Chris Cooley has been in Wyoming, burning horses, for what seems like months. Well, now he has company. Rachel Nichols showed up in the northern state to do a piece on the Redskins tight end, and here is Cooley's account, in which he tries to start a sideline reporter fight! Via the Cooley Zone....

A couple months earlier Tanner, an undisclosed reporter divulging phone numbers, and myself were having a few beers and making prank calls. After a few calls Andrea Kramer's number came up and we had a great plan. The message that was left went something like this. "Hey this is Chris Cooley, I just left the bar where I was sitting next to Rachel Nichols, she was talking crazy shit about you. Rachel says your the worst, manliest reporter she's ever seen and she can't stand to work with you another day! Hiccup! Laugh, laugh, laugh." Click. It was a call that we found funny enough to repeat every couple weeks. Actually it's still funny while I'm writing this and Andrea will probably be getting a call in the next couple days.

So I was guessing she had talked with Andrea and figured out who was making the nonsense calls and was coming to confront me about it. But to my surprise she came to talk about E60 coming to my house to do a segment for their show. I was a little relieved. Actually, I was pretty excited about the whole deal and after some of the details, thought it would be pretty cool and easy to get done. In April they came over to my house in Virginia and spent some time with us trying to get everything together. They filmed interviews with Christy, Tanner and myself. We spent a couple hours talking to them on camera, then they wanted to film me painting in my art room. They also filmed me pretending to work at the computer, like I was doing a blog. All was fine and for the last couple months we have been recording every E60 on TV, never to see our episode.

Then a few weeks ago I got a call from the producer saying they wanted to come to Wyoming and I could take Rachel fishing and we could do some more stuff. We met in Cody Wyoming and I had a great plan to take them up to the spot where I caught all the fish the other day. They said they didn't have enough time so we had to arrange going back to my property and fishing on the river there. I guaranteed no fish, but they said it would still look cool and no one would care, whatever.

What didn't get explained to them was that it was a hell of a hike to get from the spot where you drop off the four wheelers. They had to drag their asses and the camera shit about a half a mile over the rocky hillside to get down to the river. So much for not enough time! I then proceeded to untangle Rachel's line for the next 30 minutes while we pretended to be fishing. Sorry Rachel, I know you did get better at it, but you casted like a seven year old girl with an arm full of barbies.

That is just flat out hilarious, on multiple levels. I can't wait to see that episode of E60! Be sure to read the rest of Cooley's adventures with Nichols, that include: Riding with her on a 4-wheeler, painting, making pottery and making Rachel run to Subway for lunch (is it really roughing it when there's a Subway nearby, Chris?)!

E:60 With Rachel Nichols (Cooley Zone)

Colts start at the 26. Manning hits Reggie Wayne for 31, airing it out on the right side to start. All the way up to the Chargers' 43. The next pass goes to Addai for nine yards, and Addai gets stopped for a loss on a 3rd and not much. 4th and 1....going for it...and Peyton throws incomplete. Big, big stop.

Sponge on the break. I haven't heard "Wax Ecstatic" in years, and we get that over Manning Face.

Wow. That was an Andy Reid Moment. - Mal

"My hair says ENERGY!"

Sproles gets stuffed, but takes it for a few yards on the next pass from Rivers. 3rd down rifle to Chambers for the first down, despite the pass interference on the Colts. Sproles rushes for some more, 3rd and 2 is incomplete for Chambers. Fair catch of the punt at the Indy 9.

Manning starts out with a short slant to Marvin Harrison. Addai gets the first down at the 23. He goes deep for Wayne, but Cromartie has him covered. 2nd down after an encroachment, incomplete.

Manning catches the Chargers' defense not even set -- hikes the ball, and hits Reggie Wayne right in stride. TOUCHDOWN, COLTS! 17-14 after the kick. "You Dropped A Bomb On Me," indeed. Just made the entire 11 look silly.

Chargers start on the 20 after Sproles takes a knee on the kick. Six-yard pass to the fullback, Jacob Hester.

Did anyone else notice Norv is wearing glasses now? Like it makes him look any smarter. Acrobatic catch by Chambers on a classic floater back foot throw by Rivers.

"He can't run a lick, but he can move enough just to keep the play alive." - John

At about midfield, and Sproles gets back to the line of scrimmage. The next carry gets him past the first down marker and at the 40. Michael Bennett is in for Sproles, and he barrels through for another first down within the 30. 2nd and 10. Rivers rifles it to Leagdu Naane at the 10. First and goal, nowhere to go for Darren. Sproles gets the next pass, tries to get into the end zone, and the ball is loose in the back of the end zone -- TOUCHBACK, fumble recovered by the Colts!

This Geico ad is now officially getting on my fucking nerves. Cromartie drops a sure pick. He wants that one back right now bad. 3rd down pass is also nearly picked, too. Sproles brings the punt return out to the 45, with a break of Steppenwolf. Sproles gets 9 yards on the carry, going to the Indy 47.

"I love it when they say, 'running backs who try to get small.' He doesn't have to try." - Al on Sproles. Freeney gets his second sack of the night. (MORE, MORE, MORE!!!!) Rivers, on 3rd and 13, rushes 12 yards of those 13 on his own. 4th and 1....Rivers sneaks....and he's got the 1st at the 33 after they measure it.

Rivers aims deep for Chambers in the end zone.....and it's picked off by Antoine Bethea, who runs it out, but there's a chop block by an Indy defender. Peyton will have the ball again.

Got to love Phillip Rivers going Favre with that pass. - 49er16

But he's having a lot of fun out there! Colts start at the 20, swing out to Clark, but there's a tripping call for 10 yards, and that'll be moved back. Goes back to Clark for four yards. Manning slings it to Wayne at the 31 for a first down. Addai grabs four yards. Another first down to Dallas Clark.

Norv looks like my high school principal with the glasses.

Rhodes shoves his way in with his shoulder for a first down in Chargers' territory on 3rd and 2. Cason nearly comes up with the pick on 1st and 10, but it hit the ground first. Manning rolls out, throws it away, and there's a holding penalty. 2nd and 20 gets nothing on the Addai carry. Chargers' D holds as Manning throws incomplete, and the penalty for holding is declined.

Bolts start at the 27 after the punt goes out of bounds. Sproles gets 17 after the catch on the pass out from Rivers. Sproles up to the 49 on the next carry. Another Rex Grossman-style pass from Rivers, and he's lucky that didn't get picked like the last one. Pass out to Bennett, and it's marked just slightly short of the first down....what, really. That's a first down, apparently.

Rivers aims downfield for Naane, and he underthrows him just slightly with double coverage. And down goes Rivers on 3rd down, Robert Mathis gets his second of the day.

That was ingenious Golden Globes advertising, NBC. I'd watch Salma Hayek's Golden Globes in HD.

Scifres punts it again in great field position. Colts start at their own 2, and we get "The Final Countdown."

Addai rushes for six to get out of the end zone. Next carry isn't much. 3rd and 2. Rush on....and DOWN GOES PEYTON AT THE ONE YARD LINE!

Sproles takes a very good punt back to the Colts' 36. Rivers hits Gates for a first down. Another first down to Gates at the 21. Rivers rolls out, can't find anyone, throws it away. Sproles rushes, gets it inside the 10, but short of the first. Colts' time out. Kaeding's on the field. Field goal is up and good, 17-all.

Colts start at the 19 after the kickoff. Short pass to Addai, and they're playing for OT, it looks like. Jyles Tucker is down. Indy gets an extra time out thanks to the injury, because SD is out of them. Manning throws out to Addai again, and the Colts burn another TO. Incomplete, and a kneel, we go to OT. Bolts win the toss.

Sproles brings the kick out to the 25. Raheem Brock is there to stuff him on the first down carry. Rivers throws it away after rolling out on 2nd down. Short out to Sproles -- and he gets past the first down marker on 3rd and 11. Bennett comes in for six yards and the rush. Sproles gets nailed in the backfield, and there's a flag for holding on Indy, for an automatic first down.

Sproles to midfield with 2 yards. Rivers to Gates, who drags tacklers with him for the first down. He loses the ball, but falls right on it. Mathis bull-rushes Rivers and he throws it at the feet of Hester to avoid grounding. 3rd and 8...Chambers on the outside against Jennings, and they call defensive holding. Another automatic first down. And another first down on a Sproles carry, they've called a face mask!

Mighty Mite gets nailed at the 24, loses a couple of yards. Sproles takes the carry, goes outside....AND RUNS ALL THE WAY IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN! CHARGERS WIN, 23-17! Sproles had more than 300 yards on the day, but none more important than those last 24.

Thanks for joining me tonight. See y'all tomorrow!

Well, I was blatantly wrong in the early game. Let's see if I'm any better this time around.

LDT on the bike: pedalpedalpedalpedalpedalpedalpedal

Darren Sproles takes it out to the 22. LDT can make a cut, I guess. 13 yard gain to start. Two more for LDT, and a throw to Gates for six. 3rd and 2. Robert Mathis then nails Philip Rivers for the first sack, and it's three and out. Punt fair caught at the 9 yard line.

Manning to Harrison right off the bat for eight. Addai gets stuffed on his first carry. Another third down conversion for the Colts, as Manning hits the receiver. He throws it away on first down after Eric Weddle rushes him. Tony Ugoh gets flagged for five. Manning aims deep for Harrison, but it's getting called for PI on Quentin Jammer. First down. Addai gets two in SD territory.

You never want to hear the ref crew being the one that calls the most flags. EVER.

Manning misses Wayne, as the wideout looks the wrong way on the pass after getting Antonio Cromartie looking foolish. Reggie Wayne drops the third down pass, and the Colts will punt. Hunter Smith's kick goes into the end zone.

3rd and 10 after an incomplete pass and Darren Sproles getting nothing. Rivers' 3rd down pass to Gates winds up short of the first down. Scifres punts it 58 yards, with barely a return. Indy starts inside the 20 again.

LT (singing in his head): I love to ride my bicycle. I love to ride my bike. Biiii-cycle. Biiii-cycle. - Mal

Ha. Manning to Dallas Clark for three on a 1st and 15 after a false start. He hits Anthony Gonzalez for six at the 24.

"They also thought he knew the daily double at Del Mar." - Al, as Manning hits Wayne on the screen pass to the 33. Manning to Clark again for another first down. Peyton then goes back to Gonzalez for 36, as he weaves and bobs after the catch. "Looked like a video game," according to Al. Surprised he didn't crack a Madden joke. Gonzalez goes airborne and brings it down at the 3 yard line in double coverage.

Addai can't burrow in on first and goal. Addai on the inside handoff, and it's a TOUCHDOWN, COLTS. Viniateri's kick is good, 7-0, Indy.

Sproles got wailed on at the 25. Rivers to Gates for 6, followed by a five yarder for ineligible downfield. Rivers is hit by Dwight Freeney as he throws to Sproles. 3rd and 9, Sproles gets 13 after the inside handoff and sneaks between the tackles.

"Final minute of the opening stanza." - Al. THIS IS NOT POETRY, THIS IS FOOTBALL.

Sproles gets a couple, but Rivers is incomplete on 3rd and 3. Fits and starts for the Bolts right now, and no passes to either Chris Chambers or Vincent Jackson. Indy gets backed up to its own 3 on the punt. End of the first.

Manning Family shot to start the second. (crosses off list). Short runs and a pass is stopped short of the first down by Antoine Cason. Colts punt out of their own end zone...and it'll get even tougher as Indy gets a delay of game call. Sproles takes the punt back to the 43 yard line of the Colts.

Did Dungy have a Norv face? - James Craven

No. Dungy's facial expression never changes. He's Art Shell, but, y'know, like, successful. (Well, Art Shell 1.0 did fine.)

Everytime they show the charger girls I wonder if the tires on my car are over-inflated. - Mal

Rivers hits Gates again for eight yeards after a rollout. LT gets three to the 33 yard line and a chain movement. Gates again, getting major yards after catch and nailing a first and goal at the 3 yard line. LT busts through an easy hole, TOUCHDOWN, CHARGERS. Nate Kaeding's kick is good, 7-7.

There are no Wendy's within 20 minutes of me. I am tired of seeing their ads now, with that in mind. If you need a diversion, here are the Charger Girls for your perusal.

s2n - "LT busts through an easy hole"???? I didn't know Lindsay Lohan was at the game. - Mal

1,000 cocktails, sir. Colts start at their own 33, and Gonzalez lays out for a very nice catch for 21 yards on first down. Addai, nothing doing on 1st down, but gets nine yards on a pass from Peyton on the next play. End around to Clark for the first down -- AWESOME PLAY CALL. You never run that to the TE, ever. Unless when your DE is Clark; maybe Jason Witten could do that. Gates could do that too. Manning throws it away, sensing a defender coming.

"When you brush away the hair, you know it's not the way it's supposed to be." - John, as if you can get anything nice with helmet hair. 3rd and 10 pass to Clark is short by five yards, Viniateri comes on for a 40+ yard FG try. Up and good, 10-7, Colts.

"[Manning] will get a Vitalis ad out of this." - Al on Peyton Samson's hairdo (via James Craven)

Darren Sproles gets up-ended on the return after bringing it out to the 32. Dwight Freeney violates Rivers' back side for a sack on 2nd down. (MORE, MORE, MORE, COLTS. Hit him in his punk face.) Rivers throws his first non-Gates completion to Sproles, but it's 4th and 11.

MIKE SCIFRES JUST BOOTED ONE 67. Holy shit, that's impressive. Colts start on the 7. 3 for Dominic Rhodes. Wayne bobbles one and doesn't come down with it until he's out of bounds, but Tony Dungy is challenging. This is not gonna be overturned.

Norv just gave a "whew" face after that call stood. 3rd down and some audiblizing on both sides results in a checkdown play, picked up by linebacker Stephen Cooper. Hunter Smith will punt from his end zone again. The punt bounces back to the Indy 45. Sproles rushes for 11 up to the 34. Rivers throws a rope to the sideline, which Chris Chambers reels in and is called a catch. Looked kind of OB to me.

S2N letting out his Bronco fandom with the Rivers hatred - JG

Naturally. Rivers snaps one over the 10 to Chambers for a first and goal. Handoff to Sproles, has a guy grabbing at his leg, and gets right into the end zone! Kaeding's kick is good, 14-10, Chargers.

Sproles made the "money" gesture with his fingers, too. Kickoff, bringing it back out, and there's a FUMBLE!!!! Chargers recover! Wait --- they ruled him down, but this can be reviewed, and SD called a time out.

Ooh, I thought that was a fumble, guys....I don't know about that. Manning nearly picked off by Eric Weddle. Rush to Addai. Bolts' timeout. Addai picks up the first down. Incomplete for Gonzalez at midfield. Addai ends the half with a rush. 14-10, Chargers.

I don't know why I found this ad so funny, perhaps it caught me off guard, but I couldn't stop laughing following this "anything you can do" inspired commercial with the Manning Bros....

Awww! So very cute. I had also planned on doing a review of NBC's preseason opener, but there were so many elements and folks missing that I decided against it. With that said, I thought the broadcast was as good as you can get for your first of the year. They didn't go overboard talking about the Olympics or Brett Favre until the fourth quarter (understandable to do so then) and Michaels and Madden really didn't seem to make any big mistakes. I was also a huge fan of the bump music choices which included Journey, Jay-Z, Peter Gabriel and Guns N' Roses.

Also, Adam Schefter of the NFL Network stood in for Andrea Kremer, who is in Beijing, and did a stellar job. It wouldn't be a bad idea to add him full time, but I think that'd put the on-air talent count at about twenty six. Expect more reviews and recaps as the preseason goes along, and get ready for the return of the Pam Ward Chronicles later this month.

Chris Berman spoke with the Miami-Herald today and the newspaper has the first response from the ESPN Host since those infamous videos hit the Internet about a month ago. I'm not sure what Soviets have to do with it, but apparently he thinks they are involved somehow. From The Miami Herald via SbB...

''It's almost as if what we would fight against as a country -- the Soviets spying -- it's almost like that's what everyone is doing,'' Berman said by phone Wednesday. ``What's said in the huddle, which is what I did, should be in the huddle.

``I'm disappointed people would think I'm not really good with the people I work with, which couldn't be further from the truth. Do I wish I didn't say a few things nine years ago? Yes. But if that's the worst thing I ever did, I can live with it.''

Umm okay....sure. That makes total sense. But wait....it doesn't stop there! Berman isn't the only one upset with the access the internet has these days. What do you have to say Andrea Kremer?

''It's scary,'' NBC's Andrea Kremer said via e-mail, 'because everything seems to be fair game with so many sites looking to embarrass those in the spotlight. It's like George Orwell's `Big Brother,' always watching, but in our case, it could be career-damaging.''

And the message could not be clearer: ''The bottom line today,'' Kremer said, ``is that a sportscaster must assume he or she is on air always, and even the most casual or carefree behavior -- and certainly the animated or emotional one -- can end up on some website with embarrassing consequences.''

Okay, a couple of things here....first of all you SHOULD ALWAYS be aware that you're mic'd up. Second, who the hell cares if Chris Berman yelled at someone at work? It was funny as hell, and in the grand scheme of things we've all done something similar. I'm sure the producer who he yelled at laughed when he/she saw the video unless Chris Berman actually IS horrible to work with on a regular basis.

Something stuck out to me during Will Leitch's reading last night in DC more than anything else. I'm paraphrasing here, but Will said he almost found it sad that ESPN anchors and hosts want all the positive things that come with fame, but are up in arms when the negative things come to light. If the tables were turned and this was an athlete (say Chad Johnson yelling at people) do you think for a second ESPN wouldn't air the clip?

You can't have it both ways especially when you're the only game in town ESPN. If you can't laugh at yourself then who can you laugh at? I'm just glad a few people at the "Leader" get what's going on.

As for the author of the article....

Though sportscasters ultimately must take responsibility for how they present themselves, any contempt in the Berman/Van Pelt incidents should be reserved for the weasels who placed the clips on the Internet.

I just don't understand people anymore.

What Does “Nine Years Ago” Have To Do With It? (Sports By Brooks)
On Sports Media: 'Big Brother' watches, listens (Miami Herald)

Some people might find this story annoying but I actually find it kind of refreshing that people from other networks would stick up for one another. It's a tough road for women in Sports and one sideline reporter is sticking up for her counterparts. NBC's Andrea Kremer is none to happy about the way ESPN handled the news of Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya's reduced role and she has something to tell the network....

Says Kremer, who worked at ESPN for 17 years before joining NBC: "They were doing the role that ESPN asked them to do — more feature-ish stuff — and they were fired for it? If you don't like them in that role, change their role. Don't humiliate them like that. The way (ESPN) handled it was terrible, just disrespectful. … They treated two professionals in a completely non-professional way."

But Kremer suggests she's "offended" by ESPN's move because "it sets back women." Referring to herself, Kolber, Tafoya and Fox sideline reporter Pam Oliver, she says "no one accused the four of us for being on television for our looks or figures. … This isn't five years ago, with eye candy on the sidelines. We established ourselves as reporters, professionals. Now, you've completely minimized that. These women don't have to prove themselves anymore."

No matter how you feel about Joe Theismann, Suzy Kolber, and Michele Tafoya they way they learned about their firings/"reduced roles" was pretty crappy. There's really no other way to describe it but unprofessional and I think Kremer is pretty dead on with her assessment of ESPN.

It's unfortunate when anyone gets fired but it has to be even more unfortunate when you find out through the media.

Bias seen in silencing 'MNF' sideline reporters (USA Today)

I don't know how many of you stayed up to watch the very end of the Eagles-Pats game last night, but if you didn't you missed another stellar Andrea Kremer interview. Last week she lovingly stared into Tom Brady's eyes. This week she gets snubbed on her last question to Wes Welker because his coach was cracking the whip.

The best part of the whole video is Al Michaels seeming noticeably pissed, and saying "Coming Mommy." Good one Al.

(P.S.- Don't think for a second I wouldn't sprint my butt over there if Belichick was yelling at me too.)