Ok, it’s time for the Friday megalinks. Wasn’t able to do them last week and now it’s time to bring them to you while I can. There’s a new look here and I’m experimenting with the template and colors. Let me know what you think either via a comment here or through a quick e-mail. I like to hear your comments.
You can always check your Weekend Viewing Picks for sports and primetime TV.
Now to your links.
National
Michael Hiestand of USA Today talks with CBS’ Dick Enberg who will call his final NCAA Tournament game tomorrow before embarking on a new phase of his broadcasting career.
Also in USA Today, sports broadcasting historian David J. Halberstam looks at the large number of veteran play-by-play men, including Enberg, who continue to call their respective sports well into their 70’s and some into their 80’s
And USA Today’s version of Mike and Mike, Michael Hiestand and Mike McCarthy debate the value of expanding the NCAA Tournament from its current 65 teams.
Alex Weprin of Broadcasting & Cable says MLB is rebranding its Home Plate channel on Sirius XM Satellite Radio to MLB Network Radio and will simulcast its programs at night.
Multichannel News looks at the life of former NBC Sports and ESPN President Chet Simmons who passed away Thursday at the age of 81.
R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel notes that Spike and UFC have put together a website for their Ultimate Fighter reality series which archives all ten seasons of the show.
Katy Bachman of Mediaweek looks at ESPN launching a New York-centric website.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine says the NCAA Tournament steered CBS to an overnight ratings victory on Thursday.
The Nielsen Wire blog notes that Louisville in basketball-crazy Kentucky is the top rated market for the NCAA Tournament through the first two rounds.
Writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Dave Kindred says it’s important to see both sides of the story.
The Sports Media Watch says Tiger Woods is shooting a new commercial.
Joe Favorito writes that the New York Jets made the right decision in participating in this season’s Hard Knocks program on HBO.
Gail Sideman in Sports Networker provides 5 proactive public relations tips for athletes to prevent them from getting into trouble.
Len Berman has his top five stories of the day.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe compares and contrasts the ESPN and Golf Channel interviews of Tiger Woods.
The New York Times speculates that HBO could be ending “Joe Buck Live” after three mostly lackluster shows.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post isn’t a fan of MLB Walking, Talking Conflict of Interest Bud Selig’s job on steriods.
Over to Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News who writes that the Jets are taking a stab at HBOs Hard Knocks after turning a request last year.
Writing in Baltimore’s Press Box, Dave Hughes from DCRTV.com has the latest on the Charm City’s sports radio ratings wars and other media moves.
In the Washington Examiner, Jim Williams asks his readers which is the best sports radio talk show in DC?
South
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson looks at an upcoming ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Dolphins running back Ricky Williams.
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel takes Florida football coach Urban Meyer to task for verbally attacking one of his colleagues this week.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News has the latest ratings for the sports radio stations and they’re not good for the local ESPN Radio affiliate.
Ray Buck from the Fort Worth Star Telegram says the national media spotlight will be on Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington after last week’s admission that he took cocaine.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle writes that CBS’ Jim Nantz returns to Houston to call the NCAA Tournament this weekend.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman talks with a national women’s college basketball analyst about Oklahoma’s play in the ladies NCAA Tournament.
In his media notebook, Mel discusses the upcoming season of Hard Knocks and the recent Sports Emmy Award nominations.
Midwest
Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press looks at former Michigan State star Mateen Cleaves who’s hoping to start a new career on TV.
Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the Fox Sports’ NFL analysts’ reaction to the new overtime rules.
In Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman says WGN-AM has eliminated a long-running talk show in place of more Cubs programming.
Ed also has his weekly winners and losers in sports business and media.
Paul Christian in the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin has a whole bunch of media stories in his Friday column.
To Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who writes about Verne Lundquist’s return to the Gateway City where it’s memorable for a very big reason.
West
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) Morning News says despite having two NCAA Tournament games in town last night, CBS beamed the games from Syracuse into the local market.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on a continued contract dispute between a local sports radio station and its morning show.
And John Maffei of the North County Times says on-air auditions for potential replacements have turned out to be disastrous.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star explores why ESPN and Golf Channel accepted interviews with Tiger Woods and why CBS did not.
Jim looks at how CBS handled the first four days of the NCAA Tournament.
John Scheibe in the Los Angeles Times says upsets have not hurt CBS’ ratings for the NCAA Tournament.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News writes about the new social networking venture by new Angels TV voice and Friend of Fang’s Bites, Victor Rojas.
In his blog, Tom expands on Victor’s venture.
Tom also has his extensive media news and notes.
Canada
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail previews the CBC mini-series on Don Cherry.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star is puzzled as to why the Blue Jays have yet to release their TV schedule.
In Truth & Rumours, William Houston says the Don Cherry movie is definitely worth watching.
And that will conclude the megalinks.
