ESPN's Ron Franklin unhappy about change on ‘Big Monday’
By Mel Bracht
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13
Published: November 6, 2009
While Ron Franklin is excited about broadcasting the Oklahoma-Nebraska football game at 7 p.m. Saturday on ABC, he is disappointed about his reduced Big 12 basketball role with ESPN.
Ron Franklin has been replaced on ESPN’s ‘Big Monday’ telecasts. Photo provided
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After being a part of "Big Monday” since the Big Eight games moved into the showcase setting in 1992, Franklin has been reduced to Wednesday and Saturday night broadcasts. Franklin and analyst
Fran Fraschilla have been replaced by
Brent Musburger and former
Texas Tech coach
Bob Knight on "Big Monday.”
You have to wonder how many Big 12 coaches, whom Knight has feuded with, also are unhappy with the change. OU coach
Jeff Capel might fit in that category.
"I can’t tell you how many coaches and athletic directors from around the league have called me to say we don’t agree with this,” Franklin said this week.
The reduced role likely will make it easier for Franklin, 67, to stick with his plan to retire from ESPN when his contract expires in April.
"They have said, ‘Wait ’til after football, we want to talk to you.’ But with some of the things going on, golly, stuff like this,” he said.
Franklin, an
Austin, Texas, resident, said losing his "Big Monday” role was a surprise to him. He said he will have only one game at
Kansas this season after having covered up to six games a season from
Lawrence, Kan.
"It’s hurtful to have it happen,” Franklin said. "It’s something that we’ve helped build on and help grow. We sell this conference and we sell those teams that are on ‘Big Monday.’ I wonder a little bit if the new group will do as much of that because I’m not sure they have the vested interest or care as much about the league as we do because Fran and I live down here.”
Fraschilla, who lives in
Dallas, will concentrate on
Big East games this season, but will do some Big 12 games.
This fall, Franklin is getting his share of Big 12 football telecasts — they’re just not the best games. Although this will be his third OU broadcast, he said he expects to go all season without covering his hometown Longhorns, who are on course for the
BCS Championship game.
Covering the OU-Nebraska game, which will go to 36 percent of the nation, will be a thrill for Franklin, a former sports director at KVOO-2 (now KJRH-2) in
Tulsa.
Ed Cunningham will be the analyst.
"Even though Nebraska is not close to being back to where they want to be, I still think this will be a good ballgame just because it’s been such a great rivalry,” he said.
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Musburger/Knight could only be made worse if someone as terrible as Chris Speilman was a sideline reporter.
Bob Knight is absolutely horrible at calling games. He falls behind due to his pointless and drawn out stories that have zero relevance. Sweet...
El Prez, Deer Creek