Interesting changes to Football Night in America (starts Sept. 13)

[Berry Cool]

I hadn't heard much about what was scheduled to happen to FNIA this season, so I thought what with the time rolling around, I'd go look.

Here are the two most interesting things: 1) Bob Costas is now going to host the show on location each week; and 2) the studio "players' lounge" in which a bunch of ex-jocks chewed over things after the other guys got done reporting on them appears to have been permanently closed. "The Bus" is gone, and Tiki Barber will be on the sidelines reporting from the games rather than in the studio.

With Costas on the road and Cris Collinsworth replacing the retired John Madden as a commentator with Al Michaels, this leaves Dan and Keith back home as the inmates in charge of the 30 Rock studio asylum this year. They will be accompanied by Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Peter King, but something tells me that those guys are going to be second bananas on a revived "Little Big Show" essentially cohosted by Dan and Keith. In short, the "game" part of the show is going to have Bob firmly in charge, but the "studio" part of the show is going to be SportsCenter with Guests.

This also reminds me, incidentally, that when football season is over, Dan's supposed to be off to Vancouver to help cover the Winter Olympics. I wonder how they will use him. I would happily watch him and Keith do a "Little Big Show" late-night highlights program, especially seeing that Keith seems to stay up until all hours anyway so it wouldn't be much skin off his nose. But that's probably a pipe dream.

[Gogi]

1. I like to watch Dan Patrick on T101.

If you have direct tv, try it, you'll like it! :bounce:

[Berry Cool]

2. I don't. He's on TV again? I mean, with his own show?

The most I can do is listen to his radio show--which, too bad, is on the same time as Steph's, although both are available to listen to later on the web.

[Gogi]

3. It's a simulcast of his radio show.

You should see his studio, it is in a small building in the Connecticut town where he lives. These guys who have a show creating 'man caves' built it for him.

[Berry Cool]

4. I'd like to see that. Sounds cool.

You know, we women need our caves too. :-)