Game Girl

Now that the shock has worn off and I've had time to accept that football season is over until July (or possibly longer, God forbid, if these labor negotiations don't resolve), I'm taking a step back to reminisce about all the things I really, really love about football on TV. I list them here in no particular order, and with a wistful eye toward next season.

1. Monday Night Football. What's not to love? (Well, except Mike Tirico, but let's not get picky...)

2. Jimmy, Howie and Terry. Need I say more? Notice I left off Michael Strahan and "that other one" who took James Brown's place, because nobody can really follow James Brown, and that's a fact.

3. The NFL Network, in real time. Without all the recycled content. And cheerleader shows. And games from 1955. Sheeesh.

4. "C'mon, Man!" - my favorite, all-time. It's just funny, plain and simple. I won't even attempt to write an explanation.

5. Followed only by, "Jacked Up!", another awesome ode to football at its best. I particularly love this when one of my Skins players is featured, which used to happen a LOT when Sean Taylor was alive. Not so much anymore.

6. College Gameday Live. Really?? How great is that show?! It's too bad I didn't go to a "real" football school when I was in college, and it's also too bad this show wasn't on when I was in school. Cause if I did, and if it was, I'd have been FRONT AND CENTER holding up some crazy sign and trying to get Kirk Herbstreit to gaze my way. Ah, to be young again.

7. Football Night in America - well, this one isn't really a classic, at least not yet. But it's work-able. I say, keep Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, both of whom I LOVE, and just get rid of Dan Patrick and that ridiculous Keith Olbermann. And tell Al Roker to stop saying "Sunday, SUUUU-NNNNDAY" during his Today Show weather forecasts. Then, my friends, we might have ourselves a show.

8. Speaking of Sundays, let's not forget the real reason we love football on TV...'cause it's on ALL DAY SUNDAY. Sorry, but the NBA, hockey, skiing, ice skating, bowling, tennis, golf (except maybe the Masters) or even NASCAR just can't compete with a full slate of NFL games. The only thing that comes close during the off-season? The winter Olympics, but they only happen every 4 years and we've got a long time to wait, so I don't really count them on this list.

There's more, of course, but I'm getting nostalgic just writing this list, so I think I'll leave it there for now. Go ahead and gloat, baseball fans...it's your time to shine.