ESPN's Chris Fowler is feeling a little guilty

[Rocket89]

I'm not sure that the bolded is true. People from all over the country are going to watch the playoffs because they love football, and college football in particular. I'm not going to not watch the playoffs, if ND is not in it. Take the Super Bowl for example; the Super Bowl doesn't usually get significantly better ratings in the towns of the teams that are playing. It transcends local bias........ and the College Football Playoffs will, as well.

It is true.

Ratings are not just confined to 3 playoff games. ESPN owns nearly all of the post-season games. There are hundreds of hours of coverage for them to produce on hundreds of games, many of which they broadcast. There are dozens of specials in which they want a wide national audience to bring in high ratings.

ESPN is only biased towards money. Take for example tomorrow night's Playoff Committee poll release special. For them to get the highest ratings possible ESPN wants as large of a national audience possible. Having so many SEC teams among the Top 10/15 is nice for them but they'd rather more bluebloods from other regions be a factor so they make even more money.

Yes, the college football playoff is going to get high ratings. But ESPN really wouldn't benefit from an Alabama-Miss State-Georgia-Florida State foursome as much as they would an Alabama-Notre Dame-Ohio State-Florida State foursome. This is what Fowler is saying...the bias doesn't exist insofar as ESPN actively trying to get 3 SEC teams into the playoff.

 

[ND NYC]

what network is broadcasting the semi finals and NC game this year?

ps keith jackson was notorious for passing gas in the booth throughout his career. was a running joke to damn near all his fellow announcers.
the man had serious GI issues.
"whoa nelly! pffffffft."

 

[Grahambo]

Rece Davis is replacing Fowler on Gameday.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Yes!


Sent via tapatalk

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Improvement.

 

[Grahambo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Remember, <a href="https://twitter.com/cbfowler">@cbfowler</a> still has plenty of big assignments w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/KirkHerbstreit">@KirkHerbstreit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB">@ESPNCFB</a> Tennis majors, etc. <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@espn</a> couldn't lose <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPN_ReceDavis">@ESPN_ReceDavis</a></p>— James Andrew Miller (@JimMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimMiller/status/563487836146372608">February 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[ohara831]

Glad Davis is replacing Fowler. Good move my ESPN.

 

[dad4aa]

I would rather keep Fowler and get rid of Desmond.

 

[BGIF]

I would rather keep Fowler and get rid of Desmond.

Lesser of two weevils.

 

[kmoose]

Rece Davis is replacing Fowler on Gameday.

My initial reaction is: 6 of one, half dozen of another. But I'll be interested to see how it changes the dynamic of the show. What they really need to do is get back to matchup analysis, and quit worrying so much about all of the human interest stuff. That stuff certainly has a place, but they overblow it all of the time. Hopefully they will start by getting rid of the "celebrity picker".

 

[ulukinatme]

I like Davis to replace Fowler, but I wonder if this doesn't mean that Lou is officially retiring now. He's teased it a few times over the last couple years, and I thought last season he said it would be his last. Davis will be on set on location, so someone else will have to be back in the studio. I assume they'll bring someone else in to replace Davis, and Lou may take the opportunity to call it quits as well. If that's the case, maybe they clean house and put Mark May somewhere else too....probably not.

 

[TheChosen1]

I get them confused for each other every day.

 

[scUM Hater]

I like Davis to replace Fowler, but I wonder if this doesn't mean that Lou is officially retiring now. He's teased it a few times over the last couple years, and I thought last season he said it would be his last. Davis will be on set on location, so someone else will have to be back in the studio. I assume they'll bring someone else in to replace Davis, and Lou may take the opportunity to call it quits as well. If that's the case, maybe they clean house and put Mark May somewhere else too....probably not.

If Lou retires, Mark May is gone, he is worthless without the banter with Lou to the ESPN folks. They believe that is why ND fans turn into their show, to see Lou vs. Mark.

 

[ulukinatme]

If Lou retires, Mark May is gone, he is worthless without the banter with Lou to the ESPN folks. They believe that is why ND fans turn into their show, to see Lou vs. Mark.

I doubt they get rid of Mark, people love to hate him. He's the quintessential heel, like wrestling's Ric Flair. I'm sure they'll try to recreate the Lou/May dynamic by putting some other guy in Lou's spot, but I doubt anyone else can pull it off well. My money is on Mack Brown.

I assume ESPN keeps some sort of studio crew for halftimes and Gameday Final, so if Lou is gone and Davis is moved to the weekly location, who replaces Davis? It needs to be a straight guy basically, someone who is going to tell it like it is and not delve into the personal politics like Lou and May would get into. I'd put Joe Tessitore in there, I'm not sure who ESPN will go with though.

 

[Irish#1]

Davis is replacing Fowler?

 

[BobbyMac]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Remember, <a href="https://twitter.com/cbfowler">@cbfowler</a> still has plenty of big assignments w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/KirkHerbstreit">@KirkHerbstreit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB">@ESPNCFB</a> Tennis majors, etc. <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@espn</a> couldn't lose <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPN_ReceDavis">@ESPN_ReceDavis</a></p>— James Andrew Miller (@JimMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimMiller/status/563487836146372608">February 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That makes it sound like Davis wanted Fowler's job or he'd walk. As .much as Fowler runs with the ABC belittle ND script, I will sorta miss him on CGD. I remember when he did a piece on our HS team on his first show, Scholastic Sports America. (Or something close to that)

As far as Davis to replace him... I think it was the 20th century philosopher, Sir Peter Townshend who said, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

.

 

[phgreek]

Fowler makes me laugh...look, its like this...follow the money, and then consider the source of admonition...

I realize its tough to have people undermine who you think you are...but somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he knows he cannot be objective, even if he wanted to be...

 

[DonnieNarco]

I think with Lou retiring, they're going to turn Mark May into anti-Ohio State. It seemed like he was trending that way this season.

 

[T Town Tommy]

ESPN smoke and mirrors.... Rece is a Bama grad. lol

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

ESPN smoke and mirrors.... Rece is a Bama grad. lol

WTH is Tommy doing back? Welcome back Bammer! Congrats on your 50th top signing class.

 

[ACamp1900]

I get them confused for each other every day.

Exactly, there's like a difference??

 

[ulukinatme]

ESPN smoke and mirrors.... Rece is a Bama grad. lol

Rece is okay for a Bama guy, kinda like you. I actually enjoyed this story that he told, comparing his reporting approach to Lou's:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/euGNC6wwKoU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The thing I like about Rece is you can tell he has a lot of respect for Lou, and it certainly sounds like that respect is reciprocated. I liked this story Davis told about Lou behind the scenes, shows Lou still loves the game and he's probably forgotten more about the game than we'll ever know.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mweo2ffEirs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[BobbyMac]

I got a chance to talk with Mark May at an NFL Draft party he was working in Scottsdale in 2012. His whole anti-ND gig is scripted. Without Coach Holtz thee, that will be gone.

I know I'll be in the minority on this one but I really like Dari Nowkhah. I hope they move him into Davis' spot on College Football Final. I'd love to get Mel Kiper in Lou's spot as an ND fanatic so the ND vs. Mark May drama could continue but it will probably be Mac Brown as mentioned above. He isn't a wisecrack like Coach Holtz so the mental sparring will be cut way back.

.

 

[ulukinatme]

I got a chance to talk with Mark May at an NFL Draft party he was working in Scottsdale in 2012. His whole anti-ND gig is scripted. Without Coach Holtz thee, that will be gone.

I know I'll be in the minority on this one but I really like Dari Nowkhah. I hope they move him into Davis' spot on College Football Final. I'd love to get Mel Kiper in Lou's spot as an ND fanatic so the ND vs. Mark May drama could continue but it will probably be Mac Brown as mentioned above. He isn't a wisecrack like Coach Holtz so the mental sparring will be cut way back.

.

Yeah, it should be obvious by now that Mark May isn't quite the prick he depicts himself as on TV. I remember seeing a video where Lou and May were visiting campus a few years ago and May was commenting on all the great things about Notre Dame, it was kind of cool to see him break away from the TV personality.

I don't think we need to necessarily have an "ND" guy to replace Holtz, because if May has shown us anything it's that his character is scripted to attack large fan bases to get tempers flaring and create discussion. Lou has always been his foil, and he certainly will have a hard time finding another foil like him if Lou does retire, but as long as May takes the opposing view when it comes to large and vocal fan bases, his sidekick will defend the opposite side and continue the balance. It won't be as good, but ESPN will probably try to recreate the dynamic anyway.

 

[ThePiombino]

I'm just here to say fuck Fowler. Jury is still out on Davis...

 

[NDohio]

Wait, you guys still watch College Game Day?

 

[ACamp1900]

Wait, you guys still watch College Game Day?

This. I actually had to research who these two were, I know the names obviously but couldn't pick them out of lineups, and thought, these two guys are different people?? They look exactly the same.

 

[IrishLax]

If they got rid of Desmond this would be a watchable show again. I appreciate both Herbstreit and Davis as professionals. Desmond is an uninformed and woefully biased individual who brings nothing to the show.

 

[BobbyMac]

I watch CGD. I read the paper with it on mute and turn it up when I see the segments I'm interested in. I like most, hate Desmond, Fowler I'm ok with as long as he isn't in scripted anti-ND mode, Herbstreet is as good as there is as a straight man and I love Corso's schtick.

(I'd love a Monday morning QB show where Corso, Coach Holtz and Bobby Bowden talk about what's going on in college football, no hosts unless Keith Jackson is up to it)

Fox, CBS and NBC are FOOLS for not blatantly copying the format and giving the rest of college football a less biased choice.. It's a wildly successful format. The other fanbases outside of the SEC would watch it by default.

.

 

[IrishLax]

I watch CGD. I read the paper with it on mute and turn it up when I see the segments I'm interested in. I like most, hate Desmond, Fowler I'm ok with as long as he isn't in scripted anti-ND mode, Herbstreet is as good as there is as a straight man and I love Corso's schtick.

(I'd love a Monday morning QB show where Corso, Coach Holtz and Bobby Bowden talk about what's going on in college football, no hosts unless Keith Jackson is up to it)

Fox, CBS and NBC are FOOLS for not blatantly copying the format and giving the rest of college football a less biased choice.. It's a wildly successful format. The other fanbases outside of the SEC would watch it by default.

.

Fox has tried (is trying?) I believe. Forget what their program is called but it's PAC-12 centric.