Starting this a bit late on a Friday, but time for the megalinks today. Let’s get started.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today writes about the growth in internet-only sporting events.
Today, we’ll start with the Midwest region.
Ed Sherman of the Chicago Tribune talks with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones who’s been leading the charge to get the NFL Network on the major cable TV providers.
Bob Wolfley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that the November 29 clash between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys won’t be seen by most of the country as it will be shown on the NFL Network.
From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, we find that relatives of George Gipp is suing ESPN along with a writer and a family member for exhuming his body for E:60. And the Star-Tribune’s Judd Zulgad says FSN North plans to expand its coverage for the next “Hockey Day in Minnesota”.
Paul Christian in the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin reports that a local sports anchor is leaving the area to return to his Missouri hometown.
Moving west now, Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) Morning News writes that one middle finger has given the Mountain West Conference more national exposure than the mtn. has.
The San Diego Union-Tribune Jay Posner has some early observations on new sports radio station, XTRA. In his notebook, Posner writes that Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie likes having Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf doing his team’s games. And Posner has the ratings for the last weekend in sports.
Christine Daniels of the Los Angeles Times gives her weekend viewing picks in her Sound and Vision column.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Times says in the second year of the NFL Network doing regular season games, it’s no closer to being on local cable than ever.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News wonders what’s going on with sports radio station KSPN. Hoffarth’s sidebar column focuses on the Kings’ radio and TV announcer still buzzing about last Saturday’s 5-4 comeback victory against the Dallas Stars. And Hoffarth has his expanded media notes entry in his Farther Off the Wall blog which also includes What Smokes and What Chokes.
Let’s head East now and go to the Houston Chronicle’s David Barron who reviews FSN Southwest’s documentary on the historic 1963 Texas-Texas A&M game.
George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel says the Magic games should be on TV. And Dave Darling plays Chris Matthews and does “Hardball” with the Bright House-FSN dispute.
From The State in Columbia, SC, we find that one radio station will now air all South Carolina football, basketball and baseball games. And Doug Nye says BC-Clemson is his TV Best Bet for the weekend.
Jim Williams of the DC/Baltimore Examiner talks with Fox Sports Radio’s Chris Landry about the plight of the Ravens in his Watch This! blog.
In the Baltimore Sun, Ray Frager writes in his Medium Well column that Bryant Gumbel calls his first year in the NFL Network booth “a learning experience.”
Laura Nachman has her annual sports turkeys list.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post goes after Monday Night Football and Tony Kornheiser, in particular. Also in the Post, Justin Terranova talks with ESPN’s Chris Spielman, an Ohio State alumnus, about tomorrow’s Ohio State-Michigan game.
The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman says the Knicks’ ratings on MSG Network are falling just like the team.
We’ve got a few things from Neil Best of Newsday. First, his regular Friday column which focuses on the NFL Network dispute with the major cable TV providers. And from his Watchdog blog, Neil talks with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about getting the NFL Network carried in New York. Neil breaks news that YES Network has fired Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci from its Yankees Hot Stove show for writing an article critical of Yankees management for its handling of the Joe Torre contract talks.
In the Boston Globe, Nancy Marrapese-Burrell writes that the Celtics’ resurgence has led to higher ratings for Comcast SportsNet New England.
The Sports Media Watch blog goes over the Barry Bonds reaction especially by Steven A. Smith on last night’s SportsCenter and by Charles Barkley on TNT.
Awful Announcing says get ready to see more of ESPN’s Emmit Smith.
R. Thomas Umstead of the Multichannel News writes that the NFL Network’s contract with Comcast expires in 18 months.
Those are the links for now. Don’t forget we have College Football Viewing Picks, NFL Viewing Picks, the NFL Picks for Week 11, Primetime & Weekend Viewing Picks plus a whole lot more over the next 24 hours. Keep it here.
