I agree with David Pollack. It is ridiculous to have Condoleezza Rice on the new college football selection committee.

But it has nothing to do with her being a woman. I’d say the same thing if it was Colin Powell. The committee should be made up of college administrators, the same as the NCAA basketball tournament.

If there are women who are qualified, great.

Where Pollack went wrong yesterday on GameDay is that he said no women should be on the panel. That’s a stupid statement considering all the women who cover college football, including many at ESPN.

David, I’d like to introduce you to Sam Ponder.

Pollack obviously realized his mistake after the show. He sent out this tweet.

Look for Pollack to “clarify” his statement on next week’s show.

It’s all about creating attention for yourself, right?

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune, and oh by the way a Northwestern alum, reports its prominent media grads are a bit excited about Saturday’s NU-Ohio State game.

Northwestern went 3-40-1 while Michael Wilbon earned his journalism degree — and he did not experience any of the three wins as a fan. (He covered the Wildcats’ 1979 victory over Wyoming for the Washington Post.)

“I have to admit,” Wilbon said during “Mike & Mike,” “that I am totally swept up in this.”

He was not alone.

J.A. Adande of ESPN’s “Around the Horn” recalled having plucked some purple-painted grass from the Rose Bowl field on Jan. 1, 1996.

First-year men’s basketball coach Chris Collins came out to Deering Meadow, in the heart of NU’s campus, to watch “Mike & Mike” and rev up a huge recruiting weekend for his program. His team will scrimmage at 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

“The vibe, the excitement,” he said, “it’s a great motivator.”

And…

ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell introduced Fitzgerald at a Northwestern Gridiron Network luncheon at the Orrington Hotel, remarking: “We are no longer satisfied with an eight-win season. Sorry, Fitz, it’s your doing.”

The crowd rose as Fitzgerald stepped to the lectern. The coach responded: “Hey, Darren, is that your first standing ovation? Great job!”

Talk about a change in gears.

While Keith Olbermann goes to TBS to host its studio show for the MLB playoffs, Larry King will serve as guest host Tuesday through Thursday of next week.

Should we expect King to do an opening rant on Walter O’Malley for moving his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers to LA?

Will he take calls? “Yes, Topeka, hello…”

At 79, King is a kid compared to the 82-year-old Regis Philbin.

New ESPN slogan: Even our old guys are younger than Fox Sports 1.

Jeremy Schaap and Colin Cowherd also will be filling in for Olbermann.

Here’s the official rundown from ESPN:

********

Television icon Larry King (Larry King Now) will guest host ESPN2’s late night show Olbermann from October 1-3, when Keith Olbermann will be taking a temporary leave from the show to host the MLB postseason studio show on TBS.  King will be hosting Olbermann for the three-night run live at 11 p.m. (time may shift depending on live events) from the show’s Times Square studios in New York City.  Additionally, King is scheduled to make a guest appearance on Olbermann this Friday, September 27.

“Olbermann is designed specifically around Keith’s one-of-a-kind personality so having a guest host like Larry, who can deliver a similar level of editorial expertise and intellectual commentary to entertain sports fans, fits the bill perfectly,” said Norby Williamson, executive vice president, programming and acquisitions.  “Larry is so popular and well-known to television viewers but being able to bring them his unique perspective on sports topics is a new twist and we’re excited to have him.”

“I am a great admirer of Keith Olbermann who I think is the quintessential sports host,” said King.  “Sports have always been my avocation – they’re part of my being.  Having the chance to come back to my hometown of New York and host Keith’s show for several days is a terrific joy for me and a return to my first love.”

Following King, Jeremy Schaap will guest host the program on October 8-10, followed by Colin Cowherd who will guest host from October 15-17.  Olbermann will leave the show on September 30 and return on October 21.

“Both Jeremy and Colin have distinctive personalities and points of view that will bring a different perspective to the program while Keith is away,” said Jamie Horowitz, vp of original programming and production.  “While we’ll certainly miss Keith in the coming weeks, we’re also looking forward to producing some fun and entertaining shows for sports fans with our guest hosts.”

Larry King Now is King’s first-ever web series, primarily featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the day’s most fascinating newsmakers, celebrities, world leaders and internet stars.  The series launched in July 2012 and can be found on Hulu and Ora.TV.

Jeremy Schaap is a correspondent for E:60, the host of ESPN Radio’s The Sporting Life and a frequent contributor to Outside the Lines, NFL Countdown and College Gameday. His reports, interviews and commentaries are regularly featured on SportsCenter.

Colin Cowherd is host of ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd, broadcast nationally 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET Monday-Friday and also host of Colin’s New Football Show which puts his unique take on football and irreverent view of life on full display every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2.  Cowherd was previously co-host of SportsNation.

Jeff Sneider and Lucas Shaw of TheWrap have the latest:

Always on the lookout for smart projects in turnaround, Focus Features has acquired screen rights to “ESPN: Those Guys Have All the Fun” and attached Derek Cianfrance to direct the film, TheWrap has learned.

Book is an oral history that chronicles the formation of the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

20th Century Fox acquired the book by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales back in July 2011. Several months ago, Fox put the movie into turnaround, though Focus has come to the rescue, recognizing the project’s potential.

The move reunites Focus with “Fifty Shades of Grey” producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti, who will produce with Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell.The quartet are currently searching for a writer to adapt the book.

Co-author Miller will executive produce, and Alissa Phillips is working on the film for DeLuca’s company.

That’s terrific news. However, it would be a mistake to cover 34 years in a two-hour movie.  If I am Miller and the producers, the film should focus on ESPN’s founding and the chaos of the early years. The most interesting part of Miller’s book was how the network came together. Given all the wacky characters and the long odds, it is amazing that ESPN saw a second day, let alone a first. That section would make the best movie.

Question: Who plays a young Chris Berman? Why do I keep thinking Seth Rogen?

Is this a post to work for Nate Silver’s new FiveThirtyEight site at ESPN, or to operate the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney World?

The last part of the official posting for the managing editor job includes this amusing boilerplate from the “Happiest place in the world.”

Imagine a career with an organization that brings smiles to millions every day. Imagine working with people whose passion for what they do is simply indescribable. We are The Walt Disney Company, live with a rich legacy of innovation, entertainment, and lifelong memories. With our vast array of both businesses and professionals, you’ll have the opportunity to join a team that’s beloved around the world, and to find out how it feels to love what you do. We invite you to discover for yourself why a career with Disney is the opportunity you‘ve been looking for.

Oooo, I wonder if Silver’s ME gets to wear one of those neat costumes?

I don’t imagine Silver’s new site will put smiles on people’s faces. In fact, it likely will make some of his subjects frown. Now that is so un-Disney.

However, if you have the qualifications, here’s your chance to become Silver’s new best friend.

Some excerpts:

ESPN is seeking an ambitious and bright individual to serve as Managing Editor of a new digital initiative, FiveThirtyEight.com, an ESPN-owned and operated high-volume website that focuses on quality of content. We are searching for a highly experienced editor with strong journalistic values who also embraces a data-driven approach toward news coverage in leading the new FiveThirtyEight team. The Senior Director/Managing Editor should provide a vision for how to innovate and expand FiveThirtyEight’s coverage, while maintaining the high standards of quality that FiveThirtyEight is known for. The position requires strong leadership, communication, collaboration, and organizational skills with an experienced editing/content background.

 

OK, so far so good for me.

Responsibilities.

•Coordinate and manage day-to-day editorial operations for FiveThirtyEight.com
•Set content development strategy and overall vision for the site
•Oversee daily editorial, writer and talent assignments, assigning and editing content on a daily basis
•Manage and develop staff on news desk, including mentoring developing writers to improve their communication, analytic, and journalistic skills
•Help develop editorial guidelines and ensure they are followed
•Help develop detailed editoial budget and resource allocation plan
•The job is based in New York City, and will require a significant office presence. Hours will be variable depending on the demands of the news cycle, and will sometimes require night and weekend work.

Weekend work? I’m out. I have a Sunday date with Scott Hanson and NFL RedZone. Somehow, I don’t think I was Silver’s man anyway.