Time to do your Friday megalinks as usual.
We always start with USA Today and Michael Hiestand who writes that ESPNU plans to use unpaid college students to produce games for the channel. That’s one way to cut costs. And here’s the Nation’s Newspaper’s listing of the weekend events .
Today, we’ll start with the Western links first and snake our way through the country.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Times wonders if miking NBA coaches for ESPN and TNT is a good idea.
Tom Hoffarth from the Los Angeles Daily News writes about the Bowl Championship Series mess that Fox Sports will air coming in January as well as his regular What Smokes and What Chokes features. Hoffarth has a sidebar column on ESPN’s Lisa Salters’ profile on USC’s OJ Mayo for E:60. And in his Farther Off the Wall blog, Hoffarth has some media notes that couldn’t get into his column.
In her Sound and Vision column, Christine Daniels of the Los Angeles Times writes that even without any games, the college football scene still has a hold on the TV this weekend.
John Maffei of the North County Times talks about the coverage of the local high school football championships on local TV today.
Jay Posner in the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the Steelers-Patriots game will not be available on TV this Sunday. In his notebook column, Posner notes that Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson will profiled on 60 Minutes. And Posner has the TV ratings for sports in San Diego from last week.
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) Morning News says KSL-TV’s weekend sports shows thoroughly beat the competition. Linda Hamilton of the Morning News says Utah Jazz coach Larry Sloan will be miked for tonight’s game against San Antonio on ESPN.
Now let’s head to the East Coast and David Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch. He gives his opinions on what he doesn’t mind about the Boston sports media.
The Boston Globe’s Nancy Marrapese-Burrell writes about the release of NESN’s DVD about the World Champion Boston Red Sox. I like writing that. World Champion Boston Red Sox. Ok, we move on.
The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman has returned from vacation and today, he writes about the flip-flopping of Yankees CEO Hank Steinbrenner or as he’s becoming known, Hankenstein.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick wonders if NFL players are willing to shed what he calls the “thug life”. And the Post’s Mike Puma asks five questions to New Jersey Nets radio voice Chris Carrino.
Neil Best in New York Newsday writes about his visits to the NBA and NHL stores in New York City. In his blog, Best talks about the fans of the Hawai’i Warriors wanting to go to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl in January.
Laura Nachman writes on her website that Eagles QB Donovan McNabb will take part in ESPN: The Weekend at Disney World in February (scroll down).
Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun talks with NBC’s John Madden who’s in town for the Sunday Night game between the Colts and Ravens.
Now to the Midwest, we begin with Ed Sherman of the Chicago Tribune who says play-by-play is not Bryant Gumbel’s forte.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talks with CBS’ Rich Gannon who will do the Oakland-Green Bay game on Sunday.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Judd Zulgad says fans are losing out with the NFL and Big Ten Networks taking games and the major cable providers not airing them. And Zulgad has the ratings from the Twin Cities last weekend.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin writes that US troops in Kosovo will watch Versus’ telecast of the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia game next Tuesday.
Heading to the South, Doug Nye of The State newspaper writes that DVD sets make great gifts for the sports fan. Nye also has some TV notes. And he gives us his TV best bet for the weekend.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says despite being winless, people still are watching the Dolphins on TV.
Dave Darling in the Orlando Sentinel says Sun Sports/FSN Florida’s Whit Watson will be ready to call eight state high school championship games over the next two weekends.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle writes that a new sports radio station has made a splash in the local ratings.
William Houston in the Toronto Globe and Mail says the Canadian Olympic Committee hopes to launch an all-sports TV channel devoted to amateur sports.
And Chris Zelkovich in today’s Toronto Star talks about the fast rise of Cabral Richards on The Score.
