I’m back from my trek to Western Massachusetts. It will take me quite some time to compile the links so let me give them to you in multiple parts, perhaps two or three installments.
This weekend, the NBA Playoffs begin and the NHL Playoffs continue. Baseball concludes its third weekend of play. The PGA Tour chugs into Hilton Head, South Carolina without Tiger Woods while NASCAR goes to Mexico for the Nationwide Series.
ESPN and ABC kick off the NBA Playoffs with four games on Saturday. Then TNT and ABC will combine for four more games on Sunday.
NBC Sports will carry two NHL games this weekend, Game 5 of the Philadelphia Flyers-Washington Capitals series on Saturday, then Game 6 of the Detroit-Nashville series on Sunday. Versus will also carry games throughout the weekend. I’ll keep you updated here on the schedule.
NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series takes the weekend off, but the Nationwide Series stops in Mexico City for the Corona Mexico 200 which will be seen on ESPN this Sunday at 2 p.m.
Fox Sports’ Saturday Baseball Game of the Week will have coverage of three games, Mets at Phillies, Cleveland at Minnesota and Dodgers at Braves starting at 3:55 p.m. TBS will goes back to its roots by showing Dodgers-Braves, Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball will have Mets at Phillies at 8:05 p.m.
The PGA Tour’s Verizon Heritage Open will be on CBS on Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. CBS also has coverage of the LPGA Ginn Open both days starting at 1 p.m.
HBO’s World Championship Boxing has a Light Heavyweight Bout with Bernard Hopkins taking on Joe Calzaghe live from Las Vegas, Saturday night at 9:45.
And the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour will be in Charleston, South Carolina for the Family Circle Cup which ESPN2 will carry this Sunday at 1 p.m.
The complete listing of sporting events and times can be seen at USA Today’s Sports on TV page.
I’ll start with USA Today’s Michael Hiestand as usual. He writes about CBS College Sports getting involved in competitive eating.
Now I’ll start in the East and Mid-Atlantic Regions.
East and Mid-Atlantic
David Scott of the Boston Sports Media Watch wonders when NESN will finally make its decision to replace Tina Cervasio. The season is almost three weeks old and so far, no sideline reporter in place for Red Sox games.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Bill Doyle has some quotes from TNT’s Charles Barkley in advance of the NBA Playoffs.
The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman says a player like Sean Avery (?) is good for the National Hockey League.
Neil Best of Newsday writes that despite the New York Knicks not making the NBA playoffs, they’re still making an impact from the broadcast booth. Neil notes in his blog that two SNY shows predicted the Mets sweep of Washington this week. Also, Neil says the visit of Pope Benedict will push the Detroit-Nashville NHL playoff game from WNBC-TV to its secondary digital channel.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick rips into ESPN’s Joe Morgan. Again. Justin Terranova of the Post has five questions for former Yankees, Rangers and Diamondback manager and current ESPN MLB analyst Buck Showalter. And Justin talks with TNT’s Charles Barkley about the NBA playoffs.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times looks into the possible move of the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City.
Paul Vigna of the Philadelphia Daily News writes the Phillies have become the first sports team to sign up for a service to measure people’s listening habits.
Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun says three of TNT’s NBA analysts do not agree when it comes to handing out their end of season awards. Ray warns to blog at your risk, especially if you’re a Washington Post reporter.
Jim Williams of the DC/Baltimore Examiner says it will be busy this weekend as the Orioles, Nationals, Capitals and Wizards will all be in action and on TV and mostly in HD.
I’ll have the South coming up later.
