College Basketball + EA Sports + ESPN + CBS = Insanity

We all know that moment.

You are in the zone, going about your day when suddenly you see something (or someone) who makes you stop in your tracks.

Yes, our Big Ten countdown is going to pause for a moment to celebrate something powerful, something commanding, from the team at EA Sports. I think sometimes you have to see something and then it reminds you of something you just loved, deep down inside.

First, feast your eyes on this video, put together for the November 18 launch of NCAA Basketball 10. It is an interview with CBS Sports' Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery. But it is so much more than that.... It is the first time we've seen the TV animations of March Madness play out in the world of video gaming.

Wow. Go ahead and click to watch it. I will wait for you.

Are you kidding? You'll notice the crowds and the uniforms (and you'll see movement in the fabric of those uniforms. Killer.) But most importantly you'll notice those amazing animations that CBS uses in March. If you're like me, that combination gets your emotions revving.

But EA Sports does not stop there. Check this next video. I was already set to post the first video and then I came across this one. (Is it safe to post now?) Sometimes the second blow is even bigger, as it comes when you don't think anything else will hit you.

Yeah, EA Sports is also launching game broadcasts featuring ESPN's College Basketball graphics - the starting lineups screens, the standings, oh my. Plus commentary by Dick Vitale, Brad Nessler, and Erin Andrews. What? Click this video and you'll see all the animations you have come to expect from watching ESPN Big Monday...

Here's what it adds up to for me. This won't feel like you're playing an NBA video game with college uniforms on it. By focusing on the details that make watching college basketball on TV an emotional experience, EA Sports seems to have created something truly special. I think we will see a game that finally feels like the game we all love.

And, of course, I'm anxious to see if this footage gets to play out during the actual tourney as well...

I'm just speechless.