FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
NFC Wild Card Battle: Sunday on FOX
Eagles Swoop into Minneapolis to Take on Vikings
Billick: Tough NFC Teams Make Road to Super Bowl Repeat Bumpy for Giants
FOX’s Bowl Bash Kicks Off Jan. 1 with FedEx Orange Bowl; Week includes AT&T Cotton Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl, and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
NFL ON FOX: WILDCARD WEEKEND – FOX Sports’ coverage of its 15th NFL postseason begins Sunday, Jan. 4 (4:00 PM ET) when Donovan McNabb and the surging Philadelphia Eagles take on NFL rushing champ, Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings. NFL on FOX’s lead broadcast team of Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver are joined by Chris Myers to call this matchup from Minneapolis. The winner moves on to the divisional round to face either the Giants or the Panthers next week on FOX.
Coverage begins at 4:00 PM ET with America’s most-watched pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Co-hosts Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee join analysts Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson and Michael Strahan to provide insightful opinions on the NFL. The NFL’s best insider, Jay Glazer, breaks the latest information from the FOXSports.com newsroom with updates on coaching and front office moves from around the league. Critically acclaimed comedic impressionist Frank Caliendo makes his entertaining playoff picks. This week, Johnson evaluates two of the league’s premier running backs as they prepare to meet in Minneapolis: Brian Westbrook and Adrian Peterson.
BILLICK: GIANTS’ ROAD TO SUPER BOWL REPEAT HAS MANY OBSTACLES – With the defending Super Bowl champions watching to see who emerges to face them at the Meadowlands next Sunday, NFL on FOX analyst and Super Bowl-winning head coach Brian Billick looks at the NFC playoff teams and sees a few that could end the Giants’ hopes to repeat as champions: “The Panthers have the physicality on defense and the one-two punch at running back. In the Minnesota Vikings, you’re talking about the No. 1 rush defense in the league. Obviously they didn’t face the Giants with Brandon Jacobs and as we’ve seen that makes a big difference. But if Tarvaris Jackson can continue to play well, they too have a good one-two punch in the running game with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. The Eagles have gone into the Meadowlands and won and could again. The Eagles are used to playing the Giants. There’s no intimidation, which can be a factor when you face a defending champion.”
GAME BROADCASTERS TIME
Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings Announcer Joe Buck 4:00PM
Analyst Troy Aikman
Sideline Reporter Pam Oliver
FOX’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL BASH KICKS OFF NEW YEAR’S DAY – FOX Sports’ third Bowl Bash kicks off the New Year with a total of five major bowl games over an exciting week. On Thursday, Jan. 1 coverage gets started with the FedEx Orange Bowl (8:00 PM ET) between Big East Champion Cincinnati and ACC Champion Virginia Tech. Friday, Jan. 2 features two exciting matchups with Texas Tech taking on the Ole Miss Rebels in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic (2:00 PM ET) and Alabama taking on Utah in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 7:30 PM ET. On Monday, Jan. 5, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl pits Texas against Ohio State and next Thursday, Jan 8, the FedEx BCS National Championship will be decided when Florida and Oklahoma square off for the title.
BCS on FOX analysts Charles Davis, Barry Switzer and Jimmy Johnson today previewed this Bowl season’s most exciting games and storylines on the 2009 BCS on FOX Preview Press Call. For a full replay of the call, dial 719-457-0820 and enter passcode 2264310 when prompted.
BCS on FOX pregame analyst Barry Switzer on whether Bob Stoops’ lack of success in BCS Bowl games will motivate Oklahoma: “Anything that has happened in the past doesn’t have anything to do with this football team. This is a better team than the ones Bob has taken to bowl games in the past. Anytime you go to a BCS game, especially the Championship Game, you’re playing a team as good or better than you. The last two times Oklahoma has been in this situation they’ve played teams that I believe were better than them.”
BCS on FOX pregame analyst Jimmy Johnson on how he thinks Florida quarterback Tim Tebow would do in the NFL: “The more I watch Tim Tebow, the more I think he might be an NFL quarterback. A lot of people are projecting him to be in another position and if he is a quarterback, probably not being a first round pick. We all know he’s a tremendous competitor, has a great passion for the game and is obviously a physical presence. The more you watch him, the more you believe that he can be an NFL quarterback. If I was a GM, I would like to have him on my team.”
BCS on FOX lead game analyst Charles Davis added: “If a coaching staff didn’t think they could use Tim Tebow on their team, whether he can play quarterback or not, I would question them on how hard they want to coach. I can’t look at him and say, “well, I don’t know.” If you can’t get him to that level then that’s fine, but I think you’d be remised by not taking him and giving that an opportunity.”
Jan. 1 FedEx Orange Bowl
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Announcer Thom Brennaman 8:00PM
Analyst Charles Davis
Sideline Reporter Chris Myers
Jan. 2 AT&T Cotton Bowl
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Ole Miss Rebels Announcer Pat Summerall 2:00PM
Analyst Brian Baldinger
Sideline Reporter/Host Jeanne Zelasko
Sideline Reporter/Host Krista Voda
Jan. 2 Allstate Sugar Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Utah Utes Announcer Kenny Albert 7:30PM
Analyst Daryl Johnston
Sideline Reporter Chris Myers
Sideline Reporter Charissa Thompson
Jan. 5 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Announcer Matt Vasgersian 7:30PM
Analyst Tim Ryan
Sideline Reporter Chris Myers
Sideline Reporter Laura Okmin
Jan. 8 FedEx BCS National Championship
Florida Gators vs. Oklahoma Sooners Announcer Thom Brennaman 7:30PM
Analyst Charles Davis
Sideline Reporter Chris Myers
— FOX SPORTS —
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