So apparently besides hosting SportsNation on ESPN, Charissa Thompson is also co-hosting the ABC celebrity diving show “Splash”. I had no idea. I mean, I’ve heard of the show because of its premise, but I didn’t know Charissa was co-host! But she recently showed off herself and co-host Joey Lawrence (of “Blossom”) fame actually diving into the pool. Whoa!

It seems ESPN never runs out of blondes. Then again, maybe blondes just make better sideline reporters. (Probably not, though, but let’s go on believing that anyway, what’s the harm?) Another one of ESPN’s blondes is anchor reporter Jade McCarthy.

I guess it’s probably not right to pigeonhole Samantha Ponder (nee Steele) as an ESPN reporter, because I’m seeing her everywhere these days, from college basketball to NBA basketball, like today’s Clippers-Lakers throwdown on ABC. Meaning, of course, it’s time for another round of Samantha Ponder pics!

ESPN’s “First Take” is, um, one of those acquired tastes, but there is one very good reason to watch it on a daily basis, and that’s for host Cari Champion. It sure as heck isn’t for whatever annoying twits they have arguing about some silly topic that day (though usually it’s the skinny black guy vs the skinny white guy, both equally unwatchable). Why can’t this show just feature Cari Champion interviewing people or showing highlights? I’d watch the crap out of that show.

So Charissa Thompson and the Sports Nation crew are currently in New Orleans for the Super Bowl, and I have to admit, she’s looking mighty good on those live stage shows. On Monday she came out in tight black leather pants which were pretty, yes, awesome. I couldn’t find videos of that, but I did find this old episode of the show featuring Charissa Thompson in glasses. I didn’t see this before, but she certainly doesn’t disappoint.

I saw the lovely Jessica Mendoza doing the Minnesota-Texas Tech Bowl Game tonight, and thought she did a pretty good job with the interviews and all that other “side story” stuff they’re always forcing their sideline reporters to do. If her name sounds familiar, that’s because she’s a former pro softball player, but apparently this softball player can talk more than just softball/baseball.

Apparently SportsNation’s Charissa Thompson is uber flexible. Which makes sense. She used to play sports, right? Even so, the way she threw out this split for the SportsNation audience was kinda, well, impressive. See for yourself.

ESPN seems to be stocking up on young blonde reporters lately. I can count at least a half dozen in their stables at the moment, with Lindsay Czarniak being one of them. We first knew her as a NASCAR reporter, but she’s now segue into a desk job on ESPN’s Sports Center. At least, in the showings that I’ve seen.

Well, looks like ESPN just lost a pretty good reason to tune in to “College GameDay” on Saturday mornings. God knows I never tuned in to watch Desmond Howard stuttering his way through two hours of show. Erin Andrews, who has been with the network since 2004, is saying adios and moving to greener pastures.

This is probably old news, but I just saw Charissa Thompson taking over as co-host of “Sports Nation” while Michelle Beadle is off doing the Olympics for NBC. I’ve always liked Thompson, and she’s an interesting replacement for Beadle, mostly because she brings a more aggressive style than Beadle, who I think spends 90% of her time playing the straight man to that Colin Something Guy.