Every Monday during college football's endless offseason, The FanHouse Walk will put last week's stories to bed and deliver the essentials to bridge that agonizing space between now and September. Mr. BCS Goes To Washington -- Except I have a feeling Jimmy Stewart would find some way to rail against the BCS, however wrongheadedly. You see, the big word in the halls of Congress on Friday was "fair" but don't let that confuse you. While the Mountain West and certain members of Congress are using the fairness term to stoke public support, their real concern is about money.
Thanks to a new deal that the IRL IndyCar Series inked with the cable television network Versus in 2008, ESPN ended up with just five of the series' 17 2009 events after being the permanent home of the open wheelers for many years.
And, as a result, the Worldwide Leader ended up with a glut of talent for its broadcasting efforts -- forcing a few benefits into the hand of NASCAR television watchers.
Those benefits, as the broadcaster announced today with a press release, include expanded NASCAR roles for standard IndyCar lap-by-lap point man Marty Reid and longtime IndyCar pit reporter Vince Welch.
Reid, who I think is a much more exciting lap-by-lap guy than ESPN's Sprint Cup guy Jerry Punch (he reminds of the nearly always monotonous Joe Buck on FOX), will be taking on a more pronounced lap-by-lap role in the second half of the Nationwide Series season. In the past, Punch has been responsible for the majority of Nationwide and Sprint Cup broadcasts in the second half of the season.
And, as many of you know, 2009 won't be Reid's first Nationwide Series rodeo as the broadcaster has done a handful of races in the past two years in an effort to give Punch a break here and there.
Like a lost little puppy finding its way home -- or maybe not -- BCS bowl broadcasts appear likely to change hands from Fox to ESPN/ABC after the 2010 season.
The BCS is considering a proposal from ESPN that would see all BCS bowl games, including the championship game, wind up on ESPN, sources familiar with the negotiations are saying. [...] Sources say Fox still has another five days to accept the BCS' proposal, which is seeking about a 50% annual increase over the current deal's $82.5 million annual fee. The BCS is looking for a four-year, $500 million deal, which would put the average annual payout at around $125 million.
Fox has proposed a 25% increase, which would average a little more than $102 million per year. Though Fox still has several days to match, insiders say it is not likely to increase its bid by enough.
If this goes through, I couldn't be happier. Fox's BCS broadcasts, a toned down but still entertaining Matt Vasgergian aside, have been unanimously awful. They don't get college football and for all the money invested in such a high profile product, don't seem all that ambitious upon improving. Meanwhile ESPN diligently invests and expands its college football product.
This BCS contract is pure business, but from an emotional point of view, ESPN is due.
Really? Has the pool of possible grand marshals been completely tapped? See below:
Actor John C. McGinley, best known for his role as the sarcastic Dr. Perry Cox on the long-running network comedy "Scrubs," was announced July 16 as the grand marshal for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This year will mark the historic 15th running of the race, one of the highest-profile events in all of motorsports, and will kick off a block of 17 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series telecasts on ESPN and ABC.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big "Scrubs" fan. It's a great show. But is it really such a great show that the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard can legitimately say that one of it's supporting actors is a big enough deal to wave the green flag?
Is 'Dr. Perry Cox' really a guy who's going to bring in that on-the-fence ticket buyer? Does this race -- one of NASCAR's crown jewels thanks to its location at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- really need an actor who barely makes the B-list?
Consider Jimmie Johnson the new Martinsville master.
Johnson took Sunday's Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway for his 30th career victory over Ryan Newman and Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon. He now follows Gordon in the Chase for the Nextel Cup by 53 points with just four races left.
It's the first time one driver has taken three-straight at Martinsville since Rusty Wallace did it in 1994-95.
Late in the race, cautions were the story and likely affected Jeff Gordon's chances -- who led a race high 168 laps -- at winning a possible third race in a row. Needing longer runs for his car to come in, Gordon was hampered by several yellows and was passed on a late restart by Newman.
Another caution flew leading to a final green-white-checkered finish that could have been more exciting had David Ragan not spun in turn one. NASCAR, like usual, waited to throw the caution flag and very nearly put a stalled Ragan in harm's way as the leaders flew into turn one before NASCAR threw the yellow, sealing Johnson's win.
Clint Bowyer, third in points, and Tony Stewart, fourth, finished 9th and 13th respectively. Bowyer now sits 110 points back of Gordon and Stewart holds a deficit of 244 points, unofficially.
I suppose now that the remainder of the NASCAR season will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC, the chance of seeing ABC talent at NASCAR events just increased exponentially.
Fine with me--as long as they're all as easy on the eyes as this week's grand marshal, James Denton, the real-life handyman who plays Mike Delfino, the smokin' hot resident plumber on Wisteria Lane.
The "Desperate Housewives" star is a lifelong sports enthusiast:
"I've always been a big sports fan. I grew up a Richard Petty fan, as many were in the 1970s, and Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough was big, and Bobby Allison, but Petty and that No. 43 STP car ... I think kids just fell in love with it for some reason."
He's never been to a race, though, so this is a plumb gig for Denton, who is also a 20-year Allstate customer:
"This is an incredible honor to be named the grand marshal for this year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. I'm a huge sports fan, so to be able to wave the green flag at one of NASCAR's premier races is going to be an amazing experience."
Too bad he'll only be waving the green flag and not giving the engine command. As per tradition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most famous words in motorsports will be delivered by IMS Chairman of the Board Mari Hulman George. Very, very anti-climatic.
ABC let 80 percent of the BCS out of its grasp three years ago. If given the opportunity to get any or all of it back, the network won't let it happen again.
"I don't like looking back," Chuck Gerber, ABC/ESPN executive vice-president for college sports said during Tuesday's BCS meetings at the Hotel Intercontinental. "But if it does come up again, and it makes business sense, we would love to be there."
Ever see two boys fighting over the same pretty girl? It's kind of like that with the BCS. Unless either gentleman finds some principle to stand up, the girl gets to name her price with the suitors. And so it goes with the BCS and potential broadcast partners.
I mention this because Florida President Bernie Machen is due to present his playoff proposal to the SEC this week. One of the arguments by playoff supporters is that a playoff could match or exceed the revenue generated by the BCS.
To sound like Lee Corso for a moment, not so fast. One year after losing its BCS contract and another year out from negotiations, ABC is champing at the bit in hopes of renewing a broadcast contract with the BCS. This is prelude to a major bidding war and pours cold water on a hypothetical and unknown cash argument presented by playoff advocates.
There's a lengthy release here detailing all the ins and outs of what ABC/ESPN's doing, but I'll give you the meatier parts:
*** All telecasts will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern and be broadcast high-def on ABC HD. So buy that HD TV already if you didn't already go all out for one before this year's boring Super Bowl.
*** Opening weekend we'll see Tennessee travel to California for a rematch of last year's beatdown in Knoxville. It's going to be culture shock for Vol fans seeing all the people in the trees at pregame.
*** USC may be plateau-ing in the Pete Carroll era, but they're still a big draw as five Trojan games will be televised. Good: at Nebraska, at California. Not so good: vs. Washington State, vs. Washington, vs. Oregon State.
*** Ohio State will make three appearances: at Minnesota, at Purdue, at Penn State.
*** Jimmuh hits primetime (maybe) when Notre Dame plays UCLA at the Rose Bowl on October 6. Emu? Emu. Honestly I should have filed this under annoying below the more that I think about it.
The annoying parts:
*** Southwest Airlines is sponsor this year. Can we count on graphics of planes flying in relevant stat graphics onto the screen or some other annoying stunt? Because I can fly AirTran, you know. Don't make me do it.
*** Quote: "The schedule does not include games on Sept. 8 and Oct. 13 when ESPN on ABC will televise NASCAR Nextel Cup races from Richmond and Charlotte, respectively."
Boooooo! All together now (grab the forks and knives and bang them on the table): "We want football! We want football! We want football! ...
ABC--specifically, ESPN on ABC--cut to a commercial right when race winner Carl Edwards was about to get out of his car and flip for the fans!
Then, when they came back from commercial they took viewers (at least those in the Pacific timezone) straight to that crappy "NASCAR Angels" show, which was already in progress. (Sorry, Rusty and Shannon, it's a really nice thing you're doing but the show is complete drivel.)
What the ...?
It's bad enough they didn't show a post-race interview with the winner, but would it have killed them to wait 20 more seconds for the back flip? Fans have been waiting for the next one since his last win in October!
And, ya know, I would have let the missed restart slide given that they're still new, but since I'm bothering I may as well go ahead and mention that, too.
Every Monday during college football's endless offseason, The FanHouse Walk will put last week's stories to bed and deliver the essentials to bridge that agonizing space between now and September.
Thanks to a new deal that the IRL IndyCar Series inked with the cable television network Versus in 2008, ESPN ended up with just five of the series' 17 2009 events after being the permanent home of the open wheelers for many years.
Like a lost little puppy finding its way home -- 
Really? Has the pool of possible grand marshals been completely tapped? See below:
Consider Jimmie Johnson the new Martinsville master.
I suppose now that the remainder of the NASCAR season will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC, the chance of seeing ABC talent at NASCAR events just increased exponentially.
There's a 
