Lots of stuff to get to and so little time. Here’s the linkage.
Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch has his regular Monday sports media column in which he discusses a new hire for NBC’s Football Night in America, ESPN’s World Cup plans and Bill Simmons’ future in the NBA studio.
USA Today reports that former Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli joins NBC Sports as a front office analyst.
From across the Atlantic Ocean, Mark Sweeney and Clark Owen of the London Guardian write about News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch wanting to create a super soccer tournament that would air across his global networks including perhaps Fox Sports 1.
Michael Weiss and Olga Khvostunova of The Atlantic magazine report on the corruption that led the warmest city in Russia to get the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Matt Yoder at Awful Announcing writes about an Atlanta sports radio morning show that went over the line to do a recorded bit on former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason who has ALS.
Speaking of Gleason, he has guest-written today’s Monday Morning Quarterback column as Peter King is on vacation.
Cynopsis: Sports speaks with NBC/Golf Channel essayist Jimmy Roberts about the latest edition of his Golf Channel magazine show.
Tim Baysinger of Broadcasting & Cable reviews ESPN’s plans for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Tim says the overnight ratings for NBA Finals Game 5 dropped from Game 4 last week.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life says ABC won the Sunday primetime ratings thanks to the NBA Finals.
Paulsen at Sports Media Watch writes that Fox continues to have trouble with MLB in primetime despite having the Yankees going to most of the country.
Ed Sherman at The Sherman Report asks NHL on NBC analyst Eddie Olczyk if he plans to return to coaching.
Chris Partlow of Next Impulse wonders how the NBA on TNT’s Twitter account got hijacked by a single human foot.
Mike Silvia’s Sports Media Watchdog reports that SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio will cease broadcasting on September 1 and Chris Russo may become a free agent shortly afterwards.
Speaking of Russo, Brian Eckhouse of Project Finance writes in his own blog about his 7th grade interview with Chris Russo and Mike Francesa when they were a radio powerhouse.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times writes that the US Tennis Association is suing the makers of a documentary on Serena and Venus Williams over US Open footage used in the film.
Phil Mushnick in the New York Post actually has a decent point in criticizing NBC for teasing viewers about its U.S. Open third round coverage start time.
Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette writes that ESPN2 will apparently air CFL games starting next week.
Ken says Game 2 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final gave NBC Sports Network its most-watched SCF game.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany (NY) Times Union says Game 6 of the AHL Calder Cup will be aired locally.
Dave Hughes of Press Box notes that a Baltimore sports radio host is recuperating after a motorcycle accident.
Dan Steinberg in the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog says the mullet sported by Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon is receiving some media attention.
Tom Jones at the Tampa Bay Times says Sun Sports showed the proper restraint when Rays pitcher Alex Cobb was hit by a line drive.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that the local ABC affiliate is cheating viewers when it pre-empts ESPN on ABC’s NBA Countdown in favor of its own NBA Finals pregame show.
Mel Bracht of The Oklahoman speaks with CBS’ Greg Gumbel.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer has the ratings for the city’s lone FM sports radio station.
John looks at HBO turning to the Cincinnati Bengals for another go at Hard Knocks.
David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune speaks with former Comcast SportsNet Blackhawks on-ice reporter Susannah Collins who was fired for an on-air slipup.
Paul M. Banks of Chicago Sports Media Watch says that the Penn State story needs to be covered.
Dusty Saunders of the Denver Post writes that the NHL is getting huge ratings.
The Los Angeles Daily News’ Tom Hoffarth has your SoCal sports calendar for this week.
Dave Kohl in the Broadcast Booth doesn’t like the New England Patriots preseason experiment that will treat games like a sports radio talk show instead of focusing on the action.
That’s going to do it for the linkage today.
