Growing up as a Washington Redskins fan in the greater D.C. Metro area, I can barely recall the days of CBS's coverage of NFC games. In fact, my memories of the Skins are usually narrated by John Madden and Pat Summerall on our local FOX station. Since moving up to scenic Waltham, I have had the distinct privilege of watching your New England Patriots on Channel 4. What does all this have to do with my column this week? Well, I felt it was about time for a Justice columnist to properly analyze which television conglomerate best covers our nation's number one sport.I'll begin with FOX. After all, they are the away team here in Beantown. Last year, the Murdoch-owned corporation lost its top ace in John Madden to network free-agency. Madden has now gone on to headline rival ABC's Monday Night Football. Pat Summerall, his partner for the past 21 years (not sexual, you sicko), has relegated his announcing duties to third and fourth tier games in the lower half of the country. That is the equivalent of losing Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox and moving Derrick Lowe to a middle reliever. In their place, the network has promoted from both within and without. Cris Collingsworth and Darryl Johnston join play-by-play man Joe Buck to make up their first team. Buck is the best announcer in the game - contrary to Dan Passner's '06 article - and deserves to be looked at beyond the shadow of his late great father, Jack. Johnston and Collinsworth provide ample banter between plays. Sometimes, the two former players offer subtle nuances of the game that may otherwise go unnoticed if it weren't for their experience. The other announcing tandems lack any pizzazz, though Bill Maas is quite amusing in his candidness.

The pre-game show, direct from Los Angeles, is simply "A+" caliber. Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, James Brown and Jimmy Johnson are both witty and entertaining. They are never too serious and all seem to realize that they have one of the best jobs in the world. Each of them plays his defined role to a T. Add in Jimmy Kimmel's antics and Pam Oliver's serious reporting on important issues from week-to- week and you have a format that is tough to beat.

CBS may have the home field advantage for most viewers, as they cover the local Patriots, but they are also the most inconsistent. With the key losses to FOX's premier pair, CBS had "the Eye" on taking over the NFL market. Greg Gumbel and Phil Simms are bland and straight-forward in covering the best the AFC has to offer. Their deliberate style is inviting to the older crowd that CBS hopes to reach. I personally want more humor and personal criticism, especially if the game is a blowout and is otherwise not worth tuning in to watch. Kevin Harlan, Dan Dierdorff, Dick Enberg are all consummate professionals, but they need more personality to garner my attention when switching between shows. Overall, though, CBS has the better announcing teams, in light of FOX's losses.

The pre-game shows wouldn't deserve to be compared if it weren't for CBS stealing a page from FOX in signing Deion Sanders. His work alone closes the gap between the two. Still, Dan Marino and Boomer Esaison were both great quarterbacks and dreadful studio hosts. Neither can step away from their careers and learn the delicate art of expression. Jim Nantz is the camp counselor on staff and does a superb job of ushering the bunch through the day's games. Jill Arrington and Bonnie Bernstein are kind to the eye, but the obnoxious Armen Keteyian is the network equivalent of Paul O'Neill. The outdoor set is not television friendly and is therefore a point against CBS. Maybe, the show could travel on-site to the most important game of the week. Just a suggestion.

The comparison shouldn't be as close as it is, but Madden's departure makes this column necessary. Give the edge to FOX for their creativity and largely enjoyable love for the game. If this off-season resembles anything of years past, then this discussion may be viewed in a completely different light.