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CBS will have one camera devoted to Johnny Manziel on Saturday

CBS is set to debut "Johnny Cam." (Thomas Campbell/USA TODAY Sports)

CBS is set to debut “Johnny Cam.” (Thomas Campbell/USA TODAY Sports)

CBS will debut a specialized camera shot for Saturday afternoon’s long-awaited date between No. 1 Alabama and No. 7 Texas A&M, one devoted entirely to covering one specific angle of the game itself: Johnny Manziel.

It’s called “Johnny Cam,” per Richard Deitsch of SI.com. I think you have an idea how it works: Throughout the game, CBS will have one camera devoted entirely to Manziel’s comings and goings. Writes Deitsch, who spoke with Craig Silver, the coordinating producer of college football for CBS:

“For the mega-showdown this Saturday at Kyle Field between Alabama and Texas A&M, CBS Sports has added an extra camera that will focus solely on Texas A&M quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. ‘No matter where he is and no matter what part of the game it is, we will have a shot of it,’ (Silver said). ‘If he is anywhere in sight of that camera, we will catch it.’”

How glorious. I hope you like your fair share of Manziel reaction shots – or Manziel sitting-down shots, looking-at-play-sheets shots, on-the-phone shots, losing-in-the-fourth-quarter shots – ‘cause CBS is going to cram this down your throat.

And you knew this comparison was coming. Per Silver, via Deitsch:

“The one analogy I can make in terms of covering someone is we obviously spent four years covering Tim Tebow at Florida. I was always careful as a producer and I think (CBS announcers) Verne [Lundquist] and Gary [Danielson] were as broadcasters too to make sure we treated Tebow fairly. But let’s face it, the guy was touching the ball every snap. I think people sometimes see what they want to see or hear what they want to hear. My main goal of this game is to just remember there is a lot more going on than Johnny Manziel.”

Let’s be honest about one thing: I don’t necessarily approve of Johnny Cam, but it’s still better than the repeated shots of the band during Fox college football broadcasts. Right? We’re so spoiled.

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