College GameDay shake-up in the works at ESPN????? (Edit: Rumor is false)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

ESPN GameDay to change hosts: Lee Corso and Chris Fowler are out. (http://seclivenews.com/ear-to-the-wall-espn-shakeup/)

ESPN Ch ch ch changes….

We are hearing there could be some big changes taking place at ESPN- specifically on your favorite Saturday morning program, College Game Day.

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.

But don’t start packing your bags to go audition in Connecticut yet. The replacements have already been tapped.

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.

There will also be a new face joining the TV analyst crew for the day games. Word is former coach Tommy Tuberville is in talks to be the next Bob Davie as ousted coach turned commentator. The deal is close to being signed, sealed and delivered.

We can’t figure out why the head honchos at ESPN would want to mess with a great product like Game Day after all of the name recognition, commercials, branding, and chemistry among the group. This seems like an unnecessary shake up, and it will be interesting to see how much influence the Home Depot execs will actually have on ESPN.

Regardless of who is sitting in those seats on Saturday, one thing’s for sure: College Game Day isn’t going anywhere as the most popular pregame show on TV. And that means ESPN wins no matter what happens.

So don’t take this as the final truth, but remember where you heard it first if it indeed all plays out. We don’t start rumors here at SECLiveNews, but secrets aren’t our style.

[gstelmack]

Hate the show, doubt this would change much.

[RainMaker]

Was never a fan of Corso, but this move makes no sense. They have been running commercials with those 3 for years now.

[Radii]

holtz?? dear god.

[panerd]

Corso can be annoying but Holtz is hardly a good replacement. That's like replacing Digger Phelps with Dick Vitale.

[MizzouRah]

Corso can be annoying but Holtz is hardly a good replacement. That's like replacing Digger Phelps with Dick Vitale.

Couldn't agree more!!!

[PackerFanatic]

Corso can be annoying but Holtz is hardly a good replacement. That's like replacing Digger Phelps with Dick Vitale.

+100

[finketr]

won't be watching gameday anymore..

cannout stand holtz.

[Ksyrup]

I barely have the time to watch the games, let alone the pre-games. This won't affect me much. Although it is odd to be messing with a nicely perfected schtick. This would be like replacing Mike Golic with Trev Alberts (or, to make the Corse/Holtz comparison - Mark May) just because the Progressive Bitch doesn't like two guys with the same name on the morning drive show.

[Draft Dodger]

what's wrong with Chris Fowler?

[PurdueBrad]

I actually can deal with Corso but can't stand Holtz, this is brutal. Guh. I like Fowler and Ravetch so one is as good as another.

[digamma]

Holtz would make it unwatchable.

[sooner333]

Yeah, I think Chris Fowler is Gameday, hard to imagine it without him.

[Logan]

ESPN has to be the only business in the world where an 80 year old who slobers over his words gets a promotion in a job where you need to communicate effectively.

[Ksyrup]

Here's another ESPN headscratcher... I understand the need to create additional revenue by forcing people to pony up a bit of money for "insider" information. I don't like it, but I understand it. However, right now on the front page of ESPN underneath the news headlines, is an "Insider Exclusive" article or rumor blog/post suggesting that Andrew (?) Bynum may be dating Rihanna.

WTF is the sports world coming to, when that type of article/blog is not only on the front page of ESPN, but you have to be an INSIDER to read it?!

[Ksyrup]

ESPN has to be the only business in the world where an 80 year old who slobers over his words gets a promotion in a job where you need to communicate effectively.

Hey, they cut Emmitt Smith, so there's like a zero sum balance here, I think.

[Dr. Sak]

ESPN has to be the only business in the world where an 80 year old who slobers over his words gets a promotion in a job where you need to communicate effectively.

Someone has to make Mark May look intelligent.

[Logan]

Unless Fowler was demanding a ton of money, I can't see why they would let him go. And since it seemed to be the call of the sponsor, it doesn't even make sense from that angle.

[Philliesfan980]

They updated the page to indicate that they were basically wrong. Corso and Fowler will be back.

[Swaggs]

Someone has to make Mark May look intelligent.

Dr. Sak wears a merkin.

[Dr. Sak]

http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/resources/2006/10/CorsoMerkin.jpg

[gstelmack]

I had to go look that term up. I now officially hate both of you and may be forced to add you to my ignore list...

[RainMaker]

I know I shouldn't make light of this but Holtz's slurring makes him difficult to listen to. He sounds like he's drunk all the time.

The one thing I notice ESPN doing is bringing in a guy to play the idiot on every panel. The one guy who just takes the moron position on each issue just to spark a debate. They use Kruk, Irvin, and Jalen Rose for this on the shows. I liked the old days when they used to just put the smartest guys on a telecast (old school Baseball Tonight).

[ISiddiqui]

They updated the page to indicate that they were basically wrong. Corso and Fowler will be back.

Well that's good.

[DanGarion]

Holtz????

WTF, are they going to give him extra to bring his slurred speech.

[Kodos]

Breaking up the GameDay team makes little sense, especially to bring in a guy like Holtz, so I'm glad to hear this is not true.

[rowech]

I know I shouldn't make light of this but Holtz's slurring makes him difficult to listen to. He sounds like he's drunk all the time.

The one thing I notice ESPN doing is bringing in a guy to play the idiot on every panel. The one guy who just takes the moron position on each issue just to spark a debate. They use Kruk, Irvin, and Jalen Rose for this on the shows. I liked the old days when they used to just put the smartest guys on a telecast (old school Baseball Tonight).

Then tune into MLB Network. They have some that aren't quite as good as others but some of the guys they have on their studio shows are simply top notch.

[Crim]

So... the premise of this thread is false now? Whew. i honestly was freakin pissed when I read it.

[Eaglesfan27]

won't be watching gameday anymore..

cannout stand holtz.

+1. I enjoyed the show at times, but I'll never watch another one as long as it has Holtz.

[kingnebwsu]

I'm probably in the minority, but I really enjoyed College Gameday. Bummer about the changes...

[Logan]

You should probably edit the original post.

[Matthean]

ESPN has to be the only business in the world where an 80 year old who slobers over his words gets a promotion in a job where you need to communicate effectively.

And he's a wee bit more than delusional in regards to the Irish.

The Gameday crew is good enough as is that if the sponsor did try to force something like this I would look for a new sponsor because you know they could find one.

And yes, glad to see it's not true.