Erin Andrews had the nickname "EA Sports" long before she went to work as a sideline reporter in the upcoming NCAA March Madness 08. That's what her friends and colleagues in and out of the locker room called her, a playful combination of her initials and her reputation as one of the most popular sports reporters in the business today. In a world not too far removed from Eric Dickerson mumbling along the sidelines of "Monday Night Football," Andrews is a breath of fresh air: a knowledgeable and determined sideline reporter who isn't afraid to look a coach in the eye and ask the tough questions.

　　For me, those halftime conversations with coaches are sometimes among the most painful moments in sports television, especially when the interviewee is on the losing end of the match-up. For Erin, it's a chance to tell a story, one that--in the case of one of her interviews with a notably disgruntled Charlie Weis earlier in the year--needs to be told. "[Notre Dame] was down by 20, and he knew I had to get him," Erin told me. "And you always know there's a sense that they're going to roll their eyes when you come up to them. But at the same time, Charlie was great with me because he knew I had to do it. There's a story, regardless of if they're down by 20 or down by 50; people want to know what the heck is going on with Notre Dame." So who is this doggedly determined and mindful sideline reporter who counts the Tampa Bay Lightning among her favorite franchises (a former Lightning reporter, Andrews refers to the team as her "brothers" and the coaches as her "second fathers.") Check out my latest preview of March Madness 08 for an exclusive audio interview with Erin who is now, officially, my favorite sideline reporter of all time. Except for Melissa Stark. And Craig Sager. -- If you're done with the preview of March Madness 08 and the Erin Andrews interview, and are still looking to scratch that college basketball itch, check out the series of blogs from College Hoops 2K8 producer Zach Timmerman over at SportsGamer. Timmerman is one of the more open and enthusiastic sports developers I've met in this industry and his blog series will give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it's been like putting the final touches on this year's college basketball offering from 2K. -- One more note before I get out of here: Ten Sports Gaming Things I'm Thankful For: 1. NHL 08's create-a-play feature. 2. The fact that the Golden State Warriors don't suck nearly as bad in NBA 2K8 as they do in real life. 3. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns. Yeah it's 2D and yeah it's got perhaps the ugliest menus of all time. But you won't find more value for your $15 this year 4. Post play in March Madness 08. Especially on defense. 5. The new Nissan GT-R in the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue demo, complete with an in-board dash designed by Polyphony Digital. If I buy GT 5, will I get a discount coupon for the real thing? 6. The fact that my Auburn Tigers beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 34-20 in my NCAA Football 08 dynasty earlier in the year. Here's hoping we can move the Iron Bowl win streak to six in the real thing this Saturday. Which leads me to... 7. Downloadable ESPN college football games on Xbox Live Marketplace. Should Auburn win the Iron Bowl, I'll gladly shell out $4.50 for the HD replay. 8. My created wrestler: Dickson LeDirk from SmackDown! Vs. Raw 08. Okay I haven't actually created him yet but, trust me, he's going to be awesome. 9. Showtime Championship Boxing, for being mercifully short. 10. Quebec (daytime) and Shanghai (nighttime) from Project Gotham Racing 4. And naturally: 11. Turkey. Because it tastes nothing like chicken. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.