Time for some linkage on this very warm Thursday. I hope you all take a moment and say a prayer for the people of Western Massachusetts who head to deal with tornadoes yesterday. Four people are confirmed dead. It was quite devastating to see last night. Let’s hope the area can recover quickly.
To your links.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today says Shaquille O’Neal, who retired from the NBA after 19 seasons, would be a logical choice to become an NBA television analyst.
The Sporting News notes that ESPN is looking to hire O’Neal.
The great Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated has a profile on NBC’s NHL voice Mike “Doc” Emrick.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life says thanks to the NBA Playoffs, TNT had the best ratings month in cable TV history.
Andrea Morabito of Broadcasting & Cable says CBS News will not apologize and stands by its 60 Minutes report on cyclist Lance Armstrong.
Michael Malone of B&C says the NBC Sports Group will be all over rugby this weekend.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News writes that ESPN3D plans to air The Championship Wimbledon in the third dimension.
Cam Martin of SportsNewser says NBC Sports gets an EPIC FAIL for airing a promo stating the Tampa Bay Lightning are in the Stanley Cup Final.
Noah Davis of The Business Insider Sports Page notes the national debut of a Wall Street Journal sports columnist.
Noah has the complete roster of writers who will staff Captain Blowhard’s Grantland.
Dan Fogarty in SportsGrid says Captain Blowhard has finally set an official launch date for the pretentiously-titled Grantland site.
Brandon Costa at Sports Video Group talks about 3-D TV stepping up at The Masters.
Ted Miller of ESPN.com says the Pac-12 has made announcements on seven nationally televised games.
Bill Hofhemier at ESPN’s Front Row discusses how ESPN’s award-winning World Cup production team is back together again for the Women’s World Cup.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell notes that Shaquille O’Neal was one of the first athletes to embrace social media.
Darren says Shaq’s retirement video gave an internet start-up a huge boost in more ways than one.
Darren talks with the men who marketed Shaquille O’Neal.
Martin Pave of the Boston Globe profiles the the Emmy Award-winning director of ESPN’s “Fab Five” documentary who has local ties.
Jessica Van Sack of the Boston Herald says fans don’t have to watch TV to follow the NHL.
The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir feels NBC needs a better way to air the French Open men’s semifinals.
Newsday’s Neil Best notes that WFAN’s Mike Francesa is not just doing well without partner Chris Russo, he’s flourishing.
Neil has his entire interview with Francesa in his blog.
Neil talks with ESPN Radio New York’s Michael Kay who one day hopes to beat Francesa in the ratings.
Neil also has the ratings breakdown between WFAN and ESPN Radio New York for afternoon drive.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says tennis great Chris Evert is returning to TV as an analyst for ESPN2’s Wimbledon coverage.
Frank Fitzpatrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Rugby 7’s will get network TV exposure this weekend.
John George in the Philadelphia Business Journal says Comcast SportsNet will air a local bike race in HD.
Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog notes that the UEFA Champions League Final outrated Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in DC.
Dan finds out why ESPN Radio DC slapped a 24 hour waiting period on publishing podcasts.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner explains that DC had the highest ratings for the Champions League finale.
Jim says NBC received the best NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 1 overnight ratings in a dozen years.
Barry Jackson in the Miami Herald says the NBA Finals are drawing viewers both nationally and locally.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says Magic star Gilbert Arenas has returned to Twitter with often humorous results.
Chuck Goldberg of the Alabama Newspapers notes that Auburn will get early starts for its first three football games of the season.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News notes that Miami outrated Dallas for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman talks with two-time Olympic softball player Michele Smith about the Women’s College World Series which begins on ESPN2 tonight.
Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports that Fox Sports Indiana and the Pacers have dropped pregame show host Stacy Paetz effective immediately.
Kevin Kane of the Southside (IN) Times wonders when organizers will lift the local blackout on the Indianapolis 500.
Bob Wolfeley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Suds City topped all markets watching the Indianapolis 500.
At the Iowa City Gazette, Scott Dochterman writes that Fox plans to give the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game the Big Event treatment.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News gets the nitty gritty on why Vin Scully’s Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was covered and mistreated.
Dian Pucin of the Los Angeles Times instructs West Coast viewers on how to watch tomorrow’s French Open men’s semifinal live.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail explores the media’s handling of the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg story.
At Deadspin, A.J. Daulerio chronicles how ESPN.com’s Grantland site pursued and then later had misgivings about hiring site writer Tommy Craggs.
Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing tries to make sense of the whole thing.
Sports Media Watch says ABC had the most watched NBA Finals game since 2004.
And that will end the links for today.
