Ok, linkage has been really scarce over the last month and a half and I apologize for that. My schedules have been quite busy and it’s been tough to sit down for the time it takes to gather the links. I hope that changes over the next month or so.
I have some National links for you right now. I’ll follow up with more stuff later.
Here are the Weekend Viewing Picks for you.
National
Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch speaks with the people at the Poynter Institute who are the ESPN Ombudsman.
Nate Davis at USA Today’s The Huddle has the Miami Dolphins not so enthusiastic about being on Hard Knocks this season.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today talks with ESPN’s Sean McDonough who will undergo brain surgery later this year.
Ira Boudwell of Bloomberg Businessweek says ESPN is getting out of the high school sports business saying it’s not broad enough.
Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski says this week’s blowout between David Stern and Jim Rome proves that the NBA Commissioner needs to go.
John Ourand of Sports Business Daily says Fox Sports San Diego is launching an ad campaign against Time Warner Cable which has still not picked up the regional sports network.
Good Morning America’s and former ESPN SportsCenter host Robin Roberts says she will beat the rare blood disorder that will require a bone marrow transplant.
Michael O’Connell of the Hollywood Reporter notes that the NBA Finals are pacing ABC to good ratings this week.
At Broadcasting & Cable, Tim Baysinger writes that this week’s Dream Team documentary gave NBA TV its best viewership ever.
Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News says GolTV scored with this week’s soccer international friendly match between Brazil and Argentina.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life reports that NBC will debut two new sitcoms right smack dab in the middle of the Olympics.
Ed Sherman at the Sherman Report looks at the geriatric broadcasting team calling the NBA Finals for ESPN Radio.
Glenn Davis at SportsGrid notes that even after the winning the Stanley Cup this week, the Los Angeles Kings still aren’t getting respect from the local media.
Former Deadspin editor A.J. Daulerio returns to his former stomping grounds to do a massive takedown of Jay “The Rat” Mariotti.
Also from Deadspin, John Koblin writes that there doesn’t seem to be a clamoring for Erin Andrews beyond ESPN.
Jason Dachman of Sports Video Group says NBA TV and NBA Entertainment are appealing to the hardcore basketball fan for their Finals coverage.
Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead says Sports Illustrated could be laying off part of its staff.
Matt Yoder at Awful Announcing has tweets from people who hated Chris Berman on the U.S. Open yesterday.
Sports Media Watch notes that this year’s Stanley Cup Final did not resonate with viewers.
SMW also has some various ratings news and notes.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell writes that Brooklyn Nets gear is selling very well.
MediaRantz tells us that Sean Salisbury will be getting a new internet radio gig.
UPDATE, 4:30 p.m.: Time for more linkage here.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe reports that May was a very good month for sports radio station WEEI as it finished ahead of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
At SB Nation, Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch writes about golfer David Duval taking a turn in the broadcast tower at the U.S. Open.
Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette discusses Johnny Miller holding court for NBC at the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco this week.
Newsday’s Neil Best talks with ESPN college baseball analyst Kyle Petersen who will be introducing many Long Islanders to the College World Series today.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post goes after the Yankees for pricing out fans from the “Beautiful People” seats at Yankee Stadium.
Jerry Barmash at Fishbowl NY notes that SNY will unveil the all-time Mets team at a gala event on Sunday.
Ken McMillan of the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record says the US Women’s National Soccer Team will be on TV and the web this weekend.
Ken says local Time Warner Cable subscribers will have access to the new Pac-12 Networks this summer.
Ken Schott at the Schenectady Gazette says NBC Sports Group has announced the 2012 Summer at Saratoga schedule.
Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union talks with Jim Rome who marks his 16th year in New York’s Capital Region.
Pete says one of harness racing’s famous races changes networks this year.
Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call profiles a local cable TV sports reporter who is filling a double role this summer.
Keith has more on her in his blog.
In Press Box, Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com writes that a decision on the Washington Nationals TV rights has been delayed.
South
Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald has some NBA Finals Game 2 postgame reaction as well as Jon Barry saying he’s not a Miami Heat Hater.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says Fox Sports Houston was well-prepared and staffed for Wednesday’s perfect game thrown against the Astros by Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants.
Mel Bracht at The Oklahoman writes that ESPN on ABC was all over the non-foul call against the Thunder’s Kevin Durant during Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The Oklahoman rounds up what sports reporters are saying on Twitter about the NBA Finals.
Midwest
John Kiesewetter at the Cincinnati Enquirer says an all-star high school football game will be shown locally this weekend.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that ESPN is dropping its high school sports operation.
Bob criticizes Jim Rome for his questioning of NBA Communist China Sympathizer David Stern.
Paul M. Banks at Chicago Sports Media Watch says Cubs announcers Len Kasper and Bob Brenly were silent when comedian Jeff Garlin brought up trading Alfonso Soriano.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin notes the rare occurrence of the U.S. Open and the NBA Finals going head-to-head on TV this Father’s Day.
Dan Caesar from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that viewers of Fox Sports Midwest may need a scorecard to tell who’s in the Cardinals TV booth over the next few days.
Dan notes that next week will mark a decade since the passing of Jack Buck and Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile.
West
Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman says this fall’s Boise State-Southern Mississippi game will get the Fox treatment.
Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune says Utahans are nervous about getting the Pac-12 Networkcomparing it to their experience with the ill-fated the mtn.
John Maffei of the North County Times writes that Fox Sports San Diego has set its sights squarely on Time Warner Cable.
Jim Carlisle at the Ventura County Star says ESPN’s NBA Countdown show seems to work fine without a host.
Jim talks with NBC’s Johnny Miller about the U.S. Open.
Jim has his weekend viewing picks.
Melissa Rohlin of the Los Angeles Times says Game 2 of the NBA Finals drew a good overnight number for ABC.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News talks with former Kings voices about the Stanley Cup victory.
Tom has some more in his blog.
Canada
The Toronto Globe and Mail’s Bruce Dowbiggin blames both Jim Rome and David Stern for their ugly exchange this week.
The Toronto Sports Media Blog says the NBA and NHL Commissioners are taking it on their chins this week.
And that’s going to do it.
