It’s been a while since I could give you the Friday megalinks. You’re owed them. Let’s give them to you now.
There’s the Weekend Viewing Picks which has your sports and entertainment viewing choices.
National
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand reports that Fox rookie NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira will be in the broadcast booth for Super Bowl XLV in case there’s a controversial call or booth review.
Mike McCarthy of USA Today notes that in his 2nd stint in the NFL, Michael Vick has become a ratings magnet.
Nat Worden of the Wall Street Journal notes that Time Warner Cable is offering a cheaper package to subscribers without ESPN.
Milton Kent of Fanhouse is amused by the NFL ratings claims by CBS, Fox and NBC.
Milton talks about Michael Wilbon leaving the Washington Post after three decades for a full-time position with ESPN.
Carolyn Giardina of the Hollywood Reporter writes that ESPN is launching a new research and development lab with a Florida university.
Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News reports that the new NBC Sports/Comcast will have a new man heading up the cable side of the division.
Mike looks at ESPN research showing that 3-D TV had a “presence” during its coverage of the World Cup this past summer.
Mike says NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football won the cable primetime ratings once again.
Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek discusses Fox Sports becoming the home of the Big Ten Football Championship Game starting next year.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says Reebok sees its future in selling its products through vending machines.
Darren looks at the future of notifying sports fans when something special is in progress.
Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser notes that ESPN was not allowed to air an Activision ad before an Outside the Lines segment today.
Glenn Davis from SportsGrid has the time lapse video of transforming Yankee Stadium from a baseball diamond to a football field.
I’ll have more on this story in the megalinks. Here’s Greg Wyshynski’s story in Yahoo’s Puck Daddy about the New York Islanders pulling a media credential from noted NHL blogger Chris Botta.
Joe Favorito talks about Botta and Scott Raab who had their credentials pulled.
Spots Media Watch notes that ESPN’s college football ratings got a rise from South Carolina-Florida last week.
SMW talks with WNBA star Candice Wiggins.
Steve Lepore of Puck The Media says Versus’ ratings for NHL Overtime rose over its predecessor, The Daily Line.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe looks at the first NESN simulcasts of WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan radio show.
In the Springfield Republican, the lovely Amanda Bruno profiles the blogger who blew the lid off the NHL’s Colin Campbell’s bias towards the Bruins’ Marc Savard.
In her blog, Batter-up with Bruno, Amanda tells younger sports media consumers that they should care if newspapers fall by the wayside.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times looks at the Islanders revoking Chris Botta’s media credential over a very silly issue.
Richard profiles CBS’ James Brown who is the face of a government contractor.
Newsday’s Neil Best talks with NBC’s Al Michaels.
Neil wonders why SNY keeps replacing its female hosts for “Beer Money”.
Neil talks with Giants QB Eli Manning about hosting “Saturday Night Live”.
The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman says ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike refrained from asking tough questions to Tiger Woods.
Phil Mushnick at the New York Post can’t stand live ad reads during live game action.
The Post’s Justin Terranova talks with ESPN’s NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union lists whom he thinks are among the best in hosting and calling NFL games.
Pete also conducts a poll on the same subject in his blog.
Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com gives a sports media roundup of the Baltimore-DC area in Press Box.
Dan Steinberg in the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog has Michael Wilbon’s thoughts on leaving the WaPo.
Jim Williams in the Washington Examiner has Alexander Ovechkin’s thoughts on his new NHL DVD.
South
Dustin Long of the Virginian-Pilot has NASCAR Chairman Brian France backing ESPN despite lower ratings this year.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes that the Heat’s ratings are up.
Ray Buck at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram looks at three new NFL Films documentaries.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle also looks at the NFL Films coaching docs.
The Daily Oklahoman wonders if ESPN’s College Gameday is headed to the Sooner State next Saturday.
Midwest
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes what happened since the last time the Bengals were blacked out locally.
Mike Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press says Fox Sports Detroit is beefing up its high school football coverage.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bob Wolfley doesn’t want to watch NBA TV’s airing of Allen Iverson playing in Turkey.
Crain’s Chicago Business’ Ed Sherman has his winners and losers in sports business and media.
Ed has the Chicago Cubs’ statement on the Big Ten’s decision to use only one endzone at Wrigley Field for tomorrow’s Illinois-Northwestern game.
Dan Caesar at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes a gander at the local sports radio ratings.
Dan has a closer look at the ratings.
West
Jay Posner at the San Diego Union-Tribune notes that the Chargers narrowly avoided a blackout on Monday night.
Jay talks with ESPN’s Ron Jaworski about Monday night’s Broncos-Chargers game.
John Maffei from the North County Times also talks with Jaws about Broncos-Chargers.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star discusses the NFL Films trilogy on coaches that began Friday.
Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times says Manny Pacquaio would have fascinated the writers of yesteryear.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at the difference of sports reporting now and then.
Tom has his extensive media notes in his blog.
Stacy Brownhill of Willamette (OR) Week reports that Portland Trail Blazers fans protested Comcast SportsNet’s failure to gain widespread access for the team’s games.
Canada
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail wonders if the local media is treating Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke with kid gloves in the wake of him losing his son earlier this year.
Burke’s daughter, Katie, has written a reply to some of the comments in Dowbiggin’s column.
We’ll end it there.
