Fang's Bites

Some More Releases For You

After watching a horrible pitching performance by the Red Sox and an amazing Indianapolis Colts win (no, I still don’t have a TV and have to depend on watching backdoor websites), I’ll give you some press releases that came into the Fang’s Bites inbox today.

Starting with a new ESPNU branding campaign.

Duke, Florida and Texas in New ESPNU TV Spots

Three new TV spots for ESPNU’s brand campaign will premiere this week on the ESPN networks. The 30-second spots will feature Duke University, University of Florida and the University of Texas at Austin. Duke and Florida’s spot will being airing today (September 21) and the Texas spot will air later in the week.

Duke – showcases a university tour guide escorting prospective students around campus, citing school landmarks and their affiliation with former Duke basketball players, such as Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Shane Battier. View spot here.

Florida – features two University of Florida fans pose as UF band members, in an attempt to get in to a Gators football game. View spot here.

Texas – a Texas student is caught red-handed trying to steal the Longhorn’s steer, “Bevo.”

Created by ESPN and Wieden + Kennedy New York, the campaign seeks to demonstrate the lifelong passion, culture and traditions that bonds college students and alumni to their respective colleges and universities. Each TV spot will close with the tagline “Never Graduate.”

ESPN announces its women’s basketball Big Monday schedule starting in January.

ESPN Announces Women’s College Basketball Big Monday Schedule for 2009-10 Season

ESPN has announced the 2009-10 Big Monday women’s college basketball schedule featuring the nation’s top teams in action every Monday primarily at 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. ET from Jan. 11 to March 1. New to this year’s schedule is the addition of Big Monday doubleheaders on Feb. 8, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22. Every game will be televised on ESPN2 and will also be available on ESPN360.com.

Entering its fourth season, ESPN2’s Big Monday prime-time Game of the Week series will include 11 games (up from eight) throughout January and February, featuring the best programs in Division I women’s basketball. The series will begin on Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. with an ACC matchup featuring Maryland at Virginia.

Before the tipoff of the Big Monday schedule, ESPN will showcase a prime-time matchup in its regular time slot, Monday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. pitting the BIG EAST’s Notre Dame at the Big Ten’s Purdue.

Big Monday schedule highlights:

• Defending NCAA Champion Connecticut will appear three times: vs. Duke (Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.), Oklahoma (Feb. 15 at 9 p.m.) and Notre Dame (March 1 at 7 p.m.);
• All 15 teams on the schedule appeared in the 2009 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament; nine made it to the Sweet Sixteen; four advanced to the Elite Eight; and two played in the Women’s Final Four;
• Every game will be available in HD on ESPN2 HD.

ESPN2’s Women’s College Basketball Schedule for Big Monday (Subject to change)

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Jan 11	7:30 p.m.	Maryland at Virginia
Jan 18	7 p.m.	Connecticut at Duke
Jan 25	7 p.m.	Ohio State at Purdue
Feb 1	7:30 p.m.	Notre Dame at Rutgers
Feb 8	7 p.m.	North Carolina at Duke
Feb 8	9 p.m.	Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Feb 15	7 p.m.	North Carolina at Virginia
Feb 15	9 p.m.	Connecticut vs. Oklahoma
Feb 22	7 p.m.	LSU at Tennessee
Feb 22	9 p.m.	Baylor at Texas A&M
Mar 1	7 p.m.	Connecticut at Notre Dame

The MLB-themed episode of DIY Network’s Man Caves will air at the end of this month.

DIY NETWORK AND MLB NETWORK CREATE THE ULTIMATE WINDY CITY BASEBALL LOUNGE FOR AVID CHICAGO WHITE SOX FAN, WINNER OF THE “WHO WANTS A MAN CAVE?” CONTEST

Special Edition of Popular Primetime Series “‘Man Caves’’ Featuring Transformation Premieres

Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. ET on DIY Network and Monday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on MLB Network

NEW YORK – September 21, 2009 — DIY Network and MLB Network have teamed up to create the ultimate baseball man cave for Chicago native Dave Roseman, a die-hard fan of the Chicago White Sox for a special episode of DIY Network’s popular primetime series, Man Caves. DIY Network series hosts, former NFL player Tony “Goose” Siragusa and licensed contractor Jason Cameron, along with MLB Network studio analysts and former Major League Baseball players Harold Reynolds and Mitch Williams worked together to transform Roseman’s garage into a fully decked out man cave equipped with officially licensed MLB merchandise, high-tech toys and deluxe furnishings. Viewers can witness the fast-paced renovation from start to finish during a special episode of Man Caves on DIY Network on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. ET, and on MLB Network on Monday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET.

DIY Network’s Man Caves spent three days in mid-September renovating Roseman’s Evanston, Ill., garage into a multifunctional space complete with MLB Network insignia and tributes to both the Chicago White Sox’s U.S. Cellular Field and the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field in honor of his wife Becca, who is a lifelong Cubs fan. The centerpiece of the man cave is a hydraulic Chicago White Sox professional pool table that rises and falls into the garage floor with the simple touch of a button and is surrounded by opposite walls devoted to the Windy City rivalry.

In addition to his new man cave, DIY Network and MLB Network surprised Dave with an impromptu visit to U.S. Cellular Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9 for a special opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago White Sox game. While at the ballpark, the cameras followed Dave as he met members of the White Sox as well as manager Ozzie Guillen, and was rewarded with a custom-made jersey and star treatment as he viewed the game from his very own suite.

“The space turned out even more amazing than we anticipated and both DIY Network and MLB Network were fantastic,” said Roseman. “How they were able to convert our garage into the ultimate baseball man cave was unreal. It’s like having a stadium in our own backyard and we feel like season ticket holders. And getting to throw the first pitch at a White Sox game and meeting some of the players was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Dave will get his baseball fix watching his 42-inch flat screen TV accompanied by a home theater system and extensive cabinetry featuring an oversized image of U.S. Cellular Park, while Becca will feel at home relaxing in their MLB Network recliners leaned up against a brick-faced wall dedicated to the architecture of Wrigley Field. This baseball-themed man cave continues to the outside with French doors leading to a patio with a wood pergola, brick pavers, an outdoor lounge set and an oversized grill perfect for pre-game festivities.

“It was great building a man cave for such a diehard baseball fan, and with a little one on the way, his space is about to shrink,” added Siragusa. “It was fun to see how psyched Dave was when we were able to bring the feel of his favorite ballpark into the home.”

“I had an awesome time helping create this man cave for Dave with Tony, Jason and Harold,” said Williams. “Dave is a true die-hard baseball fan, and whether it’s watching a White Sox game or MLB Network, he deserves to have a space like this to indulge his passion for the game.”

The ultimate baseball man cave also includes must-have accessories, amenities and furnishings: oversized bean bags; Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs barstools, glassware and collectibles; a hot dog griller and mini-fridge; cooling and heating systems; and mock stadium and pendant lights similar to those found in ballparks and in MLB Network’s Studio 42. The majority of MLB merchandise seen in the episode can be found on MLB.com.

As the go-to destination for home improvement television, DIY Network teamed up with the ultimate television destination for baseball fans, MLB Network, to deliver one lucky viewer a man cave fit for the major leagues with their “Who Wants A Man Cave?” contest. The winning video submission featured Dave explaining why the couple deserved the baseball man cave and highlighted their families’ intense baseball feud. Married for four years, they recently moved out of the city of Chicago and to suburban Evanston to be closer to their families and to prepare for the birth of their first child, who they are expecting at the end of September. Their new home is over 110-years-old and the renovation list is long. Dave, 29, and Becca, 28, enjoy getting their hands dirty, but admit that with full-time jobs (Dave is an underwriter and Becca is an instructional coach for Glenview School District 34) and a baby on the way, their DIY time is limited.

Whether building a swanky cigar bar, a well-equipped wine cellar or an upscale sportsman’s lodge, DIY Network’s Man Caves delivers jaw-dropping getaways outfitted with high-tech toys and all the manly essentials for homeowners and even celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Rainn Wilson. Each half-hour episode follows hosts, former NFL star Tony “Goose” Siragusa and licensed contractor Jason Cameron as they transform ordinary spaces into a guy’s paradise. Man Caves airs on DIY Network every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET with new episodes premiering on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. ET.

MLB Network’s signature show, MLB Tonight, features on-air analysts Mitch Williams and Harold Reynolds, and airs live beginning at 6 p.m. ET until the final MLB game of the night ends between Monday and Saturday. The show features live look-ins of games in progress, updates, highlights, reporting and analysis. MLB Network is available nationwide on DIRECTV Ch. 213 and Verizon FiOS Ch. 86, and local listings can be found with the Channel Locator at www.MLBNetwork.com. Viewers can catch up on the latest highlights and programming updates by following MLB Network on Twitter and Facebook.

For more information on DIY Network’s Man Caves, experts, tips and home improvement programs, visit the network’s companion Web site at www.DIYNetwork.com. Members of the media may also obtain additional press materials, talent bios and show images by registering at DIY Network’s online media newsroom. Viewers can also become fans of DIY Network and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers through Twitter and Facebook. DIY Network is available nationwide on DISH Network Ch. 111 and DIRECTV Ch. 230, and additional cable channel designations may be found by checking local listings and www.DIYNetwork.com/tv.

ESPN Classic shows the Australian Football League Grand Final early Saturday morning/late Friday night depending on your time zone. And it will be live.

AFL Grand Finale Live on ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com Saturday

The Australian Football League’s grand finale — the Toyota AFL Grand Final — will be aired in the U.S. live from Melbourne Cricket Ground on ESPN Classic on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 12:30 a.m. (Friday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 p.m. PT). A live simulcast will also be available on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s 24/7 online destination for live sports. St. Kilda’s win over the Western Bulldogs gives the Saints and their captain Nick Riewoldt an opportunity for their first premiership since 1966. They will face the Geelong Cats and their star player Gary Ablett, fresh off a win over the Collingwood.

The AFL and ESPN have enjoyed a lengthy relationship, stretching back to ESPN’s early years. In addition to the U.S., ESPN delivers the AFL to Canada, the UK, Ireland, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean region.

And ESPN and ABC tell us what’s in store for motorsports this week on the family of networks.

Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Live from Dover on ABC

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup continues this weekend as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for 400 miles on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Monster Mile, Dover (Del.) International Speedway. ESPN’s live, flag-to-flag coverage of the race will air on ABC. The telecast begins with NASCAR Countdown at 1 p.m. ET and the race’s green flag is at 2:15 p.m.

ESPN’s coverage of the final 11 races of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule will air on ABC, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. ESPN’s coverage from Dover includes NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Friday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. on ESPN2, and a same-day telecast of NASCAR Sprint Cup final practice on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reporting from the pits will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch, with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Tech Garage.

Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, co-owner of a winning team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in the ESPN pit studio.

NASCAR Nationwide Series Live from Dover on ESPN2

ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend as the series races at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The live, flag-to-flag telecast airs Saturday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. ET, with the green flag at 3:45 p.m. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC.

Also on Saturday, coverage of NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying airs at 10:30 a.m., while coverage of final practice airs Friday, Sept. 25, at 1:30 p.m., both on ESPN2.

Marty Reid will be lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reporting from the pits will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch, with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Tech Garage.

Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, owner of a winning team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in the ESPN pit studio.

Evernham, LaJoie, Craven on NASCAR Now Roundtable

NASCAR on ESPN analysts Ray Evernham, Randy LaJoie and Ricky Craven will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program on Monday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Allen Bestwick will host the edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.

Mike Massaro hosts half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now airing Tuesday through Thursday of this week at 5 p.m. and Friday at 4:30 p.m. following ESPN2’s coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying at Dover International Speedway.

Massaro will be joined by LaJoie for the one-hour weekend edition that airs Sunday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover. The weekend wrap-up edition airs at 10 p.m. Sunday. Nicole Manske and Angelique Chengelis will report from Dover for both programs. .

NASCAR Now is hosted by Massaro, Bestwick and Manske and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include NASCAR Insiders Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Boris Said, Ricky Craven and Randy LaJoie, and ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Spake and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.

Countdown to 1 Continues in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series continues its Countdown to 1 playoffs as the series visits Texas Motorplex near Dallas for the NHRA Fall Nationals this weekend. ESPN2 will air qualifying and eliminations action, with qualifying airing Sunday, Sept. 27, at 12:15 a.m. ET, and again at 11:30 a.m. Eliminations action airs at 7 p.m., with a re-air Monday, Sept. 28, at 5 p.m. on ESPN Classic.

Texas Motorplex is one of three all-concrete dragstrips on the schedule, which provide optimum traction and allow crew chiefs the opportunity to achieve national record performances. The event, which is the second chance for Countdown teams to earn points, takes place on the second of four consecutive race weekends in this crucial segment of the home stretch.

Paul Page anchors ESPN2’s coverage with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould, Dave Rieff and John Kernan report from the pits. Rieff and Dunn host NHRA RaceDay on Sunday at 11 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.

Other NHRA programming airing on ESPN Networks this week includes highlights from the 2004 NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kansas, airing Monday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. on ESPN Classic. In addition, action from the recent Sportsman Series event at Concord, N.C., airs Sunday, Sept. 27, at 11 p.m. on ESPN2.

I have some more press release posts so keep your RSS and Twitter feeds updated.

NBC Scores for Sunday Night Football Again

NBC tells us that last night’s Giants-Cowboys game garnered the highest overnight ratings for a Sunday Night Football broadcast ever. Take a gander.

GIANTS-COWBOYS DELIVERS BEST "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" OVERNIGHT RATING EVER

Best Overnight For Primetime NFL Game in 11 Years

SNF Game 65% Higher than Emmy Awards

NEW YORK -- Sept. 21, 2009 -- Last night's Giants-Cowboys game on NBC Sports had the best overnight rating ever for a "Sunday Night Football" game. The Giants 33-31 victory, in the unveiling of the new $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium, earned a 16.5 overnight rating and 27 share (8:30-11:45 p.m. ET), the best overnight rating for a primetime NFL game in 11 years.  

CRUSHED EMMYS: For the third straight year, "Sunday Night Football" delivered a convincing victory while competing head-to-head with "television's biggest night," the Emmy Awards. While the Emmys were up versus a year ago, SNF still out-rated the Awards show on CBS by 65 percent (16.5 vs. 10.0).
Head-to-head from 8:30-11 p.m., "Sunday Night Football" out-rated the Emmy Awards by a 71-percent margin (16.6/26 vs. 9.7/15).
NBC averaged a 12.8/21 from 7-11 p.m. in metered-market households.  It's NBC's highest Sunday average, excluding the Super Bowl and Olympics, since January 25, 2004 and the highest Sunday night average for any network in the metered markets since February 22 (Academy Awards on ABC).
SNF game had the best overnight primetime rating on any network since the American Idol finale on May 20.
BEST EVER ON SNF; BEST PRIMTIME NFL IN 11 YEARS: Last night's game earned an overnight rating of a 16.5/27, the best overnight rating ever for a "Sunday Night Football" game and the best overnight rating for any primetime NFL game in 11 years (Broncos-Dolphins, 17.4/27 on Dec. 21, 1998).

TOP 5 "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" OVERNIGHT RATING/SHARE EVER:
1. 9/20/09, Giants-Cowboys, 16.5/27 
2. 11/25/07, Eagles-Patriots, 15.6/24 
3. 12/14/08, Giants-Cowboys, 15.4/24
4. 11/5/06, Colts-Patriots, 15.1/22
5. 9/10/06, Colts-Giants, 14.7/23 ("Manning Bowl")

BIG EVENT STRATEGY: NBC Sports once again employed its "Big Event" strategy for this game, with Matt Lauer and Al Roker dispatched to Dallas where they hosted the TODAY Show live from the new stadium, and, CNBC and Access Hollywood contributed segments about the game and the stadium in the days leading up to Sunday Night.

TOP 15 METERED MARKETS FOR GIANTS-COWBOYS:
1. Dallas, 41.7/61
2. San Antonio, 30.4/43
3. Austin, 25.6/41
4. Las Vegas, 24.3/37
5. New Orleans, 21.9/30
6. Richmond, 21.4/33
7. Albuquerque, 20.9/33
8. Memphis, 20.7/28
9. Oklahoma City, 20.2/29
10. Norfolk, 20.0/31
11. Nashville, 19.8/28
12. Washington, D.C., 19.5/34
T13. New York, 19.3/31
T13. Charlotte, 19.3/30
15. Denver, 19.0/31

**Viewership numbers will be available when national ratings are released tomorrow**

I thought this would do well as you had to huge markets, New York and Dallas, to draw from plus the allure of the new stadium and NBC’s hype machine which apparently worked. Having a close game also helped.

Two SEC on CBS Notes

Some quick hits from CBS Sports in regards to its coverage of the SEC. First, CBS says the ratings for Tennessee-Florida were up from last year’s opener.

THIS JUST IN…

…FROM CBS SPORTS

“SEC ON CBS” RATES IN OPENING WEEKEND WITH FLORIDA’S WIN OVER TENNESSEE

CBS Sports’ coverage of the SEC ON CBS on Saturday, Sept. 19, which saw Florida defeat Tennessee, earned an overnight household rating/share of 4.8/11, up 60% from last year’s 3.0/7 (Florida-Tennessee). This year’s game earned the highest rating for the first CBS Sports game of the college football season since a 6.0/13 (9/7/02; Miami-Florida).

And CBS has announced its selection for October 3.

CBS Sports has announced its college football game for Saturday, Oct. 3 (3:30-7:00 PM, ET) will feature *No. 7-ranked LSU at *No. 21-ranked Georgia. Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson will call the contest, along with reporter Tracy Wolfson. COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY kicks off the day (3:00 PM, ET) with host Tim Brando and analyst Spencer Tillman. The game will be available in high definition.

That’s it for the SEC on CBS for now.

MLB on TBS To Go on Twitter

As TBS gets ready to air the entire Division Championship Series and the National League Championship Series this year, we get this release that its analysts will be using Twitter throughout the postseason. Here is the release:

MLB on TBS Announcers Including Cal Ripken Jr., David Wells and Dennis Eckersley to Tweet Throughout Network’s Postseason Coverage

TBS Hot Corner on MLB.com Returns with Enhanced Features and Exclusive Highlights

TBS announced that beginning October 7 and continuing throughout the network’s coverage of the MLB Postseason, TBS television announcers will use the Twitter social networking platform to provide additional commentary and analysis of all the Postseason action. The tweets will be featured on the TBS Hot Corner Twitter feed at twitter.com/tbshotcorner. Among those tweeting will include the TBS studio team of Ernie Johnson, Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken Jr. and David Wells along with game announcers Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez, Marc Fein and Craig Sager.

Also returning this season is a redesigned version of TBS Hot Corner on MLB.com (http://www.mlb.com/tbshotcorner). This year, fans will have access to video highlights and interviews from the Division Series and National League Championship Series, as well as exclusive behind the scenes footage from the TBS studio show, Inside the MLB. Additionally, the TurnerSportsPR Twitter feed at twitter.com/TurnerSportsPR will retweet all TBS Hot Corner Twitter updates.

MLB on TBS will also get fans involved in the game using additional digital platforms allowing them to interact with each other as well as react to the action on the field.

• Facebook: Fans can get exclusive content and analysis from the TBS crew and other interactive features. http://www.facebook.com/pages/TBS-Hot-Corner/111005923243

• Hot Corner Blogs – Ask Eck, Chip’s Blog, From the Booth, and Buck’s Blog will keeps fans updated on the pennant race (http://tbshotcorner.mlblogs.com/)

On Friday, Sept. 25, TBS announcers Chip Caray, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager will call one of the most storied rivalries in sports featuring the Boston Red Sox at the New York Yankees. TBS will have exclusive coverage of all four MLB Division Series and the National League Championship Series beginning Oct. 7.

Name	Twitter Feed
Chip Caray	@MLBonTBSChip
Ron Darling	@MLBonTBSRon
Dennis Eckersley	@MLBonTBSEck
Marc Fein	@tnt_tbsmarc
Ernie Johnson	@TurnerSportsEJ
Buck Martinez	@MLBonTBSBuck
Cal Ripken	@MLBonTBSCal
Craig Sager	@NBAonTNTSager
David Wells	@MLBonTBSBoomer

I think it’s a good use of the social network to get closer to fans. Of course, I’m a big proponent of Twitter so I’m happy to see this.

Our Monday Links

Doing the Monday links as we return to work after the weekend. Weekends are never long enough for me.

To start, we have a few links from the Sports Business Journal.

John Ourand writes that the season ending MLS Cup will be moving to primetime and scheduled opposite Sunday Night Football. Don’t see the ratings going up this year.

John says ESPN’s new local sites are forcing local regional sports networks to upgrade their websites to compete.

Liz Mullen says NFL clubs are asking some of their employees to take pay cuts or even face termination if there’s a work stoppage in 2011.

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand says CBS is going to ride the Jets train next Sunday.

Newsday’s Neil Best says the new Cowboys Stadium had a carnival atmosphere last night.

The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick finds more silly things to complain about today.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says CBS had a good rating for the Tennessee-Florida game.

Pete says in a rare convergence, both the Giants and Jets are playing in the 1 p.m. slot in Week 3.

And Pete has the college football TV schedule for this week.

Mike Stribi of the Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman profiles local native Charles Davis who was tabbed to do the NFL for Fox this season.

The Philadelphia Daily News notes that ESPN’s College Gameday visits Penn State this Saturday.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner talks with Frank Gifford about 40 years of Monday Night Football.

David Neal in the Miami Herald says Monday Night Football still has that special feel for the Dolphins.

Tom Jones from the St. Petersburg Times feels Kevin Kennedy should be a full-time analyst for Rays games.

The Baltimore Sun previews what’s coming this week in sports on TV.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News reviews last night’s Sunday Night Football broadcast on NBC.

Barry says the Giants-Cowboys scored well in the ratings.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle likes the NFL Network’s RedZone, not to be confused with DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket Red Zone Channel. Perhaps the NFL should have renamed it so as not to confuse it with DirecTV’s version.

Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business reviews the good and bad of the Tribune Company’s ownership of the Cubs.

Bob Verdi of the Chicago Tribune feels stale interview rooms lead to impersonal and stale interviews with athletes.

Bob Wolfley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says CBS’ Rich Gannon had trouble finding praise for the Packers in their loss to Cincinnati yesterday.

Dusty Saunders in the Denver Post says broadcasting from the Cowboys Stadium made for good television on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Bruce Kauffmann in the Arizona Daily Star says Monday Night Football has become an iconic institution.

Diane Pucin from the Los Angeles Times says CBS made a messy transition from to the late game in SoCal.

Diane adds that Warren Sapp stands out in NFL Network’s Gameday Morning pregame show.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says CTV’s Winter Olympics special should have included some near-misses, not just triumphs.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says Roger Mayweather’s win on Saturday could lead to a big payday with Manny Pacquaio.

Mike says the Jets are firmly entrenched with SNY.

In the Biz of Football, Maury Brown wonders if the NFL’s broadcast partners make or lose money on their media rights deals.

Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media says Georgia Tech’s radio network got some crap for long delays as compared to the live action on the field.

Chris shows us where Monday Night Football is aired through ESPN Deportes.

Christy Hammond from the Sports PR Blog talks with noted sports public relations man Joe Favorito.

This next link comes courtesy of Daryn Kagan. A 15 year old high school student with Down’s Syndrome got to score a touchdown during a live game in St. Joseph, MO.

Kristine Leahy has the latest edition of The Five at WEEI.com.

That’s going to do it for now.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

MLB

American League
Baltimore at Toronto – MASN/Rogers Sportsnet, 7 p.m.
Red Sox at Kansas City – NESN/Fox Sports Kansas City, 8 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox – Fox Sports North/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 8 p.m.
New York Yankees at Anaheim Angels – YES/Fox Sports West, 10 p.m.
Texas at Oakland – Fox Sports Southwest/Comcast SportsNet California, 10 p.m.

National League
Atlanta at New York Mets – SportSouth/SNY, 7 p.m.
San Diego at Pittsburgh – Cox 4, 7 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee – WCIU/Fox Sports Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
St. Louis at Houston – Fox Sports Midwest/Fox Sports Houston, 8 p.m.
San Francisco at Arizona – Comcast SportsNet Bay Area/Fox Sports Arizona, 9:30 p.m.

MLB Tonight: 1st to 3rd – MLB Network, 8 p.m.
MLB Tonight: Roundtripper Final – MLB Network, 10 p.m.

NFL
Indianapolis at Miami – ESPN, 8:30 p.m.

Entertainment
How I Met Your Mother (season premiere) – CBS, 8 p.m.
House (season premiere) – Fox, 8 p.m.
Intervention: Alison/Gabe Followup – A&E, 9 p.m.
CSI: Miami (season premiere) – CBS, 10 p.m.
Life After Film School: Eliza Dushku – Fox Movie Channel, 10 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman – CBS, 11:35 p.m.

NFL Pregame Quotage for Week 2

After watching the NFL action this afternoon, it’s time for the quotage from the NFL pregame shows today. I have all except for CBS which is strange. Let’s start as usual with NFL Network.

News and Sound Bites From Week 2 Edition of NFL GAMEDAY MORNING

“Now that I’m here, I’m glad that it happened.” – DE Richard Seymour on being traded from New England to Oakland

“With what we have here, the opportunity to play in this stadium like this, with over 100,000 fans here today, I expect these Cowboys to empty their bucket.” – Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones on the home opener in new Cowboys Stadium

“I don’t see what Carson Palmer has done in this league that has everyone so enamored.” – Warren Sapp on Bengals QB Carson Palmer

“For the first time in Bill Belichick’s history of coaching the Patriots, the defense might be a liability.” – Marshall Faulk on the Patriots

NFL GameDay Morning, the FIRST pregame show on the air Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM ET with a new four-hour expanded format, taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci, Jason La Canfora, and hosts Spero Dedes and Stacey Dales bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews.

‘Sunday Sit-Down’ – Faulk Sits Down with Raiders DE Richard Seymour:

NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk sits down with new Raider Richard Seymour for a candid conversation on being traded to Oakland, how the trade happened and the potential he sees in his new team:

“I was in shock. It was totally unexpected.” – Seymour on the trade to Oakland

“I personally wouldn’t done it that way, but that’s my way. He told me with a phone call and obviously that was his way of handling it. I’m not necessarily upset about it, I just wish the situation would have been handled in the offseason, if it was going to happen.” – Seymour on the way he was informed of the trade and his reaction

“We had a lot of different decisions to make and a short time to make them in. I was traded and was on the phone with [head coach] Tom Cable 30 minutes after I found out… From a football standpoint, they were trying to prepare for the Chargers, but at that point, I didn’t care about the Chargers, Raiders, Patriots, anyone. At that point, I was only focused on my family.” – Seymour on the transition to Oakland and the delay in joining the team

“Now that I’m here, I’m glad that it happened, I really am. The guys are amazing here, they’re so eager to win. They were motivated to play on Monday night. I said few things to them and I could feel the passion in that room.” – Seymour on joining the Raiders

“It’s exciting to see how the thing can unfold if we continue to put in the work we have so far.” – Seymour on the Raiders and their ability

To view Faulk’s entire interview with Seymour, please visit: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d812bc4ad/Sunday-Sitdown-Richard-Seymour

Spero Dedes and Michael Irvin Catch Up with Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones chats with Spero Dedes and Michael Irvin in an exclusive interview prior to Dallas’ season opener vs. the Giants in the new Cowboys stadium:

“I didn’t sleep for a week before those and haven’t slept for a week right now.” – Jerry Jones on the excitement he’s feeling before game vs. Giants

“With what we have here, the opportunity to play in this stadium like this, with over 100,000 fans here today, I expect these Cowboys to empty their bucket. I want it all with no reservations about it.” – Jones on what he expects from the Cowboys in their home season opener

“I kind of like my first-round pick – Roy Williams. That was our first-round pick this year and I can’t tell you how proud I am of him.” – Jones on the Cowboys personnel improvements in the offseason

To view the entire interview with Jones, please visit: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d812c01c6/Talking-with-Jerry-Jones

‘Super Bowl Journey,’ Week Two Edition – Giants DE Osi Umenyiora and Redskins TE Chris Cooley Face Off

The Super Bowl Journeys of Giants DE Osi Umenyiora and Redskins TE Chris Cooley cross paths as the NFC East rivalry between the Giants and Redskins kicked off in Week 1:

“I would rather knock Osi Umenyoira on his back. That would be a bigger accomplishment for me than catching two or three touchdowns. Just that feeling of being able to manhandle somebody, which doesn’t happen a lot for me, but when it does, it’s so cool.” – Cooley on Umenyoira and making a key block in a game

“Cooley is a good football player. He’s smart, savvy, knows exactly how to execute his blocks. He’s very dangerous down the field.” – Umenyiora on Cooley

To view the week two installment of Super Bowl Journey, please visit: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d812bc45b/Super-Bowl-Journey-Osi-vs-Cooley - part I

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d812bca65/Super-Bowl-Journey-Osi-vs-Cooley-Pt-II – part II

Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning:

“For the first time in Bill Belichick’s history of coaching the Patriots, the defense might be a liability.” – Marshall Faulk on the Patriots’ Week 1 performance vs. Buffalo

“Addition by subtraction does work.” – Michael Irvin on the Cowboys’ Week 1 performance vs. Tampa Bay

“Drew Brees is making a case for being the best quarterback in this league.” – Faulk on Saints QB Drew Brees

“Jay Cutler will play much better this week, but what I’m concerned about is the seven games they’ve played without Brian Urlacher, they’ve lost them all.” – Steve Mariucci on the Bears vs. the Steelers

“Brett Favre is a gunslinger and sooner or later he is going to want to pull out the six-shooter and shoot that ball down the field.” – Irvin on Favre being content with handing the ball off to RB Adrian Peterson

“Go catch and hold on to the football. It’s what’s separates the good from the great and since I was one of the greats, I don’t mind that ruling.” – Irvin on the officials overturning Raiders WR Louis Murphy’s touchdown vs. San Diego

“This was a great move for the Raiders and a great move for Richard.” – Faulk on the Raiders acquisition on DE Richard Seymour

“Oakland’s ability to run the ball is the way they can set the pace.” – Warren Sapp on the Raiders facing the Chiefs

“This team is tough and is built tough just like their head coach.” – Sapp on the San Francisco 49ers

“I don’t see what Carson Palmer has done in his league that has everyone so enamored.” – Sapp on Bengals QB Carson Palmer

“Joe Flacco threw for his first 300-yard game last week. Drew Brees does that before every breakfast.” – Mariucci on whether fantasy football enthusiasts should start Drew Brees or Joe Flacco

“Without him being 100%, this is a different offense.” – Irvin on WR Anquan Boldin and the Arizona Cardinals

“Right now, it’s Josh McDaniels 1, Jay Cutler 0.” – Irvin

La Canfora’s News Reports:

• LB Derrick Brooks spoke to Chicago this week and although the Bears are not going to sign him at this point, they have asked Brooks for a two-week window to assess their linebacking situation. If they have a linebacker get hurt this weekend vs. Pittsburgh, Brooks is on speed dial. Brooks badly wants to play for Lovie Smith and he’s a fit in the Tampa-2 system they run. Brooks feels like he still has something left in the tank, but at this point in his career, he’s going to be selective in where he goes. There are some other teams out there that have had some linebacker injuries that are some options, but Chicago looks like the best fit.
  

• Last week, the official made an incorrect call involving Patriots DT Vincent Wilfork. On the field, they determined Wilfork made a shot to the knee of QB Trent Edwards, that’s why the flag was thrown. After review, it was apparent that it was a legal hit to the torso. That’s one the officials would like to have back, but for the most part it was a strong opening week for the officials.

• From the Bills’ organizational standpoint, they view CB Leodis McKelvin as a special player who gets a lot of freedom. Part of what makes him great is that he’s a risk-reward type of guy. He’s going to play with aggression and try different things as a corner and a kick returner. The issue on Monday night was spatial awareness. The Bills didn’t have a problem with McKelvin running the kick back, but he was not aware of where he was. Earlier in the game, he took a knee because he was unaware of where he was. The only problem was him fighting for the extra yard in that particular situation and that’s been reinforced to him. However the Bills do not want to stifle McKelvin. They want him to continue to rely on his instincts.
  

For additional thoughts from La Canfora, check out his blog at http://blogs.nfl.com/category/jason-la-canfora/.

EXTRA POINTS:

• NFL Network’s ‘Head Coaches’ Share Their Take on Week 2 Matchups: NFL Network’s The NFL Head Coaches settles into its regular time of Monday at 6:00 PM ET with host Charles Davis alongside Steve Mariucci, Mike Martz and Jim Mora the weekly half-hour show features a trio of former head coaches –– who have been on the sidelines and experienced the ups and downs associated with being at the helm of a team in the National Football League. With 50 seasons of NFL coaching experience combined from three different coaching philosophies, NFL Network’s resident coaching trio share situations and experiences from their careers that remain applicable to today’s head coach.
  

• NFL RedZone – Bringing Fans Every Touchdown From Every Game: NFL RedZone is hosted by Scott Hanson from the new state-of-the-art NFL RedZone studio at NFL Network’s headquarters in Los Angeles and debuts today at 1:00 PM ET/10 AM PT. Produced by NFL Network, NFL RedZone whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen and in high definition. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays live. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play. NFL RedZone is available on AT&T, Comcast, DISH Network, RCN, Verizon and other distributors. For more information visit: http://redzonetv.nfl.com/?icampaign=redzone_mb

• Sunday Night Football Extra Returns: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys will stream live on Sunday Night Football Extra on NFL.com and NBCSports.com. Complementing that stream will be a number of extra features to enrich the viewing experience including additional camera angles, in-game highlights, picture-in-picture technology, live statistics and other interactive elements. Sunday Night Football Extra will also include in-game studio updates from the NBC Football Night in America team and NFL Network talent.
  

On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:

Tailgating Tips – Food Network’s Guy Fieri shares his tips for hosting the ultimate football tailgate:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d812bc273/Tailgate-101

This is the weekly news and notes from ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. Click on the pics for videos if you wish.

2009 “Sunday NFL Countdown” Notes and Quotes — Week 2

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown host Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson previewed today’s NFL action.

Some excerpts:

Tom Brady vs. the Jets defense: How will it play out?

Ditka: “This guy (Jets head coach Rex Ryan) is creative with his defenses. You saw seven defensive backs out there last week. He’s going to apply pressure. You kill the snake by cutting off the head. That’s what they believe. They are going to go after (Tom) Brady. There might be some guys open, but if you’re lying on the ground, it’s hard to throw the football.”

Johnson: “If they (Jets) can get to Tom Brady before the three-step, five-step drop when he’s getting the football out of his hands quick, then, they’ll have an opportunity.”

Carter: “The Jets have to be a good tackling team … New England, they do throw the ball a lot. But most of those passes are thrown under 10 yards … If you watch the game, watch the tackling.”

Mark Sanchez vs. Patriots defense: How will it play out?

Johnson: “The (New England Patriots) personnel is not there right now. He (Patriots head coach Bill Belichick) just doesn’t have it right now. He has young players trying to learn what to do with this organization and learn how to play football … It just depends on the scheme and how they attack this young quarterback. (Mark) Sanchez is used to this. He is from USC, he played at a big time program. I’m pretty sure he is ready to embrace that.”

Carter: “I think there’s a carryover in what we’re seeing in the National Football League. Last year, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco – people are saying how can all these rookies be throwing the ball? This is beyond Belichick, because young passers have the ability to throw the ball better now. I’m a high school football coach, so I see it. Kids are going to more passing camps. Kids throw the ball more on Friday nights, which is a transition to the college game. More quarterbacks are throwing the ball in college. So now, we’re the beneficiaries. Sanchez, he’s in an era when kids are throwing the ball better. Belichick, if you don’t have the personnel, you are not going to be able to stop this kid. We will see, in the National Football League, guys coming into the league on a regular basis and they will be better throwers from the beginning.”

Who has the edge: Drew Brees or Eagles defense?

Following Ed Werder’s feature about quarterback Drew Brees’ passionate pre-game chant – “This Is New Orleans” – and how it puts him alongside vocal pre-game leaders, the likes of Ray Lewis and Brian Dawkins, Countdown discussed the Saints’ signal caller:

Jackson: “Boomer (Chris Berman) and I did a special skills competition in Hawaii with the NFL quarterbacks and a lot of them really had a problem with accuracy – hitting the moving target, hitting the bulls’ eye. And then Drew Bees came up … his accuracy was unbelievable. At six feet tall, which is what he is, he is able to throw, like up on his toes, throw every kind of pass you can throw in this league. And that’s why teams struggle so much against him. Then, that fire that he showed to his teammates, you add that to the equation, you have, to me right now, the best quarterback in this league.”

Who will be missed more on their respective teams: Polamalo of Urlacher?

Carter: “There’s no player … like Troy (Polamalo). So, who are you going to miss the most? You’re going to miss the player that you’ve never seen before, because, you can’t account for him in certain spaces. He’s a special player. Special players can’t be replaced.”

Jackson: “I think Urlacher is special as well. He is the quarterback of the defensive unit. He’s not only involved In run-stopping, but pass-stopping as well. And then, I have to look at what that team needs. Both teams are going to get pressure. (Jay) Cutler is not going to respond as well to that pressure as Ben Roethlisberger does, who has actually gotten used to it and won the Super Bowl getting sacked almost 50 times.”

“8 IN THE BOX”

Berman, Jackson and Johnson debuted a new, fast-paced segment – “8 IN THE BOX” – featuring a series of questions and answers on NFL and other topics.

Tom Jackson on Cowboys tight ends vs. Giants pass rush

Jackson breaks down how the Cowboys two tight-end – Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett – formations will work tonight against the vaunted Giants’ pass rush, using the Virtual Playbook.

To Fox NFL Sunday and some interesting quotage especially from Jimmy Johnson who declared that the Arizona Cardinals were done right before they beat the Jacksonville Jags today. Check it out.

FOX NFL SUNDAY NOTES – 9/20/09

Bradshaw: If Delhomme Doesn’t Improve, Expect Cowher in Carolina

Johnson: In Dallas, the Pressure is ALL on Wade Phillips

Strahan: Giants Won’t Be Intimidated By Stadium and Lights in Dallas Tonight

Long: Bears Fell in Love with ‘New Toy’ Cutler and Lost Their Running Identity

Glazer Reports McNabb Trying to Speed Up Healing for Week 3 Return

Co-Host Terry Bradshaw on Delhomme’s problems and Fox’s fate if he doesn’t turn it around: “Let’s go back to last year. Every time the Carolina Panthers lost a game, the following week Jake brought them back. He plays extremely well under pressure. What Carolina should do is run the football and get back to basics. If Delhomme plays another lousy game with those kinds of turnovers, look for John Fox’s career with the Panthers to be over. Bill Cowher desperately wants to get back in the NFL. Cowher will go down to Carolina.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson added on the situation in Carolina: “John Fox better hope that Delhomme is back. He’s got no other option. They signed Jay Feely – he’s a journeyman backup that can’t play so he has to live and die with Delhomme.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson and Co-host Terry Bradshaw disagree on Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan’s approach to firing up his team through the media by saying he’s not going to kiss the championship rings of Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick.

Johnson: “I love the swagger. I love him putting pressure on his coaches and players. You know, some coaches downplay it and say, ‘we’re not real good’ that way when they win they look pretty good. If you have a little success, it gives your players confidence after you win.”

Bradshaw: “I’m totally against it. You can get the results you want from your team without going public. You can do it in the locker room. For example, Chuck Noll never said a bad word about anybody [publicly]. But in the locker room one time before we played the Raiders he said, ‘we’re going to go out there and kick their you know what.’ It had the same effect but he didn’t take it public.”

Analyst Howie Long on Jay Cutler’s disappointing start for the Bears last week: “Cutler is a really talented quarterback. The problem was the Bears fell in love with their new toy and got away from their identity. Matt Forte is their identity.”

Co-host Terry Bradshaw on the difficulty that Cutler may have had adjusting to the Bears offense: “The problem is when you come from a team that throws 35-40 times a game to a team that runs the ball, you have more pressure on every pass. And let’s not forget – where are his [wide receiver] weapons? The Bears have no weapons.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson offers a solution for Chicago: “Bring back Rex Grossman. He throws the same amount of interceptions.”

Jimmy Johnson picks Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, despite Brady’s offseason knee surgery, over Saints quarterback Drew Brees who threw for 6 touchdowns last week: “I’d take Tom Brady. Forget about the numbers. Numbers are for baseball. There’s only one thing that matters in the NFL – championships.”

NFL Insider Jay Glazer reports that former New England Patriots backup QB Kevin O’Connell, who the Jets picked up to help prepare for the Patriots today, will be named team captain for today’s game. Glazer on O’Connell’s contributions to the Jets: “They certainly used him a lot this week. [Jets Head Coach] Rex Ryan had O’Connell sit down with every Jets coach and give them everything he knows about the Patriots. He was so useful; Ryan named him team captain for today’s game despite the fact that he’s the team’s No. 3 quarterback. I was told, ‘it’s just another way for Rex to shoot a shot across the field to the Patriots sideline.’ O’Connell was most helpful in blitz pickup and in playing Tom Brady this week.”

After only 1 week, analyst Jimmy Johnson doesn’t think the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals will do well this season: “I know it’s just one game but stick a fork in them, they’re done. They lost a couple of outstanding coordinators. They’ve got disgruntled injured receivers and a quarterback that’s just a couple years younger than me and he’s hurt. With their schedule, it’ll be tough for them to win 3 games by mid-season.”

Analyst Howie Long on the Cowboys’ offensive performance: “Last week was big for the Cowboys offense. The pressure was on Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett, Tony Romo and Roy Williams and Romo hit three different receivers for touchdowns longer than 42 yards. It’s amazing how much better that offense flowed in week one, like it or not. I know T.O. had 38 touchdowns over the last three years, people asked ‘Where would the big plays come from?’ but a lot of questions were answered on the Cowboys offense last week.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson on Wade Phillips and the Cowboys defense: “The pressure is not on Tony Romo, Jerry Jones or the offense with Jason Garrett. It’s all about the head coach/defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. He’s got to sure up that run defense. Tampa had 174 yards rushing against them last week. If the Cowboys don’t keep the running game of the Giants in check they’ll have a tough time tonight.”

Analyst Michael Strahan on Giants vs. Cowboys: “The Giants are going to run the football. That’s what they do; take pressure off of Eli Manning and those young receivers. I know a lot has been made about the largest stadium with over a 100,000 fans but the players realize they’re not playing against the fans; they’re playing against the team on the field. So I don’t think the Giants will be intimidated by that at all.”

Co-Host Terry Bradshaw on Dallas: “Dallas will not lose this game; Jerry Jones will get his victory. The Cowboys will sure-up their defense. Jay Ratliff at nose tackle is about as good as it gets.”

FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer on McNabb injury in Philadelphia: “I think what the Eagles would like to do is sit McNabb next week against the Chiefs. They have the bye week so then he’d have three or four weeks where he gets the rest. But I’m being told that Donovan is really trying to accelerate the healing process and that he’s going to try and push to play next week.”

FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer on Vick’s role in Week 3: “Even if Kevin Kolb plays poorly today, the Eagles have Michael Vick coming back next week but I’m told that Michael Vick will not start next week, the Eagles still want him to just come in and run the wildcat.”

Analyst Michael Strahan on Eagles defense: “I think the Eagles defense is what leads that team. The Eagles defense understands that Kolb is not their primary quarterback and they have to pick it up. Unfortunately it’s a week against the New Orleans Saints but I really do feel like the Eagles defense is up to the task. They understand that more pressure is on them than what’s on their young quarterback.”

Analyst Howie Long on Jeff Garcia: “Getting Jeff Garcia is a big pick up. Jeff Garcia’s got a big chip on his shoulder and somewhat justifiably so. He’s won some big games in San Francisco, Tampa Bay and he was 5-1 in 2006 with the Eagles. It’s almost like people view him as that little tire in the back of your car for when you get a flat and there’s a warning on the tire that says, ‘you can only use this for 10 miles to get to the next gas station before you replace it.’ I never understood it, there are those who have said he’s not a pretty quarterback and he does have limitations but I think he’s a great pickup for them.”

Here’s your Football Night in America quotage from NBC.

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA HIGHLIGHTS: WEEK 2

Dungy: "The stadium won't win the game. You've got to play."

Costas Interviews Eli Manning, Tony Romo, Jerry Jones & John Madden

NEW YORK -- September 20, 2009 -- Following are highlights from NBC's "Football Night in America." Bob Costas hosted the show live from the new state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium. He was joined for commentary by Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-hosts Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann, analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and reporter Peter King were live from NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios, covering the news of the NFL's second week.

ON OPENING A NEW STADIUM:
Dungy on the Colts opening Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008: "We did last year. Sunday Night Football. It was just one of those things. Everyone's excited. The fans are excited. We had a retractable roof that was going to open up. We forgot to play. The Bears blew us out. The stadium won't win the game. You've got to play"

ON GIANTS RUNNING BACK BRANDON JACOBS
Harrison: "I played 15 years in this league and I went up against many backs -- big, small, fast, whatever. And Brandon Jacobs is the most intimidating running back I've ever had to hit. I can't lie to you, a couple times I was afraid to hit him."

ON JETS-PATRIOTS
Collinsworth on the Jets performance: "It was no fluke. I watched the game today. Certainly Mark Sanchez deserves a lot of credit. He stood in there against that defense. Made big plays when he had to make them. But I think the real story is Rex Ryan. We have seen other defensive coordinators leave the Baltimore Ravens and not carry forward that kind of success. Yet today, for the second straight game, we're seeing Rex Ryan's defense really embarrass offenses, and one of the great quarterbacks in the league in Tom Brady."

King on the poise of Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez: "I talked to Sanchez after the game. One of things he said was his best advice all offseason coming into this year came from Derek Jeter at a Yankees game one night. He said, 'Do not believe the headlines.' So he hasn't believed them, hasn't read them."

Harrison on the Patriots: "There is a sense of urgency in that locker room but there is not a sense of panic. The Patriots have been there before. They know they still have a lot of veteran players and they always have a chance when you got number 12."

ON EAGLES QB SITUATION
Dungy: "Michael [Vick] will play but he won't start. He is going to have a package of things that he can do. I know Donovan McNabb is going to want to play but if I'm Andy Reid I keep Donovan out until after their bye and go with Kevin Kolb."

AS TOLD TO BOB COSTAS
Eli Manning on the effect that the loss of Plaxico Burress had on the team at the end of last season: "It's tough to say because when we didn't have Plaxico, we'd played well. When you lose one of your best players on your team, your number one receiver, it is going to hurt you. It is going to take away some things in key spots. He would make an outstanding play or make a tough catch or get something going. I'm sure we did miss him at times but we still could have played better football than we did at the end of the season."

Tony Romo on how the huddle is different without Terrell Owens: "I don't know that it's that much different. T.O. was an emotional player in the sense of he wanted to win badly. That's no different than the guys we have now. You're kidding yourself if people believe that every team doesn't have a guy who wants the ball all the time."

Jerry Jones live at the new Cowboys Stadium on what part of the fan experience makes him most proud: "The technology.Our fans are going to be able to sit in Section 1, Seat 3 and before they leave here they're going to have seen everything going on in this stadium as if they were right in the middle of it through the digital screen and the various other ways we've got to communicate with them. It's so important that if they're going to come that they have an experience that they don't have when they're watching it at home."

John Madden on his retirement: "There comes a time that just because you love it or just because you've done it for a long time that doesn't mean that you're going to do it forever. It was just time for me -- that's it, I'm not going to do it anymore. And I shouldn't do it anymore. When I say that I miss it that doesn't mean that I regret it. I don't regret the decision. But I miss it."

That’s it. Don’t know what happened to CBS quotage, but we move on.

Your Sunday Linkage

Let’s do some links on this NFL Sunday. It definitely does feel like fall when the NFL is here. Kind of sad that the weather turns in the Northeast, I do wish we had San Diego weather here, but it’s not bad today.

Here are your links.

Sean Leahy in USA Today’s The Huddle blog recaps some quotes NBC’s Rodney Harrison made about NFL holdout Michael Crabtree.

Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal looks at how the Big East puts together its basketball schedule and manages to appease its TV partners.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News writes that Jets coach Rex Ryan is quickly becoming a media go-to guy.

Phil Mushnick in the New York Post is not a fan of ESPN’s “clutter” and for some reason quotes Eddie Andelman, “a fixture” in Boston sports talk radio? Maybe in the 1970′s, but not now.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner writes about the official opening of Cowboys Stadium on NBC.

The Dallas Morning News’ Barry Horn says the Cowboys are the most expensive ticket in the NFL.

Barry says not only is this is a big game for Jerry Jones for the Stadium debut, but also for Cowboys coach Wade Phillips.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle went to Austin, TX yesterday to talk with ESPN’s Lee Corso as he was taking part in College Gameday’s live broadcast.

Tom Reed and Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch have an article about soccer’s growing popularity thanks to an increasing amount of games on TV.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bob Wolfley goes over Showtime’s Inside the NFL premiere episode.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says The Eric Byrnes Show on Fox Sports Arizona is coming to an end.

Artie Gigantino of the San Francisco Examiner has some highlights and lowlights of NFL Week 1.

Alan Russell of the North County Times reviews a book written by a local consultant who did work for ESPN.

The Sports Media Watch has its weekend ratings predictions.

Maury Brown of the Biz of Football looks at one of the unwritten stories of how much NFL teams contribute politically.

And Maury examines how much advertising was spent on the NFL last year.

That will do it for now. Back later with NFL pregame quotage.

A Saturday Linkfest

Let’s do some linkage today. Quite a few things to get to so let’s get cracking.

Newsday’s Neil Best looks at why Fox Sports decided to slice and dice the first webisode of its “Cubed” series.

Alan Pergament of the Buffalo News is surprised the ratings for the Bills’ season opener against the Patriots weren’t higher.

Keith Gabriel of the Philadelphia Daily News says CBS is happy to be celebrating 50 years broadcasting the NFL.

Jeff Elliot in the Florida Times-Union says the local blackout of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday does not help the network affiliates.

The Pensacola (FL) News Journal says former Tampa Bay Bucs LB Derrick Brooks is hoping his ESPN gig is short-lived.

Ted Griggs of The Advocate (LA) says Cox Sports Television has signed with ESPN Regional Television for a package of SEC games.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes that NBC plans to throw everything including the kitchen sink when it airs the Cowboys Stadium regular season debut on Sunday night.

Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman says NBC is excited to have the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

Dave Matter of the Columbia (MO) Daily Tribune writes that the University of Missouri is frustrated over the Big 12′s TV contract.

Dave talks with MU’s athletic director about the Big 12′s media rights deal.

Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News looks back at the week in blogging.

Great soccer writer Grahame L. Jones of the Los Angeles Times has six of the best soccer games you should watch this weekend.

David Wharton of the Times says UCLA basketball will be on TV 26 times this season.

Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star likes some of the personnel changes at Hockey Night in Canada.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail writes about changes in the way Nielsen measures its TV ratings.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News writes that one of my Twitter friends, Jen Franklin has received a promotion from Comcast SportsNet’s California and Bay Area channels.

Bill Fields of Golf Digest writes that Curtis Strange has signed a new three year deal to call golf for ESPN.

Noted sports business writer Evan Weiner looks at why the International Olympic Committee feels its more important and feels President Obama should attend its meetings next month rather than him concentrating on the nation’s issues.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says Sports USA Radio will be streaming its NFL pregame shows online.

The great Sports Crackle Pop blog has an interview with Buzz Bissinger regarding his new collaboration with LeBron James.

Chris Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media blog notes that CBS begins its SEC coverage today.

Ryan Lawlor of the Contentinople blog says CBS will use Adobe’s Flash platform to stream its entire SEC schedule.

The Sports Media Watch notes that Fox is on target to set another record low for its MLB telecasts.

SMW says last week’s PGA BMW Championship had increased ratings, but not impressive when you compare it to the NFL.

And SMW looks at the NFL Week 1 ratings dating back to 1999.

Joe Favorito says the Tigers remain one of the best brand stories in baseball.

That’s going to end the links for now. See you on Sunday.

Farewell to Sox & Dawgs For Now

Late last night after the Red Sox had won another game in Baltimore, Ian Bethune, head of the great Sox & Dawgs website made a rather shocking revelation on Twitter, that he was going to shut down his blog effective immediately.

Ian has been doing his site starting in 2005 and then really in earnest in 2006. He and his site partner, Steve, followed the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots and UConn sports and did a very good job in keeping up with stories, writing game previews, game recaps and providing coverage that the newspapers could not. In addition, the site also provided videos.

Sox & Dawgs got a very loyal fanbase over the years from Red Sox fans looking for the latest information.

After Patriots season last year, Steve left leaving the Pats coverage in flux, but Ian did his best to maintain the Red Sox, UConn and Celtics coverage.

When I restarted this blog in 2007, Ian began to link to my articles and through the Sox & Dawgs’ readership, Fang’s Bites got a loyal fanbase of its own.

When a blog shuts down, it leaves a hole. When the Fire Joe Morgan site ended last year, I felt sadness, but because I didn’t know sitemaster Ken Tremendous personally, I quickly got over it as there were other blogs to replace it. But in this case, I got to know Ian online through the exchange of e-mails and a few live chats he conducted. And then for Blogs with Balls in June, we finally had the opportunity to meet face-to-face and I found Ian not only passionate about his work, but one hell of a guy.

We hung out in New York getting to meet our favorite bloggers and thanks to our New England connections, find other Red Sox fans. It was a very good day.

But as I read Ian’s final statement, it leaves me with a sadness that a fellow blogger has decided to call it quits. Ian has told me the reason for his departure and suffice to say that it’s solely his decision. I respect that. I do hope that down the road, he’ll find the passion to return and he has an open invitation to write some Red Sox stories here at Fang’s Bites.

Ian’s decision has left shockwaves among Red Sox bloggers including the lovely Amanda Bruno of Batter-up with Bruno and the great Fenway West blog.

Whatever Ian decides, whether this is permanent or just a short hiatus, Fang’s Bites and his fellow Red Sox fans will be there to support him. To me, this is a short farewell, but it’s not a permanent goodbye. I certainly hope to have another opportunity to hoist beer with Ian down the line.

Some Friday Press Releases

I have some releases to post and then I will shut down for the rest of the night. No particular theme.

Starting with CBS College Sports and the programming it will carry tomorrow.

CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK FEATURES ACTION PACKED COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY

Army Broadcast to Feature Cadet as Sideline Reporter

For the second consecutive week, CBS College Sports Network’s weekend college football coverage includes a quadrupleheader of games. On Saturday, Sept. 19, action kicks off at NOON, ET as Ball State plays Army from Michie Stadium in West Point, NY. Dave Ryan teams with analyst Jason Sehorn and will be joined on the sidelines by Army cadet Kurt Bujewski, class of 2010, who will provide a Cadet’s perspective of the game.

At 3:30 PM, ET, Virginia takes on Southern Miss, from M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss. Jason Knapp and analyst Akbar Gbaja-Biamila call the action.

In primetime (7:30 PM, ET), New Mexico hosts Air Force from University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM. Tom Hart and analyst Aaron Taylor announce. The Network will also simulcast the Hawaii at UNLV game at 11:00 PM, ET, which is produced by the Mtn. – MountainWest Sports Network.

CBS College Sports Network’s SEC TAILGATE debuts on Saturday, Sept. 19 (11:00 AM-12:00 NOON), live from the University of Florida’s campus in Gainesville prior to the Tennessee-Florida matchup. This week’s show features former University of Florida quarterback Shane Matthews as a guest analyst. Veteran SEC announcer Dave Baker hosts SEC TAILGATE, and is joined by CBSSports.com’s Lauren Shehadi and CBSSports.com senior college football writer Dennis Dodd. CBS Sports’ Sam Ryan anchors coverage from New York with former Tennessee Head Coach Phillip Fulmer and Brian Jones serving as analysts.

To our very first press release sent by Versus. This is to announce a deal with NASCAR to carry a half-hour show focusing on the Top 12 drivers vying for the Sprint Cup.

VERSUS REVS UP ADDITIONAL MOTORSPORTS COVERAGE WITH MULTI-YEAR NASCAR DEAL

 

NEW YORK, N.Y. (September 18, 2009)-VERSUS today announced a multi-year deal with NASCAR to air a fast-paced, up-close HD look at the 12 drivers competing in NASCAR's 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup. The weekly, half-hour series titled Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will air on VERSUS on Tuesday nights at 11 p.m. ET, beginning September 22, and will air each week until the conclusion of the 2009 NASCAR playoff season.  



Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, an adrenaline-filled show that offers motorsports fans stunning race footage with an intimate behind-the-scenes perspective, is a milestone in HD sports programming and was honored with a Sports Emmy® Award for "Outstanding Live Event Turnaround" in 2008. VERSUS and NASCAR will also partner on additional programming opportunities which will be announced when details become available.  

 

"Just as we're about to conclude our first year of IndyCar Series coverage, we look forward to the opportunity to extend our racing season through this new partnership with NASCAR," said Marc Fein, Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and Business Operations for VERSUS. "VERSUS has become a top television destination for motorsports fans with our in-depth and all-encompassing coverage of the IndyCar Series and we are very excited to launch into a multi-year venture with NASCAR to showcase all the action and excitement surrounding their championship run." 



"We are delighted to partner with VERSUS on our Emmy-award winning Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series," said Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer of NASCAR Media Group. "With VERSUS being the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, this is one more way in which NASCAR can reach additional fans with the excitement of our playoffs, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup."

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Monday Night Football, ESPN brought together former play-by-play man and analyst Frank Gifford, current MNF voice Mike Tirico and statistician Steve Hirdt to talk about the long running sports series.

Frank Gifford, Steve Hirdt and Mike Tirico Discuss 40 Seasons of Monday Night Football

ESPN hosted a media conference call Thursday, highlighting Monday Night Football’s 40^th season in advance of this week’s Indianapolis Colts-Miami Dolphins game in Miami (8:30 p.m. ET) which will be played on Sept. 21 — the anniversary date of the first MNF game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns in 1970. The call included legendary broadcaster and Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, whose 27 years (1971-1997) in the booth make him the longest tenured commentator in MNF history; Steve Hirdt of Elias Sports bureau, the longtime research and statistics guru who has been a member of the MNF production team for the last 28 years; and Mike Tirico, one of the top play-by-play commentators in sports and the current voice of sports television’s signature series.

Select comments from the call:

Gifford on whether there was pressure the first time he stepped into the MNF booth in 1971 …

“Did we feel any pressure? Not really because there was no pressure at ABC period. There were only three networks – CBS, NBC and ABC. … CBS dominated TV at the time, followed by NBC, and ABC was just struggling. It’s something Roone Arledge really wasn’t gambling on. He talked ABC into putting it on Monday night. We were going up against ‘I Love Lucy’ and everyone kind of laughed at the fact that football would be so presumptuous to think that they could put anything on primetime television and certainly not against ‘I Love Lucy’. I think two or three years later ‘I Love Lucy’ moved from Monday night to Wednesday or Thursday because we totally dominated and nothing really has changed.”

Tirico on his MNF experience …

“I am 42 – it has spanned my entire lifetime. The chance to be around Frank and really celebrate the unbelievable television legacy of 40 years, one show, two networks, about 20 of us now in the booth all together, is such a privilege and will be a career highlight no matter how short or long the run turns out to be.”

Hirdt on the specialness of MNF …

“The meter of how many celebrities have been in the booth has gone up and down over time. … Monday night really stood for excellence. If you look back over time, Monday night was the show where so many innovations were born. … Something about the show at night made it unique from the outset. The brilliance of the nighttime pictures and the reflection of the lights against helmets always marked it as special and inspired or propelled the rest of us to bring our game up to the same level.”

Gifford on the night John Lennon’s death was announced on MNF …

“We were on the air the night that John Lennon was killed in New York. We were in Miami and I remember refusing to let Howard (Cosell) make that announcement on the air until we knew for certain that it had indeed happened. Communication not being like it is today, we just got a phone call from New York. I didn’t know whether someone was making it up because I just could not believe that it had happened. It had been just 2-3 years before that I had invited John Lennon to be in our booth in Los Angeles, never dreaming he would come, and he did come. It was an interesting night, because we also had Ronald Reagan, who I had known in the film business. … He was standing there with John Lennon behind the broadcast team and he was trying to explain football to John Lennon. Howard was scheduled to interview governor Reagan at halftime and he turned around and immediately saw that John Lennon was also there. He said, ‘Gifford, you take the governor and I’ll take the Beatle.’”

Hirdt on a memorable MNF moment involving the Miami Dolphins …

“The biggest was between the Bears and Dolphins in 1985 when the Bears had gone unbeaten, coming into Miami and Don Shula had several of his old players who were members of the ’72 Dolphins along the sidelines to urge his current team on, and his current team responded — beat the Bears that night and it was the only loss Chicago had all year.”

Note: throughout MNF’s 40^th season, ESPN is highlighting memorable moments in MNF history with weekly vignettes voiced by and featuring Frank Gifford. Monday’s vignette highlights this legendary game between the Bears and Dolphins from December 2, 1985, which remains the highest-rated game in MNF history (29.6 rating/46 share).

Gifford on the infamous one-finger salute from a MNF game in Houston …

“The one-finger salute, when you have 25-30 million people watching and Howard was pontificating on what a dull game this was. Our director, Chet Forte, was looking to be creative and found somebody sleeping in the stands in the corner of the end zone. Just as we pulled an extreme close up and just as Howard was describing how dull this game really was, this little Houston Oiler fan woke up, saw the lens of the camera from across the field with the little red light and he immediately gave us a we’re No. 1 signal. At least that’s what Don told Howard, ‘How about that Howard, they still think they’re No. 1.’ That was very memorable.”

Tirico on balancing sports and entertainment on MNF …

“If you go back to some of the things Frank spoke of with John Lennon and Ronald Reagan among the many stars that would be in the Monday night booth, to start with, MNF was special and then the pop culture cross-over to it over the 1970’s and 80’s added to that. Over time the series became more about football and less about celebrity, although there were still celebrities that would come by the booth on a pretty regular basis. I think that now we’ve jumped to this 500-channel universe, and there’s so much of that elsewhere, that more and more people want their football in their football and they have 40 other channels if they want to go find the other pop culture and entertainment stuff. I think our initial effort (on ESPN) was to tap into the legacy of Monday night. The reality over time is that people will find those things elsewhere.”

Gifford on whether he’s contemplated being an analyst again for even one night…

“Probably, but not sure I could stay up that late. Not really, nobody has asked me. I have multiple things I do now. … It might be fun to get involved in some ways. I was really intrigued the other day in New England to see what ESPN was doing and how they were doing it. It certainly is intriguing for me when I think back to almost the caveman methods we had at the time, certainly at the beginning. It’s really amazing what you can do to a telecast.”

Gifford on watching MNF now …

“I do marvel at it, because I know the technology that is available to a producer and director and consequently the announcers, and what I really marvel at is how ESPN restrains the use of too much of it. Because I think you can really clutter up a telecast with too much of it. A really good crisp telecast is one that covers the action on the field, the interaction with coaches on sidelines, showing the crowd and how they are reacting to the game and capturing the entire feel of the game without going crazy with all the little toys you have to work with.”

Tirico on the evolution of MNF …

“The times have changed. That quaint world we grew up in or may have cut our teeth in has evolved just like everything else. It’s all a matter of adjustment and being good gatekeepers to what really matters. What will people remember at home on a nightly basis? They don’t care about the choices or the tape machines or how quick you can turn around a highlight. You just have to give them, whether its words, or more importantly the right picture with the right moment, and giving them something to remember.”

Monday Night Football Fun Facts:

First game: Sept. 21, 1970 — Cleveland Browns def. New York Jets, 31-21

Commentators: Howard Cosell, Keith Jackson and Don Meredith

Producer: Roone Arledge

Director: Chet Forte

Total games: 611 regular-season games (on 604 Mondays). Now in its 40^th season, MNF is the 2nd-longest-running primetime show on American television (CBS’ 60 Minutes — 41 years)

Longest MNF commentator tenure: Frank Gifford, 27 seasons (1971-97)

(Steve Hirdt of Elias Sports Bureau has been part of MNF production team for 28 seasons, 1982-present)

Broadcast TV listings for the night MNF made its debut on September 21, 1970:

PM 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30

ABC The Young Lawyers The Silent Force NFL Monday Night Football

CBS Gunsmoke Here’s Lucy Mayberry R.F.D. The Doris Day Show The Carol Burnett Show

NBC The Red Skelton Show Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In NBC Monday Night at the Movies

And HBO sent this short blurb about what we’ll see Tuesday night on the second edition of Joe Buck Live and there’s no mention of Artie Lange.

New segments have been confirmed for the next quarterly edition of HBO Sports’ JOE BUCK LIVE, which debuts TUESDAY, SEPT. 22 (10:00-11:00 p.m. live ET/tape-delayed PT), exclusively on HBO. In addition to a previously announced live gathering featuring three of the NFL’s all-time great quarterbacks – Dan Marino (Dolphins), John Elway (Broncos) and Joe Namath (Jets) – Buck will host a roundtable discussion with newsmakers Jerry Jones (owner of the Dallas Cowboys) and Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks). Buck will also go one-on-one with former baseball star Curt Schilling, who is among the most opinionated observers on the sports scene.

And we’re done. Links back tomorrow morning.

Doing the Friday Megalinks

Ok. After hardly doing links this week, it’s time to make up for it today. And I hope to finish this during the day. Let’s get to it.

First, the Weekend Viewing Picks.

College Football has good matchups this weekend including USC at Washington on ABC, Michiga State at Notre Dame on NBC, and Texas Tech at Texas in primetime on ABC. ESPN College Gameday is in Austin, TX to preview the Aggies-Longhorns game. The College Football Viewing Picks in full are right here.

To the NFL where we have some intriguing games in Week 2. CBS has the doubleheader this week and a good early game with the Patriots at the Jets especially in the wake of coach Rex Ryan’s trash talking. The showcase late game for CBS will be Pittsburgh at Chicago. For Fox, it’s regional coverage and New Orleans at the Eagles will be called by Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver. On Sunday night, it’s the regular season debut of the new Cowboys Stadium on NBC with the Giants and the Cowboys facing off. The entire Sunday schedule along with announcer assignments, DirecTV channels, satellite radio channels and anything else I wanted to add are in the NFL Viewing Picks.

For baseball, Cubs-Cards and Angels-Rangers will be featured on the national networks this weekend. You can see what’s being covered in Baseball Viewing This Weekend.

Other programming notes of interest include Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Miguel Marquez on HBO pay per view called by Jim Lampley, Emanuel Steward and boxing charlatan Max Kellerman and UFC 103 on pay per view.

NASCAR is in New Hampshire for the Sprint Cup Series on ABC at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Weekend Viewing Picks in full not only have your sports picks, but primetime viewing as well.

Let’s get to your links.

National

Michael Hiestand of USA Today writes about Fox Sports unveiling new programming online and from what I hear, some nudity in the weekly “Cubed” series.

Sports Business Daily looks into the beginning of Fox Sports’ online initiative and the nudity on “Cubed”.

Brian Helfrich of SBD writes about Fox Sports not only cutting out the nudity in “Cubed” but also cutting down the web show from 16 minutes to under 2.

Eric Fisher in Sports Business Daily writes that the NFL has brought increased traffic to various sports news websites.

Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated reviews the Week 1 performances of several new NFL TV analysts.

The Nielsen ratings Wire blog says the early returns show ratings success for both college and pro football.

Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says ESPN, Fox and NBC all saw ratings jumps for their first offerings of the NFL regular season.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell notes that the Cubs are feeling the effects of the recession.

Darren looks at how MillerCoors is getting notice for its brand at the new Cowboys Stadium.

Nick Saint of the Silicon Valley Insider notes that CBS Sports will stream its entire 15 game SEC football schedule online.

Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo’s Puck Daddy blog reports that DirecTV and Versus are talking to bring the sports channel back, but it appears it won’t be in time for the NHL season openers.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News also writes about the DirecTV/Versus negotiations.

R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel says Spike is seeing excellent ratings for “The Ultimate Fighter” season premiere.

Michael Malone of Broadcasting & Cable says Bright House Sports will be picking up a slate of SEC games thanks to a new deal with ESPN Regional Television.

Ben Grossman of B&C writes that CBS is back in the Mixed Martial Arts business signing a deal to air Strikeforce bouts starting in November.

Steve Schwankert of the Hollywood Reporter notes that the NFL is expanding its broadcasts into Communist China and in democratic Taiwan.

Diego Vasquez of Media Life Magazine writes about a successful opening to the NFL season on the league’s TV partners.

Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media notes that ESPN is already releasing the opener to next year’s college football season.

Chris has the video of former Detroit Tigers voice Ernie Harwell saying thanks to his fans. Ernie was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and there has been a huge outpouring of support from all over baseball for Ernie.

The Big Lead talks with ESPN.com college football reporter Joe Schad.

The Sports Media Watch looks at the ratings of the recently completed US Open.

SMW tells us that of the NFL TV partners, only CBS saw a decrease in ratings for Week 1.

Here’s the first edition of a podcast I did with Sports Media Journal’s Keith Thibeault.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe writes about some of the latest developments in new media in Boston.

Amanda Bruno of the Batter-up with Bruno blog notes that the Boston Globe has made a new hire to cover the Red Sox.

Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette talks with Ron Jaworski of ESPN’s Monday Night Football about the Patriots’ performance against the Bills.

Newsday’s Neil Best writes that YES is not producing a postgame for the entire Yankees schedule.

Neil writes a feature on Newsday’s owner, Cablevision, increasing its commitment to high school sports.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News writes that CBS’ Phil Simms seems to be the only one not jumping on the Jets’ bandwagon.

Phil Mushnick in the New York Post rips the NFL replay rule.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union talks with ESPN Radio’s Freddie Coleman who got his sports radio start in New York’s Capital Region.

Pete also has five questions with Freddie.

In Press Box, Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com talks with WNST’s Nestor “Nasty” Apricio.

South

To the Miami Herald, Barry Jackson says the Dolphins are excited about having their home opener on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.

Gary Smits in the Florida Times-Union says the DirecTV/Versus dispute is preventing Florida State fans from seeing Saturday’s game against BYU.

Jeff Caplan in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes that NBC will be ready to cover the punts and the now-infamous video board at the new Cowboys Stadium.

Ray Buck of the Star-Telegram says NBC will showcase the new stadium this weekend.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News says Michael Irvin will be all over the place on Sunday and Monday.

Barry writes that a local sports radio station will talk with former President George W. Bush next week.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says College Gameday is back in Texas on Saturday.

In his blog, David looks at the football segments on local radio this weekend.

Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman says a Fox Sports Net college football analyst can feel Oklahoma University QB Sam Bradford’s pain.

Midwest

Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press feels there are too many retired NFL players on his television.

Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that you won’t be seeing the Packers on HBO’s Hard Knocks.

Bob Wolfley in the Journal Sentinel says Milwaukee viewers will see up to 8 Minnesota Vikings games with former Packer Brett Favre this season.

Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business has his winners and losers.

In the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin, Paul Christian writes about the return of MMA to CBS.

Paul says a popular Twin Cities sports radio show makes a local appearance this weekend.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Joe Buck’s second HBO show has been retooled.

Dan writes that the ratings for the Rams’ season opener were up from last year.

Tom Timmerman of the Post-Dispatch reports that the Big 12 Conference is looking to expand its TV footprint similar to what the SEC did this year.

West

Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) News feels ESPN’s Bob Griese is a BCS lackey.

Jay Posner in the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the US Open fireworks helped to prepare CBS’ Dick Enberg for the new NFL season.

Jay says Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton returns to the local airwaves in October.

John Maffei of the North County Times pays tribute to a colleague who recently passed away.

Jim Carlisle in the Ventura County Star writes that football brings in the ratings.

Jim says the new Cowboys Stadium gets a real public Open House this Sunday.

Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times says fans are truly ready for some football.

Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News says don’t count out newspapers yet.

As usual, Tom has his extensive media notes in his blog.

And that’s going to conclude this edition of the megalinks.

Weekend Viewing Picks

Saturday, September 19

Boxing
Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez – HBO Pay Per View, 9 p.m.

College Football Viewing Picks

English Premier League
Sunderland vs. Burnley – ESPN2, 7:30 a.m.
Arsenal vs. Wigan – Setanta Sports, 9:30 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Portsmouth – Fox Soccer Channel, 10 a.m.
West Ham vs. Liverpool – Fox Soccer Channel, 12:30 p.m.
Bolton vs. Stoke City – Fox Soccer Channel, 5:30 p.m. (same day coverage)
Hull vs. Birmingham – Setanta Sports, 6:45 p.m. (same day coverage.

Golf
LPGA Tour/Samsung World Championship, 3rd round – NBC, 1:30 p.m.

Mixed Martial Arts
UFC 103 – Spike, 9 p.m./Pay per view, 10 p.m.

MLB

American League
Detroit at Minnesota – Fox, 4 p.m.
Red Sox at Baltimore – MLB Network/NESN/MASN, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Texas – MLB Network/KCOP/KDFI, 7 p.m.
Kansas City at Chicago White Sox – WGN America, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay – Rogers Sportsnet/Fox Sports Florida, 7 p.m.
New York Yankees at Seattle – YES/FSN Northwest, 10 p.m.

National League
Washington at New York Mets – MASN/WPIX, 1 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis – Fox, 4 p.m.
San Francisco at Los Angeles Dodgers – Fox, 4 p.m.
Florida at Cincinnati – Fox Sports Florida, 7 p.m.
Houston at Milwaukee – Fox Sports Houston/WMLW, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Atlanta – WPHL/Peachtree TV, 7 p.m.
Colorado at Arizona – FSN Rocky Mountain, 8 p.m.

MLB Tonight: Roundtripper Final – MLB Network, 10 p.m.

Entertainment
5 Ingredient Fix: Skinny Jeans Supper – Food Network, 12:30 p.m.
Giada at Home: More for Less – Food Network, 1 p.m.
Cops – Fox, 8 p.m.
Secrets of the Mangroves – National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back – Fox, 9 p.m.
Robin Hood – BBC America, 9 p.m.
48 Hours Mystery – CBS, 10 p.m.

Sunday, September 20

English Premier League
Manchester United vs. Manchester City – Setanta Sports, 8:25 a.m.
Chelsea vs. Tottenham – Fox Soccer Channel, 11 a.m.
Everton vs. Blackburn – Fox Soccer Channel, 7 p.m. (same day coverage)

Golf
LPGA Tour/Samsung World Championship, final round – NBC, 4 p.m.

MLB

American League
Anaheim Angels at Texas – TBS/Fox Sports West/Fox Sports West, 1 p.m.
Red Sox at Baltimore – NESN/MASN, 1:30 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay – Rogers Preview/Fox Sports Florida, 1:30 p.m.
Detroit at Minnesota – Fox Sports Detroit/WFTC, 2 p.m.
Kansas City at Chicago White Sox – Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 2 p.m.
Cleveland at Oakland – STO/Comcast SportsNet California, 4 p.m.
New York Yankees at Seattle – YES/FSN Northwest, 10 p.m.

National League
Florida at Cincinnati – Sun Sports, 1 p.m.
Washington at New York Mets – WDCW/WPIX, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at Atlanta – WPHL/Fox Sports South, 1:30 p.m.
San Diego at Pittsburgh – Cox 4, 1:30 p.m.
Houston at Milwaukee – Fox Sports Houston/Fox Sports Wisconsin, 2 p.m.
Colorado at Arizona – FSN Rocky Mountain/Fox Sports Arizona, 4 p.m.
San Francisco at Los Angeles Dodgers – Comcast SportsNet Bay Area/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 4 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis – ESPN, 8 p.m.

Baseball Tonight – ESPN, 6 p.m.
Quick Pitch – MLB Network, 7 p.m.

NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series/Sylvania 500 – ABC, 2 p.m.

NFL Viewing Picks

Entertainment
60 Minutes – CBS, 7 p.m.
Primetime Emmy Awards – CBS, 8 p.m.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (season premiere) – HBO, 9 p.m.
Race To Bury Tut – National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Mad Men – AMC, 10 p.m.
Egypt Unwrapped – National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
Entourage – HBO, 10:30 p.m.

College Football Viewing Picks for 09/19/09, All Times Eastern

Schedule courtesy of Matt’s College Sports on TV

College Gameday, live from Austin, TX – ESPN, 10 a.m.

noon

Big Ten Network Gamefinder
Eastern Michigan at Michigan – Big Ten Network
Northern Illinois at Purdue – Big Ten Network
Temple at Penn State – Big Ten Network
Wofford at Wisconsin – Big Ten Network

Ball State at Army – CBS College Sports

Cal at Minnesota – ESPN
East Carolina at North Carolina – ESPN2
Louisville at Kentucky – ESPNU

Boston College at Clemson – Raycom

North Texas at Alabama – SEC Network (12:21 p.m. kickoff)

Duke at Kansas – Versus

3 p.m.
College Football Countdown – ABC
College Football Today – CBS

3:30 p.m.
ABC Coverage Map
ESPN2 Coverage Map
Arizona at Iowa – ABC/ESPN2
Nebraska at Virginia Tech – ABC/ESPN2
USC at Washington – ABC

Tennessee at Florida – CBS
Virginia at Southern Mississippi – CBS College Sports

Utah at Oregon – ESPN
Indiana at Akron – ESPNU

Tulsa at Oklahoma – FSN

Michigan State at Notre Dame – NBC

5 p.m.
Florida International at Rutgers – Big East Network

6:45 p.m.
Cincinnati at Oregon State – FSN

7 p.m.
College Football Scoreboard – ESPN
Louisiana-Lafayette at LSU – ESPNU

Mississippi State at Vanderbilt – Fox Sports South/Fox Sports Southwest/SportSouth/Sun Sports

Florida State at BYU – Versus

7:30 p.m.
Air Force at New Mexico – CBS College Sports

Southeast Louisiana at Ole Miss – Comcast SportsSouth

7:45 p.m.
Georgia at Arkansas – ESPN
West Virginia at Auburn – ESPN2

8 p.m.
Texas Tech at Texas – ABC

10:15 p.m.
Kansas State at UCLA – FSN

11 p.m.
Hawai’i at UNLV – the mtn./CBS College Sports

NFL Viewing Picks for Week 2, 09/20/09

NFL Gameday Morning – NFL Network, 9 a.m.
The NFL Today – CBS, noon

1 p.m.
CBS Coverage Map
Cincinnati at Green Bay – Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
Houston at Tennessee – Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker
New England at New York Jets – Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
Oakland at Kansas City – Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots

Fox Coverage Map
Arizona at Jacksonville – Chris Myers/Trent Green
Carolina at Atlanta – Dick Stockton/Charles Davis
Minnesota at Detroit – Ron Pitts/John Lynch
New Orleans at Philadelphia – Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
St. Louis at Washington – Sam Rosen/Tim Ryan

4:05 p.m.
Fox Coverage Map
Seattle at San Francisco – Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick
Tampa Bay at Buffalo – Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa

4:15 p.m.
CBS Coverage Map
Baltimore at San Diego – Dick Enberg/Dan Fouts
Cleveland at Denver – Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein
Pittsburgh at Chicago – Jim Nantz/Phil Simms

7 p.m.
Football Night in America – NBC

8:15 p.m.
New York Giants at Dallas – NBC/Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth/Andrea Kremer

11:30 p.m.
NFL Gameday Final – NFL Network

DirecTV Channel Assignments
Sirius Channel Assignments
XM Channel Assignments

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Football
Boise State at Frenso State – ESPN, 9 p.m.

Golf
LPGA Tour/Samsung World Championship, 2nd round – Golf Channel, 8:30 p.m. (same day coverage)

Indy Car
Indy Japan 300 – Versus, 10:30 p.m.

MLB

American League
Red Sox at Baltimore – NESN/MASN, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay – Rogers Sportsnet/Sun Sports, 7:30 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Texas – Fox Sports West/Fox Sports Southwest, 8 a.m.
Detroit at Minnesota – Fox Sports Detroit/Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.
Kansas City at Chicago White Sox – Fox Sports Kansas City/WCIU, 8 p.m.
Cleveland at Oakland – STO/Comcast SportsNet California, 10 p.m.
New York Yankees at Seattle – YES/FSN Northwest, 10 p.m.

National League
Florida at Cincinnati – Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports Ohio, 7 p.m.
San Diego at Pittsburgh – Cox 4/FSN Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Washington at New York Mets – MASN2/SNY, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Atlanta – WPHL/Peachtree TV, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis – Comcast SportsNet Chicago/Fox Sports Midwest, 8 p.m.
Houston at Milwaukee – Fox Sports Houston/Fox Sports Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Colorado at Arizona – FSN Rocky Mountain/Fox Sports Arizona, 9:30 p.m.
San Francisco at Los Angeles Dodgers – KNTV/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 10 p.m.

MLB Tonight: 1st to 3rd – MLB Network, 8 p.m.
MLB Special: Faces of RBI 2009 – ESPN2, 9 p.m.
MLB Tonight: Roundtripper Final – MLB Network, 10 p.m.

Entertainment
Dateline NBC – NBC, 8 p.m.
2009 ALMA Awards – ABC, 8 p.m.
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross – BBC America, 9 p.m.
Monk – USA, 9 p.m.
Psych – USA, 10 p.m.
20/20 – ABC, 10 p.m.
Chefs vs. City: New Orleans – Food Network, 10 p.m.
24/7 Mayweather/Marquez (series finale) – HBO, 10 p.m.
Lingerie – Cinemax, midnight

Another NFL-Centric Press Release Post

Well, I keep clearing the press releases from the Fang’s Bites inbox. This will be the last one before I do the Friday features so thanks for indulging me this week as I’ve been rather busy at work this week.

CBS previews Week 2 action with analysts Phil Simms and Dan Dierdorf.

THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 2 (SUNDAY, SEPT. 20) AUDIBLES WITH “NFL ON CBS” LEAD ANALYST PHIL SIMMS AND DAN DIERDORF

The CBS Television Network, home of Super Bowl XLIV, continues its Golden Anniversary 50^th year broadcasting the NFL with THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Sept. 20 (1:00-7:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY, the Network’s one-hour studio show (12:00 NOON-1:00 PM, ET), live from THE NFL TODAY studio in New York City.

THE NFL ON CBS lead announce team of Jim Nantz, who this year is marking his 25^th with CBS Sports, and Phil Simms call the action from the Pittsburgh Steelers-Chicago Bears game live from Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. Lance Barrow is the coordinating producer and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.

Throughout the 2009 season, THE NFL ON CBS will broadcast all of its games each week in HDTV, the highest definition television format – 1080i lines of picture resolution – along with 5.1 digital audio.

Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports, and serves as executive producer of CBS Sports’ coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

* * * * *

PHIL SIMMS

(On Pittsburgh-Chicago): There are a couple of things to look for in this game. For the Chicago Bears, can they protect Jay Cutler on the edges? The Pittsburgh Steelers have good edge rushers, linebackers, quick and strong. Can Chicago handle them, and really, vise versa? There have been question marks about the Pittsburgh offensive line. They are going up against an athletic and active Bears’ defensive line. And of course a lot has been said about Rod Marinelli, who is now the defensive line coach in Chicago, is a tremendous coach. After preseason and one game, you can see he’s made a difference in the Chicago pass rush.

(On Jay Cutler): Jay Cutler seemed to concern a lot of people. I wouldn’t be that concerned. He does take some chances. When you gamble, every now and then, you’re going to lose. But he makes a lot of big plays. My opinion of him has not changed one bit after one game. There’s an adjustment period that’s going to have to happen. The coaches will have to adjust more to him and he’s got to remember he doesn’t have the same group of people around him that he did in Denver. He has to kind of mentally make those adjustments. So it will be interesting to see what happens.

(On Brian Urlacher out): I don’t think it’s devastating for the Chicago Bears defense. However, what a lot of people don’t realize is that they will miss him in pass coverage because he’s so tall, has long arms and just seems to be around the football deflecting and intersecting passes.

(On Steelers): The thing about the Pittsburgh Steelers is the defense and the quarterback travel well. We saw it last year with Ben Roethlisberger. Even on the road, last drive of the game, he still can get it done. So those are two things the Steelers always have. A lot of times teams can’t travel certain parts of their game. The Steelers can. Their defense has not slacked off. Ben Roethlisberger is just going to be better this year than he was last year because of confidence and he’s mentally going to be better. And he’s going to look a lot better physically because of that.

DAN DIERDORF

(On New England QB Tom Brady): It’s not business as usual for Tom Brady because anytime you are coming back from an injury, it takes time. It is nothing new, unexpected or eyebrow-raising that Tom didn’t automatically look like he did in 2007 when he threw 50 touchdowns. You can’t take a year off and have major knee reconstruction and not have some rust early on. But what they didn’t operate on was his competitive spirit. That does not need any rehab. When the game is on the line, he is what he is. I think everybody around the NFL, with the exception of the Buffalo Bills and the other teams in the AFC East, were thrilled to see Tom Brady come back and do what he did on Monday night

(On Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez): The only problem with Mark Sanchez is with that performance in Week 1, he has really raised the bar. People are going to have to remember that he is a rookie and has played one game in the National Football League. Now the one game that he has played was flat-out outstanding. Certainly the reasons for optimism in New York are limitless based on how good he looked. But he’s got big shoes to fill and they are the shoes that Mark Sanchez left after Week 1. There’s a lot to like about this kid. If I was a Jets season ticket holder, I’d have a major reason to be fired up.

(On New England’s Defense): One thing is for sure, Mark Sanchez will spend the whole week being shown things by the Jets coaches about what to expect from New England and will see something defensively he has never seen before. That is Bill Belichick’s MO. He will try to get under Sanchez’s skin and into his head early, and make him uncomfortable. Having said that, this is not the same Patriots defense that won three Super Bowls. Lots of people are gone; Vrabel, Bruschi, Seymour, Harrison – there are a lot of talented people that are no longer playing in New England.

(On Jets’ defense): If you’re a defensive player, playing for a guy like Rex Ryan is a dream come true. It’s frustrating to play on a ‘read and react’ defense. Rex Ryan turns guys loose just like his father (Buddy) did. Knocking down the quarterback is almost a religious experience for them. You get a lot of latitude, a lot of freedom when you play defense for Rex Ryan. You have to play hard, but you’re going to get your shots.

(On New England-Jets): For the second week of the season, this game is too good to be true. To have this kind of emotional game this early in the season, this is more of what happens in December not in September.

This is what ESPN has in store for its NFL studio shows over the weekend.

ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown will preview the day’s matchups Sunday at 11 a.m. ET with Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson. ESPN Senior analyst Chris Mortensen and NFL insider Adam Schefter will provide headlines and league news.

The program will include reports from Rachel Nichols covering the New England Patriots at New York Jets, Sal Paolantonio at the Saints – Eagles game, and Michael Smith in Chicago for the Steelers at Bears. Other highlights:

Mark Sanchez: New York Quarterback Pressure: Past Jets quarterbacks Joe Namath, Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien and Chad Pennington offer advice to rookie Mark Sanchez on the pressures of being a quarterback in New York, reports Jeremy Schaap.

Drew Brees’ Pre-Game Chant: Quarterback Drew Brees’ passionate pre-game chant – “This Is New Orleans” – puts him alongside vocal pre-game leaders the likes of Ray Lewis and Brian Dawkins. Ed Werder reports the pre-game routine and its effect on his teammates.

Adrian Peterson: Film Session: Countdown takes viewers inside the ‘film room’ to detail the secrets behind Adrian Peterson’s success.

“Mayne Event”: NFL Twitter Revolution: While NFL players have embraced social networking sites like Twitter as new ways to reach their fans, the NFL social media policy includes no Tweeting 90 minutes before kickoff until post-game media interviews are complete. Kenny Mayne snoops around to find out how NFL Tweeters are trying to beat the system in this week’s Mayne Event.

Virtual Playbook: Cowboys Tight Ends vs. Giants Pass Rush: Tom Jackson breaks down how the departure of Terrell Owens forced the Cowboys into adjustments on the offense, using two tight-end – Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett – formations for more flexibility in their passing game. He also explains how this formation will work against the vaunted Giants’ pass rush.

Soundtracks – Best of Tom Coughlin: The best sideline audio from the Giants fiery head coach Tom Coughlin will be featured on “Soundtracks.”

Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em with Matthew Berry and Merril Hoge: ESPN’s fantasy football guru Matthew Berry and NFL analyst Merril Hoge debate which players to start or sit this weekend.

Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson and Johnson will pick the biggest games of the day and tell fans which players will make the biggest impact in NFL’s Week 2 action. The list of game picks will be posted on www.espn.com/sundaycountdown after the show.

MNF’s Jon Gruden to Interview Peyton Manning SportsCenter “Sunday Conversation”

For seven seasons in Indianapolis, Peyton Manning and former head coach Tony Dungy combined to lead the Colts to five straight 1^st place finishes in the AFC South and a Super Bowl victory in January 2007. On the heel of his first Monday Night Football without Dungy in seven years, the Colts’ signal caller sits down with Gruden for an extensive interview to be featured on SportsCenter “Sunday Conversation” at 11 p.m. and Monday Night Countdown (7 p.m.).

MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 7 P.M. ON ESPN

Monday Night Countdown with Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson, Johnson, Mortensen and Schefter (in Bristol) and Stuart Scott, Matt Millen and Steve Young (at the MNF game in Miami) will review Sunday’s games and preview Monday Night Football. The 90-minute, pre-game show will lead into the kickoff of the Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins (8:30 p.m.) game, featuring Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski. Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will make a special appearance on the set at Dolphins Stadium.

Reporters Michele Tafoya (Colts) and Suzy Kolber (Dolphins) will cover the teams. Other highlights:

Peyton Manning Soundtracks: The best compilation of Peyton Manning’s in-game audio over the past decade will be featured on “Soundtracks.”

“Unmasked” – Joey Porter: Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter takes off the helmet to reveal what drives him to be among the best in the league.

Virtual Playbook – Manning to Wayne: Jackson takes viewers on the field to show why Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and wide receiver Reggie Wayne are one of the most dangerous passing combinations in the NFL.

WEEKLY MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN SEGMENTS

TEAMS AT 20 – Every 20 minutes reporters Tafoya and Kolber will update news from the teams in their preparations for the game, beginning with NFL Live at 3:30 p.m.

FIELD PASS – Countdown offers an all-access look at pre-game preparations as the players get ready for kickoff. Analysts will also breakdown the important storylines and key players before the game.

C’MON MAN – Countdown personalities share their head-scratching plays from Week 2.

In addition, Monday Night Football’s Tirico, Jaworski and Gruden will preview the night’s match-up, with Mortensen and Schefter covering breaking news from around the league, and the Countdown analysts offering their “Lead Pipe Lock” predictions for the game.

NFL MATCHUP, SUNDAY 3 A.M. AND 7:30 A.M. ON ESPN

NFL Matchup with host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski will preview the weekend’s games by bringing viewers inside the film room for the Xs and Os analysis of the matchups. The 30-minute program – taped each week at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey – highlights team strategy and game planning. This week’s features:

Patriots @ Jets – Hoge shows a play from last Sunday where the Jets were able to free up three defenders en-route to the quarterback and contends such plays will be key against the Patriots Sunday.

Giants @ Cowboys – Jaworski goes ‘beyond the film room’ onto the field with Tony Romo to reveal how the Cowboys delivered big plays through the air last Sunday vs. Tampa Bay.

Ravens @ Chargers – Jaworski opens his ‘Playbook’ and displays how Baltimore successfully created and exploited mismatches in what was a much improved passing game Sunday.

Steelers @ Bears – Hoge spotlights how great route running combined with Ben Roethlisberger’s pump-faking make the Steelers offense consistently dangerous.

Saints @ Eagles – Jaworski on how the Eagles defense can take advantage of a vulnerable Saints offensive line from the left tackle position.

Colts @ Dolphins – Jaworski, contending that the Colts offense is better at setting up defenses than any team in the league, unveils how quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts manufacture big plays in the passing game.

Vikings @ Lions – Hoge pulls out his ‘Coaches Clicker’ to illustrate how a small crevice for Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is like a gaping hole for any other back in the league.

Here are highlights of a conference call that NBC conducted with the Sunday Night Football crew regarding the New York Football Giants-Dallas Cowboys matchup at the new Jerry Jones Palace.

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" HEADS TO BIG D FOR COWBOYS -GIANTS AND OPENING OF THE NEW DALLAS COWBOYS STADIUM

"Not only an important matchup in the division, but obviously it's an event."  - Costas

"This is an amazing blend of exciting events." - Collinsworth

New Stadium Officially Unveiled on "Sunday Night Football"

NEW YORK -- Sept. 17, 2009 -- The Dallas Cowboys will officially unveil their new $1.2 billion stadium Sunday night on "Sunday Night Football" as the Cowboys host their division rival New York Giants. "Football Night in America" begins at 7 p.m. ET with Bob Costas hosting live from inside the stadium. Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst) and Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) call the action from Arlington, Texas.

Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann will co-host "Football Night" from NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios joined by Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison and Sports Illustrated's Peter King. Tiki Barber will report from the Steelers-Bears game at Soldier Field.

NBC Sports conducted a media conference call today with Costas, Michaels, Collinsworth and SNF producer Fred Gaudelli to preview the SNF matchup and the new stadium. Highlights of the call are below:

COSTAS ON THE BIG EVENT FEEL: "The idea of being at the scene of the game automatically captures the atmosphere and the sense of anticipation. Coming off Packers-Bears we now go to Dallas for what's not only an important matchup in the division, but obviously it's an event because of the opening of the first regular season game in the new stadium. We're two for two in terms of an event feel to it."

MICHAELS ON DOING THE FIRST GAME AT THE NEW STADIUM: "When the schedule came out I was very excited to not only know that we were going to do the first regular season game there, but it would be the New York Giants. I was hoping it would be the Giants or the Redskins or a team that is one of the noted rivals of the Cowboys so this is perfect. I spoke to Jerry Jones about this as long ago as five or six years. His dream was that if he was ever able to get something like this built in the Metroplex it was going to be the best of the best and he's been able to affect that even through obviously very rough economic times. He hasn't cut any corners from what I can gather and it's a spectacular venue."

COLLINSWORTH ON SPECIAL FEEL OF THE NIGHT: "This is an amazing blend of exciting events. You could buy a plane ticket down just for the opening of the stadium if you wanted to and feel like you got your money's worth or you could go down and watch this football game and really feel like you got your money's worth."

COSTAS ON HIS LAST FOOTBALL BROADCAST IN DALLAS: "NBC was the AFC network and we just never happened to have a game in Dallas, or if we did it would have been the biggest game and Dick Enberg would have been assigned to that game, or some other broadcaster at that point than me. So I think, as I recall it, the last time I was in Dallas to cover a football game was for CBS, before NBC hired me, for CBS around 1978, and it was a preseason game. I recall that Frank Gleiber was doing the game, and Verne Lundquist I think was also there for Cowboys radio, may have been pre Brad Sham. I was about 25 or 26 years old and I think that's the last time I did a live football game from Dallas."

GAUDELLI ON COVERING PUNTS: "We will cover our punts differently in this game than we do in a normal game. In a regular game, we're not tracking the ball on a punt, we're actually just moving down the field to show the coverage go after the returner, but we're going to start initially tracking the ball live because obviously people are going to be wondering about that right away."

GAUDELLI ON BALANCING THE GAME AND STADIUM:  "Obviously the game always takes precedent over everything that we're doing. We've found a way through the years, whether it is the city we're in, or the circumstances of the stadium, to work that into the game, complementing the game, not at the expense of the game. We've added a couple of cameras, one will be outside just to show this enormous expanse, one will be inside to take you to different places inside the stadium that make this place unique. It will be woven in naturally and not at the expense of what's happening on the field."

MICHAELS ON THE MATCHUP: "It doesn't matter when you have the Giants and the Cowboys or where you have the Giants and the Cowboys it's going to be a treat. You've got two major stories here one being the opening of the stadium and the other being the Giants and the Cowboys and what still figures to be the NFL's toughest division. I'm looking forward to what should be a pretty perfect night and what should be a hell of a game."

COLLINSWORTH ON TONY ROMO: "He's in a tough spot. There have been so many great quarterbacks with the Dallas Cowboys over the years; legendary figures there with Troy (Aikman) and (Roger) Staubach. Tony Romo really impressed me (in last week's game) with his ability to move in the pocket. His reads were dead on, he threw the ball great, and his pump fake in the flat that ended up with the big play down the field to Crayton for the touchdown was sort of Roethlisberger-like when we saw him on Thursday night. It's a tough standard in Dallas because of those guys that came before him, but honest to goodness I think this guy is, if he's not top 5, he's certainly top 7 or so and getting better, so I'm a big Romo guy."

COLLINSWORTH ON COWBOYS: "The Cowboys offensively exploded with out "TO" last week. Some great performances by the wide receivers like Crayton, Austin Miles and Roy Williams. They did not have a great game defensively, but good enough."

COLLINSWORTH ON GIANTS: "The Giants defensively as advertised with Umenyiora's return were just great. Offensively the New York Giants look like their ready to go. Brandon Jacobs will be going in there and slamming into the Cowboys front that gave up some yards against Tampa Bay. A lot of storylines to follow from the football stand point, but its exciting for me to get a chance just to be there."

COLLINSWORTH ON GIANTS DEFENSIVE LINE:  "This defensive line is pretty dynamic. When they put those five down lineman in there with Bernard and Canty, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka and Tuck it's a little intimidating. When you look across there, you go 'Oh my goodness, here they come' because it looks like the beginning of the 100m in Beijing."

GIANTS VS. COWBOYS: This is the 94th game in this rivalry that dates back to 1960 with the Cowboys holding a 55-37-2 overall edge in the matchup including a 20-8 victory on SNF in Week 15 last season, which stands as the most watched game in SNF history (23.1 million viewers).  Amazingly, these two teams have only met once in the post-season and that came in the 2007 NFC Divisional round with the Giants winning 21-17 in Dallas on their way to a Super Bowl championship.

GIANTS-COWBOYS IN PRIMETIME: Both the Giants and Cowboys are scheduled to appear three times this season on "Sunday Night Football."  The Giants will host the NFC Champion Cardinals in Week 7 and the Eagles in Week 14 while the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in Week 9 and are on the road in Washington to take on the Redskins in Week 16. The Cowboys are 8-2 overall on "Sunday Night Football," and their 11 appearances are the most for any team on SNF.  The Giants have a 3-5 all-time record on the NFL's premier primetime package.

And New York Jets center Nick Mangold sits in for Scott Ferrall on Howard 101 Friday night.

New York Jets Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold will be a guest host Friday, September 18, on The Scott Ferrall Show on SIRIUS XM Radio.

The Scott Ferrall Show airs Monday – Friday (8:00 pm – midnight ET) exclusively on Howard 101, one of Howard Stern’s two exclusive SIRIUS XM channels.

The Jets first round draft pick out of Ohio State University in 2006, Mangold has started all 48 regular season games and one postseason game in his first three seasons with the team. After an excellent rookie year in which he became the first center in franchise history to start every game, Mangold was selected to the 2006 All-Rookie Team, voted on by Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers’ Association. Following the 2008 season, he was elected to his first Pro Bowl as a starter. At Ohio State, Mangold was a three-year starter and co-captain in his senior year. He was an Outland Trophy finalist, as well as a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, presented to the top center in the country, and did not give up a sack his entire senior season.

Mangold will join in the high-octane sport talk the Ferrall Show is known for, will chat about the Jets matchup this weekend against their AFC East rival New England Patriots, and will take calls from sports fans around the country.

Known for his no holds barred style of broadcasting, Ferrall has been a fixture in the world of sports and talk radio for almost 20 years. He has hosted numerous radio shows on a wide variety of stations in both local and national markets.

And we’re done. Have a good night.

NFL-Centric Press Releases For A Saturday

Plenty of releases in the Fang’s Bites inbox and many deal with the NFL. With this being the opening weekend for the NFL, can’t say I blame the various networks and cable outlets to send these out.

Let’s begin with NBC Sports with this release touting that the Thursday night game was the most viewed NFL season opener ever.

TITANS-STEELERS: MOST VIEWED NFL KICKOFF EVER

Most Watched Sports Program Since Super Bowl XLIII; Most Watched Primetime Show Since American Idol Finale

Dominated Primetime Competition By More Than 10 Million Over Second Place Network

NEW YORK – Sept. 11, 2009 – Thursday night’s Titans-Steelers game on NBC Sports was the most watched NFL Kickoff since the inception of the Thursday Night opener according to official national ratings data released Friday by Nielsen Media Research.

The game won by the Steelers 13-10 in overtime, had an average audience of 20.9 million viewers. The previous high in viewers was the 2006 contest between the Steelers and Dolphins – the first Thursday night NFL Kickoff game on NBC – that was seen by 19.2 million people. The game registered a household rating of 12.8 and a 22 share, the highest rating for the Thursday NFL Kickoff since the inaugural game on network television (12.9/22 on ABC in 2003).

BEST SINCE SUPER BOWL: Thursday night’s game had the biggest audience for any sporting event since Super Bowl XLIII, which was the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history. The Titans-Steelers game was also the most watched of any primetime show on any broadcast network since the American Idol finale (28.8 million on 5/20/09).

MOST VIEWED SPORTS PROGRAMS SINCE SUPER BOWL XLIII
1. NFL Kickoff (Titans-Steelers) 20.9 million NBC
2. NCAA Championship (Mich. St-UNC) 17.6 million CBS
3. Kentucky Derby 16.1 million NBC
T4. NBA Finals, Gm. 4 (Lakers-Magic) 16.0 million ABC
T4. Daytona 500 16.0 million Fox
6. MLB All Star Game 14.6 million Fox
7. NCAA Semifinal (Villanova-UNC) 14.5 million CBS
8. Masters Final Round 14.3 million CBS
9. NBA Finals, Gm. 3 14.2 million ABC
T9. NBA Finals, Gm. 5 14.2 million ABC

• DOMINATED PRIMETIME: NBC dominated primetime (8-11 p.m.) with 18.5 million viewers overall, establishing a 137 percent margin of victory over CBS’s second-place 7.8 million and more than quadrupling each of the other key broadcast networks — CW, 4.2 million; ABC, 3.9 million; Fox, 3.8 million.

• NBC’s 18.5 million average in total viewers from 8-11 p.m. ET is the highest non-Olympic Thursday average for NBC since the night of the “Friends” finale (May 6, 2004).

• UP 55% OVER LAST YEAR IN VIEWERS: Thursday’s game had a viewership of 20.9 million, up 55 percent from the 2008 NFL Kickoff (Giants-Redskins, 13.5 million), which started early to allow coverage of the Republican National Convention, up 11 percent from the 2007 NFL Kickoff (Colts-Saints, 17.8 million) and up two percent from the 2006 NFL Kickoff (Dolphins-Steelers, 19.2 million).

NFL KICKOFF – THURSDAY NIGHT SEASON OPENERS VIEWERSHIP:
2009: NBC 20.9 million (Pittsburgh 13 – Tennessee 10)
2008: NBC 13.5 million (NY Giants 16 – Washington 7)
2007: NBC 17.8 million (Indianapolis 41 – New Orleans 10)
2006: NBC 19.2 million (Pittsburgh 28 – Miami 17)
2005: ABC 18.0 million (New England 30 – Oakland 20)
2004: ABC 16.9 million (New England 27 – Indianapolis 24)
2003: ABC 19.1 million (Washington 16 – NY Jets 13)
2002 ESPN 10.8 million (San Francisco 16 – NY Giants 13)

• UP 49% IN HH RATING: Thursday’s game had a household rating of 12.8, 22 share million, up 49 percent from the 2008 NFL Kickoff (Giants-Redskins, 8.6/15), up 11 percent from the 2007 NFL Kickoff (Colts-Saints, 11.5/20) and up two percent from the 2006 NFL Kickoff (Dolphins-Steelers, 12.6/21).

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR THURSDAY NIGHT’S GAME

1. Pittsburgh, 49.6/70
2. Nashville, 40.1/56
3. Baltimore, 20.5/33
4. Las Vegas, 20.0/32
5. New Orleans, 18.8/27
6. Cleveland, 18.7/30
7. Memphis, 18.2/25
8. Knoxville, 18.0/27
9. Washington D.C., 17.3/29

10. Norfolk, 16.9/27
    

Then Verizon announced some features the NFL Network’s RedZone channel for Fios subscribers.

Football’s Here This Weekend – So is NFL RedZone on Verizon FiOS TV

Easy On-Screen Ordering and Unique Interactive Widget Give FiOS TV Subscribers Game-Day Experiences Cable Can’t Match

NEW YORK – Verizon FiOS TV is now taking orders for the NFL RedZone channel – and for real football fans, subscribing is as easy as clicking their TV’s remote control.

NFL RedZone takes viewers around the league every Sunday afternoon for live coverage of critical plays when any team is inside its opponent’s 20-yard line.

The easiest way for FiOS TV subscribers to put themselves in “the zone” is to tune to the NFL RedZone channel and click the remote. Viewers subscribe by using Verizon’s unique on-screen ordering. Just click, confirm and catch all the action in a matter of minutes. The NFL RedZone is carried in high definition on FiOS channel 835 and in standard definition on channel 335. The service also can be ordered either online by visiting www.verizon.com/fiostvcentral or by calling Verizon at 888-553-1555.

The NFL RedZone channel launches on FiOS TV on Sunday (Sept. 13) and is available every Sunday during the season, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The season subscription is $49.99.

“We’re making it easy for our subscribers to order the hottest ticket in televised sports with onscreen ordering for NFL RedZone,” said Michael Ritter, chief marketing officer for Verizon Telecom. “With a few clicks of your remote you’re immediately subscribed to the channel and enjoying all the action with the stunning picture-and-sound quality that only FiOS delivers. That’s something cable can’t do.”

Also starting this weekend, FiOS TV subscribers* will see the new RedZone Widget – one stop for easy access to NFL stats and the RedZone channel. Customers who subscribe to the NFL RedZone channel also can use a unique feature of Verizon’s new RedZone Widget to set on-screen alerts for whenever a team is moving into the 20-yard line. Once set, the alerts will pop up at the bottom of the TV screen while a subscriber is watching any channel on FiOS TV.

The alert shows a list of teams currently in the red zone, including the yard line where the football is located. When they see an alert, subscribers can choose to press the “OK” button on their remote control to jump to the NFL RedZone channel and catch the live action. Alerts can be enabled and disabled through the main RedZone Widget menu.

The RedZone Widget is a free service located in FiOS TV’s Widget Bazaar applications marketplace. All FiOS TV subscribers have full access to the Widget’s other many features — including instant access to real-time NFL stats, scores, news headlines from around the league, and more — without missing a moment of the game or show they are watching. The application is displayed on the right side of the screen or can be viewed in full-screen mode.

For screenshots and a full description of Verizon’s new RedZone Widget, visit http://verizon.mediaseed.tv/Story.aspx?story=36984.

“We’re again taking TV viewing where cable can’t with the new RedZone Widget,” said Ritter. “This innovation simplifies a sports fan’s life by quickly and easily bringing all the latest NFL information to the TV screen without interrupting the game. There’s no need to wait for the news or go to your computer to check a sports site for the latest scores. And for our NFL RedZone channel subscribers, the Widget’s special alerts feature ensures they’ll never miss a game-changing touchdown or critical play within the 20 yard line.”

Then the NFL Network announced that it got another pick up for RedZone from AT&T U-Verse.

AT&T U-VERSE TO CARRY NFL NETWORK’S NEW “NFL RedZone” CHANNEL

Another Major Distributor to Carry The New Channel That Brings Fans The Crucial Plays and Touchdowns on Sunday Afternoons

AT&T U-verse^SM TV has agreed to carry NFL Network’s new NFL RedZone channel this season beginning this Sunday, September 13, it was announced today.

“We are thrilled to announce that AT&T U-verse will carry our new NFL RedZone channel,” said Kim Williams, chief operating officer for NFL Network. “We continue to sign up distributors and look forward to announcing more distribution deals for one of the most exciting new products now available.”

“AT&T U-verse just got better, again. NFL RedZone is a new and exciting way to stay on top of Sunday football, and we’re proud to kick off the NFL football season by adding this channel to our lineup,” said Dan York, executive vice president of content and programming AT&T U-verse. “U-verse TV football fans will truly enjoy tuning to NFL RedZone to watch the touchdowns and the biggest plays as they happen on their big screen TV.”

AT&T U-verse is another major distributor to add NFL RedZone channel for its subscribers this season. NFL Network previously announced distribution deals with Comcast, DISH Network and Verizon FiOS. Additional deals with other distributors have also been signed.

NFL RedZone is hosted by Scott Hanson from the new state-of-the-art NFL RedZone studio at NFL Network’s headquarters in Los Angeles and debuts on Sunday September 13 at 1:00 PM ET/10 AM PT when the 2009 NFL season begins.

Produced by NFL Network, NFL RedZone whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen and in high definition. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays live. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play.

For more information on NFL RedZone, visit www.nfl.com/redzonetv.

On Monday, ESPN hosts the first in its season-long Monday Night Football “Chalk Talk” series at Foxboro in advance of the Bills-Patriots game. Your humble blogger has been invited to attend and I hope to file a report from there during the event.

ESPN, NFL and New England Patriots to Host Monday Night Football Chalk Talk

September 14 at The Hall at Patriot Place in Foxborough

Members of Patriots’ 50^th Anniversary Team to Participate and be Recognized

ESPN, the NFL and the New England Patriots will celebrate the kickoff of the 40^th season of Monday Night Football and the Patriots’ 50^th Anniversary with a Chalk Talk luncheon at The Hall at Patriot Place (adjacent to Gillette Stadium) in Foxborough, Mass., on Sept.14 at 11:30 a.m. ET in advance of the Buffalo Bills-Patriots MNF game at 7 p.m.

MNF play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico will be joined by MNF broadcasting legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford for opening remarks. ESPN studio host Stuart Scott and Boston-based reporter Wendi Nix will serve as emcees.

Expected Participants/Attendees:

• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Patriots’ Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, and ESPN President George Bodenheimer;

• Alumni players from the Patriots and Bills will discuss the MNF matchup and other NFL topics, including: Members of the Patriots 50^th Anniversary Team and Pro Football Hall of Famers Nick Buoniconti (class of 2001), Mike Haynes (class of 1997) and Andre Tippett (Class of 2008); Buffalo Bills Pro Football Hall of Famers Bruce Smith (class of 2009) and Jim Kelly (class of 2002);
• Members of the Patriots 50^th Anniversary team will be in attendance and introduced during the program: Julius Adams, Houston Antwine, Bruce Armstrong, Troy Brown, Rich Camarillo, Gino Cappelletti, Ben Coates, Sam Cunningham, Irving Fryar, Rodney Harrison, Ty Law, Fred Marion, Jon Morris, Stanley Morgan, Rachel Nance (daughter of Jim Nance), Steve Nelson and Mosi Tatupu.

The program will also include recognition of two local organizations with the “Fans Helping Fans” community relations award. Team ESPN, the corporate outreach program of ESPN, will join the NFL and the Patriots in recognizing the Special Olympics of Massachusetts, and Dick’s Sporting Goods will honor Good Sports.

ESPN is hosting MNF Chalk Talk Series events in nine cities during the 2009 NFL season.

Here’s a first. Our very first press release from NBC’s Today Show which tells us that it will live from the new Cowboys Stadium on Friday in advance of the very first NFL regular season game to be played there next Sunday. And I guess one of the Bush twins is making her debut as a correspondent for Today. Oh joy.

‘TODAY’ AT COWBOYS STADIUM

Matt Lauer and Al Roker Broadcast Live From The Cowboys’ New Home Friday, September 18

Jenna Bush Hager Debuts Her First “Today” Show Story

NEW YORK – September 10, 2009 – - America’s favorite morning program will learn the true meaning of “Everything is bigger in Texas” and will travel to America’s newest and largest NFL stadium. On Friday, September 18, Matt Lauer and Al Roker will broadcast live from the new Cowboys Stadium before the much-anticipated home opener against the New York Giants, which airs Sunday, September 20 on NBC’s “Football Night in America” (7 p.m. ET).

Lauer and Roker will get and exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Cowboys Stadium given by Cowboy great Emmitt Smith. They will explore the 3 million square foot, $1.12 billion dollar engineering marvel, which is taller than the Statue of Liberty and features the largest HD screens in the world as well as biggest retractable roof on the planet. During the special broadcast, Lauer will talk to Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones, and Roker will catch up with the iconic Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. NBC Sports’ Cris Collinsworth will talk about his new job taking over John Madden’s iconic role in the booth, and he will preview the big game. Lauer and Roker will also sample the game-day cuisine that fans can enjoy at the new stadium.

Also live from Dallas, “Today’s” new contributing correspondent, Jenna Bush Hager, will debut her first piece since joining the program. Hager will profile Dalton Sherman, an 11-yr-old motivational speaker from Dallas who made headlines across the country last year after giving an inspiring speech at his school’s pep rally. Additionally, Hager’s first day on “Today” will be Thursday, September 17 in Studio 1A where Matt, Meredith, Al and Ann will welcome her to the “Today” team.

Jim Bell is the executive producer of “Today” (Monday-Friday, 7-11 a.m.).

I do have one more press release post coming up before the links.

Baseball This Weekend

I have a ton of press releases to wade through and post, so let’s do those before getting to the links. I’m actually at work, but thanks to the office building having DirecTV, I’m in the kitchen watching College Gameday (any way to see Lee Corso’s picks at the end). I’ll post press releases and after doing some paperwork, I hope to get some links in. Some good stories out there today.

Let’s check out what’s on the networks for MLB this weekend. First, Fox has three game and current Mets radio voice Howie Rose will join former Mets analyst Tim McCarver for the Mets-Phillies game today.

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

RED BIRDS MARCH TOWARDS NL CENTRAL CROWN – On Saturday, September 12 at 4:00 PM ET, Albert Pujols, the NL MVP favorite, leads the Cardinals in a matchup with Brian McCann and the Braves. Out west, the Angels look primed to secure another AL West title, but all is not certain as the Rangers continue to push them to the limit. Los Angeles aims to keep the lead in the playoff race as they welcome Paul Konerko and the White Sox to Southern California. Also, David Wright and the Mets visit Chase Utley and the World Series champs in Philadelphia. This week, the pregame show originates live from Busch Stadium in St. Louis with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins analyst Mark Grace to handle play-by-play duties. For instant updates during the week and games from the entire MLB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX.

ROSENTHAL: BRAVES’ HUDSON HAS OPTION TO TEST MARKET – MLB on FOX insider and FOXSports.com senior writer Ken Rosenthal reviews the upcoming free-agent class focusing on Saturday’s starter for the Braves, Tim Hudson and his options after this season (below). According to Rosenthal, the lack of “top-of-the-rotation types in this off-season’s class – combined with Hudson’s near-certain status as a non-compensation free agent – could make him more tempted to test the market this time.”

For Rosenthal’s complete breakdown of potential off-season pitching moves click here: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10043446/Braves’-Hudson-has-the-option-to-walk-away.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12

Atlanta Braves at St. Louis Cardinals, Chris Rose & Mark Grace, going to 49% of USA

Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Louisville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels, Josh Lewin & Eric Karros, going to 30% of USA

Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Portland, Providence, Seattle, Tampa

New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies, Howie Rose & Tim McCarver, going to 20% of USA

Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Baltimore, Buffalo, Hartford, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond

The Mets-Phillies night session of a day-night doubleheader will be ESPN’s Sunday Night game, but the alleged worldwide leader did not send a press release on announcing assignments this week. You know Jon Miller, Joe Morgan and Steve Phillips will be there to call the game. Instead, I received this release giving us Morgan and Phillips comments on the to MLB storylines for the rest of the season.

ESPN’s Morgan and Phillips Discuss Top MLB Storylines

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball analysts Joe Morgan and Steve Phillips offer their analysts on some of the top Major League Baseball storylines in the final month of the regular season, including their postseason outlook and MVP and Cy Young predictions.

Top storylines of the season, heading down the stretch:

Matt Holliday’s impact on the Cardinals

Phillips – “When you look at all the deals the Cardinals made at the trade deadline, Matt Holliday transformed the team. Mark DeRosa is a good player and Julio Lugo gave them some depth, but Holliday has given them something they haven’t had – protection for Albert Pujols. Holliday’s production in one-run games has been fantastic – hitting .400 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and 22 hits – and the Cardinals are 11-4 in those games; 31-11 since the trade.

“Holliday has also helped the team take pressure off of its starting pitching. They are scoring more runs and providing a larger margin for error, which has made a huge difference.

“Their front office gave Tony LaRussa what he has been asking for – veterans to help plug holes and make an impact – to immediately separate them from everyone else in their division.”

Cardinals team to beat in N.L.

Morgan – “At the beginning of the season, everyone thought the Chicago Cubs would win the Central Division as they did last year, but they haven’t played up to their potential. The St. Louis Cardinals, with a healthy Chris Carpenter, experienced Adam Wainwright and the rest of their pitching staff stayed close because of the greatness of Albert Pujols. Then, when they added Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday, they became the best team in the National League.”

Consistency of the Rangers

Phillips – “The Texas Rangers have been an unbelievable story, sitting two games behind the Boston Red Sox in the wild card race. Ron Washington deserves so much credit for keeping the team together and maintaining their confidence. He is one of the most upbeat, positive people. When everyone else says no, he says yes. He once said that everyone else thought they were sinking, but they didn’t know his team was a submarine. I don’t think they have the pitching to beat the Red Sox, but they don’t believe that because of their manager.

“Pitching coach Mike Maddux is one of the most underrated acquisitions of the offseason. Dave Duncan is the best in baseball, but Maddux may become the next version of him. Pitching has become more of a priority under Nolan Ryan and one of the most significant factors to their success is Maddux. They’ve always been an offensive team and pitchers lost confidence in that ballpark, but they have been consistently good this season. They have overcome a lot of adversity. Scott Feldman, who used to be a submarine-style pitcher, is now throwing over the top and is having a career year leading their rotation.”

Yankees’ ballpark perfect for their team

Morgan – “The Yankees have become almost unbeatable at the new Yankee Stadium because it fits the strengths of their team. They have a lot of guys that hit fly balls, especially left-handed hitters. Derek Jeter has taken advantage of the short right field wall. They also have good strikeout pitchers who keep the opposition from duplicating their approach.”

Yankees’ World Series quest

Phillips – “The regular season for the New York Yankees has been great, as they will likely head into the playoffs as the best team in baseball, but postseason success is what matters most. Very rarely do free agent signings pay dividends like they have for the Yankees this season. CC Sabathia has been phenomenal and Mark Teixeira is a strong A.L. MVP candidate. They’re also getting bounce-back years from Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano, and Mariano Rivera keeps on going strong.

“The Yankees have a strong starting rotation, balance and depth in the bullpen and a circular lineup – no beginning and end; each guy can drive the ball out of the ballpark — with seven players with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs. They start every inning with someone who can get on base, followed by someone who can drive balls out of the park. Their defense is also improved.

“The big question is whether Alex Rodriguez can gain some momentum heading into October, in what has been a roller coaster year due to his health, and be a major part in getting a championship in New York.”

Postseason outlook:

Giants most feared postseason team?

Phillips – “The Colorado Rockies have made a great turnaround this season, but the San Francisco Giants – on any given night, with their starting pitching – have a chance to shut you out behind Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. As a team, they have 18 shutouts, with the Arizona Diamondbacks a distant second with 12. Teams have to be scared of the Giants making the postseason because facing Lincecum and Cain in a five-game series is daunting.

“They may be one of the toughest to beat in the playoffs, but may not make the postseason because their offense is one of the least productive in the game.”

Cardinals over Phillies due to consistency; Don’t rule out L.A.

Morgan – “The St. Louis Cardinals are the best team in the N.L. because of their consistency. Philadelphia won a lot of games leading up to the All-Star break, then lost a couple in a row recently and have not been as consistent. The Phillies got on a roll last year at the right time and had a perfect Brad Lidge. He hasn’t been perfect this year, and they’re not sure what he’ll give them in the postseason.

“We can’t forget about the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have proven they can get hot for long periods of time.”

Red Sox and Tigers could cause postseason matchup problems

Phillips – “It’s interesting the teams with the two best records in the A.L. — the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels — may get the toughest draws. Detroit’s Justin Verlander is 1-1 with a 1.29 earned run average against the New York Yankees and Edwin Jackson is 0-1 with a 1.38 ERA. Power arms tend to prevail in the postseason and the Tigers can take advantage in a five-game series. The Angels would be matched against the Boston Red Sox, who have defeated them the last two times they’ve met in the playoffs. The experience and depth of the Red Sox and power arms of the Tigers could be considerable obstacles for the Yankees and Angels.”

Yankees still the favorites

Morgan – “The New York Yankees are the favorites because they can win low or high scoring games and they have good enough pitching and defense to win any game on any day. They are the only team like that in baseball. CC Sabathia, at the top of the rotation, is a special pitcher. Their defense has been much better. They know how to manufacture runs, with enough speed sprinkled throughout the lineup to put pressure on the defense.”

MVP favorites:

American League

Morgan – “Four guys are in the running, depending on what they do the rest of the way – Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira in New York, Kendry Morales has gone under the radar with the Angels, and Minnesota’s Joe Mauer.”

Phillips – Joe Mauer: “Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira are having great years, but Mauer is hitting .367 with 26 home runs despite missing a month of the season. He’s having the best year.”

National League

Morgan and Phillips – Albert Pujols.

Cy Young favorites:

American League

Morgan – “CC Sabathia, Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander and Felix Hernandez are all in contention. It will hinge on how well they continue to perform down the stretch.”

Phillips – Zack Greinke: “Zack Greinke is probably the leader with a 2.22 ERA and 13-8 record, but there has never been a Cy Young winner with less than 16 wins, so he has some ground to make up. Keep an eye on Felix Hernandez, Roy Halladay and Justin Verlander as well.”

National League

Morgan – “Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright in St. Louis, along with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain in San Francisco are the leaders. Lincecum and Cain have pitched very well, but haven’t gotten a lot of the decisions because of their limited run support.”

Phillips – Chris Carpenter: “Tim Lincecum is certainly a very strong candidate, but what Chris Carpenter has done in four fewer starts is phenomenal. He’s been the most dominate pitcher down the stretch…with Lincecum and Adam Wainwright still in the mix if something dramatic happens.”

Opposite Sunday Night Baseball, MLB Network has an interesting program hosted by Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kevin Millar.

MLB NETWORK TO PREMIERE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PRODUCTIONS WIRED FOR BASEBALL ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 AT 8:00 P.M. ET

September 11, 2009 – MLB Network will televise the premiere of Major League Baseball Productions Wired for Baseball on Sunday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Hosted by Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kevin Millar, the show focuses on the behind-the-scene sounds of the game that have been recorded thanks to players wearing wireless microphones. Wired for Baseball takes an inside look at conversations exchanged among players and coaches during Spring Training, All-Star week and the Post Season throughout the past five seasons, including Millar during the 2004 American League Championship Series, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, New York Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder.

The show also contains vintage clips of MLB Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, Jimmie Fox, Tommy Lasorda, Yogi Berra and Ted Williams as well as footage of Cal Ripken Jr., wearing a wireless microphone during his final All-Star Game in 2001.

Wired for Baseball will re-air on MLB Network on Wednesday, September 16 at 5:00 p.m. ET and Sunday, September 27 at 11:00 a.m. ET.

And TBS will air Dodgers-Giants on Sunday.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Features Longtime Rivals Battling for Playoff Position

The San Francisco Giants will Host the Los Angeles Dodgers at 4 p.m. (ET)

“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues on Sunday, September 13 at 4 p.m. (ET) with a National League match-up featuring two rivals battling for playoff contention as Pablo Sandoval and the San Francisco Giants host Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Park formerly known as Pac Bell. The Giants probable starting pitcher Brad Penny will face off against his former Dodgers team. Chad Billingsley is scheduled to take the mound for Los Angeles. Chip Caray (play-by-play), Buck Martinez (analyst) and David Wells (analyst) will call the action from the broadcast booth.

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS SCHEDULE:

Sunday, Sept. 13

4 p.m. Los Angeles Dodgers @ San Francisco Giants

Announcers: Chip Caray (play-by-play), Buck Martinez (analyst) and David Wells (analyst)

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Sunday, Sept. 20

1 p.m. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Texas Rangers

Announcers: Chip Caray (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst)

Friday, Sept. 25

7 p.m. Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees

Announcers: Chip Caray (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst)

More press releases coming up.

Our Never-Ending Friday Megalinks

Ok, as I was out for most of the day in Connecticut, I’ll do the megalinks while I can as I have to head back into the office again tomorrow.

The Weekend Viewing Picks have plenty to choose from as the NFL season kicks off in earnest on Sunday. College football has some early intriguing matchups on Saturday. MLB heads into the home stretch and the US Open tries to ramp up towards a conclusion plus NASCAR is in Richmond on Saturday.

The NFL regular season is here and we have a whole slate of games on Sunday. Fox has the doubleheader with Washington at the Giants being its featured late game. Early games on CBS and Fox include Jacksonville at Indianapolis and Minnesota with Brett Favre playing my Cleveland Browns. Then Sunday Night Football has Chicago at Green Bay. You can check out the entire Sunday schedule plus announcing assignments, the links to NFL distribution maps and other recommendations in my NFL Viewing Picks.

In the college ranks, two of the tastier matchups are Notre Dame at Michigan on ABC and USC at Ohio State on ESPN. Other good games include UCLA at Tennessee on ESPN and Purdue and Oregon on FSN. Your College Football Viewing Picks have the national games in full.

To baseball, Fox has three games on Saturday highlighted by the Mets-Phillies. MLB Network airs the Dodgers-Giants on Saturday night as does TBS on Sunday afternoon. Mets-Phillies is also your Sunday night game on ESPN.

NASCAR is in Richmond for the Sprint Cup Series on ABC, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The US Open was sent into the spin cycle thanks to the rains that postponed play from Thursday night to Friday. Now the schedule has been turned on its head. It all leads to a Monday finish and I have the revised broadcast schedules right through the Monday men’s final right here.

To see the full picks including English Premier League games and primetime picks, go see the Weekend Viewing Picks.

Now to your links.

National

The Sports Business Daily’s Erik Swanson conducted a media writer and blogger roundtable about the NFL broadcasting and it included Neil Best of Newsday, Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Dan Levy of On The DL, Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead and your humble blogger. Some good topics were broached.

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand conducts an NFL TV quiz.

As we head into a new NFL season, Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch has a primer on the lineup changes for each network and there are quite a few.

Richard talks with new Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden.

Some stories from CNBC’s Darren Rovell. First he talks with the NFL’s Chief Financial Officer Anthony Noto.

Darren notes that Michael Jordan has become the very first $1 billion athlete.

And Darren says it didn’t take long for extreme fighter Kimbo Slice to return to the spotlight.

Joe Favorito takes the time to remember those lost in 9/11.

Nellie Andreeva of the Hollywood Reporter says TBS has renewed the sports-themed “My Boys” for a fourth season.

John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable writes that the AT&T U-Verse picks up the NFL Network’s RedZone in time for Week 1.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News says the war of words between Cablevision and Tennis Channels is escalating.

Mike reports that CBS College Sports is teaming up with a high school sports website to cover high school football games.

John Consoli of Mediaweek says DirecTV will be peppering different ads throughout Fox’s NFL games this Sunday.

Also from Mediaweek, Anthony Crupi writes that the NFL will be offering full replays of blacked out games in their local markets on its website for 72 hours after the game is played.

The Sports Media Watch says the NFL season opener scored well for NBC on Thursday.

SMW says ESPN2 is crowing about its US Open ratings.

Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball says MLB Network airs a new behind the scenes show on Sunday.

The Big Lead has Erin Andrews quotage from her appearance on a man hating show on Friday.

Deadspin says former ESPN blowhard Sean Salisbury is out of another job.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe has the thoughts of Dan Marino and the other CBS NFL analysts about Tom Brady’s return to the Patriots.

Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch bids farewell to ESPN Radio’s Boston affiliate which is leading to rumors that ESPN will announce a new and stronger station to accompany its new website which launches Monday.

The Two Cents from Beantown blog has another edition of its show where it dishes on Derek Jeter and Richard Seymour’s departure from the Patriots.

Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette talks with Patriots radio voice Gil Santos about calling his 33rd NFL season.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times goes into the NFL replaying blacked out games on its website.

Richard is not a fan of Pam Shriver’s crowd reports during ESPN2′s coverage of the US Open. I disagree with this. I like Pam.

Neil Best of Newsday writes that despite network announcing upheaval, the NFL remains the sports ratings king.

Neil notes that Mets announcer Howie Rose teams with former Mets announcer Tim McCarver on Fox.

Neil says Tennis Channel is using MSG Network’s new high school sports channel in its latest salvo against Cablevision.

Neil tells us that WFAN’s Mike Francesa has a new simulcast on YES this Sunday.

Our man Neil has CBS’ Phil Simms giving Jets fans some advice on rookie QB Mark Sanchez.

Neil talks with Bonnie Bernstein about her new radio gig.

Our last link from Neil tonight. He says the US Open TV schedule is a mess.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News has lost his mind.

Pete Dougherty in the Albany Times Union has the NFL TV analysts dishing on the area’s teams.

Pete has the NFL TV schedule for the Capital Region.

Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette writes that the NHL Network will carry 10 exhibition games this month.

Mike Waters of the Syracuse Post-Standard says the Orangemen will be on TV aplenty during Big East hoops season.

Laura Nachman notes that Bob Costas will be in Philadelphia for a reception for the release of Mitch Albom’s new book.

Laura also has the Eagles Radio Network pregame show announcing lineup.

Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner has video of Tennis Channel’s Jimmy Connors talking with ESPN/CBS’ John McEnroe.

Steven Goff of the Washington Post says the October 10 World Cup Qualifier between the US and Honduras may not be seen on US TV at all.

South

Alexis Stevens of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says breakout tennis star Melanie Oudin will be making more TV appearances soon.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says Jon Gruden has the potential to be a great analyst.

The St. Petersburg Times’ Tom Jones talks with Fox Sports’ Kenny Albert who calls the Cowboys-Bucs game this Sunday.

Etan Horowitz of the Orlando Sentinel says there are gadgets for your TV or cell phone that can help the displaced fan keep track of his/her favorite NFL team.

Roger Clarkson of the Athens (GA) Banner-Herald writes that Georgia fans had better be ready to see their team play at night more thanks to the new SEC contract with ESPN.

Ray Buck of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram talks with Fox’s Tony Siragusa about the Cowboys.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News says it doesn’t appear the NFL Network will be on Time Warner Cable this season.

Barry has the monthly sports radio ratings report.

Barry writes that those with DirecTV won’t be seeing the Texas-Wyoming game as Versus is still not on the satellite provider’s system.

Barry has Sean Salisbury’s take on his departure.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle has CBS’ Jim Nantz looking forward to calling the Jets-Texans game on Sunday.

Mel Bracht in the Daily Oklahoman writes that Spike will be in town to air a UFC card next week.

Mel has CBS’ SEC analyst Gary Danielson taking a shot at Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops over the return of QB Sam Bradford. Really?

Midwest

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says the Bengals gave HBO’s Hard Knocks good ratings compared to last season’s edition with the Dallas Cowboys.

Joe Reedy of the Enquirer says an extension helped the Bengals avoid a blackout this Sunday.

Michael Zuidema in the Grand Rapids (MI) Press talks with Fox rookie NFL analyst Trent Green about Lions rookie QB Matt Stafford.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talks with Brewers announcer Brian Anderson about his rather strange high ranking in a recent Wall Street Journal story.

In Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman has his winners and losers.

To the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Dan Caesar who writes that the local CBS TV affiliate continues to de-emphasize sports.

Dan tells us that the next two Missouri football games move to pay per view.

Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star writes about the continuing NFL Network/Time Warner Cable dispute.

West

Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) News feels BYU is in trouble after ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit sang their praises.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the NFC Champion Cardinals managed to avoid a blackout on Sunday.

David Hattfield of Inside Tuscon Business explains how Fox Sports Arizona managed to get back into airing University of Arizona football and basketball.

Over to Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune who tells us that Fox switched games at the last minute to give fans a chance to see Brett Favre on Sunday.

John Maffei of the North County Times feels Jon Gruden is just right for Monday Night Football.

Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star says USC QB’s both past and present will be in the TV spotlight this weekend.

Jim writes that Melanie Oudin’s run at the US Open gave ESPN2 a ratings boost.

The great Diane Pucin (and fellow tennis fan) of the Los Angeles Times also talks about Melanie being a TV darling for ESPN2.

Diane says rain forced CBS to dig deep into its vaults during Friday’s coverage of the Open.

Joe Flint of the Times’ Company Town blog talks with NFL Network Czar Steve Bornstein.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News goes into bizarro world which includes the horrific Mark Whicker column in the Orange County Register this week. And thanks to Tom for linking to my post on the aforementioned Whicker story.

Tom goes over Lou Holtz’s pep talk for Ohio State that was seen Thursday on ESPN.

In his column, Tom talks about ESPN’s 3-D experiment for the USC-Ohio State game.

Tom has more on the 3-D experiment and a lot of other stuff in his media notes.

Tom also goes over the week in blogging.

Joe Kukura writing for KNTV in San Francisco says the Raiders have an extension until 5 p.m. local time on Saturday to prevent a blackout on Monday night.

Canada

Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star has a look at the ratings in Canada from last weekend.

Chris chronicles an on-air fight that was seen on Rogers Sportsnet and heard on sports radio in Toronto on Thursday.

Tom Tebbutt of the Toronto Globe and Mail feels CBS has too much say in the US Open scheduling.

The Globe and Mail’s Bruce Dowbiggin talks with ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen who bemoans the lack of hockey on the Alleged Worldwide Leader.

Rogers Sportsnet has signed to be the Canadian home of the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football package.

And that is going to do it for Super Sized edition of the megalinks.

Updated 2009 US Open TV Schedule

With the rain wreaking havoc on the US Open for the second straight year, we have a lot of revisions for the weekend and again, a Monday finish. This is what the schedule looks like for Saturday. CBS will not have the women’s final this year, shuffling it to ESPN2. CBS is again stuck with a Monday at 4 p.m. finish and it will be interesting to see how many CBS affiliates take the match seeing that many did not last year. We’ll watch that development on Monday.

So here’s the schedule over the next three days:

Saturday, September 12

Conclusion men’s singles quarterfinal, Rafael Nadal/Fernando Gonzalez/Men’s doubles final/Women’s doubles semifinal/Women’s singles semifinal, Caroline Wozniacki vs. Yanina Wickmayer – CBS, noon-6 p.m.

Women’s singles semifinal, Serena Williams vs. Kim Clijsters – CBS, 8 p.m.

Sunday, September 13

Men’s singles semifinals – ESPN2, noon

Men’s singles semifinals – CBS, 4 p.m.

Women’s singles final – ESPN2, 9 p.m.

Monday, September 14

Women’s doubles final – ESPN2, 1 p.m.

Men’s singles final – CBS, 4 p.m.

You’ll probably notice that Tennis Channel is not involved in any of these matches. I think had ESPN2 not been able to carry the women’s finals, you might have seen TC step in, but that might have caused an uproar due to its low viewership. ESPN2 has to be elated over carrying the women’s singles final. Overall, this is the best schedule the USTA could come up with and it’s not bad to be honest. But the women’s final will get killed in the ratings opposite Sunday Night Football’s Bears-Packers matchup.

UPDATE, 9:30 p.m.: Here is a CBS Sports press release that just came in regarding the revised schedule.

THIS JUST IN…

…FROM CBS SPORTS

CBS Sports’ continues its regularly-scheduled coverage of the 2009 U.S. Open Tennis Championships on Saturday, Sept. 12 (12:00 Noon-6:00 PM, ET and 8:00-10:00 PM, ET) featuring the scheduled matches for the day including men’s quarterfinal Rafael Nadal-Fernando Gonzalez; men’s doubles final Lukas Dlouhy/Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupath/Mark Knowles; women’s doubles semi-final Cara Black/Liezel Huber-Samantha Stosur/Rennae Stubbs; women’s semi-finals matches Caroline Wozniacki-Yanina Wickmayer; and Serena Williams-Kim Clijsters in prime time.

CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2009 U.S. OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS on Sunday, Sept. 13 (4:00 PM, ET) will feature a men’s semi-final match and conclude on Monday, Sept. 14 (4:00 PM, ET) with the men’s final.

Lead play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg will be joined by expert analysts Mary Carillo and John McEnroe in the booth for the 10th consecutive year. Bill Macatee and analyst Jim Courier also will call tennis action for CBS Sports. Mary Joe Fernandez serves as reporter.

Bob Mansbach serves as coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ live coverage of tennis’ final major of the year. Mansbach, David Winner and Ken Mack produce. Lead director Bob Fishman will direct along with Jim Cornell. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

CBS has to take what it’s given here. Not much it can do as the weather really came in to wreak havoc on Thursday and Friday.

UPDATE, 9/12, 2:20 a.m.: For good measure, here’s ESPN’s press release on ESPN2 carrying the women’s finals.

US Open Women’s Final on ESPN2 Sunday Night

Rain also Pushes a Men’s Semi to Sunday on ESPN2, Women’s Doubles Final on ESPN2 Monday

With rain cancelling play late Thursday night, Sept. 10, and Friday, Sept. 11, the concluding matches at the US Open have been rescheduled with ESPN2 now airing a Men’s Semifinal Sunday, Sept. 13, at noon ET and the Women’s Final that night at 9 p.m.

In addition, the Women’s Doubles Final will now air on ESPN2 Monday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m.

All ESPN2 matches will also be available via broadband ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile Properties.

All Four Slams, All in One Place

With programming on ESPN Radio, ESPN360.com, ESPNEWS and more – in addition to ESPN2’s 100+ hours during the two-week tournament – ESPN is completing a Grand Slam, presenting all four of the sport’s majors, which no U.S. network has ever done before, let alone in a single year.

Sunday, 9/13, noon – 3 p.m. – Men’s Semifinal #1, ESPN2
Sunday, 9/13, 9 p.m. – 11 p.m. – Women’s Final, ESPN2
Monday, 9/14, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Women’s Doubles Final, ESPN2

Unless we get more rainstorms, this should be the final update.

Weekend Viewing Picks

Saturday, September 12

College Football Viewing Picks

English Premier League
Liverpool vs. Burnley – ESPN2, 9:55 a.m.
Manchester City vs. Arsenal – Setanta Sports, 9:55 a.m.
Stoke City vs. Chelsea – Fox Soccer Channel, 10 a.m.
Tottenham vs. Manchester United – Fox Soccer Channel, 12:30 p.m.
Sunderland vs. Hull City – Fox Soccer Channel, 5 p.m. (same day coverage)
Wigan Athletic vs. West Ham – Setanta Sports, 6:45 p.m. (same day coverage)
Portsmouth vs. Bolton – Setanta Sports, 10:15 p.m. (same day coverage)

Golf
LPGA Tour/P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, 2nd round – Golf Channel, 1 p.m.
PGA Tour/FedEx Cup, BMW Championship, 3rd round – NBC, 3 p.m.

MLB

American League
Baltimore at New York Yankees – MASN/YES, 1 p.m.
Oakland at Minnesota – Comcast SportsNet California/Fox Sports North, 1 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Angels – Fox, 4 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Red Sox – Fox Sports Florida/NESN, 7 p.m.
Kansas City at Cleveland – Fox Sports Kansas City/WKYC, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit – Rogers Sportsnet/Fox Sports Detroit, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Texas – FSN Northwest/KDFI, 8 p.m.

National League
Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs – Fox Sports Ohio/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 1 p.m.
Atlanta at St. Louis – Fox, 4 p.m.
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies – Fox, 4 p.m.
Washington at Florida – 6 p.m. (MASN2 joins in progress at 7 p.m.)
Pittsburgh at Houston – Fox Sports Houston, 7 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona – WMLW, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco – MLB Network/Fox Sports Prime Ticket/KNTV, 9 p.m.
Colorado at San Diego – FSN Rocky Mountain/Cox 4, 10 p.m.

MLB Tonight: Roundtripper Final – MLB Network, 8 p.m.
Baseball Tonight – ESPN2, 10 p.m.

NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series/Chevy Rock ‘n Roll 400 – ABC, 7:30 p.m.

Tennis
Breakfast at the Open – Tennis Channel, 10 a.m.
US Open, men’s quarterfinal (Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Gonzalez)/men’s doubles final/women’s semifinal (Caroline Wozniacki vs. Yanina Wickmayer) – CBS, noon
US Open, women’s semifinal (Serena Williams vs. Kim Clijsters) – CBS, 8 p.m.

Entertainment
5 Ingredient Fix: No Grill BBQ – Food Network, 12:30 pm.
Giada at Home: Makeover – Food Network, 1 p.m.
Cops – Fox, 8 p.m.
Cops – Fox, 8:30 p.m.
America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back – Fox, 9 p.m.
Robin Hood – BBC America, 9 p.m.
24/7 Mayweather/Marquez – HBO, 10 p.m.
Big Brother After Dark – Sho2, midnight

Sunday, September 13

English Premier League
Birmingham vs. Aston Villa – Setanta Sports, 6:55 a.m.
Fulham vs. Everton – Fox Soccer Channel, 11 a.m.
Stoke City vs. Chelsea – Fox Soccer Channel, 10 a.m.

Formula 1
Italian Grand Prix – Speed, 7:30 a.m.

Golf
LPGA Tour/P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, final round – Golf Channel, 1 p.m.
PGA Tour/FedEx Cup, BMW Championship, final round – NBC, 2 p.m.

MLB

American League
Tampa Bay at Red Sox – Sun Sports/NESN, noon p.m.
Baltimore at New York Yankees – MASN/YES, 1 p.m.
Kansas City at Cleveland – Fox Sports Kansas City/WKYC, 1 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit – TSN2/Fox Sports Detroit, 1 p.m.
Oakland at Minnesota – Comcast SportsNet California/WFTC, 2 p.m.
Seattle at Texas – FSN Northwest/Fox Sports Southwest, 3 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Angels – Comcast SportsNet Chicago/KCOP, 3:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Red Sox – Sun Sports/NESN, 5 p.m.

National League
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies – SNY/WPHL, 1 p.m.
Washington at Florida – MASN2/Fox Sports Florida, 1 p.m.
Atlanta at St. Louis – Fox Sports South/KSDK, 2 p.m.
Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs – Fox Sports Ohio/WGN America, 2 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Houston – Fox Sports Houston, 2 p.m.
Colorado at San Diego – FSN Rocky Mountain/Cox 4, 4 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona – Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Arizona, 4 p.m.
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco – TBS/Fox Sports Prime Ticket/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 4 p.m.
New York Mets at Philadelphia – ESPN, 8 p.m.

Baseball Tonight – ESPN, 6 p.m.
Quick Pitch – MLB Network, 7 p.m.
What About Sal? – MLB Network, 9 p.m.
9 Innings from Ground Zero – MLB Network, 9:30 p.m.

NFL Viewing Picks

Tennis
US Open, men’s semifinal – ESPN2, noon
US Open, men’s semifinal – CBS, 4 p.m.
US Open, women’s final – ESPN2, 9 p.m.

Entertainment
60 Minutes – CBS, 7 p.m.
Big Brother 11 – CBS, 8:01 p.m.
True Blood (season finale) – HBO, 9 p.m.
The Girl Who Cries Blood – National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Mad Men – AMC, 10 p.m.
Hung – HBO, 10 p.m.
The World’s Smallest Girl – National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
Entourage – HBO, 10:30 p.m.

College Football Viewing Picks for 09/12/09, All Times Eastern

Schedule courtesy of Matt’s College Sports on TV

College Gameday, live from Columbus, OH – ESPN, 10 a.m.

Noon

Eastern Michigan at Northwestern – Big Ten Network
Syracuse at Penn State – Big Ten Network
Western Michigan at Indiana

Duke at Army – CBS College Sports

Fresno State at Wisconsin – ESPN
Central Michigan at Michigan State – ESPN2
North Carolina at UConn – ESPNU

Iowa at Iowa State – FSN

Stanford at Wake Forest – Raycom

Troy at Florida – SEC Network (kickoff at 12:21 p.m.)

3:30 p.m.
Notre Dame at Michigan – ABC

Howard at Rutgers – Big East Network

Louisiana Tech at Navy – CBS College Sports

BYU at Tulane – ESPN2
TCU at Virginia – ESPNU

Houston at Oklahoma State – FSN

Texas at Wyoming – Versus

4 p.m.
UCLA at Tennessee – ESPN

7 p.m.
College Football Scoreboard – ESPN

Air Force at Minnesota – Big Ten Network
Illinois State at Illinois – Big Ten Network

South Carolina at Georgia – ESPN2
Vanderbilt at LSU – ESPNU

Mississippi State at Auburn – FSN

7:30 p.m.
Kansas at UTEP – CBS Collegfe Sports

8 p.m.
USC at Ohio State – ESPN

Tulsa at New Mexico – the mtn.

10:15 p.m.
Purdue at Oregon – FSN

10:30 p.m.
Utah at San Jose State – ESPNU

11 p.m.
Oregon State at UNLV – CBS College Sports

NFL Viewing Picks for Week 1, 09/13/09

NFL Gameday Morning – NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Fox NFL Sunday – Fox, noon

1 p.m.

CBS Coverage Map
Denver at Cincinnati – Gus Johnson/Dan Fouts
Jacksonville at Indianapolis – Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
Kansas City at Baltimore – Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
Miami at Atlanta – Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
New York Jets at Houston – Jim Nantz/Phil Simms

Fox Coverage Map
Dallas at Tampa Bay – Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Detroit at New Orleans – Chris Myers/Trent Green
Minnesota at Cleveland – Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Charissa Thompson!!!!
Philadelphia at Carolina – Dick Stockton/Charles Davis/Laura Okmin

4:15 p.m.

Fox Coverage Map
San Francisco at Arizona – Sam Rosen/Tim Ryan/Nischelle Turner
St. Louis at Seattle – Ron Pitts/John Lynch/Ron Desir
Washington at New York Giants – Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver

7 p.m.
Football Night in America – NBC

8:15 p.m.
Chicago at Green Bay – NBC, Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Andrea Kremer

11:30 p.m.
NFL Gameday Final – NFL Network

DirecTV Channel Assignments
Sirius Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
XM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Football
Colorado at Toledo – ESPN, 9 p.m.

Golf
LPGA Tour/P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, 2nd round – Golf Channel, 12:30 p.m.
PGA Tour/FedEx Cup, BMW Championship, 2nd round – Golf Channel, 3 p.m.

MLB

American League
Tampa Bay at Red Sox – Sun Sports/NESN, 7 p.m./MLB Network, 10 p.m. (same night coverage)
Baltimore at New York Yankees – MASN/YES, 7 p.m.
Kansas City at Cleveland – Fox Sports Kansas City/STO, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit – Rogers Sportsnet/Fox Sports Detroit, 7 p.m.
Oakland at Minnesota – Comcast SportsNet California/Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.
Seattle at Texas – FSN Northwest/Fox Sports Southwest, 8 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Angels – WGN America/Fox Sports West, 10 p.m.

National League
Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs – Fox Sports Ohio/WGN America, 2 p.m.
New York Mets at Philadelphia – WPIX/WPHL, 7 p.m.
Washington at Florida – MASN2/Fox Sports Florida, 7 p.m.
Atlanta at St. Louis – SportSouth/Fox Sports Midwest, 8 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Houston – FSN Pittsburgh/Fox Sports Houston, 8 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona – Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Arizona, 9:30 p.m.
Colorado at San Diego – FSN Rocky Mountain/Cox 4, 10 p.m.
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco – MLB Network/KCAL/KNTV, 10 p.m.

MLB Tonight: 1st to 3rd – MLB Network, 8 p.m.
Baseball Tonight – ESPN2, 10 p.m.

NASCAR
Nationwide Series/Richmond 250 – ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.

Tennis
Breakfast at the Open – Tennis Channel, 10 a.m.
US Open/Men’s Doubles Final/Women’s Semifinals – CBS, 12:30 p.m.
US Open Tonight – Tennis Channel, 11 p.m.

Entertainment
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? – Fox, 8 p.m.
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross – BBC America, 9 p.m.
Monk – USA, 9 p.m.
Psych – USA, 10 p.m.
20/20 – ABC, 10 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman – CBS, 11:35 p.m.
Lingerie – Cinemax, 11:40 p.m.

Your NFL TV Previews for Week 1

This is what the networks are saying in advance on NFL Week 1. I’ll give you what CBS, Fox Sports and ESPN are either saying or covering on their pregame shows. Why not?

First, CBS Sports has highlights of its coverage plus some quotes from analyst Phil Simms.

THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 1 (SUNDAY, SEPT. 13) AUDIBLES WITH “NFL ON CBS” LEAD ANALYST PHIL SIMMS

The CBS Television Network, home of Super Bowl XLIV, begins its Golden Anniversary 50^th year broadcasting the NFL with regional coverage as THE NFL ON CBS kicks off its 2009 NFL season on Sunday, Sept. 13 (1:00-4:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY, the Network’s one-hour studio show (12:00 NOON-1:00 PM, ET), live from THE NFL TODAY studio in New York City.

THE NFL ON CBS lead announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms call the action from the New York Jets-Houston Texans game live from Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Lance Barrow is the coordinating producer and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.

Throughout the 2009 season, THE NFL ON CBS will broadcast all of its games each week in HDTV, the highest definition television format – 1080i lines of picture resolution – along with 5.1 digital audio.

Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports, and serves as executive producer of CBS Sports’ coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

* * * * *

PHIL SIMMS

(On Rookie Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford): They have validated everything people have thought about them in the draft. If it had been up to me, not that I have the knowledge or resources that NFL teams have, I thought they were the first and second players in the draft. And from what I have seen, this pre-season backs up what I thought. Their talents are going to translate very well to the NFL. The most important thing is both teams have offensive coordinators that are going to build their offense around what they (Sanchez and Stafford) do best. I am looking forward to seeing what they do with Mark Sanchez this week. Brian Schottenheimer is the perfect match in every way. I like what he does as an offensive coordinator. He is young and wants to show off Mark Sanchez’s talents and personality. The big thing for Sanchez, which I’ll talk about this weekend, is the difference between the pros and college football. In the pros there will be long stretches where you have no chance to make plays. How you deal with those long stretches really determines the outcome of many games. You just have to wait and show patience. You might have to wait three weeks – you just hang in there and try not to throw any gas on the fire. And then when it’s your turn, you do it…

(On New York Jets vs. Houston): What is interesting about the game is that the Houston Texans have two 8-8 records back-to-back. They are somewhat of a trendy pick this year to make the playoffs and advance on their 8-8 records. My reaction? We will see. Going from 8-8 to 10-6 is like going from making $20,000 a year to making $100,000 a year. It’s a big, big jump. It usually takes stars, big time impact players, to make that happen. For Houston, Mario Williams and Andre Johnson are stars. There is a group of other guys that are close, but will they become impact players?

And this is what the NFL Today will feature on Sunday.

“THE NFL TODAY’S” SHANNON SHARPE JOINS SAN DIEGO’S ANTONIO CROMARTIE, TENNESSEE’S KEITH BULLUCK AND INDIANAPOLIS’S DWIGHT FREENEY IN AN EXTREME OFF-SEASON WORKOUT FOR WEEK 1 OF “THE NFL TODAY” ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 13

THE NFL ON CBS, home of Super Bowl XLIV and broadcasting its Golden Anniversary 50^th year of the NFL, kicks off its 2009 NFL season on Sunday, Sept. 13 (1:00-4:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY (12:00 Noon-1:00 PM, ET).

THE NFL TODAY’S Shannon Sharpe joins NFL defensive stars Antonio Cromartie of San Diego, Keith Bulluck of Tennessee and Dwight Freeney of Indianapolis in an “extreme workout” as they work to get in shape for the season. Training in the Santa Monica, Calif. mountains during the off-season, the players’ workout routine includes dragging 115-pound tires, flipping 150-pound tires and running uphill with wheelbarrows filled with 400 pounds of gravel. Deb Boulac is the producer.

James Brown hosts THE NFL TODAY along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Sharpe and Bill Cowher, NFL TODAY “General Manager” Charley Casserly, as well as Lesley Visser and Sam Ryan reporting.

Now, Fox Sports gives us some stuff from pregame show analyst Michael Strahan.

NFL on FOX Kicks Off Sweet 16^th Seasons With Doubleheader Slate Loaded With League’s Top Stories:

Giants, Cowboys, Favre’s Debut, Eagles, NFC Champ Cards

Strahan: Vick Can’t Be Too Productive For Eagles Or Else

NFL ON FOX KICKS OFF 16^th SEASON WITH WEEK 1 DOUBLEHEADER ACTION – The NFL on FOX’s 16^th consecutive season covering of the NFC package begins Sunday, September 13 with doubleheader coverage of seven games—each presented in crystal clear HD. The premier matchup of the day takes place at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ as Eli Manning and the defending NFC East Champion Giants host Jason Campbell and division rival Redskins at 4:15 PM ET. At 1:00 PM ET, coverage is highlighted by Brett Favre’s first regular season game under center for the Vikings when they travel to Cleveland to take on Eric Mangini’s Browns. In Tampa, Tony Romo and the T.O.-less Cowboys face rookie head coach Raheem Morris and the Bucs.

Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with the 2009 premiere of America’s most-watched pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson. NFL Insider Jay Glazer is back for another season of the latest league news and ‘scoop-age’ in the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio and comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo contributes his weekly “Frank’s Picks” segment. In this week’s show, Bradshaw gives viewers, ‘What to look for in 2009.’ Also, Johnson breaks down the ‘Wildcat’ and gives viewers the inside info about last season’s trendiest offense. For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX.

Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.

STRAHAN IS INTERESTED IN HOW REID HANDLES VICK PLAYING TIME – One of the biggest storylines heading into this upcoming NFL season on FOX is the return of Michael Vick. Vick is available to play for the Eagles in Week 3 and FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Michael Strahan believes that coach Andy Reid has to limit his playing time. “We all know he was amazing in the past and he’s looked pretty good in the preseason, but that’s a double-edged sword. He can’t play too much. I think the Eagles have to be careful with that. If he has too much success then Reid has a problem on his hands especially if Donovan McNabb stubs his toe and the fans start to call for Vick.”

And ESPN tells us the features it’s running on its various studio shows over the weekend.

ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features

Chris Berman’s Exclusive Interview with Tom Brady; Tedy Bruschi and Matt Millen make their Monday Night Countdown debut in Foxboro; Adam Schefter makes Countdown debut; and more

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown will preview the first weekend of the 2009 NFL season Sunday at 11 a.m. ET with Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson. Making his Countdown debut, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter joins senior analyst Chris Mortensen to provide the day’s headlines and league news.

The two-hour NFL pre-game show will include reports from Ed Werder covering Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns, Sal Paolantonio at the Philadelphia Eagles – Carolina Panthers game, and Michael Smith in Tampa for the Cowboys – Buccaneers game. Other highlights:

Chris Berman’s Exclusive Interview With Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady

Coming off a record-setting season in 2007 with 50 touchdown passes, Tom Brady’s 2008 season lasted barely nine minutes due to a season-ending knee injury. Following knee surgery and year-long rehab, the three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback is back at the helm of the Patriots offense. Brady sat down with Berman for an exclusive interview, his first one-on-one television interview since his injury, to be featured on Sunday NFL Countdown (11 a.m.), SportsCenter “Sunday Conversation” at 11 p.m., Monday Night Countdown (5 p.m.), and available on ESPN.com.

Favre: Why Come Back?

What motivates Brett Favre to keep coming back? And why can’t he let go? Greg Garber turns to Favre’s close friends, such as Michael Jordan, Evander Holyfield, Jerry Rice and Donald Trump, in search of answers.

Coaches Making Their Mark

Ed Werder examines how far new coaches go to put their imprint on their new teams, their motivations and how players react to a “new sheriff in town.”

Mayne Event: Philip Rivers’ Job Battle

Despite coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he threw 34 touchdown passes, San Diego’s Philip Rivers is worried about his job security. Kenny Mayne went to Huntsville, Ala., to meet the 15-year-old quarterback who beat Rivers in a summer skills competition and is now gunning for Chargers’ starting job, in this weeks “Mayne Event.”

Virtual Playbook: The “Wedge” Rule Change

In Virtual Playbook, returning for the second season, Tom Jackson breaks down the effect the “Wedge” rule change will have in the NFL this season.

Soundtracks – New Coaches

Eleven new head coaches will be patrolling NFL sidelines this season. Soundtracks” will feature the coaches in their first training camp.

Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em with Matthew Berry and Merril Hoge

ESPN’s fantasy football guru Matthew Berry and NFL analyst Merril Hoge return to debate which players to start or sit each week in the “Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em” segment.

Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson and Johnson will pick the biggest games of the day and tell fans which players will make the biggest impact in NFL’s Week 1 action. The list of game picks will be posted on www.espn.com/sundaycountdown after the show.

SPECIAL TWO-HOUR MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 5 P.M. ON ESPN

Monday Night Countdown will feature a special, two-hour season-opening edition with Berman, Carter, Jackson, Johnson, Mortensen and Schefter in Bristol and Stuart Scott, new Monday Night Countdown analyst Matt Millen, Tedy Bruschi, making his first Countdown appearance after joining ESPN this week, and Trent Dilfer at the MNF game in Foxboro, Mass. The pre-game show will lead into the kickoff of ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheader – Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (7 p.m.), featuring Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden, and San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders (10:15 p.m.) with Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic and Steve Young.

Reporters Suzy Kolber will cover the Bills and Wendi Nix will cover the Patriots. Michele Tafoya and analyst Marcellus Wiley will be in Oakland covering the Chargers and Raiders. Other highlights:

ESPN The Magazine’s “For Love or the Game:” Sammy Morris

Patriots running back Sammy Morris will featured in the season-opening edition of “For Love or the Game,” a Countdown segment that pairs a player with his significant other and a teammate to find out which of them knows more about the NFL athlete. Morris’ wife, Leslie, and his teammate Laurence Maroney battle to see who really knows Morris better.

Unmasked: LaDainian Tomlinson

“Unmasked,” the Monday Night Countdown segment that debuted last year, returns with LaDainian Tomlinson, one of NFL’s best running backs over the past decade. In his own words, Tomlinson discussed what is driving him to return to form in 2009.

Soundtracks: Best of Terrell Owens

Countdown captures the best on-the-field sights and sounds of Terrell Owens, one of the league’s most dynamic wide receivers

Virtual Playbook: Brady to Moss

Countdown’s Jackson takes viewers on the field to show how the return of Tom Brady will once again make him and Randy Moss the most feared passing combination in the NFL.

WEEKLY MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN SEGMENTS

TEAMS AT 20 – Every 20 minutes reporters Tafoya, Nix and Kolber will update news from the teams in their preparations for the game, beginning with NFL Live at 1:30 p.m.

FIELD PASS – Countdown offers an all-access look at pre-game preparations as the players get ready for kickoff. Analysts will also breakdown the important storylines and key players before the game.

C’MON MAN – Countdown personalities share their head-scratching plays from Week 1.

In addition, Monday Night Football’s Tirico, Jaworski and Gruden will preview the night’s match-up, with Mortensen and Schefter covering breaking news from around the league, and the Countdown analysts offering their “Lead Pipe Lock” predictions for the game.

NFL MATCHUP, SUNDAY 3 A.M. AND 7:30 A.M. ON ESPN

NFL Matchup, returns with host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge as they preview the 2009 NFL season-opening weekend. Each NFL Sunday morning (3 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.), the trio will bring viewers inside the film room for the Xs and Os analysis of the matchups. The 30-minute program – taped each week at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey – highlights team strategy and game planning. Highlights:

• Bears @ Packers – Hoge explains how quarterback Aaron Rodgers, one of the sharpest quarterbacks in the preseason, should attack the Bears defense Sunday night.
  

• Redskins @ Giants – While the Giants don’t appear to have a wide receiver who can command a defense’s attention, Jaworski shows how quarterback Eli Manning and the Giants offense will run the ball no matter how many defenders the Redskins pack into the box.
  

• Bills @ Patriots – Jaworski reveals how New England uses formation and alignment to create mismatches in its passing game.

• Jets @ Texans – Though rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has New Yorkers excited about Jets football, Hoge offers insight into how more disciplined footwork will help Sanchez avoid erratic plays.

• Dolphins @ Falcons – The Falcons’ acquisition of Tony Gonzalez was one the biggest off-season moves. Hoge shows how Gonzalez’ size and athleticism create mismatches, making the Falcons offense the most versatile in the league.
  

• Vikings @ Browns – Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre are the premier players on the Vikings offense, but Jaworski explains how the screen game will be an explosive weapon for the Vikings all season.
  

• Cowboys @ Buccaneers – The Cowboys have had a pass-heavy offense the past few seasons and Hoge uses “the Coaches Clicker” to show how Dallas must use tight end Jason Witten in the running game to succeed.

• Tom Brady’s Knee – Jaworski points out how quarterback Tom Brady, though back after a season-ending injury, has looked a bit uncomfortable and protective of his knee at times this preseason.

Coming up next, Viewing Picks. A lot of them. Keep your RSS feeds updated.

Some Thursday Press Releases

I have a few Thursday press releases to post for you. They should be seen before Friday’s sports action airs. Here we go.

First, CBS Sports has coverage of the Women’s Semifinals at the US Open on Friday and possibly part of the Nadal-Gonzalez match that was suspended Thursday night.

WOMEN’S SEMI-FINALS HIGHLIGHT CBS SPORTS’ COVERAGE OF U.S. OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

CBS Sports’ continuing coverage of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships on Friday, Sept. 11 (12:30-6:00 PM, ET) is highlighted by the women’s semi-final matches following the men’s doubles final.

Coverage is highlighted by No. 2-seeded Serena Williams against Kim Clijsters followed by No. 9-seeded Caroline Wozniacki taking on Yanina Wickmayer. The men’s doubles final precedes the women’s matches.

CBS Sports’ “Super Saturday” coverage on Saturday, Sept. 12 will feature the men’s semi-final matches, (12:00 NOON-6:00 PM, ET) and will be highlighted by the women’s final in prime time (8:00-10:00 PM, ET).

CBS Sport’s coverage of the 2009 U.S. Open Tennis Championships will conclude on Sunday, Sept. 13 (4:00-7:00 PM, ET) with the men’s final.

Lead play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg will be joined by expert analysts Mary Carillo and John McEnroe in the booth for the 10th consecutive year. Bill Macatee and analyst Jim courier also will call tennis action for CBS Sports. Mary Joe Fernandez serves as reporter.

Bob Mansbach serves as coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ live coverage of tennis’ final major of the year. Mansbach, David Winner and Ken Mack produce. Lead director Bob Fishman will direct along with Jim Cornell. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

* * *

NOTES AND QUOTES FROM CBS ANALYST JIM COURIER

(Courier on Serena-Clijsters match): Serena Williams is the Tour’s most aggressive player and when she adds confidence to her aggression, as she has done increasingly in this Open, she is simply unbeatable…That Kim Clijsters is likely the stiffest competition left for Serena to topple en route to the title is a bit surprising. But given the uncertainty at the top of women’s tennis at the moment, perhaps we should have seen this coming.

(Courier on Wozniacki-Wickmayer match): Caroline Wozniacki should be ready to handle the situation more than Yanina Wickmayer in the semi’s. She has been groomed for this moment and should be able to advance to the finals. Her counter-punching style will have to be at its very best to lift the trophy, but it will serve her well in the semis…Wickmayer has had good results on all surfaces this year and is coming into her own. The biggest question is how she will mentally handle a semi-final stage at a major.

In a related note, ESPN2 says Wednesday’s Primetime at the US Open featuring the Melanie Oudin-Caroline Wozniacki and Roger Federer-Robin Soderling matches combined to make the highest rated tennis telecast on the network.

US Open Brings ESPN2 its Most-Watched Tennis Telecast

Audience for Tournament Up 24% vs. 2008; ESPN2 Audience Triples

Wednesday night’s US Open coverage on ESPN2 – the end of Melanie Oudin’s Cinderella run through the women’s field with a 6-2, 6-2 loss to #9 seed Caroline Wozniacki followed by five-time defending champ Roger Federer outlast #12 Robin Soderling 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 – was the most-watched tennis telecast in the network’s history. An average of 1,754,000 homes (2,324,000 viewers – P2+) watched the 5+-hour program, based on a 1.8 household coverage rating. Also, it is ESPN2’s sixth-biggest audience of 2009 to date and its second-best tennis rating ever (1.9 for the 2007 Australian Open final in which Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2).

It was the second straight night sports fans tuned to ESPN2 in record numbers for tennis. Wednesday’s audience broke the household record set 24 hours earlier, an average of 1,718,000 homes (2,128,000 viewers), based on a 1.7 rating. That evening’s telecast saw #2 Serena Williams oust #10 Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-3 and #3 Rafael Nadal outslug #13 Gael Monfils 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. The previous record was the 2007 Australian Open final with 1,715,000 homes (2,199,000 viewers).

US Open to Date

Through eight days, ESPN2’s first-ever coverage of tennis’ US Open has averaged an audience 24% larger across the daily marathon telecasts (sometimes longer than 12 hours), up from an average of 677,000 households to 838,000, with larger increases for the key male demos – the audience of Men 18-34 is up 46% and Men 18-49 has risen 58%. ESPN2 is averaging a 0.7 US household rating for 86 hours (up 10% from the 78 hours scheduled due to late-running matches), up 16% from a 0.6 for 2008 to date. (The household coverage-area ratings are 0.8 and 0.7, respectively).

The audience growth is larger in prime time. ESPN2 has averaged a 1.0 US household rating, up 43% from 0.7, with an average of 1,163,000 homes, up 38% from 846,000. (The household coverage-area ratings are 1.2 and 0.9, respectively). Among Men 18-34, the increase in prime time is 46%, with a 63% rise for Men 18-49.

Compared to ESPN2’s programming for the same week last year, the daytime (1-7 p.m. ET) audience has more than tripled – an increase of 206%. In prime time (7-11 p.m.), the US Open has almost tripled the network’s audience with a rise of 181%.

Digital Usage on the Rise

During the US Open, the number of page views to the tennis section of ESPN.com have more than doubled the same period last year.

All Four Slams, All in One Place

With programming on ESPN Radio, ESPN360.com, ESPNEWS and more – in addition to ESPN2’s 100 hours during the two-week tournament – ESPN is completing a Grand Slam, presenting all four of the sport’s majors, which no U.S. network has ever done before, let alone in a single year.

Looking Ahead

ESPN2’s coverage of the US Open will conclude Sunday, Sept. 13, with Cliff Drysdale and Pam Shriver on the call for the Women’s Doubles live at 1 p.m. and a special two-hour edition of SportsCenter at 9 p.m. to review the finals and the entire tournament.

ESPN airs the Basketball Hall of Fame inductions on Friday.

Basketball Hall of Fame Inductions – Including Jordan, Robinson and Stockton – Friday on ESPN

ESPN will televise the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony – including a blockbuster class of Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan, John Stockton and Vivian Stringer – from Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass., Friday, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m. ET. ESPN play-by-play commentator Mike Breen will emcee the event, with ESPN’s telecast hosted by Stuart Scott and Michael Wilbon.

Additional coverage will include live coverage of the press conference (Friday at 10 a.m.) on SportsCenter and ESPNEWS; guest interviews throughout the day across ESPN news and information shows; and coverage of the pep rally on ESPNEWS Friday at 12 p.m.

ESPN says Monday night’s Miami-Florida State game was the highest rated college football telecast ever in the network’s 30 year history.

Miami at Florida State: ESPN’s Second-Most-Viewed College Football Game; Season Debut of Saturday Night Football Wins Night for ABC

ESPN’s opening week of college football coverage delivered significant audience increases over last year’s season debut telecasts across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and College GameDay highlighted by ESPN’s second-most-viewed college football game – regular-season and bowl games – and ABC winning the night among all networks for its Saturday Night Football broadcast. Details:

Miami at Florida State: ESPN’s Second-Most-Viewed College Football Game

ESPN’s prime-time telecast of Miami’s 38-34 victory over then-No. 18 Florida State on Monday, Sept. 7, averaged 5,820,000 households, 8,406,000 total viewers and a 5.9 rating, making it the network’s second-most-viewed college football game – regular-season and bowl games.

The network’s most-viewed college football game was also a Labor Day showdown between Miami and Florida State, on Sept. 4, 2006. That telecast averaged 6,330,000 households, 9,120,000 total viewers and a 6.9 rating.

Season Debut of Saturday Night Football Wins the Night for ABC

The Sept. 5 debut of Saturday Night Football on ABC averaged 4,832,000 households, 7,081,000 viewers and a 4.2 rating, making ABC the top network for the night in households, viewers and across every key male and people demographic. The broadcast posted increases of 20% (vs. 4,030,000), 26% (vs. 5,601,000) and 17% (vs. 3.6), respectively, over last year’s opening telecast.

Opening Week Audience Growth for ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 Game Telecasts and College GameDay

Overall college football coverage across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and College GameDay through the first week posted audience increases over last year’s opening telecasts.

• ABC averaged 4,465,000 households, 6,371,000 viewers and a 3.9 rating for increases of 23% (vs. 3,621,000), 31% (vs. 4,866,000) and 22% (vs. 3.2), respectively.

• ESPN averaged 2,640,000 households, 3,616,000 viewers and a 2.7 rating, marking increases of 30% (vs. 2,028,000), 34% (vs. 2,693,000) and 29% (vs. 2.1).

• ESPN2 averaged 889,000 households and 1,141,000 viewers for its coverage for increases of 7% (vs. 830,000), 8% (vs. 1,054,000). The rating is even at a 0.9 average.

• ESPN’s College GameDay averaged 1,687,000 households, 2,061,000 viewers and a 1.7 rating for its season-opening telecast from Atlanta for increases of 20% (vs. 1,401,000), 25% (vs. 1,654,000) and 13% (vs. 1.5) over last year’s first show, also from Atlanta.

That’s it for this post. I have several other things to work on for Friday so look for those soon.

Westwood One Radio’s NFL Announcing Assignments for Week 1

Even though most of you watch sports on TV, many still have to monitor through radio and I find radio to be a much more personal medium than TV. Coming from a radio background, it’s only natural I feel this way and having called college football and basketball on radio, I always will feel closer to the medium than TV. I’ve worked in both, but I’ve had more fun in radio and accomplished more, but enough about me.

Let’s go over the schedule for the NFL on Westwood One Radio and who will be calling the six games for Week 1 starting tonight in Pittsburgh.

WESTWOOD ONE

PRESENTS

OPENING WEEK OF THE 2009 NFL FOOTBALL

BROADCAST SCHEDULE

– September 10 - September 14, 2009–

New York, NY -- September 10, 2009 -- Westwood One proudly presents week one of the 2009 National Football League season. The season begins tonight as the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers host the Tennessee Titans. Westwood One remains the exclusive network radio partner of the NFL Prime-Time package, broadcasting the most games and the best match-ups throughout the entire NFL season.

The following schedule and announcers:

Thursday, Sept. 10 – Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:00 PM ET – Marv Albert, Boomer Esiason & Mark Malone

Sunday, Sept. 13 – Philadelphia Eagles @ Carolina Panthers, 12:30 PM ET – Howard David & Dan Reeves

Sunday, Sept. 13 – San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals, 3:45 PM ET – Kevin Kugler & Mark Malone

Sunday, Sept. 13 – Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers, 7:30 PM ET – Dave Sims, James Lofton & Hub Arkush

Monday, Sept. 14 – Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots, 6:30 PM ET – Marv Albert, Boomer Esiason & Steve Tasker

Monday, Sept. 14 – San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders, 9:45 PM ET – Kevin Harlan, Warren Moon & Mark Malone

Some of the crew are holdovers from last year including Marv Albert, Boomer Esiason, Dave Sims, Mark Malone, Hub Arkush and Dan Reeves. New additions this year are Kevin Kugler, Warren Moon and Howard David who triumphantly returns to Westwood One. Nice to see Howard calling NFL games for WW1 once again.

A Couple of More NFL-Related Press Releases

I continue to clear out my inbox of press releases that have been e-mailed this week. I’ll get to links shortly, but I want to make sure these get posted before the scheduled air dates. Thanks to the fine PR people who work hard to ensure these get sent to the right people.

This is from NFL Network and promotes what new programming you’ll see during this season.

NEW SHOWS HIGHLIGHT 2009 FALL PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE ON NFL NETWORK

Sunday “NFL GameDay” Slate Delivers Over 13 Hours of

Original Programming

“NFL GameDay Morning” First Pregame Show On The Air, Taking Viewers Up to Kickoff

“Playbook,” “NFL Weekly Countdown,” “Up to the Minute,” “Greatest 4^th QTRs,” and “Sound FX” Among Network Debuts

Viewer Favorites “NFL Replay,” “NFL Classic Games” and “NFL Replay Real-Time” Return

The 32 teams of the NFL aren’t the only ones ready to unveil their 2009 lineups. NFL Network is also excited to announce a roster of new shows and faces for its in-season programming, as well as the return of original programming and talent.

As the only network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football, NFL Network continues to provide fans with unique and innovative programming aimed to inform, entertain and provide inside access to their favorite teams.

“The appetite of our fans keeps growing,” said Charles Coplin, NFL Network VP of Programming. “They are becoming more sophisticated and our programming reflects their interests in multiple areas of the game.”

Below are descriptions of shows making their debut on the Network this fall, as well as veteran programs returning to the lineup:

THE DEBUTS

• Around the League (HD), Monday-Friday at 5:00 PM ET: With Team Cams at all 32 team sites, fans gain inside access to their favorite team’s facility each day, featuring press conferences and interviews with players and coaches. Around the League, with hosts including Randy Moss, Lindsay Soto, Alex Flanagan, Stacey Dales and Paul Burmeister, debates the biggest stories in the NFL with beat writers and bloggers who live and breathe the teams.

• Greatest 4^th QTRs, Thursday at 9:00 PM ET: Greatest 4^th QTRs is a 90-minute compilation of three memorable fourth quarters in NFL history. Using NFL Films footage, Greatest 4^th QTRs preps viewers for the upcoming weekend’s games by reliving three of the most exciting finishes between teams set to faceoff on Sunday. Debut date: Saturday, September 12 at 9:00 PM ET.

• The NFL Head Coaches (HD), Monday at 6:30 PM ET: Mike Martz, Steve Mariucci and Jim Mora take an inside look at the previous Sunday’s games and analyze the big plays and tough decisions made by NFL head coaches on the sidelines in this 30-minute, roundtable program hosted by Charles Davis. Debut date: Monday, September 14 at 5:00 PM ET.

• Playbook (recap editions), Tuesday & Wednesday at 6:00 PM ET: The ultimate Xs & Os show expands to Tuesday and Wednesday with 60-minute recap editions looking back at the previous week’s games. Playbook unlocks the keys to every game, giving fans and fantasy football enthusiasts an insider’s edge. These new editions are hosted by Solomon Wilcots with analysis from Brian Billick and Mike Mayock.

• Sound FX, Wednesday at 4:00 PM ET: Hosted by NFL Network analyst Brian Billick, Sound FX highlights the best sounds captured from the weekend’s NFL action. The award-winning NFL Films crews take viewers inside the game with exclusive on-field and off-field sound from around the league using sideline and wireless microphones mounted on players shoulder pads and coaches’ shirts.

• NFL Weekly Countdown (HD), Wednesday at 4:30 PM ET: Michelle Beisner hosts this 30-minute interactive countdown show where the top plays and performances from the previous week, as voted by the fans on NFL.com, are revealed.

• Up-to-the-Minute (HD), Monday at 6:00 PM ET: Scott Hanson hosts this fast-paced 30-minute look at the best highlights and sound bytes seen and heard the day after an NFL Sunday. Debut date: Monday, September 14 at 4:30 PM ET.

THE VETERANS

• NFL GameDay Morning (HD), Sunday at 9:00 AM ET: NFL GameDay Morning, the first NFL pregame show on the air expands to four hours taking viewers up to kickoff and providing the earliest news and notes as well as live reports from around the league. Expert analysts Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, Emmy-nominated Steve Mariucci, newcomer Michael Irvin, and NFL insider Jason La Canfora join hosts Spero Dedes and Stacey Dales each week.

• NFL GameDay StatZone (HD), Sunday at 1:00 PM ET: NFL Network provides the best place on television to get up-to-the-minute scores, statistics and news each game day during the season. Formerly entitled NFL GameDay Red Zone, NFL GameDay StatZone features continuously scrolling real-time game statistics with audio from Sirius NFL Radio’s “Around the League” program.

• NFL GameDay Scoreboard, Sunday at 4:00 PM ET: After the early afternoon games conclude, NFL GameDay Scoreboard takes viewers around the league for post-game press conferences and game highlights in addition to up-to-the-minute scores, statistics and news during the late afternoon games. Fran Charles hosts alongside analysts Jamie Dukes and Tom Waddle.

• NFL GameDay Highlights (HD), Sunday at 7:30 PM ET: Following the late afternoon games, NFL GameDay Highlights analysts Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin join host Rich Eisen to analyze the events of the day. Includes highlights from all completed games, insider commentary, on-field interviews and post-game press conferences.

• NFL GameDay Final (HD), Sunday at 11:30 PM ET: Get the final word on all of Sunday’s action with NFL GameDay Final. The 90-minute whip around show features highlights and news from all the games of the day, insider commentary, on-field interviews and post-game press conferences. Expert analysis is provided by Deion Sanders, Steve Mariucci and host Rich Eisen.

• NFL Total Access (HD), Monday-Saturday at 7:00 PM ET: NFL Total Access is the NFL’s show of record, providing daily news, interviews and analysis from around the league. Hosts Rich Eisen and Fran Charles, alongside a bevy of expert analysts, provide viewers inside access into their favorite teams with 32 ‘team cams’ stationed every facility. NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora and other reporters break the latest news in daily ‘Around the League’ reports.

• NFL Replay (HD), Tuesday & Wednesday at 8:00 and 9:30 PM ET: If you didn’t catch all of Sunday’s games, NFL Network has you covered. NFL Replay exclusively re-airs the four best NFL games of the weekend in a fast-paced, 90-minute format with bonus NFL Films footage, wired sounds from the field, and coaches’ commentary. It’s non-stop action minus the halftime.

• NFL Replay Real-Time (HD), Monday at 4:00 PM ET: NFL Replay Real-Time gives fans a unique minute-by-minute look at what happened in the previous afternoon’s games as they unfolded in real time. Debut date: Monday, September 14 at 2:30 PM ET.

• Playbook (AFC & NFC editions), Thursday & Friday at 6:00 PM ET (encores at 8:00 PM ET): The definitive X’s and O’s show gives viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the weekend’s games using exclusive coaches tape to break down the matchups and answer the question of ‘who will win and why?’ Former players now analysts Brian Baldinger and Sterling Sharpe host the hour show.

• NFL’s Top 10, Saturday at 8:00 and 9:00 PM ET: NFL’s Top 10 is a fast-paced weekly series that provides an irreverent look at some of the most intriguing subjects in the NFL, creating and debating a top ten list for each category. Each 60-minute episode counts down from No. 10 to the top ranking in each category.

• NFL Classic Games (HD), Friday at 9:00 PM ET: From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, NFL Network re-airs the complete original network broadcast of greatest NFL games ever played. Telecasts include original network announcers and graphics.

• NFL Films Presents (HD), Thursday at 4:30 PM ET: Hosted by Steve Sabol, NFL Films Presents explores the depth of the NFL Films archive – the world’s largest sports film library – with unique perspectives on football’s greatest heroes and personalities as well as its history, humanity and humor.

ADDITIONAL SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Trent Green Joins NFL Network Analyst Lineup

• Former NFL QB Trent Green is the latest all-pro to join NFL Network’s talented analyst lineup. The two-time Pro Bowler will contribute regularly on NFL Total Access. Green is the third member of the St. Louis Rams’ 1999 Super Bowl-winning team to join the NFL Network family as former head coach Mike Martz begins his first year as an analyst and RB Marshall Faulk enters his fourth season.

NFL Network’s NFL RedZone Channel Launches Sunday, September 13

• Sunday, September 13 at 1:00 PM ET marks the launch of NFL RedZone, a new channel produced by NFL Network that brings fans every touchdown from every game on Sunday afternoons during the regular season. Hosted by Scott Hanson, NFL RedZone whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments live and in high definition. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays as they happen. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play. NFL RedZone available now on Comcast, DISH Network, Verizon FiOS and more distributors. Visit http://redzonetv.nfl.com for more information.

THE 2009 PLAY-BY-PLAY (ALL TIMES ET)

Sunday

9:00 AM NFL GameDay Morning

1:00 PM NFL GameDay StatZone

4:00 PM NFL GameDay Scoreboard

7:30 PM NFL GameDay Highlights

11:30 PM NFL GameDay Final

Monday

4:00 PM NFL Replay Real-Time

5:00 PM Around the League

6:00 PM Up to the Minute

6:30 PM The NFL Head Coaches

7:00 PM NFL Total Access

11:30 PM NFL Total Access

Tuesday

5:00 PM Around the League

6:00 PM Playbook (recap edition)

7:00 PM NFL Total Access

8:00 PM NFL Replay

9:30 PM NFL Replay

Wednesday

4:00 PM Sound FX

4:30 PM NFL Weekly Countdown

5:00 PM Around the League

6:00 PM Playbook (recap edition)

7:00 PM NFL Total Access

8:00 PM NFL Replay

9:30 PM NFL Replay

Thursday

4:30 PM NFL Films Presents

5:00 PM Around the League

6:00 PM Playbook (AFC edition)

7:00 PM NFL Total Access

9:00 PM Greatest 4^th QTRs

Friday

5:00 PM Around the League

6:00 PM Playbook (NFC edition)

7:00 PM NFL Total Access

9:00 PM NFL Classic Games

Saturday

7:00 PM NFL Total Access

8:00 PM NFL’s Top 10

9:00 PM NFL’s Top 10