Though advancing to Matchup Bowl I is an achievement, on par with the Packers’ and Chiefs’ appearance in the first Super Bowl, HBO’s Inside the NFL and ESPN’s NFL Countdown want more.

While Inside’s Bob Costas earns the edge over Countdown’s Chris Berman, Countdown isn’t defeated because Berman, on this show, defers more to others rather than just focusing on himself.

Berman’s ESPN analyst trio of Michael Irvin, Tom Jackson and Steve Young even up the matchup by owning the slight advantage over HBO’s Cris Collinsworth, Cris Carter and Dan Marino.

As is the case in many championship games, someone unheralded determines Matchup Bowl I.

While Wanda Sykes, HBO’s first-string comedian, is often very funny, surprise Matchup Bowl I MVP Kenny Mayne’s off-the-beaten path “The Mayne Event” features are consistently excellent, which allows the champagne to flow in Bristol.

HBO was gallant, but ESPN owns Matchup Bowl I.