When it comes to the blue and gold, NBC is enduringly loyal. The network has agreed to a new five year deal with The University of Notre Dame to televise the college football games from the venerable college team, even though the Fighting Irish have not been a winning powerhouse for the past few years.

In fact, the Irish have been getting its butt kicked by the likes of USC, Michigan, Ohio State and the entire SEC regularly of late. Nevertheless, when it comes to Nielsen ratings, pleasing the advertisers and making the legion of Notre Dame fans happy, NBC steps up.

The new five-year agreement will give NBC the rights to televise all Irish home games through 2015. That's seven from Notre Dame Stadium and an extra home game not from the ND Stadium to air in primetime.

First of all, Comedy Central finally has a new Daily Show cast picture. It took 'em long enough. Everyone looks really good (you can see it here, but it's a massive image)... Neither Aasif Mandvi nor Larry Wilmore are included, as you can see. It looks like we're back to having the cast a strict shade of pale.

This week's programming consists of four days of midterm coverage, titled "Battlefield Ohio: Midwest Midterm Midtacular". The cast and crew are spending their time at Ohio State University, with a shiny new set to reflect the glamour of Ohio and the snazziness of midterms. The first part of the night's episode was written for the Ohio/midwest folk (I've spent most of my life on the East Coast, so Joel had to tell me about the midwest's excessive chain restaurants situation). Although I understood the Applebee's and Bob Evans jokes, I'm sure I would have enjoyed them much more if I actually lived in the state.