PATRICK TAKES ESPN TIME TO VOICE BRITNEY CONCERNS: Mike Patrick may be losing it. It’s one thing to express concern (in a NSFW way) about fallen pop star Britney Spears. It’s another to do it in the last exciting moments of an SEC battle:

Michael Hiestand of USA TODAY reports how the ESPN play-by-player threw off viewers and broadcast partners alike during Saturday night’s OT thriller between Georgia and Alabama.

And thanks to the folks at FAN IQ, we have video proof of Patrick pitying poor ol’ Britney.

Scenario: The Crimson Tide just booted a field goal on their overtime possesion. As the Bulldogs took the field for their turn, the on-air conversation between Patrick and Todd Blackledge went a litte something like this:

Mike: “I have an important question for you.”
Todd: “Yes?”
M: “What is Britney doing with her life?”
T: “Who?”
M: “Britney!”
T: (confused) “Britney who?”
M: “Spears! What is she doing with her career?”
T: (still confused) “Why do we care at this point? Is she here?”
M: “I don’t think so.”
T: (even more confused) “Is she a football fan?”
M: “Oh, I’m sure she is.”

On the very next play, Matthew Stafford threw a 25-yard TD to Mikey Henderson, giving Georgia a 26-23 victory. Maybe the ‘Bama defense somehow heard Patrick’s ramblings and got confused themselves.

Patrick tried to explain his off-the-wall wonderings by saying (via an ESPN spokesperson), “I have a weird sense of humor and thought this was funny.”

Uh-huh. We guess spending all those years in a confined booth with Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire has that affect on a person.