Agreed
I think they make the next list.
by Jumpn_JackFlash on Jun 15, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions
If
I have to listen to one more game where Vern says “Old” Miss rather than Ole Miss I’m going to shoot my tv or myself!!!!! I can’t freaking stand that!!!!!!!!
Love Blackledge….when I travel to games I always eat at the places he has shown…..they are some of the best places I have ever eaten at. And if I have never been to the city it makes it that much more special.
I also have to say tha I like the College Gameday crew…..even Herbie…
I've seen good TEAMS beat teams with great individuals.
I had a huge problem w/ Blackledge
when he cam to Auburn he ate at Cheeburger Cheeburger. I mean it’s good and all, but everyone knows you gotta have your Momma’s Love!
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
by GumptownTiger on Jun 15, 2009 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions
I had a bigger problem when he went to the Cajun restaurant in Auburn the weekend we played LSU
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 15, 2009 2:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah
but the Creole Seafood Shack is in fact the heat.
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
by GumptownTiger on Jun 15, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Didn't he
eat at some BBQ joint in Opelika once?
by War Eagle Atlanta on Jun 16, 2009 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions
Not quite
He ate at Byron’s on Opelika (Road) once. It’s still in Auburn, though, right by Gay St.
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 16, 2009 9:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Joe Namath
Is by far the best drunk sideline personality. Be proud people lol
ALABAMA leading the NCAA with infractions since 1994
i'm not a fan
of Corso for completely obvious reasons. the man is much like Dicky V. a cheerleader and a buffoon.
Erin Andrews might be pretty (her hotness is a bit overrated) but she is possibly the worst interviewer in the history of sports. Wendy Nix on the other hand is a great sideline reporter and has a pretty nice ass to boot.
and finally Musburger spends far too much time expressing his man-crushes for Pete Carrol and Jim Tresel for me to ever take him very serious anymore. the guy used to be one of the best in the business but now he’s just a BIG 10/Pac 10 cheerleader.
Can you say
bootylicious
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
by GumptownTiger on Jun 16, 2009 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Erin Andrews "and now doing baseball"? AND MORE....
Erin Andrews was the studio person for the Braves for two seasons while they were on TBS. She did baseball BEFORE she did football. While I am aware that all you guys think she is hot, she isn’t THAT hot. I like her, but her voice grates on my last nerve.
Even though Lee Corso is kind of a buffoon, he does bring college sprit to the Game Day broadcasts. College football is suppose to be much more spirit oriented than the pros. He brings that college flavor, not just football knowledge. Who cares that he is kind of weird. He is still fun, with his mascot costumes and yelling out who is going to win to get the crowd cheering or booing, even though he has no idea and is wrong more than he is right.
I do like Todd Blackledge’s Taste of the Town series. While his choices of restaurants are sometimes questionable, it brings a hometown flavor to each of the towns surrounding the college campuses.
No matter who the play by play and color men are for each game, I am fine with them as long as they don’t show favorites. I have watched so many Auburn games during which I could just hear the excitement in the voices of the broadcasters as someone from the other team did well. It is as bad as the reporters on CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS and MSN openly in the tank for Obama during last fall’s election (and still are). Unless they are the broadcast team for a particular school, they should show equal love for each team. That just doesn’t happen very often, and Auburn usually seems to be on the short end of that stick.
Just my humble opinions.
Yes, I graduated from Auburn! Is there anyplace else? WAR EAGLE!!!
by AUTigress on Jun 16, 2009 10:56 AM CDT reply actions
How can you say
Erin Andrews’ voice gets on your nerves and not Corso’s? Everytime he opens his mouth a bit of my soul escapes.
"Jay Jacobs can't go to the bathroom without Bobby Lowder's permission" - Paul Finebaum
by GumptownTiger on Jun 16, 2009 11:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
