If it’s Friday, it means a whole slew of sports media stories from all over the country. Let’s get started without any further delay. Some media writers took yesterday off for Rosh Hashanah so the links might be a bit lighter, but we still have a lot of links today.
Starting with Michael Hiestand of USA Today, he writes about Alyssa Milano starting her blog on TBS’ Hot Corner at MLB.com. This Alyssa Milano story certainly has legs and Alyssa has nice legs herself (I can play the same game as Neil Best of Newsday). Before I get into trouble, that picture comes from the official Alyssa Milano website. Alyssa’s mom is very militant about protecting her daughter’s image.
In the Boston Globe, Susan Bickelhaupt has John Madden talking about Cameragate detracting from the San Diego-New England game on Sunday Night.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times reviews the changes in Monday Night Football, Football Night in America and the NFL Today.
The New York Post’s Justin Terranova has five questions for former Notre Dame coach and current ESPN studio analyst Lou Holtz.
Newsday’s Neil Best has his Friday column and he notes that there are a lot of books concerning the New York Giants’ 2006 8-8 season. In his Watchdog blog, Best writes that ESPN is unapologetic for giving high school sports a national stage. And another post concerns the signal for WLNG which becomes a Knicks and Rangers radio network affiliate for Eastern Long Island.
Last week, Laura Nachman of the Bucks County Courier Times wrote about the plethora of TV and radio shows devoted to the Philadelphia Eagles. She has another one today.
This blog entry is from September 4, but it’s worth posting. Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun explained why he had been absent for so long and I hope you’re feeling better, Ray.
The State’s Doug Nye says Fox Sports South caught lightning in a bottle when it contracted with Appalachian State to do a documentary on the school preparing for its season opener with Michigan. We all know what happened next. Nye’s best bet for the weekend is the PGA Tour’s season ending Tour Championship.
The Orlando Sentinel’s Dave Darling says Central Florida Dolphins fans are feeling ripped off this NFL season.
David Barron in today’s Houston Chronicle talks about the local sports radio scene.
Bob Wolfey of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes about the networks missing re-starts in NASCAR and listening to the Brewers on the radio (not all at once).
Judd Zulgad in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune has a story on rookie Vikings radio analyst Mike Bercich getting on the job training while on the air.
The North County Times’ John Maffei says San Diegans can get a meaningful Padres-Chargers doubleheader on Sunday.
Jay Posner in the San Diego Union-Tribune has NBC’s John Madden saying stealing signals from the sidelines is no big deal, but videotaping them is. And he has the ratings from the last sporting weekend in San Diego.
Jim Carlisle in the Ventura County Star talks with CBS’ Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson about the SEC vs. Pac 10 debate.
The Los Angeles Daily News’ Tom Hoffarth is a busy man. He has two stories in today’s edition. One is on Hoffarth talking with CBS’ Dick Enberg about his calling of US Open women’s champion Justine Henin, “Justine Henin-Hardenne” during the trophy presentation last Saturday. And the other is on ESPN’s Michelle Tafoya trying to work certain words or phrases in her sideline reports as part of a game with an LA sports radio station (for charity, of course) as well as him naming What Smokes and What Chokes. And in his extensive Farther Off the Wall blog, Hoffarth expands on the Tafoya story as well as giving us a big media notes update. I like Hoffarth. And let me mention that Michelle is the consummate pro on the sidelines.
One tidbit from Hoffarth is the Dan Patrick website which is counting down to the premiere of his new syndicated show from the Content Factory (17 days). Today, Dan talks about the Michigan-Notre Dame game, but you can also see various videos he has posted about him adjusting to life outside ESPN. They’re funny.
In the LA Times, Larry Stewart announces that he’s leaving the TV/Radio beat after 35 years to cover horse racing for the paper. Christine Daniels, the former Mike Penner, will take over. And Stewart talks about his memories on the beat. Good luck, Larry. I’ve enjoyed reading you.
William Houston in the Toronto Globe and Mail writes that the success of the Canada-Russia Super Series earlier this month may spark a Canada-US Super Series next year.
And in the Toronto Star, Chris Zelkovich reports that the end of regulation on Canadian TV could mean a huge invasion of America
n sports north of the border.
That’s it for now. I’ll have updates later including Primetime & Weekend Viewing Picks, College Football Viewing Picks, NFL viewing picks and possibly Videos of the Week. I’m going to New York on Saturday so I won’t be here starting late tonight. I have to get all this in before I leave. Check back here throughout the day.
