I think it is sad that the SEC and Big Ten get so many bowl spots in January that the Outback Bowl has to get 7-5 SC for the game. Also the Gator Bowl is pathetic too. A 7-5 Clemson from the ACC and 8-4 Nebraska from the Big 12. They should of taken either OK State or Missouri as they were both ranked and had better records than Nebraska. Also Missouri beat Nebraska at Lincoln. It is shame that the New Years Bowls used to represent good games with good teams. now it is mediocre games with mediocre teams.

Isn't the equally bad Cotton Bowl on today, too?

Anon: nobody fits the bill of "mediocre" better than the Missouri Tigers. Had you payed attention over the last half of the season, you would've notices that the Huskers have played better than the Tigers over the last half of the season. If anything, complain about how Clemson was picked over Florida State.

That's on tomorrow.

The announcers are talking about how unprepared SC is at the start of the game, and the different styles of play.

SC is trying to give this game away. Of course the pro Little 11 crowd at the WWL will love that, especially since they can also trash Spurrier.

The mediocrity is that a 2 loss Ohio ST team got a BCS bid over undefeated Boise State.

Anon 11:08

Of Clemson's 5 losses, at least 3 of them came in the early part of the seaseon. They played much better over the second half of the season, so usually teams that play well at the end of the season should get a bowl game. Of course they also play in the ACC, the conference the media loves to bash.

Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman just spoke straight through the referee's announcement that Iowa's touchdown was being overturned. Unbelievable! That was not the time to talk about Kirk Ferentz potential for being a professional coach. Shut up and listen the call!

A couple of quotes from the first half:

Spielman: "Ahoy Mateys....Arrrrr."

On an AFLAC Trivia Question:
Spielman: "I knew the answer. I just blurted out the wrong one (off camera)."
McDonough: Did your professors at Ohio State buy that excuse?"

how about a winter classic open thread?

Anon 12:06

Ferentz has ties to the Bellicheats, and may go work for Scott Pioli in the NFL, so McDonough and Spielman are just doing their part to forward ESPN's agenda. And the trivia question just happens to be about Joe Paterno ?

"3 ints and a fumble. Probably a good time for a change." - Spielman at the start of 2nd half on whether SC would make QB change.
Thanks Capt Obvious !

Stephanie Abrams > Jim Cantore

"We wont really get going until there's a little frostbite." - Mike Milbury at the WInter Classic

And Bob Costas looks miserable being outside

I'm sure Costas will just be thinking about past Cards/Cubs games he saw at Wrigley to stay warm.

"He's listed at six-two, but he was probably seven-two there." - Blackledge as a Georgia player leaps to try to intercept a pass.

"The hurry up prevents substitutions." - Patrick, thanks for the deep, brilliant insight there

The guy who sang the US anthem at the Winter Classic was awful, treated it like a opera song

Dave Strader: "Billy Williams...or is that Ferguson Jenkins from the Chicago Cubs."

The team of McDonough-Spielman ought to find another line of work. One of the guys supports tackling by facemask and says the horsecollar rule isn't right? Who decided that these guys were able to call a game? Give us someone more accomplished, ESPN!

Much as I may crack on McDonough & Spielman, they're better than Pam Ward or the Obama of play-by-play announcers.

/not necessarily a ringing endorsement

If anybody's looking for a Winter Classic blog there's one at fromtherink.com, it focuses on the game, not the announcers

"GEORGIA KEEPS PULLING A PLAXICO. THEY KEEP SHOOTING THEMSELVES."

So, Mike Patrick wins something for that little Plaxico line, right? Tasteful.

LOL, epic....

Mike Patrick: "Georgia keeps pulling a Plaxico. They just keep shooting themselves."

"Boy, Georgia is pulling a Plaxico; they keep on shooting themselves in the foot!"-TRTIMP, of course.

I agree that the matchups today aren't quite like the days of yore, but it still should be a fun day. As for the teams chosen for the Gator Bowl, how many fans they'd draw played a factor. Last year's game between Texas Tech and Virginia apparently was a bomb at the box office, so this year they picked teams that would draw fans.

Kickers in trick plays take the worst licks.

Here is a sad statement about the present day bowl situation. There were as many games on New Year's EVE!!!! than on New Year's DAY!!!
Bring me back to the days of 10-12 games on New Year's, with a national title decided by January 2nd!!!

Jim Cantore's NBC Sports face paint is ridiculously amusing. How do you take a guy with a rainbow-colored peacock on his forehead seriously during an interview?

That last minute of play calling from Georgia is some of the worst play calling I have seen all year.

Wretched clock management by Georgia in the final minute. Really, their defense is the only thing keeping them in this game, because the offense and special teams have been extremely sloppy.

"One, two, three strikes you're out" - Dave Strader as a Red Wings player takes multiple swings at the puck to score a goal

Blackledge: "Is Cy (the Iowa State mascot) a cyclone or some kind of bird?"
Patrick: "You're asking the wrong man that."

Man, Blackledge does not seem impressed with Stafford. He's trying very hard to be diplomatic about it, but he's basically calling him unpolished and unready for the NFL.

Well, if anyone would know about being a first round QB bust in the NFL it's Blackledge.

ESPN just played "Who Let the Dogs Out?" going to commercial after the Georgia TD. It wasn't even a small snippet of the song...it might have been a good 15-20 seconds of it.

As a South Carolina grad, our performance was embarassing. We should be restricted from appearing in any bowls next year and have to compete in 1AA playoffs (assuming we could qualify for that).

Hopefully Penn State can win later today to redem the New Year for me.

"You have to forget its an exhibition." - Mike Milbury at Winter Classic, except the game counts in standings.

@Anon 3:12

Blackledge is just pushing the WWL's pro Little 11 agenda.

AA, you should try to get the clip of Rob Stone with our mascot Sir Big Spur. The rooster was pecking at the image of himself in the mirror that Stoner was holding up. That might be the most memorable thing about the game for Carolina.

Mike Patrick might win the Pammy for his Plex comment... Good work!

Mangina has returned!


I can't wait.

How the hell are there only 5 games on today!?!?! This is ridiculous.

"They'll probably rely on Moreno here." - Patrick, give it to your best RB with a 5 pt lead with 4 minutes left in 4th ? No that would make sense.

"Utah the only undefeated team." - Blackledge, conventiently ignoring that Boise St was undefeated before Bowls.

And GA playing a 23 yd zone on 4th and 22. Hooray for the prevent !

Bowl games count toward your record, so Boise State is not undefeated.

"I am going to havr to bring a sethiscope next yearfor you."

-TRTIMP* on Blcledge's eating in 2008.

* - "The Randomness That Is Mike Patrick."

Anon 4:18

I think that Blackledge was referring to pre-Bowl records in that comment, so I merely pointed out Boise St was undefeated before its bowl game.

And idiot UGA DB who intercepts pass at own 30 with 1:00 left, team up by 12, Mich St out of timeouts, then proceeds to return INT instead of going down. Pay attention to game, not personal glory.

Interesting...with 8 minutes to go in the Gator, CBS displays the number of timeouts Clemson and Nebraska have. Methinks that's a little early.

How the hell are there only 5 games on today!?!?!

Fox needed an extra day to thaw out Pat Summerall.

Eat a dick.

"Nebraska has a huge lead here" - Dan Fouts, it was 23-21 at time of comment

"Only twice this year has Nebraska been outpossessed." - Steve Beuerlein

Bolerjack: "Those aren't boos, those are 'Suhs.'"
Fouts: "That would make Johnny Cash proud."

I would like to propose a permanent moratorium on networks using the "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme song for football highlights.

"(Hagg) doesn't go dial-up. He goes Wi-Fi here!" - Fouts

"He didn't dial-up, he went Wi-Fi on that play." - Dan Fouts


I have no idea what the hell that comment was supposed to mean.

"Swinney needs to think about scoring a TD here."- Steve Beuerlein, with Clemson trailing 26-21 with 5:00 left in 4th. Capt Obvious !

"Our Man Suh here." - Steve Beuerlein, on Nebraska DL Suh name is pronounced S-U-E.
"Johnny Cash would be proud here."-
Dan Fouts, I believe the song is "A Boy named Sue."



"Pelini doesnt do dialup, he goes Wi-Fi here."- Fouts on consectutive blitzes by Nebraska, one resulted in a batted pass, the other in a 20 yd loss on 2nd and goal.

Get rid of everyone on the Gator Bowl crew.

"A new prevent defense here 12 men on field." - Dan Fouts after Clemson was flagged for too many men

Gator Bowl over. 3.5 hours of Paterno slobbering on ABC. Good Times !

Who agrees with me?

Cloris Leachman?

We have Craig Bolerjack, Brent Musberger, and Thom Brennamen as our play-by-play guys at the end of January 1. That has to be one of the worst ever.

They needed Leachman to complement Paterno.

@ Nathan

I actually like Dan Fouts, but Bolerjack and Buerlein can go.

How could you leave out Mike Patrick of that cabal of suckitude?

I don't know about dumping the Gator Bowl crew, but you do have to be amazed at them talking about the great rebuilding job going on at Clemson. Then again, I guess going from pre-season Top 10 to six losses might be how some people define a successful rebuilding season.

Lineups, that is.

Don't forget about Pat Summerall tommorow

It must have slipped my mind.

I HAVE AIDS AND WILL SPREAD IT TO ALL OF YOU!

I am anxious to see if Pat Summerall still has it tomorrow. He is one of my favorite guys ever, until the last couple of years.

Don't let me interrupt, anonymous.

Dan Fouts might be better with a different crew, but he has not been good with Don Criqui or the dreaded Bolerjack-Beurlein crew. I wonder how he would do with Verne and Gary.

Notice that the pictures of Penn State's impact players all had the guys well dressed, while USC's only had their jerseys.




Horrible opening drive by Penn State.

Brent Musberger is good as long as he is not opining on anything.

Beuerlein sucks and I think Bolerjack/Fouts would be better.


WenzelJack in March will be brutal.

Musberger is opining. HE MUST BE STOPPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARR ASIANS ARE SUPER SMART!

@SSR, did you also notice the USC player with a head band on?

I would hope that they would put Carter Blackburn full-time on the NCAA Tournament this year and get rid of Bolerjack and maybe bring back James Brown.

WenzelJack in March will be brutal.

ESPN should let Stephen Bardo back onto the Tournament so that they could reunite Brando, Bardo & Gminski.

"First down, [Penn State's] best offensive play of the game." - Musberger....well duh, they've run only 4 offensive plays.

Why are people here dissing the big ten when the PAC 10 has Washington, Washington St.,ucla, Arizona state.

Brent has the under. Three minutes into the game, and he mentions that "the experts" have predicted a low scoring game.

Don't slant it towards USC, Brent!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why is Musberger sucking up to USC? Penn St. also has a great defense.

Oh crap I forgot about Tim Brando.....


This ain't CARMEN San Diego!

@Ryan: The Big 10 has no leg to stand on with their stellar performance this bowl season.

Brent is more interested in drinking than in betting. That is more Al Michaels territory.

@ Nathan, JAMES BROWN??!! He and Len Elmore made for the most boring commentary team in March Madness history.


"There are 2 Johnsons." - Musberger

Tim Brando should be banned from television.

Brent really, really wants this to be a low-scoring game.

James Brown should be paired with Raftery. That would be interesting.

Tim Brando should be banned from television.

Amen.

"Field position pretty equal"-brent musberger, after USC fair catches inside the 20.

No opining, Brent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anon 5:11

Clemson probably shouldnt have been ranked in the first place. Theyre lazy pick for poll voters so they dont get criticized for not including ACC school in preseason poll. Preseason polls need to go because its virtually impossible to get team out of rankings once season starts.

Musberger has a crush on Cloris Leachman

Don't talk about Cloris Leachman again, Brent!!!!!

Kirk great as usual. He needs a partner with brain cells.

@jg 5:25: Replace Clemson with Notre Dame when they're ranked #11 in the first poll next year.

Can we ban Brando from radio also?

Brent was the only one turned on by Cloris on DWTS.

Did anyone else hear Brent say that when JoePa became head coach, Pete Carroll had yet to be born?

NO OPINING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of the Gator Bowl, did anyone pick up on John Saunders declaring that game was a final even though there was still five minutes left? I guess I could understand the mistake, but you would have thought whoever is talking to him in his ear would have corrected him.

That is Brent for you.

NO OPINING!!!!!!!

Maybe at half they can swap Brent with Mike Tirico, who is doing the game on ESPN Radio with David Norrie.

Oh crap, took away a great play.

John Sanders should also be banned from television.

Mike Tirico also opines too much. I did not listen to the Monday Night Football crew the last four or five weeks.

What a crap spot, he was short of the first down.


Hey, Sarkisian.

@ Nathan, you must have hated Cosell.

Mike Tirico should never do golf telecasts. He is horrific on golf.

When did the Nittany Lions become just the Lions? Fowler was doing it all yesterday, and now Musburger. No one wants to be indirectly affiliated with any football playing Lions right now.

Cosell is the reason that we are in this hellhole.

@RJBO 5:27


I agree, the only thing worse than ND winining that game was Charlie Weiss in Hawaiian shirt.

Got to love Sanchez's pubic hair mustache.

The route is on!

USC starts another Big Ten massacre.

"That is the liveliest 82-year-old I have ever seen." - Musburger talking about Rose Parade grand marshal

"You know from experience, big fella!" - Herbstreit

Zing. (He will turn 70 in May.)

Herbstreit is Captain Hyperbole, I cannot stand him.

Well, touchdown USC.....crap.

Charlie Weis in any shirt that shows his chest hair is a disaster.

It looks there are more penn state fans there than usc fans

@ Nathan, I disagree....you can't just make everybody wooden. I don't mind a little opinion.

Erin Andrews I believe is doing the game on radio. Why did they relegate her there?

Flo the Insurance Chick? I'd rather get my insurance from a stack of cash with eyes.

/not really

I don't mind a little of that if the person is good at it. Musberger and Tirico are not good at it.

Musberger and Tirico always suggest the opposite of what is happening or suggest things that can never happen or try to come off as smooth but anyone with a brain knows that they are insulting people.

@ Nathan, Howard was the master of opinions but he did more than just give his thoughts.....


You do realize Tirico has a radio show so it will be natural for him to give his opinion.

I'll be paying attention to Mays and see if he could be a Seahawk.

Don't do any of those things. Those things are mind-obliterating.

Musberger and Tirico hate the players in college and hate the coaches in the NFL.

Actually, they hate everyone who does everything outside of their 2 millimeter by 4 millimeter circle that they want everyone.

They are caught in the 1920's.

I am on a roll.

Anyone have any retorts?????

Penn State is driving....

I didn't think so.

I'm on fire!! You're not on fire, Ricky Bobby!!!

"John Elway could not have run this any better." - Musberger


BRING BACK KEITH JACKSON!

John Elway is not playing, Brent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Touchdown Penn State!!!!

"John Elway couldn't run this any better."-Musberger

Brent has hit the liquor cabinet early.

"John Elway could not have run this any better."


Um, what? Is Brent drunk again?

No teams playing today are the best of all-time. We need to put a moritorium on that please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO OPINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa Salters sexually Harrassed Daryll Clark

True Beauty makes "Momma's Boy" look classy.

Where is Sean McDonough? We need him on here to save us all!!!!

+1 to Keith.

You are opining, Brent. I told you not to do that anymore.

@ Nathan, he called the Outback Bowl this morning.....

Lisa Salters went to Penn State, don't forget. She played basketball there.

I know that. He should be at the 2010 Rose Bowl and national championship game.

Yeah man I'd bang Lisa Salters she is hot and shit and I would be all up in her pussy.

@ Nathan, I agree, McDonough is a very good announcer.


McKnight is down.

He is the second best guy on here behind Brad Nessler. But it is very close.

I don't know about Nessler, but I prefer him when he's not with McGuire and Griese.

Too many people still live in the 1970s. That is why Brent Musberger is still the lead announcer.

USC can replace McNight with one of the other 5 running backs they have.

You don't want a PbP guy that gives opinions, yet are calling for Sean "these refs are Final Four caliber but they've had better nights" McDonough to save the broadcast?

Buehler? Buehler?

That is also why so many people say that Notre Dame is still a good football program. People don't live in reality.

I should state that I also believe McDonough should be on bigger games. But, he arguably gives more opinions than any play by player on TV.

I like when people give opinions that are good. Sean's opinions are sane and rational. So are Nessler's. Tirico and Musberger's opinions are not.

@SS:

31-17 Grambling State

Brent is being Brent. He is a disaster opining. Sean McDonough is not.

@ Nathan, I love the fact that you're b*tching about other people's opinions with an opinion of your own.

If you don't like pbp guys that give opinion, you better not listen to thom brennaman tonight. He is the worst when it comes to that.

Well, I can see now why this thread has so many comments; I prefer quality to quantity, and I'll leave it at that.

49er16 @ 5:21... the reason why Brent is kissing USC's buttocks is that it's an official ESPN mandate to declare the Trojans the best team in all of college football year after year. Seriously, for this entire decade their man-crush on USC is bordering on sickening. I don't know why USC slobbers over them so much, but already hearing the announcers speculate if their defense this year is the best of all time... give me a break! They don't even slobber over Favre as much as they do everyone that's a Trojan.

Thom Brenneman is also a disaster opining.

@ Nathan, ALL OF THEM OPINE!!!!!!

I agree on Sean's opinions usually being right on. I have read that is why he doesn't get bigger assignments actually. He used to do a lot of baseball for ESPN, but folks at MLB were turned off by his opinions, and he was taken off main games. It's also why CBS let him go as their main college football play by play guy. Whoever was in charge of CBS Sports then didn't care for his opining on the air.

"They're going to have real good field position- Brent Musberger as the USC returner slips and the ball rolls inside the 20

No more, Brent.

Herbstreit: "You let me cheat last night*."

Glad they have an open relationship.

*On an AFLAC trivia question

If ESPN ran the BCS then USC and Ohio State would play each other in the national championship game every year.

That is because most television executives don't live in reality.

"Good size on these Trojan receivers." - Musberger.....so now we know why he let Kirk cheat.

SHUT THE FUCK UP NATHAN!!!! YOU COMMENT WAY TOO MUCH AND YOU SAY THE SAME THING EVERY GOD DAMN TIME!!!


Sorry, it had to be said.

John McKay, John Robinson, Paul Hackett, Pete Carroll, maybe two other guys. I will say six on the trivia question.

A good opinion from Brent. Miracles will never cease.

That is probably why I am single, anonymous.

This is almost my own personal blog. I am waiting for someone to ban me.

Girl: Well I think....

Nathan: You have NO RIGHT TO THINK!! NO OPINING!!!

That was an awful dance.


Nice Nathan, you got it.

It was six. I am a genius.

@ Nathan, you're beginning to troll......


AA can't ban you as he is out for the day.

Women have to think at least somewhat close to the same things that I do. They have to not get offended by almost anything. They cannot slant their opinions in any direction. They have to be rational.

Stay classy, those anon cursers. And Happy New Year to all of you, especially those looking to see Song Girls Go Commando if ya know what I mean!

This game is over.

Wow. I could have the blog to myself because everyone else will probably leave. That is because no one is near my area of expertise on television.

The Big Ten is far and away the worst BCS conference in football IMO.


Ohio State will prove my point a few days from now.

Hey, they are the Trojans, don't forget.

Maybe Awful Announcing can employ me in some capacity.

Why am I starting to sound like Dave Pasch?

"Penetrate, and Johnson battles on." - Musberger

Sadly, missed out on one of the best PbP guys today since Doc Emrick had laryingitis and didnt call Winter Classic.

Dave Strader filled in, he's OK not as good as Emrick

Big Ten is about to go 1-5 and may go 1-6 on Monday.

Maybe Awful Announcing can employ me in some capacity.

Right after AA hires AA Hates ESPN to critique Dana Jacobsen and Brad James to live-blog every bowl game.

You've become incredibly annoying Nathan.....

Bob Costas was probably there and he was probably talking about how this is the game that really matters on New Year's Day. He needs to stick to baseball. Someone please put him back on baseball more than just a few games on MLB Network. He will do a few of those this year. Please let him do more and let him stick to that.

I got to listen to Jim Hughson on the CBC channel we get with Comcast.


@ RJBO, maybe you're onto something with AAHE.