Let’s do the Friday megalinks as we steam into Thanksgiving holiday week. Lots of links to get to so let’s not waste any more time.
The Weekend Viewing Picks have what’s in store for college football, college basketball, NFL, NASCAR and plenty of other sporting and primetime viewing picks.
To the links.
National
We’re hearing rumblings of executive firings at ESPN. This has to do with an affair that was originally outed by Deadspin and confirmed by the New York Post. And there are more details including affairs involving the talent as well. As Chris Rock said, “people have gone lost their minds.”
Michael Hiestand of USA Today says both Fox and ABC will have familiar announcing crews calling the BCS.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings is taking the NBA by storm.
Darren says a plan to sell “stock” in the Boise State athletic program is off to a rip-roaring start.
Len Berman went on the Today Show this morning to pimp his new book “The Greatest Moments in Sports“.
Tom Van Riper of Forbes credits Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary pass against Miami 25 years ago for increasing the audience for college football.
Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports speaks with ESPN’s Jon Gruden.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News writes that Detroit Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson will host a new program that will tour various sports stadia and arenas across the country.
The Sports Media says last Sunday’s NASCAR event on ABC fell in the ratings, mirroring the downward trend for the entire year.
SMW has notes on two sports media figures who passed away this week.
SMW mentions that ESPN’s ratings for the NBA are down thus far this season.
Chris Byrne in the Eye on Sports Media suggests how best to use links in social media.
Chris tells us that the University of Michigan sports information department is credentialing bloggers for Saturday’s Ohio State-Michigan game at the Big House.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe lists some of the best personalities in the local sports media.
Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette writes that Comcast SportsNet New England is ready to take on NESN on TV and on the web.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times profiles Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Bob Raissman from the New York Daily News is fed up of the talk leading up to the Jets-Patriots game this Sunday.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post feels the NFL should go back to the 1950’s.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union talks with ESPN/ABC’s Sean McDonough.
Dave Hughes of DCRTV.com writes in Press Box that Baltimore-Washington is becoming a huge media market.
Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post profiles John Riggins who has carved a niche for himself in the DC market.
South
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald has the highs and lows of the NFL Network’s production of the Dolphins-Panthers game.
David Barron from the Houston Chronicle talks with noted college football writer and CBS College Sports host Tony Barnhart.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman notes that for the second year in a row, the State High School Football Championships won’t be televised.
In his media notebook, Mel writes that the first Oklahoma University basketball televised game was hard to watch.
Midwest
Jim Woods of the Columbus Dispatch says Erin Andrews’ alleged stalker apparently shot video of her in a local hotel room.
Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press writes about an 18 year kid who is calling college hockey games professionally.
Bob Wolfley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says ESPN is hopeful that Jon Gruden will be with them for the long haul.
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business has his weekly winners and losers in sports business and media.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times has the transcript of an interview NBC’s Bob Costas did with WMAQ-TV in regards to the Bears refusing interview requests by the network
for Sunday Night Football.
West
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) News would like to see a local sports personality back on the Utah Jazz game broadcasts.
The Arizona Daily News prepares readers for College Gameday’s visit to Tucson on Saturday.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune is feeling melancholy over not being able to see the NFL Network.
To John Maffei of the North County Times talks with CBS’ Dick Enberg who is enjoying calling a number of “home” games this season and is being considered to join the Padres broadcast team.
Jim Carlisle from the Ventura County Star says the economy is very much different for the NFL and the Olympics based on their ad sales.
Jim writes that Fox Sports Net West is celebrating 50 years of the Lakers in L.A.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times breaks news of a scuffle between TNT’s Marv Albert and 50 Cent’s entourage backstage at Jimmy Kimmel Live this week.
The Los Angeles Daily News’ Tom Hoffarth talks with ESPN soccer analyst Alexi Lalas about his days as L.A. Galaxy GM.
Tom has more with Alexi in his blog as well as some news and notes.
Daniel Lyght of the Fresno Bee talks with ESPN football analyst Trent Dilfer who got to call his first game this week.
Bob Condotta from the Seattle Times has the TV info for next week’s annual Apple Cup game between Washington and Washington State.
Canada
Bruce Dowbiggin from the Toronto Glove and Mail gets on his high horse and scolds a Denver Post reporter for reporting a shouting match that was overheard behind closed doors.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star talks with former Rogers Sportsnet personality Mike Toth.
William Houston of the Truth & Rumours gets on the Globe & Mail for having its reporters and editors taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay.
Dan Barnes of the Edmonton Journal writes about the effect of CBC’s wildly successful Battle of the Blades will have on figure skating in Canada.
The Canadian Press reports that Rush’ Neil Peart is recording a new version of TSN’s Hockey Song (formerly the theme to Hockey Night in Canada).
And that’s going to end the megalinks. Back later with press release stuff and maybe a late night linkage session.
