Now that I’ve learned that I don’t have to travel in between two offices today, I’ll do some megalinks for you.
You can check out the Weekend Sports and Primetime Viewing Picks here. Now to your links.
National
Michael Hiestand of USA Today talks with TNT’s Steve Kerr on the similarities he sees between the Chicago Bulls teams he played on with Michael Jordan and the Miami Heat of today.
Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News breaks news that TNT’s Marv Albert is in talks with CBS to possibly replace Gus Johnson for the NCAA Tournament. Bob isn’t national, but it’s big enough news to be placed here.
In Sports Business Journal, John Ourand and Michael Smith report on how ESPN and Fox came together for the Pac-12 TV contract.
Kimberly Nordyke of the Hollywood Reporter says Oprah Winfrey’s booking of the United Center for her overblown farewell shows has forced the NBA to juggle the schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals.
To Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News who writes that TNT is on a fast track to have its highest-rated NBA postseason in its history.
Mike has a story on the NBC Sports Group signing Saratoga Race Course for horse racing programming in the summer.
Noted FoxSports.com basketball writer Jeff Goodman announces that he’s leaving for CBSSports.com.
Also writing his farewell column is noted hockey reporter E.J. Hradek who’s leaving ESPN.com for the NHL Network.
At the Business of College Sports, Kristi Dosh says despite what rivals’ complaints, there’s nothing unfair about the new Longhorn Network.
Matt Hinton at Yahoo’s Dr. Saturday college football blog notes that ESPN.com really messed up in reporting the death of Alabama offensive lineman Aaron Davis.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell talks with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem about a faltering Tiger Woods and what it means to the Tour.
Darren explores the new magazine put forth by energy drink distributor Red Bull.
Darren notes that Nike is coming under fire again for factory conditions in Asia.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media has the ratings for nights 25-28 of the NHL Playoffs.
Dan Fogarty of SportsGrid has audio of a Captain Blowhard call into the Tony Korneheiser show this week.
Dan also has video of a deeply subdued Gus Johnson talking to Dan Patrick about his move to Fox.
Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo’s Puck Daddy notes that Versus’ Jeremy Roenick gave praise to Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks, two games after calling him “gutless”.
In Publiside, the lovely Gail Sideman advises athletes to keep using social media despite some recent incidents where some did not think before tweeting.
In Major League Programs, Dave Kohl reviews the sports media news of the week.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe quotes a WCVB-TV interview with NESN’s Jerry Remy in which he states he expects to return to analyzing Red Sox games on Monday. Remy has been out with pneumonia. Chad also breaks news that NESN’s Kathryn Tappen is being targeted by NHL Network as a possible studio host.
At SB Nation Boston, Bruce Allen says the Bruins now have the Hub’s attention all to themselves.
NESN has Heidi Watney visiting the MLB Fan Cave.
Newsday’s Neil Best notes that Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee actually saw Tiger Woods’ implosion at the Players Championship coming before it happened.
Melissa Hoppert of the New York Times discusses NBC Sports Group bringing Saratoga horse racing into the fold.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick hates everything and everybody today, but when is that different from any other day?
Justin Terranova at the Post has five questions for NBA TV’s Kevin McHale.
Ken Belson from the New York Times writes that the famed Melrose Games may leave its Madison Square Garden home where it’s been held for almost a century.
Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette says Siena lacrosse fans have a few ways to monitor their team’s NCAA Tournament game against Syracuse this weekend.
Ken says an NCAA Division III Lacrosse Tournament game will be online for fans to listen.
Patrick Berkery from the Philly Burbs papers talks with Comcast SportsNet Phillies analyst Chris Coste.
Dan Steinberg from the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog says the Nationals’ ratings on MASN are way up from this same time last year.
Dan says the DC sports media is firing shots at each other over whether DC NFL Team quarterback Donovan McNabb refused to wear a wristband to help him calls plays because it didn’t look good.
Dan says one DC radio show is sending barbs at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic over its reporting on the McNabb wristband.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner says NBC will be all over The Players Championship this weekend.
Jim notes that NASCAR is coming to the Mid-Atlantic region this weekend.
And Jim says the NBA is heating up on both ESPN and TNT.
South
Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times looks at the latest sports media news.
David Barron from the Houston Chronicle talks with the man who’s spearheading ESPN’s Longhorn Network and getting it ready for launch this summer.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman has a chat with NBA TV’s Kevin McHale over Oklahoma City’s win over Memphis the other night.
Mel says the Thunder are setting local ratings records.
Mel also has his media notebook.
Midwest
Jeff Bell of Columbus Business First writes that Fox Sports Ohio will be a corporate sponsor of the local sports commission.
The Detroit News says last night’s wild Game 7 between the Red Wings and San Jose Sharks set a ratings record for Fox Sports Detroit.
Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talks about ESPN getting all hands on deck for a special college basketball game on Veterans Day.
In Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman lists his weekly winners and losers.
Erin Meyer of the Chicago Tribune says the staff of WMAQ-TV is shocked over the death of sports anchor Daryl Hawks who was found in a hotel room as he was to cover last night’s Bulls-Hawks game.
Maudlyne Ihezjerika of the Chicago Sun-Times says another WMAQ-TV sportscaster died under similar circumstances almost a decade ago.
NBC Chicago has a slideshow of Daryl’s career not only at the station, but before he came to the Windy City.
Dan Caesar from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a local sports radio executive’s tumultuous tenure is coming to an end.
West
The Phoenix Business Journal reports that the Arena Football League’s Arizona Rattlers now have a local TV deal.
John Maffei of the North County Times talks about announcers shuffling back and forth between networks.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star says TNT’s Charles Barkley’s premonition about the Lakers ended up coming true.
Tom Hoffarth at the Los Angeles Daily News answers real sports media questions from fake readers.
Tom looks at an organization that aids reporters and writers in need of assistance.
Canada
Bruce Dowbiggin says golf viewership is getting out of red numbers.
We’re going to end it there. Enjoy your sports weekend
