FanHouse Ncaa Fb Media Watch

CBS carries the SEC Game of the Week into living rooms across the nation every weekend. CBS' deal is the only national broadcast of any collegiate conference. (Independent Notre Dame, of course, has an eight-game deal with NBC.) ABC also carries football games on network television. But the ABC games, featuring Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Pac-10, and Big East teams are carried regionally. That means ABC carries teams split geographically, which would theoretically lead to higher overall ratings. That's been the case every year.

Until now.

For the first time since CBS added the SEC in 1996, the SEC games are outdrawing their regional counterparts on ABC. This season's SEC ratings are up 29 percent over comparable ratings last season. Given that CBS still has Alabama-Auburn and what will probably be the highest rated game of the season prior to the BCS bowls, Florida-Alabama in the SEC championship game, CBS and the SEC are likely to triumph over ABC for the season.

Should the SEC thank Tim Tebow? Maybe so. But even without Tebow, does this represent a fascinating turn in the ratings game? I think so. Read on for seven reasons why this is incredibly significant.

High definition television has revolutionized the sports viewing experience. What it hasn't revolutionized is the SEC's ability to use high definition to help with instant replay review. That's because the televisions in the instant replay booth at SEC stadiums aren't in HD.

Lane Kiffin's off-field comments have twice earned him reprimands from the Southeastern Conference this season. But now he's finally getting mad props -- assuming people still give mad props -- thanks to the rapper Lil Wayne. In Lil's newest track, Banned From TV, the Southern rapper includes this line, "Smoke weed, talk s--- like Lane Kiffin." Now Lane Kiffin has acknowledged the endorsement via Twitter, tweeting today, "looking forward to another great practice today and a huge game Saturday ... also a huge shout-out to Lil Wayne for boosting our street cred!"

Yep, two of the South's top gangsters are already in fine form. As for fans? Well, UT fans, are already talking about, wait for it, the recruiting benefits of Lil Wayne's lyrical endorsement. Wrote a reader, Alan, this morning in an e-mail to me, "Should help with recruiting. Especially in South Florida, Louisiana, Atlanta and Memphis."

But why stop with recruiting help? Now that he's been bound and gagged by the SEC, Lane Kiffin should hop on the gangster train and play this for all it's worth.

During ESPN's broadcast of the Minnesota-Ohio State game on Saturday, the network cross-promoted a NASCAR race by showing a graphic listing the top five drivers. Chris Spielman, Bob Griese's partner, asked where Juan Pablo Montoya was. Griese responded that Montoya was "out having a taco."

Montoya, who is Colombian, has declined comment, saying he has no idea who Griese is, but unfortunately for its announcer, ESPN has not remained silent. Despite twice publicly apologizing Saturday, ESPN has suspended Griese for this week's telecast. In a statement released Tuesday, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz says the network has spoken to Griese and "he understands the comment was inappropriate."

In fact, contrary to lazy stereotypical belief, tacos are not a popular cuisine in Colombia. And everyone with a Spanish surname is not, you know, from Mexico. Now Griese will have a weekend outside the broadcast booth to think about the error of his ways. Question for you, would Griese have even gotten in trouble if he'd said that Montoya was "out having an arepa" or "out having a sancocho?"

ESPN football analyst Bob Griese apologized twice Saturday for a comment he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya during ESPN's telecast of Ohio State and Minnesota.

To promote Sunday's NASCAR race in Martinsville, ESPN displayed a graphic with the top five drivers in the points race. Color commentator Chris Spielman asked "Where's Montoya?"

"Out eating a taco," Griese responded.

If there was anything more remarkable than the tone-deaf nature of Griese's comments about the Colombian driver, it was that the remark was so audible, given how far Griese had just wedged his foot into his mouth.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Erin Andrews, who was thrust into the national spotlight after the illegal videotaping of her in hotel rooms, said she's doing OK and is looking forward to returning home to Tampa this week, Andrews told FanHouse.

"I'm doing OK," Andrews said. "I'm so busy with college football, doing two games a week. It's a lot. We're in the middle of the season, really, really traveling a lot and I'm consumed with work. I'm doing OK. I'm fortunate I do two games a week and I'm so busy. I'm hanging."

In her first interview since appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in August, Andrews told FanHouse she still enjoys her job as a sideline reporter for ESPN. A graduate of the University of Florida and Bloomingdale High School, located just east of Tampa, Andrews will work Thursday's game between No. 8 Cincinnati and No. 21 South Florida in Tampa.

Lee Corso suffered a stroke in May, and on Saturday's College GameDay, it was obvious from hearing him speak that he hasn't completely recovered from it. But I admire him for staying on the air, and I admire ESPN for allowing him to stay on the air.

Corso's on-air partner, Chris Fowler, made a good point on GameDay about how the legendary Grambling coach Eddie Robinson -- who broke Bear Bryant's all-time wins record 24 years ago this week -- struggled late in his career in much the same way that Bobby Bowden is struggling now.

We're talking about that and all of Saturday's college football action, headlined by Florida vs. LSU, during our college football live tweet. To join in, follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

FanHouse Big East writer and Tampa Tribune staff writer Brett McMurphy will provide his Associated Press Top 25 ballot each week.

Ah, out of the mouths of babes. Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier was getting ready to get on the bus and head to the Big House for Saturday's big game with Notre Dame, when the true freshman suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot to brush my teeth!," Forcier told Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez.

"That's what he's thinking about when he's getting on the bus and getting ready to go to the Big House," Rodriguez said.

Michigan has one freshman quarterback who can't remember to brush his teeth and another, Denard Robinson, who doesn't tie his shoelaces. Still, the Wolverines' youth movement has made me a believer.

ESPN put a new Twitter policy in place this summer designed to urge its reporters to think before they tweet. But this weekend, the policy didn't stop ESPN the Magazine senior writer Bruce Feldman from ripping Sports Reporters panelist Mike Lupica -- then later thinking better of it and deleting the tweet.

It all started with Lupica talking about USC coach Pete Carroll on The Sports Reporters.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Erin Andrews had to feel better about her performance than Steve Spurrier, and his team won.

South Carolina beat North Carolina State 7-3 in a stinker of a game. At least it smelled like a hamper full of used socks. I didn't see much of it because I was busy watching Andrews.

For the first time in weeks somebody can say that without being called a pervert. Andrews was back on the sideline, and it had to feel ... well, I wish we knew.