Keith Olbermann

The Final Four has become too big of an event to ever become old hat, but let's just say that the CBS crew that will telecast this year's event has developed a comfort level with the games and the surroundings.That doesn't mean that coordinating producer Bob Dekas, who will head up the production team that telecasts this year's event Saturday and Monday from Indianapolis, doesn't get surprised.Dekas was in Birmingham last weekend when Arizona unceremoniously bounced Kansas, the heavyweight favorite, from the proceedings at least three rounds earlier than most projected.

There's a reason why it appears from time to time that ESPN's Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann are talking right past you on the 11 p.m. "SportsCenter."They are.Quite frankly, there are infrequent moments where a reference from a production meeting or a conversation will creep into Olbermann's or Patrick's copy and into your living room, and either you'll get it or you won't.Even if you don't get that joke, just wait awhile, for there'll be another one coming right around the bend shortly.

ESPN will be giving its shadow network ESPN2 every chance to succeed when it kicks off Oct. 1, which is a month earlier than previously planned.Keith Olbermann, in the minds of many the chief reason for staying up until midnight to watch "SportsCenter," will be taking over host duties on "SportsNight." The show will be on in prime time (8-11 p.m.) Thursday through Monday, and it's an assignment right up Olbermann's alley."This is the sixth time I have been aboard for the start up of something, and that's always exciting," said the 34-year-old quip-a-minute master of the impromptu remark.