Bradshaw Just Now Realizing the Man to His Right Isn't James Brown

While discussing the weekend's NFL action FOX analyst Terry Bradshaw looked to his right and came to a shocking realization: the large, jovial black man sitting next to him was not longtime friend and "FOX NFL Sunday" studio host James Brown. Brown left to anchor CBS' studio show two years ago and was replaced temporarily by Joe Buck and then full time by Curt Menefee. FOX executives believe the Pittsburgh Steelers legend was distracted by something shiny and may have missed the announcement.

"Terry didn't ever seem to know I was there at all," said Buck, who served as pregame host for part of the 2005 season. "No matter how much I turned up the smugness, he never even acknowledged me. I'm not sure if that will make Curt feel any better, but I'd be trying to start a discussion or introduce another segment and Terry would be talking to Howie (Long) or making faces at Jimmy (Johnson) or laughing at nothing in particular. It never seemed to register that I was next to him trying to host a TV show."

While Menefee said he was disappointed the Hall of Famer had not taken the time to learn his name, he said he would not hold the slight against Bradshaw because he was such a big fan of the former quarterback's noteworthy film work, especially "The Cannonball Run." Menefee admitted he had not seen "Failure to Launch," but insisted it was in his Netflix queue.

Bradshaw maintains that he was never informed of the change and was never corrected as he continued to call Menefee "J.B." Although according to sources close to the situation, aside from Johnson and Long, Bradshaw calls everyone on set "J.B."

"I was just finishing up another organized, well thought out comment when I caught a glimpse of this 'Curt' who's supposedly been sitting next to me for almost two seasons," the former two time Super Bowl MVP said. "I'm still convinced this is a prank, like the time the crew tried to put a cardboard cutout of Guile in Howie's seat like I wouldn't notice. I had an inkling something was strange right around halftime of the early game and I figured out that it definitely wasn't him by the time we went on the air with "The OT." I know I've been hit a few too many times, but I think I'd recognize that a man I spent most of two decades working with was no longer there. I'm very perceptive."