After not watching any sports on Sunday (visiting the three week old niece in NYC), I’m catching up with what I missed today.
Starting with USA Today’s Michael Hiestand who looks over what the NFL pregame studio analysts had to say about the league’s bottom feeders.
Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch writes that ESPN has hired one of the UK’s most popular soccer announcers to call its World Cup games in 2010.
To the Sports Business Journal where we have a few links today. John Ourand and Michael Smith says the Indy Racing League’s move of most of its races to Versus from ESPN/ABC cost it viewers.
William Cooper looks into the reduced amount of free promotional items being given out at games.
The SBJ has a chart on the influence of promotions on attendance.
And SBJ gives us some of the wackiest minor league promotions.
Jason Fry writing for Indiana University’s National Spors Journalism Center has Twitter advice from two veteran sportswriters who have embraced the service.
One of the strangest stories to surface over the weekend was the divorce trial of CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz where he unveiled his wife was unsupportive of his career, that she spent his money like a sieve, that he has a 29 year old girlfriend, that he makes close to $8 million a year and sobbed uncontrollably. Damn. Thanks to The Big Lead for the link and tip.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says the cold retro jersey market is about to get hot again thanks to Michael Jordan.
Darren writes the New Jersey Nets continue to be creative about promotions, but wonders if their latest one will work.
Jerry Barmash of the New York Examiner catches up with Len Berman who has been out of WNBC-TV for six months and not missing it one bit.
Newsday’s Neil Best has the best quotes from the Sunday NFL pregame shows.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick hates everybody today. Then again, when does he not hate everybody?
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says getting a background check on the potential new owner of the Nets may not be too easy.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says college football doesn’t have that marquee matchup this week.
Pete has the NFL TV schedule for Week 7.
Pete says ESPN is hoping to appease militant soccer fans who did not like Dave O’Brien calling the World Cup in 2006.
Ken Schott of the Schenectady Gazette says Time Warner Cable will air a local high school football playoff game this week.
The widow of the late Jim McKay of ABC Sports and mother of CBS News and Sports President Sean McManus, Margaret McManus, an excellent newspaper reporter in her own right, died last week at the age of 89. Thanks to Neil Best for the link.
Jim Williams from the Washington Examiner tells fans of the DC NFL team not to go to Comcast SportsNet to hear critical talk.
A couple of links from Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times. First, he talks with ESPN’s Erin Andrews.
And Tom looks at the weekend in televised sport.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News gives us some Sunday NFL pregame quotage.
Barry is surprised to learn that Oklahoma-Texas won the weekend ratings in the Metroplex.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle remembers a former colleague who passed away recently.
Jerry Garcia of the San Antonio Express-News says Rush Limbaugh got what he wanted even though he won’t be owning an NFL team anytime soon.
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business likes how United Center officials are marketing their cheap seats.
Sarah Spain from Chicago Now asks if the Vikings’ Bernard Berrian was the victim of a Twitter prank, or did he really post a nude photograph?
Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says despite the win over Detroit, the Fox Sports crew still saw some flaws in the Packers yesterday.
Dusty Saunders in the Denver Post is liking Jon Gruden in the Monday Night Football booth.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times says a Dodgers-Angels World Series would be a ratings bust.
Diane also critiques TBS’ presentation of last night’s NLCS Game 3.
Tom Hoffarth of the crosstown Daily News gives SoCal its sports calendar for this week.
Tom notes today is the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers’ last hurdle cleared in its move to LA.
In the Toronto Star, Chris Zelkovich says Rogers Sportsnet MLB analyst and Tampa Bay Rays backup catcher Greg
Zaun might be too honest for his own good.
The Toronto Globe and Mail’s Bruce Dowbiggin is not a baseball fan.
Nice to see former Globe and Mail sports media critic William Houston on the blogosphere. Today, William has some thoughts on this season’s Hockey Night in Canada cast. A big thanks to Steve Lepore of Puck The Media for the link.
Katy Bachman of Mediaweek writes that ESPN Radio is looking for more FM affiliates.
Sports Business Digest says pro football in Florida might not be working.
Maury Brown in the Biz of Baseball tells us that the Yankees are opening up their stadium this afternoon so fans can watch ALCS Game 3 on the big screen.
Steve Lepore of Puck The Media urges someone to pick up CBC’s Battle of the Blades.
The Sports Media Watch has its weekend ratings predictions.
SMW says the Yankees are helping to boost the ALCS ratings for Fox.
SMW says the Phillies’ blowout of the Dodgers last night hurt TBS’ NLCS ratings.
SMW notes that Texas-Oklahoma gave ABC primetime ratings for last Saturday’s noon ET game.
And SMW says the USC-Notre Dame game paid dividends for NBC on Saturday.
Joe Favorito says Jets’ kicker Jay Feely is using social and traditional media to get closer to his fans.
My hot friend, Amanda Rykoff who co-hosted the Play Ball podcast with Melissa Greenhawt for ESPN.com is now doing her own blog and she already has put a lot of content up there. Check it out.
And we end with Kristine Leahy giving us today’s edition of The Five on WEEI.com.
We’re done for now. Back later.
