Brent Musburger got to do to Colin Cowherd, what thousands around the country want to do to the ESPN Radio host. What's that you ask? Well, he got to punch him in the gut. Before you get all happy, he was wearing protection and it's part of a running gag on ESPN's Sports Nation. Via OTB....

While that wasn't that hard of a punch, I think the sneakiness of it caught Cowherd off guard. Hopefully they can get someone on that really can't stand him, to do some real damage.

Brent Musburger Punches Colin Cowherd (Outside the Boxscore)

Not that the Colin Cowherd hosted show doesn't already piss you off, but apparently ESPN is going to make it completely unwatchable for a day. The afternoon show will be going for the Guinness World record, for the most mentions of the name....Brett Favre. Seriously....

ESPN hopes to hype records for its Green Bay-Minnesota game Monday night. Literally. ESPN, says spokesman Mike Soltys, will announce that on next Monday's broadcast of its ESPN2 SportsNation (5 p.m. ET), it will try to set a record for the most mentions of Brett Favre on a TV show — with Guinness World Records now looking for the current record. Some records should never be broken.

First of all, you don't really even need to hype the game. It's basically guaranteed to become the most watched cable program of the year, by a long shot. Second....really? REALLY ESPN?!?! I understand that you think you're being cute, but this is just a terrible, terrible idea.

Spice Rack (USA Today)

I was hesitant to put this interview up for a few reasons, but the main one being, I didn't want to promote anything involving Colin Cowherd. However, there isn't much going on today, so here you go. After taking ESPN's new show "Sports Nation" in over the past few days, I've decided to post this small interview I did with show host, Michelle Beadle (and no it's not because she's an AA reader....well okay, that's part of it).

If you haven't seen it yet, Sports Nation is yet another show in a long line of programs that are trying to use the viewers as their content drivers. Among our topics include: How SN can succeed where others have failed, what she thinks of Cowherd and of course her daily Internet reads. Enjoy!

1. You've worked everywhere from YES Network, to Animal Planet, and have even covered a few red carpet events. What attracted you to this show?

Michelle Beadle: The guys who developed this show are the best. I met Jamie Horowitz, David Jacoby, and Kevin Wildes many months ago, really before I knew much about the show, and I loved them right away. They were like buddies I'd had for years. That, combined with Colin's sense of humor, seemed to be like a fun way to make a living.

2. Many networks, including ESPN in the past, have tried fan inspired shows like this. What makes you think "Sports Nation" can succeed, where so many have failed?

MB: I hope our show is unique enough to succeed. ESPN needs a way to show we don't expect to have the final say, and Colin and I are happy to be the ones to prove it. We're all fans, obviously, and we all hang out with friends talking sports. We want to have that feel, with the fans as the third "host."

3. With programs of this nature, a lot of work is done on the fly. How much time is spent preparing for the show?

MB: An average day for me is 9 til the end of the day. The producers get in around 8 am, and immediately start scouring the interweb for fun stories. While we script the show, we also try to keep it pretty loose. Colin hates the prompter.

4. Your co-host, Colin Cowherd, has made some waves (to put it lightly) with Sports Blogs in the past. How do you think he fits into the show, and do you think his radio background has prepared him for a studio show?

MB: I never realized the love/hate relationship Colin has with everyone out there. Then friends started sending me articles and blogs ripping him to shreds. Great reading. This has been interesting to watch as he is forced not only to read the blogosphere, but embrace it.

5. With that said, having to peruse Sports Blogs and fan comments for the show. What can you tell us about the better ones and how will they be utilized during "SN"?

MB: Our web producer, Gabe Goodwin, has the best gig. He is the guy who gets to read all the comments and listen to all the calls. As a matter of fact, after yesterday, we got a bunch of "Fake Calls from Real Fans," some great, some just funny. We will use those today. We really want a lot of fan input. After rehearsing and using made-up tweets and emails, we're super jacked to have legitimate material.

6. What are your daily reads when it comes to the Internet?

MB: My daily reads: AwfulAnnouncing (duh), Deadspin, ESPN, TMZ, Pagesix, Dlisted, mediatakeout, sportsbybrooks....the list goes on and on..

7. What are your expectations for the debut of the show? Those in the future?

MB: Our expectations for Monday were simple: get the show on the air. Now we want to just improve every day, and get smarter. There are so many talented people in this group, and I think as we evolve, they will really get to show off.
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Many thanks to Michelle for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions, and check out the show if you get a chance. It airs Monday through Friday at 4pm on ESPN2.

I honestly hate when days turn into an all ESPN free-for-all, but the "Leader" is breaking some really big news today. In addition to the Comcast item, ESPN also released the details surrounding their long rumored Sports Nation show, and lucky for all of us, Colin Cowherd is going to be the host! Joining Shrutebag will be ESPN 1050 anchor, Michelle Beadle, and the show will premier on Monday, July 6, at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Via ESPN PR....

The show will include discussion of the smaller stories that generate buzz on the Internet but often aren’t seen on television.

“SportsNation will focus on topics that dominate fans’ email exchanges and blogs,” added Horowitz. “The show will be a conversation between people who love sports but don’t take every story so seriously. The funny Web stories everyone forwards to their friends will find a home on SportsNation.”

Feeding off the producers’ theory that if two heads are better than one, 100,000 heads are better than two, SportsNation will engage hundreds of thousands of sports fans across the country via ESPN.com’s SportsNation. Fans will be able to interact with the hosts before, during and after the show by e-mail, text, Twitter or just making a phone call.

“SportsNation will really have three hosts – Colin, Michelle and the fans,” Horowitz said. “We are counting on the fans’ commentary and feedback to make the show unique. I’d like to rely on Colin, but he doesn’t listen to anything we tell him.”

Said Cowherd, “I’m stunned management let me do a TV show. I know what the producers and I find interesting and funny – and it leads me to conclude that we probably won’t be on the air very long.”

I feel like ESPN has tried this before, but for some reason, I can't remember the show's name. In any case, it's a risky idea and Colin Cowherd is either going to be hit or miss on television. Just like on the radio, people are going to love him or hate his guts. I also find it interesting that ESPN is breaking this news right after Versus announced their plans for a similar show.

In addition to this news, there is also a small shakeup at ESPN Radio. The SN show will actually premier after the new ESPN2 simulcast of the Scott Van Pelt show. Mike Tirico is going to work strictly on TV, and SVP will be joined by Ryen Russillo for a two hour show starting at 2pm (only the last hour will be simulcast).