My turn: NBC takes one on the chin for snubbing Conan

Like a lot of college students, I was stunned when Conan O' Brien announced he was stepping down from The Tonight Show and giving the 11 p.m. slot back to Jay Leno. What is wrong with this picture?

On one side you have pointy-chinned Jay Leno with his snappy jokes and famous celebrities.

On the other hand you have Conan and his unflappable hair, along with the (Rowdy) Bear, Triumph the Insult Dog, and even the world-famous Chuck Norris as Walker Texas Ranger Lever.

That one never gets old.

Conan's last big show ended with tons of fans outside the studio yelling 'Coco' repeatedly, a nickname given to him by his friend and final Tonight Show guest, Tom Hanks.

Steve Carell arrived to shred his ID badge on television, Neil Diamond came as a musical guest and Will Ferrel closed Conan's era with a rendition of "Free Bird."

At the end of the show, Conan ran to the top of the studio and hung a huge 'Coco' poster on the wall to rowdy applause.

His 'Coco' poster has spread like wildfire through Facebook pages of fans rooting for the fallen legend.

After his last episode, Conan practically ripped the stage away piece by piece, giving everything to the crowd. I don't blame him, and if I were there I would have waited to catch his Chuck Norris lever. It would have hung over my fireplace with pride.

Jay Leno was prepared to fight to the death for the 11 o'clock timeslot, and Conan was offered a $40 million buyout.

NBC must have been afraid to just put them in a cage and let them fight to the death.

My money's on Conan.

It just drives me crazy that Conan backed down for Leno.

Sure, Leno had a great show. It aired 2,725 episodes and included celebrities, bands and comedians. If he ran out of ideas he would go to the top of his studio and throw random things off the roof like a crate of watermelons or a hundred 2-liters.

Brilliant, but it still drives me crazy that Conan bowed out.

Still, I guess I understand Conan's decision. If I were offered a check for $40 million to stop broadcasting my show until September, I would probably be imagining me in my new Ferrari flying down the road Ferris-Bueller's-Day-Off-style.

The night I saw the announcement on television, I envisioned an angry mob with torches and pitchforks burning down the NBC corporate building.

I wouldn't have been surprised; Conan was so beloved and I know he'd have led the charge. Like a consummate professional, though, he took his lumps and bowed out gracefully.

NBC announced his studio would be used for storage and I shuddered again.

A legend's throne room is going to be used to hold junk. That is like putting garbage in the oval office.

Am I the only one who thinks this is a crime?

Don't get me wrong. I think Jay Leno has a lot of good talent, but when pitted against Conan, Conan should be the one that comes out on top.

Conan signed a contract with NBC agreeing that he would not start another show until September, and FOX already has their targets set on him. Fans are hoping he'll go to FOX and start up his show again.

Until then, the sounds of late-night laughter will cease and the hard cries for 'Coco' will continue.

Angry fans are already starting to gather together in groups to begin their "revolution" for Conan. I don't blame them for fighting for a guy who has kept America laughing into the night for so many years.

His show will be missed, but knowing Conan, this is only the beginning.

Viva La Coco!