ESPN Gameday... A New Wind Blowing?

For many, myself included, fall Saturdays are part sport, part silliness, but all ritual, as most have a tried and true way to get themselves mentally and metaphysically ready for the pending slate-O-awesome footballgasm that's about to rock itself all over their face. For me, and many others, part of that ritual includes ESPN's College Gameday.

I don't watch Gameday simply for the analysis, though there is plenty. I don't watch it for the investigative reporting, though there is some. I certainly don't watch it for Kirk Herbstreit's dreamy blue eyes, but I'm guessing more than a few do (males and females alike). I simply watch it because it is so damn entertaining. The crowds, the signs, the bus, Desmond, Coach Corso, the mascot picks, the theme music, the offhand chance that one of our teams gets talked about are all reasons why Gameday has elevated itself to MUST WATCH for me, and the bane of existence for anyone wanting to do something with me from 10am on during Saturdays.

So when this little nugget broke over at SEC Live News, I was shocked.

If the proposed changes do happen, Lee Corso is out as the mascot head-wearing former coach on the Game Day tour. Also being replaced is host Chris Fowler. According to our sources, the main sponsor of Game Day, Home Depot, is pushing for these changes and they would be announced later in the summer....

And they cap it with this...

Dr. Lou Holtz is apparently exchanging his on-air advice segment for the middle seat on the Game Day bus. He would be replacing Corso as the aging voice of reason and the man who consistently chooses the losing team. As for Fowler’s replacement, it would be the ESPN Baseball Tonight and Sports Center anchor Karl Ravech. No word on why Fowler is out or what his next move is. Additionally, Kirk Herbstreit will be moving to prime time announcing with Brent Musburger for the night games.

While in the very early stages of rumor, if this ends up being true, color me shocked, angry, and dumbfounded. Taking nothing away from the individual hopes, dreams, and wants of each of the parties involved, this seems like an awful decision for everyone, but most notably, the fans. Herbie is a fantastic color commentator on the primetime ABC games, Fowler is at times smug and condescending, and Corso is noticeably crotchety and wander-ey, but the formula they have, the chemistry they've built, is just simply too good to screw with.

So instead of Fowler, Corso, and Herbstreit, I'm going to get Ravech, Holtz, and a yet to be named third person, which I have to assume at this point is Mark May, the world's foremost Notre Dame hater, and generally awful broadcaster. All of this is a crappy way to start the Tuesday, and for the sake of my sanity and happiness in the fall, I certainly hope SEC Live News misses the mark on this one.

Besides... what will Cowboy Troy do? I would imagine it's exceptionally hard to rewrite an introduction country rap number. Another reason why you don't put specific names in songs. And where else am I going to see national figures getting called a penis through written word?!