I haven’t given you a full set of Friday megalinks since October 1, so it’s time to do some now. Let’s get to them.
The Weekend Viewing Picks has your sports and primetime viewing.
National
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand and Mike McCarthy debate what can be done to improve baseball’s ratings.
Fanhouse says Jenn Sterger appears to be ready to talk with NFL Security about Brett Favre.
Georg Szalai of the Hollywood Reporter says the FCC is urging Cablevision and Fox to talk in good faith on Monday.
John Eggerton from Broadcasting & Cable says the FCC is calling both Cablevision and Fox on the carpet.
Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News looks at how Time Warner Cable customers can legally watch Monday Night Football and other ESPN programming online.
Mike Farrell of Multichannel says Fox is telling Cablevision subscribers to buy an HD antenna so they can watch network programming.
Kelly Ridell of Bloomberg says the Cablevision/Fox dispute is heading into its second weekend with no apparent end in sight.
Noah Davis at SportsNewser says ESPN Boston will webcast the Head of the Charles event this weekend.
Wayne Friedman at MediaPost explores the story that won’t go away, Timeoutgate, from the Monday Night Football game in Jacksonville.
SportsbyBrooks looks at Jay “The Rat” Mariotti deleting his Twitter account. Good riddance, Jay.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media notes that TSN has picked up 24 Montreal Canadiens games.
The Sports Media Watch notes that former NBA star Chris Mullin has apparently joined ESPN’s roster of analysts.
SMW says NLCS Game 5 received its highest ratings in three years.
Joe Favorito says a former New York Giant understands the value of a publicity stunt.
Emmett Jones of Sports Business Digest says NBC is asking in excess of $400,000 per 30 second spot for Sunday Night Football, up significantly from last year.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe profiles Celtics TV duo Mike Gorman and Tommy Heinsohn who have worked together for 30 years starting with two seasons calling Providence College basketball.
Thomas Grillo of the Boston Herald says a Tweet from the New England Patriots helped to prevent a blackout of the team’s game in San Diego this weekend.
Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette has TNT’s Reggie Miller singing the praises of the Boston Celtics.
Ken Belson and Richard Sandomir from the New York Times says former Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks is seeing his former team’s success as an outsider.
Newsday’s Neil Best talks with polarizing New York Yankees voice John Sterling.
Neil has his weekend viewing picks.
Bob Raissman at the New York Daily News feels YES’ and ESPN Radio New York’s Michael Kay has been speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
As expected, Phil Mushnick of the New York Post takes his newspaper owner’s side in the Cablevision/Fox dispute. News Corp. owns both the Post and Fox.
Pete Dougherty in the Albany Times Union says NBA fans will overdose on seeing the Miami Heat this season.
In the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg notes that DC sports icons got to tape new “This is SportsCenter” ads.
Andrew Beaujon at the DC-centric TBD.com notes that co-author of the new ESPN book, Tom Shales is leaving the WaPo after 39 years as its television critic.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner talks with NFL RedZone host and former Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic anchor Scott Hanson.
South
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the Heat have terminated their agreement with their flagship radio station and are now looking for a new home.
The Dallas Morning News’ Barry Horn finds a way to jab Newsday’s Neil Best. A couple of years ago, Horn and Best had a friendly war of words in their respective blogs.
The Houston Chronicle’s David Barron talks with NBC’s Rodney Harrison about his statements about hard hits in the NFL.
Midwest
Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press talks about the Dan Patrick Show premiering on Fox Sports Detroit on Monday.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bob Wolfley notes that the Big Ten Network will profile a Wisconsin defensive end tomorrow.
And Bob says Joe Namath on his Sirius XM show likes Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business has his weekly winners and losers.
Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune writes that ESPN has postponed the airing of a 30 for 30 documentary on the infamous Steve Bartman.
Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports that Jenn Sterger won’t talk to the NFL if Brett Favre pays her off. Thanks to Robert Littal of Black Sports Online for the link.
Dan Caesar in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says ESPN’s College Gameday loves being at the University of Missouri.
Dan says the Missouri Attorney General has weighed in on the Dish Network/Fox Cable Networks flap.
West
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune has CBS’ Phil Simms previewing this Sunday’s Patriots-Chargers game.
John Maffei of the North County Times gets Jim Nantz’s favorite San Diego sports moments.
Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News writes that even without a home team, LA still loves watching the NFL.
Tom has his extensive media news and notes.
I’m going to end it there.
