It feels like last week since I last did linkage. And well, it’s true. The last time I did links for you was on Thursday. My apologies. Time to do some now.
From the Nation’s Newspaper, Michael Hiestand of USA Today says Michael Vick’s return to the football field hardly generated controversy.
In Sports Business Journal, Tripp Mickle writes that Pittsburgh Penguins will become the first sports franchise to get their own dedicated 24/7 HD radio station.
The SBJ talked with several business marketers on the changes they’ve had to make and will have to make to get returns on their sports sponsorships.
Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated says despite a TV blackout in Detroit, Lions fans listened to the team’s first win since the Bush Administration.
Tom Van Riper of Forbes.com calls the 2009 NFL season, the Year of the Blackout.
Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says with the Yankees back in the MLB postseason, advertising dollars are coming in for Fox and TBS for their coverage of the playoffs.
Elsa Keslassy of Variety says San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker is developing a French cartoon series using his likeness.
Todd Spangler of Multichannel News writes that Cox Communications is picking up ESPN360 as of Wednesday.
Amanda Bruno from the Batter-up with Bruno blog notes that Boston.com is losing a key employee to ESPN Boston.
Neil Keefe of NESN.com says the Boston Bruins will honor former TV and radio voice Fred Cusick posthumously next week.
Juliet Macur of the New York Times reports that President Obama will make an appearance at the International Olympic Committee vote for the 2016 Summer Olympics next month.
Newsday’s Neil Best says the baseball tradition of champagne locker room celebrations is now an anachronism.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post is incredulous that the Rev. Al Sharpton is appearing on WWE Raw tonight. Lighten up, Phil.
The Albany Times Union’s Pete Dougherty looks forward to a matchup of 3-0 teams on Sunday.
And Pete has your college football TV schedule for this week.
Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette notes that the AHL’s Albany River Rats have a new radio home.
Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times reviews the weekend of sports on television.
David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun feels the NFL Sunday pregame shows glossed over Michael Vick’s dogfighting past.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes that Cowboys voice Brad Sham has a very busy day today.
Barry says there will be plenty of pregame programming before a local station’s simulcast of tonight’s ESPN production of the Panthers-Cowboys game.
Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has some highs and lows from yesterday’s Fox production of the Packers-Rams game.
Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star gets on MLB Network for not providing live cut-ins on Sunday afternoon.
Dusty Saunders from the Denver Post writes that Colorado Rockies radio voice Jeff Kingery is leaving at the end of this season.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has your planning guide for sports on TV this week.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times is a fan of NFL Network’s RedZone.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail says much of Canada’s media gave Wayne Gretzky a pass for resigning from the Phoenix Coyotes last week.
Chris Zelkovich from the Toronto Star feels some sportscasters are too dependent on the yucks.
From the Biz of Football, Maury Brown says Verizon FiOS will offer a free preview of NFL Network’s RedZone on Sunday.
Comcast will also offer a free preview this Sunday as well.
Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media blog has a guest column from former NBC Sports and Raycom Sports analyst Dave Rowe.
Chris noticed that Brent Musburger was quoting Blue Oyster Cult songs during Saturday’s Iowa-Penn State game.
The Sports Media Watch has its usual weekend ratings predictions.
Steve Lepore from Puck The Media says the NHL has finally taken a stand in the DirecTV/Versus dispute.
Steve has your North American NHL TV schedule for October.
Steve notes that NHL Network won’t be carrying the full compliment of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada games, but tells us it’s for the good.
That’s going to do it for today.
