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--> --> The `Toilet Bowl' is brimming over The (Corvallis) Gazette-Times Nov. 20 Hundreds of Civil War football parties hung in the balance as Oregon State University and Eugene television station KEZI squabbled over announcers for Saturday's showdown and possibly not broadcasting the game live. The horror! As producers of the game, OSU wanted the same broadcast duo Scott Lynn and Steve Preece who have announced other Beavers games on TV this season. KEZI was holding out for its own team, and spurned OSU's offer to include the station's choice of sideline reporter and a third person upstairs. Meanwhile, fans were left to wonder whether they should invite friends and family for a lunch buffet that would coincide with kickoff on Saturday, or a brunch for the replay on Sunday, when we'd all know the outcome already. KEZI, which owns the rights to broadcast the University of Oregon football games, said OSU was restricting its First Amendment freedom to broadcast the game. Oh, please. As the game's home team and producer, OSU has the ultimate responsibility for the broadcast, including the team of announcers. Until a few years ago, such a standoff would have seemed laughable for a game that was once known as the "Toilet Bowl" due to the futility of the opposing squads. Nowadays, however, with both teams having spent weeks among the national rankings at mid-season, the outcome of Saturday's game will determine which post-season bowl invitation each will receive. In other words, it's a big deal. But worthy of the combatants digging in their heels to control the broadcast? (Never mind that many of us would be turning down the sound on the TV announcers anyway so we could listen to Mike Parker, the radio voice of the Beavers!) Let's just say this game of chicken between OSU and KEZI added some unexpected spice to this already eagerly anticipated game. The publicity certainly won't hurt the ratings. Of course, if the sold-out game were not to be broadcast live, both would have suffered the wrath of fans. So, KEZI will suck it up, playing mostly by OSU's rules this year at Reser Stadium. They and the UO can do what they like when the game is back on their turf in 2003. This matter settled, it's now on to weightier matters, like where to stock up on orange-and-black nacho chips! Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing