SN = (Morning Joe + ESPN First Take + PTI) * Regis & Kelly

Anyway, this is basically a "live" version of espn dot com's fan polls. The stars of the show are Colin Cowherd from ESPN Radio's "The Herd" and Michelle Beadle, who's actually in the TK role. Which is rather funny as much as unsurprising, considering the fact that Cowherd replaced TK earlier in the decade!

Basically, in brief, and for those who may or may not know, Cowherd and Beadle discuss hot topics (a la PTI), then they vote "Yes" or "No" based on the question (for example, "Did Serena Williams should sincere following her match?" or "Will Roger Federer ever match the media success Tiger Woods has had over the past decade?"). After that, they'll "ask the fans" and a percentage shows up based on the results (65% Yes or 35% No). They also do some games and activities throughout the hour they're on television. In addition, like PTI (and the ESPN pregame shows), they surface for a brief segment during the 6 PM EST SportsCenter.

What do y'all think of this? I think I had to shut it off at one point during the faux phone segment. Besides, I was busy doing something anyway. A lot of people mentioned that the show would have been better if they had Erin Andrews or someone similar instead of Beadle. However, given that Cowherd is in the Wilbon role, and that many people dislike or don't really care for the guy sometimes, they actually have great chemistry, IMO. Sort of an out of field or out of place duo, but I think they actually work great together.

Hopefully it'll last into and throughout the football and basketball seasons. This concept, as mentioned, would be nice to see during the upcoming TV season. I don't think it should go just yet, given that baseball is the only major sport happening, and that football/hoops news, injuries, trades, etc is all they have to talk about with those two sports.

I saw some of this at the gym the other day. It was perfect mindless background noise for the elliptical.

That said, Cowherd sucks. His radio show sucks and he's a lot less funny and insightful then he thinks he is. Not surprisingly he carries that suck over to the show.

It's dumb but I like it. As a previous poster mentioned, it's a perfect type of show to watch while your working out because it doesn't call for much attention. Usually, I can't stand Cowherd but somehow Beadle (whom I had never heard of before) is good enough and has a kind of low-key, sly humor that she dampens his usual obnoxiousness enough to make the aggregate perfectly fine. I'll keep watching . . .

ETA: That sort of "pop-up video" thing they have of Allan Iverson "talkin' about practice man!" is a hoot -- cracks me up every time.

The first time I saw this, I was irritated beyond belief. Then it grew on me.

I love Beadle, who said something about some baseball team once and then said, "ew, I feel dirty." Her amusement at MerShaq was entertaining. Plus, her declaration that no other sport can touch football warmed my heart. (Mind you, I only watch this show when my husband is around and is killing time before work; I've learned more about sports than I ever wanted to know thanks to his increased reliance on ESPN).

I think it'll be okay. At least it should after this week! Looks like ESPN is pimping the show starting tomorrow. With ATH and PTI on their week-long break this coming week, it'll be on at 5:00 on ESPN instead of (or in addition to) 4:00 on ESPN2. With the NFL on its way back to the Media as the #1 thing (with training camp, Hall of Fame, etc.), it makes sense for ESPN to give the program the necessary push it needs to actually last longer than everyone, including Colin and Michelle speculate it'll last.

Beadle is definitely awesome. Probably helps she isn't as known as her buddy Cowherd. Plus, her attitude is one that is seldom seen these days on television. Not to mention that it includes not taking any crap from Cowherd, and the fact the personality is one where she would beat the living shit out of Cowherd in a fraction of a second. But so far, they haven't fought (per her comments last week). They probably will, as the patented act for TV, but nothing like we see on PTI.

But yeah, unless something big happens in the sports world, it's the perfect show to watch at the gym or at the house while cleaning around the house, doing laundry, or doing getting caught up on something. Overall, it's pretty good, as I've watched too much bad TV over the years, whereas this would pale in comparison to those other shows. However, the Fake Calls from Real Fans? Has got to go.

I saw it today and thought it was terrible. I think Beadle does a good job, but overall the show is really boring. I don't think Around the Horn and PTI are brilliant by any means, but this show really makes me miss them. Cowherd is just plain horrible. He is Skip Bayless-level irritating.

I've watched it a few times and didn't think it was all that bad. While I won't add it to my DVR To Do List, if it's on and I'm home with nothing else to do, I'd watch it. I think it could be condensed to 30 minutes. One hour is just way too long. Some of the segments are just plain silly.

Agree with all the comments about Michelle. I don't find her as annoying as many of the other female sportscasters on ESPN. She seems like someone I could hang out with. She doesn't take herself or the show too seriously and I like that she is unafraid to call Colin on his BS. She is the perfect complement for him, whom I find to be a douchebag, yet I listen to and watch his radio show, from time to time. I kind of have a love hate thing with him. A lot of what he says on SN, he says ad nauseum on his radio show. jtenny, you're spot on with the Skip Bayless comparison.

This. I swear these two even sort of sound alike. Eerie.

I think Cowherd actually "outdoes" Bayless with that sometimes. Emphasis on sometimes. Overall, Cowherd will always be best known as Bayless-lite, IMO. OTOH, he's like a parallel TK. In that I mean TK is great on PTI, but was a nightmare on MNF. Cowherd isn't so popular on his show, whereas he's rather okay here on Sportsnation.

As far as the time length, as mentioned, yeah ITA. This really only needs to be 30 minutes. It's still a nice new show, but it definitely does not need to be an hour-long program. It's rather baffling considering the fact that the more inferior programs ATH and PTI are not 60 minutes. Maybe it can be an hour on Fridays, or Mondays. Or both to get us ready for a weekend of sports and/or to recap the weekend of sports. However, there are other programs that will recap whatever SN might not have time to get to. Besides, they can resurface during the 6:00 Sportscenter when necessary.

For now, 1 hour is fine, since it needs all the help it can get to become a show that will last a long time. But if it ever moves to ESPN, no way it's lasting 1 hour.

IMO, this has to be one of the worst shows that I have ever seen. Yeah, lets build a show around polls. *eyeroll* How exciting. How refreshing. *gag* I think this just proves to me more and more that ESPN seems to be heading in the direction of cheap to produce programming built around personalities instead of substance.

I have slowly come to hate Cowherd. It was cemented today when he said he could catch a bullet pass from Favre, and then that doctors progressively declare his favorite foods as healthy.

His radio background does him few favors here -- no more belabored, time-killing analogies, please.

He should talk to his co-worker Stuart Scott before he tries that.