On this day when New England sports fans are talking about the Bill Belichick decision that cost the Patriots a win against the Colts, I’m enjoying the agony. Being a Browns fan, I need something to help me endure the season. And the Indianapolis Star has a picture of one of Belichick’s henchman shoving an NBC photographer after the game. Thanks to the Big Lead for the pic.
Let’s do the links for you.
We start with the Sports Business Journal and a few stories for you.
John Ourand writes that Comcast is set to compete with ESPN at the local level.
Tripp Mickle says not as many U.S. newspapers will be staffing the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February.
Terry Lefton reports that with the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl being held at the same venue in 2010, the NFL plans to offer some different events.
In today’s Sports Business Daily, Eric Fisher writes that ESPN.com is now featuring a new section for commentary including the ESPN Ombudsman.
To the Sporting News and Dan Levy of On The DL writes about Jon Gruden’s decision to sign a multi-year contract with ESPN.
Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk says ESPN isn’t saying much about Gruden’s staying to call Monday Night Football for next season and possibly beyond.
Writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Jason Fry says it’s time to blow up the current standard for the game story and invent a new one.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says now that Michelle Wie has won a golf tournament, what’s next for her?
Noam Cohen of the New York Times says ESPN’s Bill Simmons is the future of columnists. If he is, then I find that very sad. One of these days, I’ll explain why Simmons is one of the worst things to happen to sports and is a massive charlatan.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post loves to point at college football players who have arrest records and not properly mentioned on the networks.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union also looks at Jon Gruden’s new contract with ESPN.
Pete wonders if Sunday Night Football shouldn’t start earlier.
Alan Pergament of the Buffalo News says this means that Gruden won’t be moving to the Bills.
John Rowe of the Bergen (NJ) Record says believe it or not, one school wanted to play in the 6 a.m. ET slot in tomorrow’s 24 hour college basketball marathon on ESPN.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner writes about Jon Gruden’s staying with ESPN.
Jim provides the best quotage from the Sunday NFL pregame and postgame shows.
To Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times who reviews the weekend in televised sports and feels there are too many college football games on TV.
And Tom also has a story on Gruden’s new contract at ESPN. Apparently this is a big story today.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News has the postmortem on the Cowboys’ loss to Green Bay yesterday.
Barry notes a former Dallas radio sports director who has been honored as a Minor League Baseball broadcaster of the year.
Barry also has his take on the Gruden/ESPN signing.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says Fox Sports South in HD has been added to local cable systems.
John writes the Bengals-Steelers game set a local ratings record on Sunday for the local CBS affiliate.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business says noted local sports personality Mike North is doing a guest spot on one of the news/talk stations this week.
Ed looks at the economics of firing three noted coaches.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says there was plenty of Rx from the TV football doctors for what ailed the Packers.
Dusty Sanders of the Denver Post says Northern Colorado takes an early role in ESPN’s 24 hour college basketball marathon on Tuesday.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has this week’s sports calendar for SoCal.
Bruce Dowbiggin in the Toronto Globe and Mail says a TSN CFL analyst is getting the job done.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star reviews ESPN’s 30 for 30 Wayne Gretzky documentary which has its Canadian
premiere on Wednesday.
William Houston in the Truth & Rumours blog looks at the NHL’s record on head shots and the media’s passive attitude towards the league’s head of discipline, Colin Campbell.
The great Amanda Bruno of Batter-up with Bruno is joining a new website called BostonSportsWoman. Best of luck on the new venture, Amanda!
Also joining the site is a Twitter friend, Kayla Chadwick of the Off The Monster blog.
My best wishes to Amanda and Kayla and I wish nothing but success for Boston Sports Woman.
The Sports Media Watch says Cowboys-Packers steered Fox to big ratings yesterday.
And SMW notes that Pats-Colts did very well for NBC last night.
Chris Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media takes us inside the production truck as he worked a women’s volleyball game yesterday. I love these features and I hope you do too.
Chris notes how one network creatively marketed its brand when it was using an outsourced production truck.
Chris lets us know the enormity of the production crew that regularly work a college football game.
And we end with The Five from WEEI.com hosted by Kristine Leahy.
That’s it for the day.
