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USA TODAY
Late in the first half of the BCS Championship Game, the coaches gathered on ESPNews called out a fake Florida State punt moments before it happened.
Then early in the second half, one of those coaches, Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M, explained that the Seminoles were false-starting because Auburn linemen were shouting out cadences, which isn't exactly kosher.
Seconds later, the coaches cringed, then screamed, when Jameis Winston missed seeing a wide-open receiver. And then Sumlin commented on how a long TV timeout halted Florida State's momentum, and the other coaches -- Pittsburgh's Paul Chryst and Boston College's Steve Addazio -- shouted in agreement.
Those incidents are proof-positive that nobody moves broadcast tonnage like ESPN.
With the armada of 16 trucks, 63 cameras, 72 microphones and shows on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN3, the network's "Megacast" attempted a little (or a lot, depending how often you clicked the remote) for every fan.
Traditionalists could choose ESPN with Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit, comfortable with each other after so many title games together, giving the play-by-play.
Those who needed more wonkier breakdown (but not too wonky) could move to ESPNews and get Sumlin, Chryst and Addazio along with ESPN's Matt Millen, Tom Luginbill and Chris Spielman.
The group, which seemed to relish coaching two other teams, did not hold back on its criticism of how Florida State struggled early with Auburn's speed and how the Seminoles were making simple mental errors and getting tired.
The party was on ESPN2, where things were looser with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith hosting with guests such as actor Cheryl Hines -- who is from Tallahassee -- and Scandal's Columbus Short dropping by and Shaquille O'Neal and Auburn fanatic Jason Dufner among those who provided on-air tweets.
Sometimes, three's a crowd in the booth, but ESPN seems to make a cast of 300 work. Among those sharing opinions before halftime: Nick Saban, Johnny Manziel ("Enjoy this, have fun and live in the moment"), Tim Tebow, James Franklin, Lou Holtz, Paul Finebaum, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Mark May, Todd Blackledge and Mark May.
Tebow, going to work for the SEC Network, and Saban were on point early, eschewing coach-speak and showing a sense of humor.
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