<![CDATA[Deadspin: nfl sunday countdown]]> http://tags.deadspin.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/deadspin.com.png <![CDATA[Deadspin: nfl sunday countdown]]> http://deadspin.com/tag/nflsundaycountdown http://deadspin.com/tag/nflsundaycountdown <![CDATA[Emmitt Smith's Role With ESPN Gets Reimagined]]> The signs were all there that Emmit Smith's time mumbling, bumbling, stumbling on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown was going to be short-lived, especially when the WWL picked up Cris Carter post-"Inside The NFL", but he's still not completely out of a job. No, Smith has not been banished to some verb conjugation seminar behind a secret wall in Bristol but instead will, according to ESPN's official press release, be on "Sunday morning editions of SportsCenter (8 a.m. and 10 a.m.) where he will offer insight and analysis during NFL segments."

It also says that Smith will "continue to travel to the Monday Night Football game site each week for Monday Night Countdown." Notice the emphasis on "travel" and not "actively contribute."

Smith has about one year left on his contract with ESPN and he's being given an opportunity to continue his employment in this new role — just with a lower profile. So Sunday morning SportsCenter will be like the Sylvan Learning Center for Smith, as most of the football watching audience will still be asleep.

But make no mistake — this is a demotion. As one person involved with the ESPN's NFL crew put it, "This was an obvious decision." Yes. He got debacled.

Carter In, Emmitt Out On NFL Sunday Countdown [PFT]
Emmitt Smith Still On ESPN But Chris Carter Takes His Place On NFL Countdown [AOL Fanhouse]

]]> http://deadspin.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5030463&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ESPN Hires Salisbury Upgrade]]> ESPN's "NFL Sunday Countdown" has tried all sorts of gimmicks to move the ratings dial up a tick, most famously hiring Rush Limbaugh to defend the long-persecuted white quarterback. But now they're trying something we wouldn't have even thought of: They're bringing in a 10-year-old.

In a new weekly feature, 10-year old Chicago boy Jason Krause will provide commentary while exploring various NFL topics. The first installment will debut this weekend with Krause opining about the long-awaited Lions-Raiders match-up and about quarterback Jon Kitna's off-season 10-win "guarantee."

We haven't been able to dig up much information on the tyke, so we don't know where ESPN found him. But for God's sake, keep him away from Salisbury's cellphone! (And keep his mom away from Berman.)

ESPN Hires 10-Year-Old To Appear On "ESPN Sunday Countdown" [Awful Announcing]

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