I have a few more press releases for you to review on this Monday.
Let’s start with the NFL Network and quotes from last night’s NFL Gameday Final.
Week 9 (Nov. 2, 2008) – Quotable from NFL GameDay Final on NFL Network
(Airs Sunday at 11:30 PM ET)
“[The Titans] don’t rely much on the passing game. Soon they will have to. The Giants can throw the ball with the best of them. They are more of a complete team.”
— Steve Mariucci, picking Giants in neutral site game now between Giants and Titans
“The defensive guys win games. As the season progresses there is going to be inclement weather, and you can’t throw the ball. You are going to have to rely on the running game, and this [Titans] running game is fourth in the league.”
— Deion Sanders, picking Titans in neutral site game between Giants and Titans
“They can win five (of the seven) games on the rest of their schedule.”
— Steve Mariucci on the 5-4 Dallas Cowboys
“The Lions will get off the ‘schneid’ next week.”
— Steve Mariucci following the Bengals’ first win of the season. The Lions host Jacksonville on Sunday.
“They have lost so many offensive linemen they just can’t control the line of scrimmage and run the ball.”
— Steve Mariucci on Jacksonville Jaguars
“They take chances. They allow their corners to go man-to-man. You are going to get big plays against them.”
— Deion Sanders on Tennessee Titans defense
“He’s running with passion and intensity.”
— Deion Sanders on Bengals RB Cedric Benson, who rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown in a win over Jaguars
“He’s got a good arm and is smart. Let him play and develop.”
— Steve Mariucci on Lions QB Dan Orlovsky, who passed for 292 yards and two touchdowns vs. Bears
“They are soft on defense.”
— Deion Sanders on Dallas Cowboys
“The Rams receivers make the best adjustments on the deep ball in the NFL.”
— Deion Sanders
The Big Ten Network has selected its games for November 15.
Two Games to Air on Big Ten Network on Nov. 15
Indiana-Penn State, Purdue-Iowa to air at noon ET
CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network will televise two football games at noon ET on Saturday, Nov. 15. Indiana will travel to Penn State while Iowa hosts Purdue. Both contests will be produced in high definition.
Fans can find the channel number for the game they want to see by entering their zip code and cable or satellite provider on this website: http://www.BigTenNetwork.com/GameFinder. Most of the network’s larger cable and both satellite affiliates offer “overflow” channels. For cable subscribers, the decision whether to air Big Ten Network “overflow” games is made by cable operators at the local level.
Ranked third in this week’s BCS standings and current conference leader, undefeated Penn State plays host to the Hoosiers, who lost to the Nittany Lions last year in Bloomington by a score of 36-31. The Lions and the Hoosiers are playing for the 12th time.
Also at noon ET, Purdue heads to Kinnick Stadium to take on the Hawkeyes, which are seeking to avenge a 31-6 loss last year in West Lafayette. The two teams are meeting for the 81st time, with the Boilers leading the series 45-32-3. Iowa last beat Purdue in 2006 in Iowa City, 47-17.
This Saturday, the Big Ten Network will televise Wisconsin at Indiana and Purdue at Michigan State at noon ET in high definition.
The networks of NBC Universal will show coverage of the Paralympic Games which took place in Communist China in September. It kicks off with a 90 minute special on NBC.
NBC & UNIVERSAL SPORTS BRING INSPIRING ATHLETE STORIES TO THE SCREEN WITH BEIJING PARALYMPIC GAMESParalympians take over TV beginning November 9 with an NBC Sports special of the extraordinary athletes narrated by Bob Costas followed by extensive event coverage on Universal Sports
LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK – November 3, 2008 – NBC and Universal Sports present the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games presented by GE to TV beginning this Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports with a 90-minute documentary narrated by NBC Sports' Bob Costas. Following the special will be an unprecedented 28 hours of Paralympic event programming on Universal Sports taking place November 10-16.
NBC Sports' Paralympic special airs Sunday, Nov. 9 and goes in-depth with top Paralympic athletes as they trained for and competed in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. The 90-minute program, produced by Emmy Award-winning NBC Sports producer David Michaels, takes viewers on a journey into the lives of eight athletes plus the Wheelchair Basketball Team with compelling stories of determination.
Paralympic athletes to be profiled include:
- Marlon Shirley – Chula Vista, Calif., (track & field world record holder in 100m, 200m and Long Jump)
- April Holmes – Somerdale, N.J., (track & field world record holder in 100m, 200m and 400m)
- Jessica Long – Baltimore, Md., (Beijing gold medalist in 100m butterfly and world record holder in 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley)
- Tatyana McFadden – Clarkesville, Md., (wheelchair racing champion)
- Cheri Blauwet – Larchwood, Iowa, (wheelchair racer in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and marathon)
- Marin Morrison – Sammamish, Wash., (U.S. Paralympic swimmer)
- Nick Scandone – Newport Beach, Calif., (Beijing yachting gold medal in SKUD-18 class)
- Scott Winkler – Pittsburgh, Pa., (world record holder for adaptive shot put)
- USA Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team
Complementing the NBC Sports special will be Universal Sports broadcast presentation of the 2008 Paralympics beginning the next night, Monday, Nov. 10-16 with 4-hour programs each night from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. ET including the opening and closing ceremonies for a total of 28 hrs of event coverage.
Tune in as Team USA takes the world stage by storm bringing home a total of 99 medals with epic performances from U.S. Paralympic swimmer Erin Popovich winning her fourth gold medal in the 400m freestyle, the women's U.S. wheelchair basketball team defending their title and double-amputee swimmer Jessica Long as she takes home four golds from Beijing. Catch the heart pounding action as the U.S. Wheelchair Rugby Team wins their third rugby gold placing them back on top of the medal podium after beating Australia 53-44 and celebrating their win with a classic "wheelchair dance."
"In 30 years of covering Olympic sports, I have never witnessed such a rich tapestry of stories and competition. Every race, every event brings wonder and intense excitement," said Michaels. "For anyone who loves pure sport, the Paralympics takes us back to why we fell in love with sports in the first place.
"The 2008 Beijing Paralympics on Universal Sports will give widespread and much deserved attention to a group of truly exceptional athletes who are an inspiration for us all," said Claude Ruibal, CEO of Universal Sports. "Our network strives to provide athletes and fans with compelling programming that captures the true spirit and essence of world-class competition."
PARALYMPICS TV SCHEDULE:
COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS: NBC Sports will present 2008 Paralympics, a documentary narrated by Bob Costas, on Sunday, November 9 from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. ET.
COVERAGE ON UNIVERSAL SPORTS: Universal Sports, available in 30 million homes, will present a broadcast on its 24-hour television network from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. ET each day featuring the following Paralympic event competition:
- Mon. Nov. 10 – Men’s Wheelchair Basketball preliminary – USA vs. Great Britain; Wheelchair Rugby preliminary – USA vs. Japan; Swimming; Track and Field
- Tue. Nov. 11 – Women’s Wheelchair Basketball preliminary – USA vs. Germany; Wheelchair Tennis – Men’s Doubles Gold Medal Match; Swimming; Track and Field
- Wed. Nov. 12 – Men’s Wheelchair Basketball preliminary – USA vs. Australia; Wheelchair Tennis – Women’s Singles Gold Medal Match; Swimming; Track and Field
- Thu. Nov. 13 – Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Semifinals – USA vs. Australia; Wheelchair Rugby preliminary – USA vs. Canada; Swimming; Track and Field
- Fri. Nov. 14 – Me
n’s Wheelchair Basketball Semifinals – USA vs. Canada; Swimming; Track and Field- Sat. Nov. 15 – Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Gold Medal Game – USA vs. Germany; Wheelchair Rugby Semifinals – USA vs. Great Britain; Swimming; Track and Field
- Sun. Nov. 16 – Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Bronze Medal Game – USA vs. Great Britain; Wheelchair Rugby Gold Medal Game – USA vs. Australia; Swimming; Track and Field
And that should do it for now.
