Let’s get to our links now. They’re delayed today plus I have to get a lot of work done. And the Friday megalinks will be delayed also.
Joanne C. Gerstner of the Detroit News writes that there won’t be peace between the rival sports radio stations in 2008.
Mel Bracht of The Daily Oklahoman talks to ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla about tonight’s All-College Classic. Bracht also writes about Oklahoma University winning the mythical ESPNU Championship Series. And Bracht gives his weekend viewing picks.
The Sports Media Watch blog has a series of stories today. First, Paulsen talks about the ratings for the NFL and the NBA. Now that the NFL regular season is wrapping up, the networks are ready to start broadcasting the NBA and the NHL. Here are the weekend ratings. Finally, Paulsen notes that the Celtics are getting more national TV appearances with their improved record.
Bruce Allen of the Boston Sports Media Watch tells us that the Boston Herald’s Michael Felger joins Comcast SportsNet’s New England Sports Tonight as a co-host.
ESPN’s Stuart Scott who underwent an emergency appendectomy last month and during surgery, will undergo chemotherapy after a malignancy was found. He’ll still work NBA pregame shows for ESPN and ABC. Best of luck to Stuart. And Michael Hiestand of USA Today has more on the Stuart story. Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says Stuart returns to ESPN on Friday. This comes in the wake of Dick Vitale’s vocal cord surgery.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News blogs about the latest gossip on San Antonio Spur Tony Parker, his wife Eva Longoria and a supposed affair with a French model.
NBC Sports.com has Bob Costas discussing the NHL Winter Classic which will be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo on New Year’s Day.
Justin Terranova of the New York Post writes that ESPN has pulled an ad featuring Roger Clemens.
You may have seen this already, but I’ll link to it anyway. Two U.S. Senators are threatening to reconsider the National Football League’s anti-trust exemption about the lack of access to the Patriots-Giants game on December 29. Mike Donoghue of the Burlington (VT) Free Press says Senator Patrick Leahy is awaiting word on whether Vermont residents can watch the Patriots in Week 17. Paul Doyle of the Hartford Courant writes that Connecticut fans won’t be able to watch the game unless they have a satellite dish or go to a sports bar. Steve Raabe of the Denver Post writes about the battle between Comcast and the NFL Network. The Erie Times-News has an editorial on the NFL Network-cable dispute. Bill Liesse of the Peoria (IL) Journal Star says the NFL Network is an acquired taste. Jeff Richgels of the Capital (WI) Times says a new poll shows that most do not want the government to get involved in the cable vs. NFL/Big Ten Networks dispute. That poll was subsidized by the cable industry, by the way.
Walt Frank of the Altoona (PA) Mirror says Atlantic Broadband has picked up the NFL Network in time for tonight’s Steelers-Rams game.
Theresa Howard of USA Today says starting today, Gatorade gives sneak previews of its Super Bowl ads.
Plenty of links today. I’ll have more later.
