I haven’t been able to provide links since last Thursday so it’s time you get some linkge. I’ve been busy with end of April/beginning of May stuff so it’s cut back on my blogging, but I think I’ll be back to a normal schedule after the weekend.
As usual, you can plan your sports and entertainment viewing with the Weekend Viewing Picks. Now to your links.
Ernie Harwell
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post remembers a story involving the late Ernie Harwell and the late Howard Cosell.
Tim Lemke talks about Ernie Harwell and the legacy that he and other great broadcasters have left behind.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner also pays tribute to Ernie Harwell.
David Mayo in the Grand Rapids Press writes that the love for Ernie Harwell cannot be measured in words.
Lynn Henning of the Detroit News says the Tigers became consolers to fans as they said their goodbyes to Harwell at Comerica Park.
Lynn says thousands of mourners passed Harwell’s body as it lay in repose at Comerica.
Jim Lynch of the News talks with Tigers fans about Ernie Harwell.
The Detroit News has a complete section devoted to Harwell on his life, career and personal tributes.
The Detroit Free Press says Fox Sports will pay tribute to Harwell during its MLB coverage on Saturday.
Drew Sharp from the Free Press says Ernie would have liked seeing the people who came to pay their respects.
And the Free Press also has a special section on Harwell as well.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Harwell was beloved by his fellow broadcasters as well.
Bob Mayhall from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says the Cardinals broadcasters have fond memories of Harwell.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star says there was more to Ernie Harwell than baseball.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times gets area broadcasters to talk about Harwell.
National
Starting with USA Today, sports media reporters Michael Hiestand and Michael McCarthy debate whether politics has a place on sports television. You can weigh in on the topic right here.
Tripp Mickle of the Sports Business Daily writes that cable TV fees helped to bring Madison Square Garden into the black in the first quarter of this year.
Stuart Levine of Variety writes that Fox Sports is preparing to make a concerted bid for the 2014/2016 Olympics, contradicting earlier reports to the contrary. Thanks to Steve Dittmore for the link.
Bill Cromwell of Media Life Magazine handicaps the Olympics US TV bidding, although I disagree with his frontrunners.
Paul J. Gough at the Hollywood Reporter says ESPN and Univision are hoping for big ratings for the World Cup.
Claire Atkinson of Broadcasting & Cable writes thanks to the Super Bowl, CBS is seeing an ad revenue bump.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News reports that Comcast SportsNet Chicago scored with Game 3 of the Vancouver-Blackhawks series on Wednesday.
Dave Kindred at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center tells us that the best stories sometimes come when it appears there are none.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell doesn’t understand the NFL’s new endorsement deal with Bud Light displacing Coors as its official beer.
Darren notes that Nutrisystem has dropped former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor from its roster in the wake of the story that he allegedly raped and beat up an underaged prostitute.
Joe Favorito says a Bubblewrap PR stunt involving Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter could bring the company some mentions on Fox and ESPN this weekend.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media notes that Versus continues to rake in the ratings this week.
The Sports Media Watch says this week’s Magic blowout of the Atlanta Hawks failed to draw viewers.
SMW says Suns-Spurs isn’t popular with viewers either.
SMW has local NBA and NHL playoff ratings news.
And SMW has more NHL and NBA ratings news and notes.
Good news from Maury Brown at the Biz of Baseball. Milwaukee Brewers announcer Bob Uecker has been released from the hospital after undergoing heart surgery.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn at the Boston Globe says Bruins fans are comfortable having NESN analyst Andy Brickley calling the B’s-Flyers series on Versus.
Sox & Dawgs has video of NESN’s Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy comparing hair brush sizes during last night’s Angels-Red Sox broadcast.
The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir is dreading this weekend’s Yankees-Red Sox series and the length of games.
Richard compares the 1978 playoff game between the Yankees and Red Sox to this day and age.
Howard Beck of the Times catches up with Bill Walton who had to retire from broadcasting due to a bad back.
Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News contends that an early elimination of the Red Sox from playoff contention is bad for the Yankees and the YES Network.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union goes after Versus for showing highlights of last night’s Montreal-Pittsburgh game that it had just aired, but for me, it worked because I did not see the game, so the highlights were what the doctor ordered.
Pete talks with an HBO Sports staffer who won an Emmy for the 24/7 Mayweather/Marquez series.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner tells us to get ready for 3-D in sports.
South
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald talks with colleague Dan LeBatard about the success of his sports radio show.
At the St. Petersburg Times, Tom Jones says the Tampa Bay Rays could throw a wrench into the MLB’s TV partners postseason plans if the team keeps winning.
David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press speculates on this fall’s SEC on CBS football schedule. Thanks to Matt Sarz of Matt’s College Sports on TV for the link.
Ray Buck at the Fort Worth Star Telegram says a group of former Cowboys got together this week to shoot a promo for Super Bowl XLV which will be held in Cowboys Stadium in 2011.
David Barron from the Houston Chronicle says it’s never easy for sports talk show hosts to mix politics and sports.
Midwest
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business has his winners and losers in sports business and media.
Jim O’Donnell of the Chicago Sun-Times says former Cub Doug Glanville is branching out by becoming an author.
Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune talks with Versus President Jamie Davis about increasing its reach and appeasing the Blackhawks.
Speaking of the Blackhawks, Phil says the team continues to rake in the viewers.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin says the TPC at Sawgrass course will look spectacular in high definition during the Players Championship this weekend.
Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that the Cardinals’ TV ratings are tops among local MLB teams.
Dan adds that there could be some upheaval in one or two of the city’s sports radio stations.
West
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) News tells Utah Jazz fans not to get angry at TNT’s announcers for sounding “pro-Lakers”.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Dick Enberg knows he’s been rusty during his Padres broadcasts, but he knows he’ll get better during the season.
John Maffei of the North County Times looks forward to tonight’s premiere of “Friday Night Lights”. I’ve never seen it nor do I intend to.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star has Johnny Miller’s thoughts on what Tiger Woods needs to do to win this weekend’s Players Championship on NBC.
As Mother’s Day approaches, Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News speaks with ESPN’s Colleen Dominguez who balances her job as West Coast reporter with being a single mom of two grown children.
Tom has more on Colleen plus his extensive news and notes in his blog.
Canada
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star looks into possible on-air changes with CBC Sports and Rogers Sportsnet.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail isn’t a fan of watching the national anthems on TV.
And William Houston in Truth & Rumours takes a minor shot at Chris Zelkovich, but not as bad as he did last month.
And that will do it for today.
