ESPN confirms today that it is taking over production of the BCS games come 2011.  I find this pleasing.  I am not the biggest fan of ESPN, as I find its highlight shows mostly focus on fellating athletes, “reporters” yelling at each other, and something called a Budweiser Hot Seat, which often includes the aforementioned fellating and reporters yelling.  At least, however, ESPN covers college football and I think with its family of networks, it does a pretty good job.

Covering the sport seems like an obvious requirement in covering that sports’ championships.  However, for years Fox, which showcases no college football all year long on its flagship station, has brought us the BCS.  Sure, the regional Fox channels cover college football, and while the games are usually not the big ones (Mizzou v. Iowa State anyone?), it does a good enough job.   The announcers are not the greatest, but they do call and follow college football.

BCS on Fox not only brought you the annoying nostril-closeup of quarterbacks, stomping robots, and eighteen different shots of the the crowd while the QB is barking out signals, it also brought you a stable of announcers who were simulatenously calling the biggest game of the year and taking in their first game of the year.  Fans of college football deserve better than to have to listen to Joe Buck or Thom Brenneman or Terry Bradshaw, virtual newbies to the sport, call the title game.  And, now they’ll get it.   

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I see the folks at Barking Carnival have a post up about this very topic.  There’s some consternation that the relationship is problematic because ESPN and SEC are already in bed together.   That might be a problem.  There’s also concern that this will stifle playoff talk.  I don’t care about a playoff, so that doesn’t bother me.  I mostly just hate Fox Sports.