I’ve been in meeting today so I’m starting the megalinks late. Let’s get to them without further delay.
From USA Today, Michael Hiestand says the NFL has to cut its price per subscriber for the NFL Network for the cable providers to start putting the channel on basic. Here’s the listing for sports on TV this weekend.
Again, we’ll go East to West for the links.
Starting with the Boston Globe, Nancy Marrapese-Burrell writes about the Kraft family airing six of the seven Massachusetts high school Super Bowls being played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro this weekend.
David Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch suggests some talent hires for Comcast SportsNet New England.
Neil Best of Newsday talks with CBS’ Phil Simms and Fox’s Troy Aikman about New York Giants QB Eli Manning. In his blog, Best expands on Aikman’s comments about the NFL Network situation. Neil had a chance to catch the NFL Network broadcast of the Green Bay-Dallas game last night and says play-by-play Bryant Gumbel improved, but not by much.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post attacks the NFL for putting the Packers-Cowboys game on the NFL Network.
Laura Nachman talks about Tom McCarthy returning to the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast booth.
Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun has more than a few news and notes today.
Doug Nye from The State newspaper says the Best Bet for the weekend is South Carolina at Clemson college basketball on Saturday. And Nye goes over a new book written by the former Voice of the Gamecocks, Bob Fulton.
Dave Darling of the Orlando Sentinel laments the absence of the Big Three Florida schools from the conference championship football games this weekend.
David Barron in today’s Houston Chronicle writes that the NFL Network debate will rage again with next month’s Patriots-Giants game.
Eric Benderoff of the Chicago Tribune was frustrated with NFL.com’s presentation of the Green Bay-Dallas game last night.
Over to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel where Bob Wolfley was critical of Bryant Gumbel and Cris Collinsworth on the NFL Network.
Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that FSN North is changing its approach for its halftime shows during Timberwolves games.
Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin writes that more Minnesota Wild games will be made available on over the air TV.
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) Morning News says the Utah coach’s show on KTVX-TV is an embarrassment in journalism.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune talks with David Norrie of ESPN/ABC about tomorrow’s USC-UCLA game. In his notebook, Posner says expect more of the same from the NFL Network, not being able to watch the games and more fighting between the league and cable. And here are last week’s ratings for sports in San Diego.
From the North County Times, John Maffei says this year’s USC-UCLA game doesn’t carry the importance it once did.
Christine Daniels in her Sound and Vision column in the Los Angeles Times also writes about the USC-UCLA game.
Tom Hoffarth from the Los Angeles Daily News talks with ESPN’s Steven A. Smith. And Hoffarth has more media notes in his Farther Off the Wall blog.
Up to Canada where William Houston of the Toronto Globe and Mail writes that Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment has become a circus.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says the ratings for Hockey Night in Canada are down thanks to the falling fortunes of the Maple Leafs.
That’s it for now. You can expect Primetime Viewing Picks, our last College Football Viewing Picks of the season, NFL Viewing Picks, College Basketball Viewing Picks, NFL Picks, Weekend Viewing Picks, the Amazing Race Asia Episode 2 Recap, Friday Night Update, Saturday morning links and anything else I can think of in the next 24-36 hours. Keep it here.
