Have had to deal with a few work-related issues today so the Friday megalinks are late, but I’ll give them to you in one fell swoop.
Starting as usual with USA Today’s Michael Hiestand, he discusses Fox Sports’ coverage of the Daytona 500 this Sunday.
Let’s do the links starting in the East, then to the West Coast and filling in the links in-between.
East and Mid-Atlantic
David Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch has a look inside Entercom’s choice of Dale Arnold to replace Glenn Geffner in the Red Sox broadcast booth.
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe writes about NESN’s increase of Red Sox Spring Training coverage as compared to last year.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says USA Network saw an uptick in the ratings for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
New York Post media curmudgeon Phil Mushnick says it’s sad when Brian McNamee, Kirk Radomski, Jose Canseco and even John Rocker have more credibility than MLB. Also in the Post, Justin Terranova has five questions for SNY Mets analyst Keith Hernandez. And Terranova has quotes from ESPN’s Rusty Wallace and Fox’s Darrell Waltrip about the Daytona 500 and the new NASCAR season.
Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News talks with Yankees radio analyst Suzyn Waldman who knows both Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee.
Newsday’s Neil Best writes about the Islanders attendance problems. In his blog, Neil says Islanders fans are responding to his column. Neil also has ESPN deciding not to respond to NBC’s shots about Monday Night Football. Finally, Neil links to the WCBS website in which Suzyn Waldman talks about the Roger Clemens testimony in front of Congress.
In Laura Nachman’s Philadelphia TV and radio blog, she reports that one Philly TV station will not cover the Phillies’ Spring Training this year.
From the Baltimore Sun, Ray Frager’s news and notes include WHFS-FM’ plans for Orioles Spring Training games. From his Medium Well blog, Ray has highlights from a Fox Sports conference call on its Daytona 500 coverage.
Jim Williams of the DC/Baltimore Examiner says the NBA and NASCAR dominate the sports viewing weekend.
West
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) Morning News says Roger Clemens didn’t do himself any favors this week.
John Ryan of the San Jose Mercury News talks with one Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model who’s from the local area. And in his Morning Buzz blog, Ryan gets a tip that Clemens has his own Institute for Sports Medicine.
In her Sound and Vision column, the Los Angeles Times’ Christine Daniels says TNT and the NBA are finding new ways to present the All Star Game.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News writes about former Apprentice: LA contestant Heidi Androl now doing work for the LA Kings website filing videos and features, plus Hoffarth has his Top 10 Best/Worst LA TV Anchors/Reporters. And he expands on his column with news and notes in his Farther Off the Wall blog.
Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star talks with Fox Sports’ NASCAR crew about the sport loosening the reins on its drivers.
John Maffei in the North County Times looks at Fox’s coverage for the Daytona 500.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune says ESPN2 expects an electric atmosphere for the Gonzaga-University of San Diego game on Monday. Posner has his news and notes column which includes a look at the gadgets that will be used in Fox Sports’ coverage of Daytona. And Jay has the TV ratings from the weekend in San Diego.
South
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle writes that it was very hard to miss the Roger Clemens appearance on Capitol Hill this week.
Dave Darling of the Orlando Sentinel says it’s the rivalries that make NASCAR what it is.
Barry Jackson in today’s Miami Herald profiles Heat TV play-by-play announcer Eric Reid (who has a Providence connection), one of only 8 original Heat employees still with the team.
Doug Nye of The State says baseball suffered a black eye during the Congressional Steroids hearings this week. And Doug’s TV Best Bet this weekend is Daytona.
Midwest
Jeffrey Flanagan of the Kansas City Star looks into the rumors (started in Rhode Island College’s student newspaper) that the ghost of wrestler Owen Hart haunts Kemper Arena.
In the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin, Paul Christian writes about a fitness show being broadcast live on the local PBS affiliate.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Judd Zulgad talks with Minnesota native Michele Tafoya about her changed role on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. And Judd has the ratings for the Twin Cities from last
weekend.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bob Wolfley feels ESPN should get rid of the celebrity interviews from Monday Night Football, not Tafoya and fellow sideline reporter Suzy Kolber.
Robert Feder in the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Comcast SportsNet will devote 12 hours on Monday to the late Harry Caray.
Ed Sherman of the Chicago Tribune has his five viewing picks for the weekend.
Canada
William Houston of the Toronto Globe and Mail says Jim Hughson will make a choice between his two current employers, CBC and Rogers Sportsnet this summer.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says ratings for Raptors games are up this season.
Blogs
Christopher Bryne of the Eye on Sports Media blog looks at Think Pink night during the Florida-Georgia women’s basketball game on Thursday.
Joe Favorito’s blog on sports marketing looks at the NASCAR marketing machine.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell (who’s Nike documentary is getting big praise across the country, by the way) says NASCAR needs Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to start winning and fast.
The Sports Media Watch blog says at the All Star break, the NBA can look at a ratings increase from last year.
Bruce Allen in the Boston Sports Media Watch blog has the five worst mainstream sports media blogs in Boston.
Network Press Releases
ESPN says Dick Vitale is once again a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.
NBC Sports tells us coverage of the Short Track Speedskating World Cup will be broadcast on Universal HD only.
CBS Sports previews its weekend golf coverage.
And there you have it for now.
