Fear not, Gator Nation. There won't be a day that goes by without Tim Tebow being at least mentioned on College Football Live, the 30-minute highly interactive show that has returned to ESPN at 3:30 Mondays through Fridays.
"Sure, I guarantee it,"
said primary host Rece Davis with a laugh after being asked if any time was Tebow Time. "Truthfully, it's hard not to mention him in any 30-minute conversation about college football."
Then he got more serious about the existence of anti-Tebow sentiments among many college football fans.
"It's strange to see a backlash about the good things he does off the field. I admire the young man, but that doesn't mean we will deify him."
Davis doesn't join the show until Tuesday because he has been on vacation. Also, he has a far more important job this weekend --- assistant coach of the Burlington, Conn., All-Star Little League team that is playing for a state title. The team includes his son, and Davis said: "Being on national TV isn't pressure. You want pressure? Try coaching first and sending a kid to second who gets picked off to kill a rally. That's pressure."
Still, the first week of College Football Live has had a somewhat frantic feel. The new interactive elements include analysts answering e-mail questions, uploaded fan videos about their favorite teams, and fan feedback being posted on the air.
"That's the thrust of the show,"
said Davis. "It can be frustrating to the analysts, but research will tell you that people don't stick around, so we have to keep it moving. You can't spend 10 minutes on the Texas A&M secondary."
Good plan.
They cram in a lot, including interviews with the top coaches and players. Bobby Bowden already has been on the show and, yes, Tebow, too.
Incidentally, Davis' hunches as the top two teams in the nation? Georgia No. 1 and Florida No. 2. Surprise BCS contender? Pittsburgh.
Most likely Heisman winner?
Who do you think?
