Wow, this work schedule is really killing me. I’m at the point when I’m in the home office without any internet access, I really feel like I’m in a vacuum not knowing what the hell is going on. Total news blackout and even though I can check e-mail thanks to my iPhone, I still feel lost. I do feel after Saturday (and yes, I’m working all day Saturday as well), that I’ll be able to get back on track with blogging. You know when I don’t have a Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks entry that I’m not in my regular schedule.
Ok, let’s do your Weekend Viewing Picks.
Now that baseball season is over, we can totally focus on football, both college and professional.
One of the featured college games on Saturday will be the World’s Largest Cocktail Party between Georgia and Florida in Jacksonville, FL. CBS will carry that game at 3:30 p.m. ESPN’s College Gameday will be live from Lubbock, TX meaning that ABC will have coverage of the Texas-Texas Tech game later that night at 8. The College Football Viewing Picks have the entire national TV schedule for Week 10.
Green Bay at undefeated Tennessee and Dallas at the Giants are the featured games for Week 9 in the National Football League. Then as Sunday Night Football returns after a week off, NBC and the Maddencruiser visit Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis as the New England Patriots take on the Colts. You can check out the NFL Viewing Picks with coverage maps, DirecTV, XM and Sirius channel assignments.
You know it’s slim pickings when the next big weekend event I can cite after football is the New York City Marathon which NBCSports.com and UniversalSports.com will both stream live online Sunday morning starting at 9. NBC Sports will have a one hour highlight show at 3 p.m.
For gearheads, NASCAR fans can watch the Nationwide Series race called the O’Reilly Challenge on ESPN2, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Then on Sunday, the Sprint Cup Race at Texas Speedway known as the Dickies 500 will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
The Formula 1 series goes to South America for the Grand Prix of Brazil which Speed will carry Sunday morning at 11:30.
The PGA Tour has something called the Ginn sur Mer Classic this weekend on the Golf Channel.
And both the NBA and NHL are both early into their seasons, and the NHL Network again carries the CBC Satutrday Hockey Night in Canada doubleheader with New York at Toronto and Calgary at Los Angeles.
Now let’s get to your links.
National
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand talks about flag waving on the ESPN College Gameday set. And Michael discusses the expansion of ESPN360’s online programming.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell talks with New York Jets owner Woody Johnson about his team’s Personal Seat License auction. Darren writes about the battle between athletes and staph infections. Darren has the story about a 68 year old student athlete who eventually became the captain of his tennis team.
The Sports Media Watch says it’s official. The 2008 World Series was the lowest rated ever. And the blog has some bad news for MLB. The SMW also has some ratings news and notes.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine looks into the World Series ratings.
Although Mike Flaherty of Variety says Wednesday night’s three and a half inning conclusion to World Series Game 5 did well for Fox.
Christopher Byrne’s Eye on Sports Media blog wonders what’s up with CBSSports.com/Sportsline.com.
Multichannel News reports the NHL Network has signed with four conferences to show college hockey games on Friday nights into March.
Mike Reynolds of Multichannel says Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia scored with its coverage of the Phillies during the World Series.
R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel reports that the fans have spoken for the game NBA TV will carry on Election Night.
Vlada Gelman of TV Week says last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup attracted almost 20 million viewers over three networks.
Joe Favorito looks at a stunt that USC supporter Will Ferrell and USC coach Pete Carroll pulled off.
Midwest
Marc Katz of the Dayton Daily News says Time Warner Cable and the local NBC affiliate have resolved their dispute meaning NBC Sports programming will be back on TV.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer remembers when the Bengals were actually good.
Michael Zuidema in the Grand Rapids (MI) Press talks with Fox Sports Detroit Pistons analyst Greg Kelser.
Ted Cox of the Chicago Daily Herald speculates on who could replace Cubs TV analyst Bob Brenly if he decides to go back to managing.
Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune suggests that Cubs radio analyst Ron Santo move to TV if Brenly leaves.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looks at the mixture of sports and politics.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin says Charter Communications customers will have access to 17 Wild games that had been blocked previously.
Dan Caesar in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that a management shuffle at a local sports radio station could lead to some on-air changes.
West
To the Deseret (UT) News where Scott D. Pierce tells soccer fans that it will be tough to watch Real Salt Lake on TV over the next few days.
In the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jay Posner talks with NBC’s Football Night in America co-host Cris Collinsworth. And here are the ratings from last weekend in San Diego.
To the North County Times and John Maffei who has comments from Cris Collinsworth about the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football schedule.
Completing the Collinsworth West Coast Trifecta, Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Times has a feature on Collinsworth’s network shuffling since becoming a TV analyst.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times breaks the Collinsworth trend and praises ESPN/ABC for naming Rhode Island’s own Doris Burke as its main sideline reporter for NBA games.
The Los Angeles Daily News’ Tom Hoffarth profiles West Coast media phenomenon (some say media whore) Petros Papadakis. In his blog, Tom has a blurb on FSN’s Best Damn Sports Show Halloween party. I’m warning you now, don’t click on this link unless you want to see Petros Papadakis in drag. Tom has a look at the total viewers for the Breeders’ Cup. Apparently former 49ers QB Steve Young is against gay marriage.
South
Late Thursday, the FCC ordered Time Warner Cable to pick up MASN in North Carolina and the Raleigh News & Observer’s Roger van der Horst was all over it. And Roger writes what will be the next step for Time Warner Cable.
Doug Nye of The State talks to a local native who now runs ESPNU.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that Sun Sports got off to a bad start with the Miami Heat season opener.
Dave Darling from the Orlando Sentinel looks at athletes’ endorsements over the years.
Over to David Barron of the Houston Chronicle who also decries MLB’s low ratings for this year’s World Series.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News performs an autopsy on the World Series ratings. I have a sneaking suspiscion that Barry copied and pasted the CBS, Fox and NBC announcing assignments from my NFL Viewing Picks for his NFL announcing assignment post.
Mel Bracht of The Daily Oklahoman says the Sooner State gets its own Fox Sports Net affiliate. And Mel has his media notebook.
East and Mid-Atlantic
The Boston Globe’s Nancy Marrapese-Burrell has Cris Collinsworth spouting thoughts on Patriots QB Matt Cassell in anticipation of Sunday night’s matchup with the Colts.
Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette speaks with Comcast SportsNet New England Celtics road analyst Donny Marshall.
Over to the Sox & Dawgs blog which finds a hockey play-by-play opening, provided you speak Mandarin Chinese.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times has the postmortem on the World Series ratings.
The grumpy Phil Mushnick of the New York Post pretends to be an advocate for the nation’s children regarding the World Series. Please.
The Post’s Justin Terranova talks with Fox Sports’ Michael Strahan about this Sunday’s Cowboys-Giants game. And Justin has five questions for TNT’s Kenny Smith.
Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News is writing in tongues.
Newsday’s Neil Best joins the chorus of sports media writers pleading for earlier start time for the World Series. Because of my lack of blogging, I have quite a few posts from Neil to catch up and here’s one noting that Fang’s Bites fav Tina Cervasio is running the New York Marathon. Neil transcribes Sirius XM’s Chris Russo’s interview with Fox Sports Head Honcho Ed Goren about running a World Series game in the afternoon, for a reduced rights fee. Neil speculates on NBC’s Sunday Night Football flex schedule. Neil notes that the Knicks season opener did relatively well for MSG Network. Neil has video of legendary Phillies voice Harry Kalas calling the final out of the World Series. And Neil says WFAN has yet to decide on who will co-host Mike Francesa’s show. And we get a preview of Neil’s Sunday column in which Michael Strahan admits he’s biased towards his New York Giants.
Ken Schott of the Schenectady Gazette, an unabashed Phillies fan, has his reaction to the team’s first championship since 1980.
Laura Nachman says Phillies fans have a second chance to watch Friday’s victory parade. And Laura names the best sports reporter during the parade.
Ray Frager of the
Baltimore Sun looks at bias in sports reporting. In his blog, Ray transcribes Randy Cross’ thoughts on the NFL from a CBS Sports press release (which I have to receive, what’s going on, CBS Sports?).
Jim Williams from the DC Examiner says Florida-Georgia and Texas-Texas Tech are the big games for College Football Saturday.
Canada
William Houston of the Toronto Globe and Mail writes Canadian regulators have eased restrictions on TSN and Rogers Sportsnet.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says the new voice of the Raptors is looking forward to a new season and a new team.
That will do it. I hope to have more posts coming up later.
