Wednesday was a lost cause for me as I was away from the office all day and spending time with my week old nephew in Boston. I helped my sister out with a few things as she’s dealing with her first child. There will be days like that on the blog for the next few weeks so please be patient. For the next time that occurs, I’ll do my best to write features ahead of time so the blog won’t be completely bare like it was Wednesday.
Let’s do the links.
Sports Business Daily addresses the fallout of the Boston Globe article on the Red Sox September swoon authored by Bob Hohler, but seemingly came directly from the Red Sox front office on the collapse of the team and the sullying of former manager Terry Francona.
Current’s Keith Olbermann, a friend of Terry Francona, comes to the ex-Red Sox manager’s defense and fires back at Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino.
Nate Davis of USA Today writes that CBS NFL analyst Phil Simms once talked with the late Raiders owner Al Davis to become a coach of the team.
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand has Fox Sports less than bullish on using Hank Williams, Jr. on any of its programming.
From the ESPN Ombudsman, Jason Fry and Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute give their take on ESPN’s handling of the Hank Williams, Jr. mess.
Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated says soccer insiders are very interested in seeing whether ESPN or NBC Sports Group wins the bidding for the 2018/2022 World Cups.
Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand handicaps the World Cup rights race.
Lindsay Powers of the Hollywood Reporter says a rain delay in the American League Championship Series last night ended up hurting Fox in the primetime ratings.
Timothy Burke at SportsGrid notes that Tim McCarver was proven tremendously wrong during Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says a dominant Jimmie Johnson is not good for NASCAR.
ESPN PR man Nate Smeltz in the ESPN Front Row blog tells us how the network will replace NBA games in the first two weeks of the canceled regular season.
Patrick Bernard of the Stamford (CT) Patch wonders if NBC Sports will move its operations to Stamford, CT.
The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir feels the NBA season could stand to lose some more games.
From the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record, Ken McMillan says Army’s basketball season opener will be aired live on CBS Sports Network.
Paul J. Gough of the Pittsburgh Business Times writes that the Pirates will have a new radio flagship next season.
Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post says the Nationals have hired a consultant to help them get fair market value from MASN for their TV rights.
Dan Kausler, Jr. of the Birmingham (AL) News talks with ESPN’s BCS guru about Alabama and LSU.
Greg Auman at the St. Petersburg Times speaks with ESPN’s Urban Meyer about his coaching future and his work at the Alleged Worldwide Leader.
In the Daily Oklahoman, Mel Bracht says this year’s renewal of the annual Red River Shootout did monster ratings in Oklahoma City.
The Indiana Pacers and Fox Sports Indiana have announced that Brooke Olzendam (Collins) will be the team’s new host/sideline reporter of its broadcasts if and when the season gets underway.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that Fox Sports Wisconsin is keeping mostly mum on losing Bucks games.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Times has a look at the football TV schedule, both college and pro for this week.
Tom quotes Lakers legend Jerry West on the late broadcaster Chick Hearn.
J.J. Fidler of the Grunion (CA) Gazette writes about a local woman who has hit the big time with Fox.
The Oregonian reports that ESPN has chosen the spot on the University of Oregon campus from where ESPN’s College GameDay will air live this Saturday.
The Thoroughbred Times notes that ESPN will air a documentary on ill-fated Triple Crown candidate Charismatic.
Sports Media Watch says NASCAR seems to be finally picking up from its 2010 ratings woes.
SMW notes that this year’s American League Championship Series got a ratings boost from Game 3 on Tuesday night.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says Tuesday’s edition of NHL Overtime on Versus almost became Fight Night.
Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing says Terry Francona’s too brief gig with should have taught the networks something staying about the status quo.
Dave Kohl at the Broadcast Booth notes that three Midwestern radio stations had interesting local baseball-football doubleheaders over a two day span last week.
And that’s where we’ll end things for now. I’ll do my best to catch up with the press releases.
