After being busy for much of the day, time to do some linkage. Better late than never.
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand says both ESPN and NFL Network are pulling out the star power for their coverage of the NFL Draft in primetime on Thursday and Friday.
Peter Barzilai of USA Today’s Daily Pitch blog says ESPN’s Joe Morgan will be a special adviser to the Reds and will keep his TV job.
Paul White in the same blog writes that Fox Sports President Ed Goren is not saying anything over the NFL’s decision to schedule a Sunday Night Football game opposite Game 4 of the World Series for the first time.
Nate Davis of USA Today’s The Huddle blog has the NFL’s side as to why it scheduled a Sunday Night game against the World Series this season.
Sergio Non of USA Today’s MMA Fighting Stances blog notes that Fox Sports Net is scoring ratings for the season opener of the Bellator Fighting Championships.
Tripp Mickle and John Ourand write in today’s Sports Business Daily that the US Olympic Committee and Comcast have ended plans for a proposed Olympics channel.
The St. Petersburg Times’ Eric Deggans writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center says it’s going to take a long time for 3-D TV to get a foothold with the average the sports fan.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell looks at the number of athletes surgeon Dr. James Andrews has saved over his career.
Darren says former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is a hot commodity even if he isn’t drafted in the first round on Thursday.
Alex Weprin of Broadcasting & Cable writes that Cartoon Network plans to increase its sports-themed programming including an awards show.
Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says cable’s TNT and Versus are putting up solid numbers for the NBA and NHL postseason.
Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News writes that it appears the New York Jets are going to be cable primetime darlings in the 2010 NFL regular season.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union provides the TV schedules for all three days of the NFL Draft.
Ken McMillan of the Hudson Valley Times Herald-Record speaks with Freddie Coleman who will host ESPN Radio’s coverage of the NFL Draft.
Ken also has the NFL viewing schedule for the New York metropolitan area.
Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner says Fox will carry most of the DC NFL team’s games this upcoming season.
Jim also has a transcript of an interview wide receiver Terrell Owens did with Fox Sports Radio’s Stephen A. “A is for Acrimony” Smith lobbying to join the Washington NFL team.
Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times feels the NFL is really sticking it to Major League Baseball by scheduling a Sunday Night Football game on October 31 which would be opposite the World Series.
Sarah Talalay of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that NFL.com is establishing fan war rooms for the Draft.
Suzanne Halliburton of the Austin American-Statesman says three former Texas Longhorns including quarterback Colt McCoy will be hosting ESPN at their Draft parties this week.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman has Fox Sports’ Jimmy Johnson’s thoughts on Sam Bradford entering tomorrow’s Draft.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer is amazed at the radio ratings for Reds’ Opening Day.
The Columbus Dispatch notes that Ohio State will play three primetime football games on ESPN/ABC this season.
Noted Olympics writer Philip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune remembers former International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch who died today and had a profound influence on the way the Games are currently broadcast.
Hersh also writes that the US Olympic Network which was announced last year to heavy fanfare will now go by the wayside without ever having made it to air.
Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business says Thursday will be a very busy day for Comcast SportsNet with the network carrying three games on various platforms.
Ed is bewildered that despite a losing record last season, the Bears will still be primetime player in 2010.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the NFL is pushing player conduct very heavily.
Also from the Journal Sentinel, Don Walker says former NFL Commissioner Paul
Tagliabue is joining the Big East Conference as an unpaid adviser to help on future TV contracts.
Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that you are the reason why the NFL Draft went to primetime.
Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star says two local sports television executives are leaving their company to start their own business.
New Mexico Business Weekly reports that Fox Sports Radio has signed an extension for distribution with Premiere Radio Networks.
The Arizona Republic says Fox Sports Arizona has created an overspill channel to accommodate Diamondbacks and Phoenix Coyotes conflicts.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at Kevin Millar’s signing with the MLB Network.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail is flabbergasted that Rogers Sportsnet would push the Blue Jays off its main channel due to conflicts.
Chris Zelkovich in the Toronto Star notes that the Montreal Canadiens are drawing ratings in Canada.
Chris says a Toronto sports radio host got carried away over a critical article written by a Chicago sportswriter.
In Truth & Rumours, the now very calm William Houston says the head of Canada’s Olympic Olympic Broadcasting Consortium now has a new job at CTV.
Sports Media Watch notes that the NHL Playoffs are doing well locally.
SMW looks at the featured NFL matchups on CBS and Fox this season.
SMW has the weekend overnight ratings.
SMW also looks at the highest rated MLB, NBA and NHL teams.
SMW has some news and notes.
Lauren Hatch at the Business Insider looks at ESPN’s Rick Reilly dumping his magazine column in exchange for more facetime on camera.
The Huffington Post has the video of former New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank throwing an F and an S bomb on ESPN2’s First Take.
Good amount of links tonight plus I did them while watching both the Bruins and the Red Sox win in extra sessions. A good night. I’ll be back on Thursday with more stuff. Keep it here.
