UCLA fans don't like Versus broadcasts

Versus does a pretty good job of producing college football telecasts. And yet ... it's all a matter of perspective.

UCLA fans were highly critical of Versus during last week's BYU-UCLA game on bruinsnation.com. And that was BEFORE the Cougars had scored a point.

"These Versus announcer. They sound awful," wrote one poster on bruinsnation.com as the game began.

"Beyond awful," wrote another.

"It's like watching a high school telecast."

"Negative. I've watched HS telecasts that were better than this."

The Pac 10, of course, has contracts with ABC/ESPN and FSN.

"I like this little rivalry with BYU. But we really need to stop playing Mountain West teams at their place until their conference dumps this Versus (expletive)."

And this was posted after the game:

"Never, ever agree to any scheduling arrangements in future, which would entail broadcasting UCLA games on a joke network such as Versus.... From its clueless announcers, to its joke sideline 'reporter' (who couldn't provide any legit updates on injured players) to its awful camera angles and audio arrangements, it was an utter, complete, painful disaster.... It was a total abomination."

And there was plenty of complaining in Southern California before the game because Versus isn't on all cable systems. (It's available in more than 70 million homes, nearly two-thirds of the American homes.)

"Versus is the red-headed stepchild of sports broadcasting. Even worst than FSN ... and I didn't know that was possible."

We can only imagine what UCLA fans would have done if their team had been on The mtn. for the past couple of seasons. They can't even begin to imagine what Utah and BYU fans have gone through.

WHEN YOU WATCH college football on TV, at least you can find out the scores of other games.

Not so when you actually attend a game at BYU, where "the campus is our world" continues to be the motto. Oh, they've got two video screens at LaVell Edwards Stadium, including a brand-spanking new one in the north end that's devoted mostly to advertising with a smattering of statistics.

(There were more stats available on the old, non-video screen.)