Fang's Bites

Cranking Out Your Tuesday Links

Since late last night, I’ve been culling linkage for today. Let’s get to them.

Terry Lefton and Daniel Kaplan at Sports Business Journal discuss how Indianapolis hotels are gouging customers for Super Bowl Week.

Anick Jesdanun of the Associated Press reviews NBC’s online presentation of the Super Bowl for this Sunday.

Sergio Non of USA Today looks at the UFC on Fox rating from Saturday.

Michael Learmonth of Advertising Age says USA Today’s Super Bowl Ad Meter wrecked Super Bowl ads for good.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch provides his thoughts on The Big Lead’s profile of ESPN Radio hack Colin Cowherd.

Tim Goodman of the Hollywood Reporter has an appreciation for The Beautiful Game.

Tim Nudd of Adweek looks at the highly successful “This is SportsCenter” ad campaign.

Wayne Friedman of MediaPost says NBC is copping $4 million per Super Bowl ad.

Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine writes that a survey shows that a majority of readers feel Super Bowl XLVI will set a viewership record.

Toni gives us a media buyer’s primer on the Super Bowl.

Diego Vasquez of Media Life says advertisers want to get buzz about Super Bowl commercials weeks before the Big Game.

The Daily says it appears Madonna’s set list for the Super Bowl halftime show has been leaked.

Peter Schrager of Esquire lists 10 current NFL players who could make a second career on TV.

Glenn Davis of SportsGrid notes that Jerry Seinfeld and the Soup Nazi will appear in a Super Bowl ad.

Frances Martel of Mediaite reviews the ESPN2 show, “Dan Le Batard is Extremely Crazy Highly Questionable.”

Robert Littal of Black Sports Online has details of the Mexican TV reporter who made an impression during Super Bowl Media Day.

Ken Kerschbaumer of Sports Video Group looks at ESPN taking over Pan Am Plaza in downtown Indianapolis for the Super Bowl.

Karen Hogan of SVG writes that sports has entered into reality TV in a big way.

Summer Harlow of the University of Texas Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas writes about CBSSports.com’s firing of Adam Jacobi over his premature report on Joe Paterno’s death.

Karen Rosen of TV Guide talks with ESPN’s Hannah Storm about her NFL special tonight.

All Access says a new ESPN Deportes Radio affiliate will launch tomorrow in Chicago.

Mark Miller of Examiner.com says Gary Thorne makes his Pro Bowling announcing debut this Sunday on ESPN.

Larry Mahoney of the Bangor (ME) Daily News speaks with former MLB’er Matt Stairs who joins NESN as a studio analyst for the 2012 season.

Michael Hayes of the Clinton (CT) Patch says ESPN will report from the geological center in between Gillette and Met Life Stadiums on Sunday.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times has an interesting story on a small Connecticut NPR station which has a sports talk show that is not your typical run-of-the-mill program.

Judy Battista of the Times notes that the NFL will address head safety in one its in-house ads during the Super Bowl.

David Hinckley of the New York Daily News says rivals WFAN and ESPN Radio New York are squaring off in their Giants Super Bowl coverage.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes the release of ESPN’s Bracketbusters schedule.

Stacy Jones of the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger says Super Bowl advertisers are hoping to hook viewers from their computers and mobile devices as well as through their TV’s.

Neal Zoren of the Delaware County Daily Times notes Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia’s countdown of the worst sports villains of all-time.

Long-time New Orleans sports anchor Jim Henderson is retiring from WWL-TV, however, he’ll remain as Voice of the Saints.

Dave Walker of the New Orleans Times-Picayune gets reaction Henderson on his retirement.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle discusses the busy Super Bowl week and the ads.

Dennis Manoloff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer speaks with ESPN’s Erin Andrews about sports, life and her hosting the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Annual Awards Banquet this week.

Tim Evans of the Indianapolis Star says Radio Row at the Super Bowl is the perfect place for star gazing this week.

Emily Hatton of the Indy Star gives us an inside look at ESPN’s Pan Am Plaza set.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has NBC’s Bob Costas calling for a revote if National League MVP Ryan Braun of the Brewers loses his appeal for testing positive for steroids last year.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says ESPN College GameDay visits the Missouri campus this weekend.

Brian Gomez of the Colorado Springs Gazette says ESPN may pull the Winter X Games out of Aspen after an 11 year relationship.

Jason Blevins of the Denver Post writes that ESPN has been airing this year’s Winter X in 3-D.

Jill Painter of the Los Angeles Daily News says longtime UCLA voice Chris Roberts was honored by his peers as was Daily News sports media writer Tom Hoffarth.

And Tom writes an appreciation for being honored last night.

Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing has videos of the Big Ten Network going behind the scenes with Gus Johnson.

Josh Tinley of Midwest Sports Fans explains how the Super Bowl got its name and why every game has Roman numerals.

The Canadian Sports Media Blog notes the NHL All-Star Game did really well for CBC.

And that will do it for now.

The Rainy Wednesday Links

As it continues to rain in the Northeast, time to provide some linkage for you.

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand talks with Fox Sports Wisconsin’s Brian Anderson who’s been doing yeoman’s work for TBS and will call the playoffs for the network again.

Brian Lowry of Fox Sports looks at the monster TV ratings for the NFL in the first four weeks of the 2010 season.

At the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Eric Deggans of the St. Petersburg Times looks at Dan Patrick defying the odds and being a huge success after leaving ESPN.

Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser says it was Bill Simmons’ inadvertent Tweet that led to a whirlwind night of speculation over Randy Moss being traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable notes that the FCC has sent Tennis Channel’s complaint against Comcast to an Administrative Law Judge.

Ben Grossman of B&C writes that Fox Sports Media Group El Jefe del Mundo David Hill has joined the USA’s bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Anthony Crupi at Mediaweek notes that ESPN drew 14 million viewers for Monday night’s Patriots-Dolphins game.

R. Thomas Umstead at Multichannel News mentions that ABC will air bowling once again next year.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell notes that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady may be about to sign with Under Armour. 

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe talks about NESN Red Sox voice Don Orsillo continuing his broadcasting work in the postseason for TBS.

Dan Lamothe in the Springfield (MA) Republican’s Red Sox Monster blog watched last night’s 30 for 30 documentary on the Greatest Comeback in the History of Sports.

Joe Drape of the New York Times explores how the Big Ten Network changed the landscape of college sports.

Joshua Brustein of the Times says a Miami Heat-New York Knicks game will be the first NBA contest to be aired in 3-D.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has the 2010-11 NHL TV schedule for the Capital Region.

At the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg says Tony Kornheiser has reupped to do his radio show for two more years.

Dan talks about the TV ratings for the Washington Nationals on MASN doubling from last season.

Tom Jones at the St. Petersburg Times says part-time Tampa Bay Rays TV analyst Brian Anderson will become the full-time analyst next season. He’s not to be confused with Brian Anderson who calls the Brewers and will do the MLB Postseason on TBS.

Sarah Talalay of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that IndyCar driver Danica Patrick will be the focus of a new comic book. Nice marketing tool. Now win some races, Danica.

Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports that ESPN 3D, which can be seen by the 36 people who own a 3-D TV set, will pick up two Miami Heat games. 

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News says the Texas Rangers are doing afternoon duty today.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says General Manager of Fox Sports Houston is leaving to take a similar position at Sun Sports in Florida.

Mel Bracht at the Daily Oklahoman says Cox Sports Television will be aired in Oklahoma City.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer has the weekend start times for the Reds-Phillies National League Division Series.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel fears the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.

At Crain’s Chicago Business, Ed Sherman discusses Jay Mariotti being out of a job.

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times speaks with NBC’s Sunday Night Football producer Fred Gaudelli. 

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that today’s court hearing for Fox Sports Midwest Cardinals voice Dan McLaughlin has been postponed. McLaughlin was arrested in August on suspicion of drunk driving.

Dan Caesar of the Post-Dispatch says Fox Sports Midwest will juggle to air both the St. Louis Blues season opener and Missouri’s Big 12 football opener, both of which are scheduled for the same time.

The Idaho Statesman has the Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball ESPN schedule.

Scott D. Pierce, formerly of the Deseret (UT) Morning News, moves to the Salt Lake Tribune and says local fans will have trouble finding this Saturday’s Utah-Iowa State game. 

Ryan Greene of the Las Vegas Sun notes that ESPN’s Kenny Mayne showed his old UNLV quarterbacking skills during a segment on Sunday NFL Countdown.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News says former Dodgers Spanish language broadcaster Rene Cardenas is a finalist for the Baseball Hall of Fame Ford C. Frick Award. Unfortunately, so is Tim McCarver.

Tom suggests a 24/7 Bowling Channel.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail rates the Canadian home NHL broadcasting crews.

The Courthouse News Service says a mother-daughter courtroom sketch artist team is suing ESPN and the Associated Press claiming they weren’t paid for services during the Tim Donaghy trial.

At Yahoo’s Puck Daddy, Greg Wyshynski handicaps the next NHL TV rights contract.

Matthew Coller at the Biz of Hockey says the NHL looks to hit the motherlode from the next TV rights deal.

Cork Gaines at the Business Insider says the Texas Rangers’ big TV rights windfall could lead to teams abandoning the idea of their own regional sports network.

Deadspin looks at how a supposed private Twitter message from Bill Simmons led to him breaking news that Randy Moss was about to be traded.

The Big Lead notes that an ESPN producer has been arrested on charges of lewd acts.

Sports Media Watch has ESPN/ABC’s Brent Musburger objecting to steroids coverage.

SMW has the weekend overnight ratings.

That will do it. I started this at 9 a.m. and just finished at 2:34 p.m. Leaving the office and coming back several times is not good for linkage.

Professional Bowling Returns To ABC

For the first time since 1997, the Professional Bowlers Association Tour will be seen on ABC. ESPN renewed its contract with the PBA that will run through 2013. As part of the new contract, ABC will air the Tournament of Champions and other events. While it won’t be as extensive as it used to be, having ABC back in professional bowling is a nice touch.

Here’s the press release from ESPN.

ESPN Reaches Three-Year Extension with PBA

Tournament of Champions Returns to ABC

ESPN has reached a three-year extension with the Professional Bowlers Association which will run through 2013. As part of the agreement, the record $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions will air live on ABC Saturday, Jan. 22, at 2:30 p.m. ET from Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas. The event last aired on ABC in 1997.

ESPN has a long-standing relationship with the PBA, which dates back to the network’s launch in 1979.

The new agreement includes more than 20 telecasts per year on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, including multi-day coverage of the PBA World Championships and the 68^th US Open as part of the 2010-11 season. ESPN will also continue to televise the PBA All-Star Shootout.

Further details of the 2010-11 PBA Tour season, which will begin Sunday, Nov. 28, on ESPN at 1 p.m., can be found on www.pba.com.

And as an added bonus, here’s the final moments complete with tributes of the last PBA Tour event on ABC from June 21, 1997. The late Chris Schenkel, one of the greatest announcers ever and Nelson Burton, Jr. close it out. ESPN which was taking over ABC Sports at the time decided to put the PBA events solely on cable. Sound familiar?

This is the open from the 1980 Tournament of Champions.

I can’t believe the good condition of this open. From 1968 and a filmed opening sequence with the late Bud Palmer voicing the billboard.

And here’s an open from 1982 complete with a toss from Jim McKay.

Great stuff and you can find more bowling videos from BowlingOldies’ channel on YouTube.