Fang's Bites

Inside Mad Men: Season 6, Episode 7, “Man With a Plan”

Ok, the season is definitely ramping up. We had Sterling Cooper Draper Price merging with Cutler Gleason and Chaough in the SCDP offices. Still no new name of the merged agency. Don tries to control an angry Sylvia who threw Arnold out of their apartment only to find that she wants to end the whole thing. Don tries to throw his weight around at Ted, Peggy sees through him, and the tables are then turned.

Pete Campbell’s mother pays a visit while Pete sees the new agency moving forward without him. Roger Sterling fires Burt Peterson again. Joan has a painful cyst on her ovary, but Bob Benson manages to help her. Joan repays the favor. And Don returns to Megan, but he tunes her out. And as the episode ends, Bobby Kennedy is shot and killed.

That’s a lot of info for this episode. Let’s go over it. Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, Kevin Rahm, Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks discuss what happened tonight.

We have Costume Designer Janie Bryant talking about the wardrobe for Ted, Peggy and Joan for tonight’s episode.

And the usual cryptic promo for next week.

Mad Men airs next Sunday night at 10 ET/PT on AMC.

NHL on NBC Assignments for May 12, 2013

Just received the NHL on NBC announcing assignments for Mother’s Day. I’m posting them now.

NBC Sports Group will staff the Washington Caps-New York Rangers and Detroit Anaheim games. NBC Sports Network will simulcast the CBC feed for Boston-Toronto. So two Games 6 and one Game 7. It’s a night where all three series could end tonight.

Check it all out below.

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, MAY 12

Following is the Stanley Cup Playoff schedule for Sunday, May 12:

4:30 p.m. ET – Washington @ NY Rangers, Game 6 – CNBC, Mike Emrick/Pierre McGuire

7:30 p.m. ET – Boston @ Toronto, Game 6 – NBC Sports Network, Jim Hughson/Craig Simpson/Glenn Healey/Scott Oake

10 p.m. ET – Detroit @ Anaheim, Game 7 – NBC Sports Network, John Forslund/Daryl Reaugh

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream all Stanley Cup Playoff games that air on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and CNBC, including the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. The vast majority of games will be live streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Games airing on:

• NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra;
• NBC Sports Network will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs;
• CNBC will live stream exclusively through NBC Sports Live Extra via “TV Everywhere.”

That’s all.

“Have You Called Your Mama Today?”

Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks to Mr. College Football, Tony Barnhart, we have this great video of the late Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant doing an ad for South Central Bell. He talks about taking time for family and has this great line, “Have you called your mama today? I sure wish I could call mine.” After seeing it, I picked up my phone and called my mom. I was going to so anyway, but the ad made me do it earlier.

So to all the moms including mine and my sisters who brought two nieces and a nephew into my life, Happy Mother’s Day. And here’s the ad produced by the legendary Birmingham agency, Luckie & Co.

Enjoy the day.

Weekend Viewing Picks

Saturday, May 11

Arena Football
Jacksonville Sharks at San Antonio Talons — CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, 9:30 p.m.

Boxing
Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero (from May 4) — Showtime, 9 p.m.

College Baseball
LSU at Texas A&M — ESPN, 1 p.m.
Texas Southern at Texas — Longhorn Network, 2 p.m.
San Francisco at BYU — BYU TV, 3 p.m.
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma — Fox College Sports Central, 3 p.m.
Utah at Washington — Pac-12 Network (Mountain/Washington), 3 p.m.
Texas Southern at Texas — Longhorn Network, 4 p.m.
Arizona State at Cal — Pac-12 Network, 10 p.m.

College Lacrosse
NCAA Division I Tournament
First Round
Lehigh at North Carolina — ESPN2, noon
Yale at Penn State — ESPNU, 2:30 p.m.
Detroit at Notre Dame — ESPNU, 5 p.m.
Albany at Denver — ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.

College Softball
ACC Championship, Tallahassee, FL
NC State vs. Florida State — ESPN2, 6 p.m.

Big East Championship, Tampa, FL
South Florida vs. Notre Dame — ESPN2, 4 p.m.

Big Ten Tournament, Lincoln, NE
Semifinals
Wisconsin vs. Michigan — Big Ten Network, 3 p.m.
Minnesota vs. Nebraska — Big Ten Network, 5:30 p.m.

Conference USA Championship, Tulsa, OK
Houston vs. Marshall — CBS Sports Network, noon

Missouri Valley Championship, Omaha, NE
Northern Iowa vs. Evansville — Fox College Sports Atlantic, 6 p.m.

SEC Tournament, Lexington, KY
Semifinals
Florida vs. Georgia — ESPNU, noon
Tennessee vs. Missouri — ESPN3, 2:30 p.m.

Oklahoma State at Oklahoma — Fox College Sports Central, 1 p.m.
UCLA at Oregon State — Pac-12 Network, 4 p.m.
Cal at Washington — Pac-12 Network, 6 p.m.
Oregon at Arizona State — Pac-12 Network, 8 p.m.

College Track & Field
Big West Championships — Fox College Sports Pacific, 5 p.m.

Cycling
Giro d’Italia
Stage 8: Gabicce Mare to Saltara — beIN Sport, 9:30 a.m.

English Premier League
Aston Villa vs. Chelsea — ESPN2, 7:30 a.m.

FA Cup
Final
Manchester City vs. Wigan Athletic — Fox, noon

FA Cup Show — Fox Soccer, 9:30 a.m.
Road to Wembley — Fox, 2:30 p.m.

Formula 1
Grand Prix of Spain, Barcelona, Spain
Qualifying — NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.

Golf
PGA Tour
The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach FL
Third Round — NBC, 2 p.m.

Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 9 a.m.
Golf Central Live — NBC, 1:30 p.m.
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 7 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF World Championships, Helsinki, Finland
Group Play
United States vs. France — NBC Sports Network, 10 p.m. (same day coverage)

MLB
American League
Toronto at Boston — Rogers Sportsnet/NESN, 1:30 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Chicago White Sox — MLB Network/Fox Sports West/WGN America, 7 p.m.
Baltimore at Minnesota — MASN2/Fox Sports North, 7 p.m.
Cleveland at Detroit — MLB Network/STO/Fox Sports Detroit Plus, 7 p.m.
New York Yankees at Kansas City — YES/Fox Sports Kansas City, 7 p.m.
Texas at Houston — Fox Sports Southwest/Comcast SportsNet Houston, 7 p.m.
Oakland at Seattle — Comcast SportsNet California/Root Sports Northwest, 9 p.m.

National League
Pittsburgh at New York Mets — Root Sports Pittsburgh/WPIX, 1 p.m.
Colorado at St. Louis — Root Sports Rocky Mountain/Fox Sports Midwest, 2:15 p.m.
Atlanta at San Francisco — MLB Network/Fox Sports South/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 4 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at Washington — Comcast SportsNet Chicago/MASN, 4 p.m.
Milwaukee at Cincinnati — MLB Network/Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Ohio, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at Arizona — Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia/Fox Sports Arizona, 8 p.m.
Miami at Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 9 p.m.

Interleague
San Diego at Tampa Bay — Fox Sports San Diego/Sun Sports, 6 p.m.

Studio 42 with Bob Costas: Dallas Green — MLB Network, 1:30 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 2 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 10 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 10 p.m.
Quick Pitch — MLB Network, midnight
Baseball Tonight — ESPN2, 12:30 a.m. (Sunday)

MLS
Chicago vs. Philadelphia — NBC Sports Network/TSN2, 1:30 p.m.
Montreal vs. Real Salt Lake — TVA Sports/KUCW, 2 p.m.
Seattle vs. San Jose — Univision Deportes/KONG/Root Sports Northwest Plus/Comcast SportsNet California, 4 p.m.
Vancouver vs. LA Galaxy — Sportsnet Pacific/Time Warner Cable SportsNet, 7 p.m.
Columbus vs. Colorado — Fox Sports Ohio/Altitude, 7:30 p.m.
New England vs. New York — Comcast SportsNet New England/MSG Network, 7:30 p.m.

NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Southern 500, Darlington, SC
Race — Fox, 6 p.m.

NASCAR RaceDay: Darlington — Speed, 4 p.m.
NASCAR Victory Lane: Darlington — Speed, 10:30 p.m.

NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 3: New York at Indiana — ABC, 8:15 p.m.

Western Conference Semifinals
Game 3: Oklahoma City at Memphis — ESPN, 5 p.m.

NBA GameTime: Thunder/Grizzlies, Game 3 Postgame — NBA TV, 7:30 p.m.
NBA GameTime: Knicks/Pacers, Game 3 Postgame — NBA TV, 10:30 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 6: Pittsburgh at New York Islanders — NBC Sports Network/TSN/RDS/Root Sports Pittsburgh/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.

NHL on the Fly– NHL Network, 6 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
Plays of the Week: 5/4/13-5/10/13 — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 9:30 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.

Scottish Premier League
Celtic vs. St. Johnstone — Fox Soccer Plus, 7:10 a.m.

Sports Talk
Morning Drive — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
ESPN Sports Saturday: Face to Face with Hannah Storm; X Games Recap — ABC, 4 p.m.
30 for 30: Broke — ESPN Classic, 5:30 p.m.
30 for 30: Elway to Marino — ESPN Classic, 7 p.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 7:30 p.m.
Fox Soccer News — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.

Swimming
Grand Prix, Charlotte, NC — Universal Sports, 6 p.m.

Tennis
ATP/WTA Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
Women’s Semifinals — Tennis Channel, 5 a.m. & 7 a.m.
Men’s Semifinals — Tennis Channel, 9 a.m. & 1 p.m

Entertainment
Elbow Room: Momma’s Brand New Kitchen — HGTV, 9 a.m.
The Godfather Legacy — H2, 9 a.m.
Top 20 Video Countdown — VH1, 9 a.m.
Fix This Yard: Jaren & Ann: Frugal with a Floodplain — A&E, 9:30 a.m.
Going Yard: Caribbean Backyard with Fire Pit — HGTV, 9:30 a.m.
E! News — E!, 10 a.m.
Top 20 Video Countdown — VH1, 10 a.m.
Safe House — HBO2, 10:30 a.m.
The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre — History Channel, 11 a.m.
Giada at Home: Double Trouble Baby Shower — Food Network, 11:30 a.m.
The Terminal — Cinemax, 12:50 p.m.
Crime Wave: 18 Months of Mayhem — History Channel, 1 p.m.
America’s Best Bites: Miramar Bistro — Cooking Channel, 4:30 p.m.
Doctor Who: Nightmare in Silver — BBC America, 8 p.m.
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted — HBO, 8 p.m.
City Slickers — IFC, 8 p.m.
Little Children — Sundance Channel, 8 p.m.
How Green Was My Valley — Turner Classic Movies, 8 p.m.
Varsity Blues — Cinemax, 8:15 p.m.
Renovation Realities: The Zelwin Job — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
Oddities: A Bugs Afterlife — Science, 9 p.m.
Orphan Black: Parts Developed in an Unusual Manner — BBC America, 9 p.m.
My Ghost Story: Caught on Camera — Biography Channel, 9 p.m.
Scorned: Love Kills: Fatal Fantasy — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Men in Black 3 — Starz, 9 p.m.
Sydney ER: Juggling Cases — Discovery Fitness & Health, 10 p.m.
48 Hours: Murder at Sea? — CBS, 10 p.m.
The Nerdist — BBC America, 10 p.m.
My Haunted House: Unwanted Guest & Mirror Image — Biography Channel, 10 p.m.
The Apparition — Cinemax, 10 p.m.
How Sex Changed the World: Sexpocalypse — H2, 10 p.m.
Murder in Paradise: Student Body — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Outrageous Acts of Science: Epic Stunts — Science, 10 p.m.
Raising Arizona — Sundance Channel, 10:20 p.m.
Sydney ER: Out of His Mind — Discovery Fitness & Health, 10:30 p.m.
Saturday Night Live with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest Vampire Weekend — NBC, 11:29 p.m.

Sunday, May 12

Australian Rules Football
Melbourne Demons vs. Gold Coast Suns — Fox Soccer Plus, 2:30 a.m.

College Baseball
Notre Dame at St. John’s — CBS Sports Network, 1 p.m.
Georgia at South Carolina — Fox College Sports Central, 1:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Kentucky — Fox College Sports Atlantic, 2 p.m.
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma — Fox College Sports Pacific, 2 p.m.
Arizona State at Cal — Pac-12 Network, 3 p.m.
Utah at Washington — Pac-12 Network (Mountain/Washington), 3 p.m.

College Lacrosse
NCAA Division I Tournament
First Round
Cornell at Maryland — ESPN2, 1 p.m.
Towson at Ohio State — ESPNU, 3 p.m.
Loyola (Maryland) at Duke — ESPNU, 5:15 p.m.
Bryant at Syracuse — ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.

College Softball
Big South Championship, Rock Hill, SC
Longwood vs. Winthrop — ESPNU, noon

Big Ten Championship, Lincoln, NE
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska — Big Ten Network, 1 p.m.

Baylor at Texas — Longhorn Network, 2 p.m.
Arizona State at Cal — Pac-12 Network, 3 p.m.

NCAA Tournament Selection Show — ESPNU, 10 p.m.

Cycling
Giro d’Italia
Stage 9: San Sepolcro to Firenze — beIN Sport, 10:30 a.m.

Tour of California
Stage 1: Escondido — NBC Sports Network, 5 p.m.

English Premier League
Stoke City vs. Tottenham Hotspur — Fox Soccer, 8:30 a.m.
Everton vs. West Ham United — Fox Soccer Plus, 9:53 a.m.
Manchester United vs. Swansea City — Fox Soccer, 11 a.m.
Sunderland vs. Southampton — Fox Soccer Plus, noon (same day coverage)
Queens Park Rangers vs. Newcastle United — Fox Soccer Plus, 2 p.m. (same day coverage)
Fulham vs. Liverpool — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m. (same day coverage)
Norwich City vs. West Bromwich Albion — Fox Soccer Plus, 4 p.m. (same day coverage)

Goals on Sunday — Fox Soccer, 1:30 p.m.

Formula 1
Grand Prix of Spain, Barcelona, Spain
Race — NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.

Formula 1 Pre-Race — NBC Sports Network, 7:30 a.m.
F1 Extra — NBC Sports Network, 10 a.m.

Golf
PGA Tour
The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach FL
Third Round Conclusion — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
Final Round — NBC, 2 p.m.

Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 8 a.m.
Golf Central Live — NBC, 1:30 p.m.
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 7 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF World Championships, Helsinki, Finland
Group Play
USA vs. Germany, 10:30 a.m.

MLB
American League
Cleveland at Detroit — STO/Fox Sports Detroit Plus, 1 p.m.
Toronto at Boston — TBS/Rogers Sportsnet/NESN, 1:30 p.m.
Baltimore at Minnesota — MASN2/Fox Sports North, 2 p.m.
New York Yankees at Kansas City — YES/Fox Sports Kansas City, 2 p.m.
Texas at Houston — Fox Sports Southwest/Comcast SportsNet Houston, 2 p.m.
Oakland at Seattle — Comcast SportsNet California/Root Sports Northwest, 4 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Chicago White Sox — ESPN, 8 p.m.

National League
Milwaukee at Cincinnati — Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Ohio, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at New York Mets — Root Sports Pittsburgh/SNY, 1 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at Washington — WGN America/MASN, 1:30 p.m.
Colorado at St. Louis — Root Sports Rocky Mountain/Fox Sports Midwest, 2:15 p.m.
Atlanta at San Francisco — Fox Sports South/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 4 p.m.
Miami at Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at Arizona — WPHL/Fox Sports Arizona, 4 p.m.

Interleague
San Diego at Tampa Bay — Fox Sports San Diego/Sun Sports, 1:30 p.m.

Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 12:30 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 1 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 7 p.m.
Plays of the Week — MLB Network, 10:30 p.m.
Quick Pitch — MLB Network, 11:30 p.m.

MLS
Portland vs. Chivas USA — Univision Deportes/KPTV, 5 p.m.
Houston vs. Sporting Kansas City — Comcast SportsNet Houston/KSMO, 8 p.m.

NBA Playoffs
Western Conference Semifinals
Game 4: San Antonio at Golden State — ABC, 3:30 p.m.

NBA GameTime: Spurs/Warriors, Game 4 Postgame — NBA TV, 6 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 6: New York Rangers at Washington — CNBC/TSN/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/MSG Network, 4:30 p.m.
Game 6: Toronto at Boston — CBC/RDS/NBC Sports Network/NESN, 7:30 p.m.

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 7: Anaheim at Detroit — NBC Sports Network/TSN/RDS/Fox Sports Detroit/Fox Sports West, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 12:30 a.m. (Monday)

Sports Talk
Outside the Lines — ESPN, 9 a.m.
The Sports Reporters — ESPN, 9:30 a.m.
E:60 — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
E:60 — ESPN2, 11:30 a.m.
E:60 — ESPNU, 2 p.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 5 p.m.
Fox Soccer News — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.

Tennis
ATP/WTA Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
Women’s Final — Tennis Channel, 7 a.m.
Men’s Final — Tennis Channel, 10 a.m.
Men’s Doubles Final — Tennis Channel, 2:30 p.m. (same day coverage)

Entertainment
The Darjeeling Limited — Sundance Channel, 8:45 a.m.
Red, White and New: Customized, Pressurized & Motorized — Travel Channel, 9 a.m.
CBS News Sunday Morning — CBS, 9 a.m.
Queen: The Days of Our Lives — Biography Channel, 9 a.m.
Inside the Kill Box: Fighting the Gulf War — Military Channel, 9 a.m.
Totally ’80s — VH1 Classic, 9 a.m.
Red, White and New: Adrenaline Soaked — Travel Channel, 9:30 a.m.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith — Cinemax, 9:35 a.m.
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender — Biography Channel, 10 a.m.
The Reunion — The Movie Channel, 10 a.m.
Totally ’80s — VH1 Classic, 10 a.m.
Sandwich King: Down Home Southern Sandwiches — Food Network, 11 a.m.
Argo: Inside Story — Discovery, 11 a.m.
Inside Story: National Lampoon’s Vacation — Biography Channel, noon
Mommie Dearest — IFC, noon
The Breakfast Club — AMC, 2:45 p.m.
The Jerk — Encore, 3 p.m.
Sins of Beaches — Travel Channel, 4 p.m.
Sixteen Candles — AMC, 5 p.m.
MAMMAS (series premiere) — IFC, 5:30 p.m.
60 Minutes — CBS, 7 p.m.
As Good as it Gets — AMC, 7 p.m.
Mega Dens: The Ultimate Play Tent — DIY Network, 8 p.m.
Trip Flip: Rocky Mountains — Travel Channel, 8 p.m.
Once Upon a Time (season finale) — ABC, 8 p.m.
Survivor: Caramoan-Fans vs. Favorites: Last Push (season finale) — CBS, 8 p.m.
Call the Midwife — PBS, 8 p.m.
The Social Network — Fox Movie Channel, 8 p.m.
Dateline on ID: Obsession: The Jodi Arias Story — Investigation Discovery, 8 p.m.
Wicked Tuna: Hooked Up: Desperate Measures — National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
A Bryk at a Time: Wedding Woes — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
Nurse Jackie — Showtime, 9 p.m.
Masterpiece Classic: Mr. Selfridge, Part 7 — PBS, 9 p.m.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown: Morocco; Tangier — CNN, 9 p.m.
Great Bear Stakeout — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Game of Thrones — HBO, 9 p.m.
Extreme Homes: Rocks, Canvas, Celebrity — HGTV, 9 p.m.
Evil In-Law: Mama’s Boy (series premiere) — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Wicked Tuna: Endgame — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Extreme Factories: Jeep Grand Cherokee; Oregon Freeze Dry Foods; Ping Golf Clubs — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
Veep — HBO, 10 p.m.
America’s Secret Slang: Talking Turkey — H2, 10 p.m.
Survivor: Caramoan-Fans vs. Favorites: Reunion Show — CBS, 10 p.m.
10 Buildings That Changed America — PBS, 10 p.m.
Mad Men: Man With a Plan — AMC, 10 p.m.
Kidnapped: Free to Kill: The Polly Klass Murder — Biography, 10 p.m.
Restaurant: Impossible: Drowning in Debt — Food Network, 10 p.m.
Unusual Suspects: Deathbed — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Alien Mysteries: Stephenville Lights — Science, 10 p.m.
The Borgias — Showtime, 10 p.m.
Gallipoli — Sundance Channel, 10 p.m.
The Doors: Live at the Hollywood Bowl — VH1 Classic, 10 p.m.
Pete Holmes: Nice Try, the Devil — Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
Trainspotting — ShoExtreme, 11 p.m.
Field of Dreams — HBO Family, 11:40 p.m.

NHL on NBC Announcing Assignments for May 10, 2013

This is late and actually games are in progress, but in case you’re wondering who’s where for NBC Sports tonight, we have the announcing assignments for you.

Three networks are being utilized, CNBC, NBC Sports Network and NHL Network. Maple Leafs-Toronto is being handled by CBC for NHL Network as Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson, Glenn Healey and Scott Oake are on the case for Canada’s Public Network.

The other games on CNBC and NBC Sports Network are being handled by NBC personnel.

We have the assignments below.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S “NHL PLAYOFF PASS” – MAY 10

Four Crucial Games Tonight – Two Game 5s, Two Game 6s

NEW YORK – May 10, 2013 – “NHL Playoff Pass” provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage. It is published weekdays to preview the evening games. On Fridays, a weekend edition is posted.

Games are being presented on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC (in primetime), and NHL Network. In addition, more Stanley Cup Playoff games are being live streamed than ever before.

All times are listed as ET and are subject to change:

Tonight	Coverage	Network	Talent
6:30 p.m.	NHL Live	NBCSN	Liam McHugh, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Jones
7 p.m.	Toronto (5) @ Boston (4)	NHLN	Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson, Glenn Healy, Scott Oake
7:30 p.m.	N.Y. Rangers (6) @ Washington (3)	NBCSN	Mike Emrick, Pierre McGuire
8 p.m.	Anaheim (2) @ Detroit (7)	CNBC	Dave Strader, Brian Engblom
10 p.m.	St. Louis (4) @ Los Angeles (5)	NBCSN	John Forslund, Daryl Reaugh
Sat., May 11
6:30 p.m.	NHL Live	NBCSN	Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, Keith Jones
7 p.m.	Pittsburgh (1) @ N.Y. Islanders (8)	NBCSN	Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire

TONIGHT, May 10

Tonight’s playoff coverage begins with NHL Live on NBC Sports Network. NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones, begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

At 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network, the Boston Bruins return to their home ice at TD Garden as they look to win their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Boston, Mass. (Boston leads 3-1). CBC’s Jim Hughson will manage play-by-paly with analysts Craig Simpson and Glenn Healy.

On NBC Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Washington Capitals host the N.Y. Rangers as the two teams battle for the series lead (series tied 2-2). Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will call play-by-play alongside Emmy-award winning reporter Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) from Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

At 8 p.m. ET, CNBC presents the first Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Detroit Red Wings fight to stay alive in their series against the Anaheim Ducks (Anaheim leads 3-2). Dave Strader will manage play-by-play alongside analyst Brian Englom from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich.

Coverage continues on NBC Sports Network at 10 p.m. ET as the Los Angeles Kings try to win their series against the St. Louis Blues at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif. (Los Angeles leads 3-2). John Forslund will serve as play-by-play announcer with analyst Daryl Reaugh.

SATURDAY, May 11

Coverage begins on NBC Sports Network at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones.

At 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, the N.Y. Islanders try to stay alive in the playoffs and in their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins (Pittsburgh leads 3-2). Kenny Albert will call play-by-play with analyst McGuire from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.

That will do it.

Thursday’s Viewing Picks

Australian Rules Football
Geelong Cats vs. Essendon Bombers — Fox Soccer Plus, 5:30 a.m.

College Baseball
Oregon at Ohio State — Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.
Memphis at Rice — Fox College Sports Central, 7 p.m.
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State at Tulsa, OK — ESPNU, 8 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

College Softball
SEC Tournament, Lexington, KY
Semifinals
Florida vs. Georgia — ESPNU, 3 p.m.
Tennessee vs. Missouri — ESPNU, 5:30 p.m.

UCLA at Oregon State — Pac-12 Network, 6 p.m.
UNLV at San Diego State — CBS Sports Network, 8 p.m.
Oregon at Arizona State — Pac-12 Network, 8 p.m.
Cal at Washington — Pac-12 Network, 10 p.m.

English Championship
Semifinal
Crystal Palace vs. Brighton & Hove Albion — beIN Sport, 2:30 p.m.

Formula 1
Grand Prix of Spain, Barcelona, Spain
Practice — NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.

Golf
PGA Tour
The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach FL
Second Round — Golf Channel, 1 p.m.

Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 9 a.m.
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 7 p.m.

MLB
American League
Cleveland at Detroit — STO/Fox Sports Detroit Plus, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Boston — Rogers Sportsnet/NESNplus, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Chicago White Sox — MLB Network/Fox Sports West/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 8 p.m.
Baltimore at Minnesota — MASN2/Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.
New York Yankees at Kansas City — MLB Network/YES/Fox Sports Kansas City, 8 p.m.
Texas at Houston — KTXA/Comcast SportsNet Houston, 8 p.m.
Oakland at Seattle — Comcast SportsNet California/Root Sports Northwest, 10 p.m.

National League
Chicago Cubs at Washington — WGN America/MASN, 7 p.m.
Milwaukee at Cincinnati — Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Ohio, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at New York Mets — Root Sports Pittsburgh/SNY, 7 p.m.
Colorado at St. Louis — Root Sports Rocky Mountain/Fox Sports Midwest, 8 p.m.
Philadelphia at Arizona — Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia/Fox Sports Arizona, 9:30 p.m.
Miami at Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports West Plus, 10 p.m.
Atlanta at San Francisco — Fox Sports South/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 10:15 p.m.

Interleague
San Diego at Tampa Bay — Fox Sports San Diego/Sun Sports, 7 p.m.

The Rundown — MLB Network, 2 p.m.
MLB Now — MLB Network, 4 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 6 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 11 p.m.
Quick Pitch — MLB Network, 1 a.m. (Saturday)

NASCAR
Nationwide Series
Darlington 200, Darlington, SC
Qualifying — ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.Race — ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.

Sprint Cup Series
Showtime Southern 500, Darlington, SC
Practice — Speed, 11:30 a.m.
Final Practice — Speed, 2 p.m.
Qualifying — Speed, 5 p.m.

NASCAR Live: Darlington — Speed, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Trackside At…: Darlington — Speed, 6:30 p.m.

NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 3: Miami at Chicago — ESPN, 8 p.m.

Western Conference Semifinals
Game 3: San Antonio at Golden State — ESPN, 10:30 p.m.

NBA GameTime: Heat/Bulls, Game 3 Postgame — NBA TV, 10:30 p.m.
NBA GameTime: Spurs/Warriors, Game 3 Postgame — NBA TV, 1 a.m. (Saturday)

NFL
NFL Live — ESPN, 4 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5: Toronto at Boston — CBC/RDS/NHL Network (US)/NESN, 7 p.m.
Game 5: New York Rangers at Washington — NBC Sports Network/TSN/RDS2/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/MSG Network, 7:30 p.m.

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 6: Anaheim at Detroit — CNBC/TSN2/RDSI/KDOC/Fox Sports Detroit, 8 p.m.
Game 6: St. Louis at Los Angeles — NBC Sports Network/CBC/RDS/Fox Sports Midwest Plus/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 12:30 a.m. (Saturday)

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
Morning Drive — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV), 9 a.m./NBC Sports Network, 9:30 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 9 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, noon
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN, 3 p.m.
Dan Le Batard is a Crazy Person Highly Questionable — ESPN2, 3 p.m.
The Best of the Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 4 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
The Crossover — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.
SportsNation — ESPN2, 6 p.m.
The Artie Lange Show — Audience Network (DirecTV), 10 p.m.
Fox Soccer News — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.
UNITE — ESPNU, midnight
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight

Tennis
ATP/WTA Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
Men’s Quarterfinals — Tennis Channel, 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Women’s Quarterfinals — Tennis Channel, 6 p.m., 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. (same day coverage)

Track & Field
IAAF Diamond League
Doha, Qatar — Universal Sports, noon

Entertainment
Undercover Boss: Epic Employees — CBS, 8 p.m.
Nikita — The CW, 8 p.m.
Hall Pass — HBO, 8 p.m.
Three Days of the Condor — Sundance Channel, 8 p.m.
Flea Market Flip: Turn Up the Radio! — HGTV, 9 p.m.
Shark Tank — ABC, 9 p.m.
Dateline NBC — NBC, 9 p.m.
Touch (series finale) — Fox, 9 p.m.
Blood Relatives: Dead Over Heels — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Giant Crystal Cave: Revealed — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Da Vinci’s Demons: The Tower — Starz, 9 p.m.
Led Zepplin: The Song Remains the Same — VH1 Classic, 9 p.m.
Extra Yardage: Carolina Coastal Chic — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
Mystery Diners: Catch of the Day — Food Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters: Austin, TX — HGTV, 10 p.m.
Dates From Hell: Roll of the Die — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Maron: Dead Possum — IFC, 10 p.m.
Best Week Ever — VH1, 10 p.m.
Murder in the First Degree: Inside the Arias Trial — CNN, 10 p.m.
America’s Book of Secrets: Deadly Cults — H2, 10 p.m.
XIII: Breakout — Reelz Channel, 10 p.m.
Bob Saget: That’s What I’m Talkin’ About — Showtime, 10 p.m.
The Dead Files: Spellbound-Buchanan, VA — Travel Channel, 10 p.m.
20/20: Breaking Free, Breaking Bad — ABC, 10:01 p.m.
Rock Center with Brian Williams — NBC, 10:01 p.m.
House Hunters International: Vienna, Austria — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
The Jenny McCarthy Show — VH1, 10:30 p.m.
Zane’s the Jump Off: Turnover — Cinemax, 11 p.m.
Cops Reloaded — CMT, 11 p.m.
VICE: Corruption — HBO, 11 p.m.
America’s Book of Secrets: Sex for Sale — H2, 11 p.m.
The Moment: Toy Designer — USA, 11 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.
The Half Hour: Erik Griffin — Comedy Central, midnight
Hard Rock Calling 2011 — VH1 Classic, midnight
The Half Hour: Joe DeRosa — Comedy Central, 12:30 a.m. (Saturday)

Fox Sports 1 Hires Three for its Newsgathering Operation

Fox Sports has made three hires for its newsgathering operation. When Fox Sports 1 was officially introduced to the media earlier this year, there was mention that the network was going to be serious about its newsgathering. On Monday, Fox Sports announced the hiring of Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole from TSN to be its main anchor team for Fox Sports Live. Now, we have the names of three people who will be part of the new network when it launches on August 17.

Don Bell will be an anchor for Fox Sports Live and he comes from ESPNews.

Molly McGrath will be an update anchor as well as a roving correspondent. She’s been an in-game host and sideline reporter at Boston Celtics games at TD Bank Garden in Boston.

And Fox Sports taps Canada once again by hiring Julie Stewart-Binks from CTV. She’ll also double as an update anchor and breaking news correspondent.

Here’s the official announcement from Fox.

On-Air Personalities Don Bell, Molly McGrath and Julie Stewart-Binks Join New 24/7 Sports Network

New York – FOX Sports Media Group today announced the key additions of Don Bell, Molly McGrath and Julie Stewart-Binks to the FOX Sports 1 broadcaster roster.

Bell’s primary role includes anchor duties for FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program. McGrath and Stewart-Binks serve as update desk and breaking news correspondents for the new 24/7 sports network set to debut on Saturday, Aug. 17. The announcement was made today by Executive Vice President, Studio Production, Scott Ackerson in conjunction with a series of others marking the 100-day countdown to the launch of FOX Sports 1.

Bell joins FOX Sports 1 after spending three years as an anchor for ESPNEWS. Prior to ESPN, Bell flourished as a weekend sports anchor at KYW-TV, the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia, where he earned a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for Outstanding Sportscast. Bell began his broadcasting career as a weekend sports anchor at WWSB-TV, in Sarasota, FL in 2002 before moving to KPLR-TV St. Louis in 2004. Bell has covered a number of events including the World Series, the NCAA men’s college basketball Final Four and thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

A native of Hillside, N.J., Bell graduated from Boston University in 2000 with a double major – a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism. In 2002, Bell received a Master’s in journalism from Northwestern University.

McGrath joins the FOX Sports family from the Boston Celtics where served as a sideline reporter and in-arena host during the 2012-2013 season and was responsible for live segments during Celtics home games including halftime updates and player interviews at TD Garden. She also worked as host of Celtics Now!, a monthly recap program on Comcast SportsNet New England highlighting the best moments on and off the court for the Celtics. Additionally, McGrath hosted packages for Comcast’s Celtics On Demand as well as hosted, produced and edited daily updates, exclusive interviews and other packages for the Celtics’ team website. Originally from San Francisco, McGrath is a 2011 graduate of Boston College, where she studied broadcast journalism.

Stewart-Binks joined CTV, Canada’s largest television broadcaster as an on-air personality in 2011. Prior to CTV, she was a reporter with FOX Soccer for the FOX Soccer Report in Winnipeg. An avid hockey player and fan, Stewart-Binks worked at CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada as a program assistant, with the NHL’s Leafs TV as a freelance reporter, and eventually as host and reporter with TV Cogeco’s The OHL Tonight, covering the Ontario Hockey League.

Stewart-Binks attended Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada where she completed a double degree in Physical and Health Education and Drama. She moved to England and completed her Master’s in International Broadcast Journalism at City University London.

There you have it.

NHL on NBC Announcing Assignments for May 9, 2013

Let’s post the announcing assignments for tonight’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoff games on the networks of NBC.

There will be three Games 5, two of which are elimination games. NBC Sports Group will staff two of the three games, New York Islanders at Pittsburgh and Minnesota at Chicago, both of which are on NBC Sports Network, by the way. The other game, Ottawa at Montreal, is a CBC simulcast with Bob Cole and Garry Galley on the call and Cassie Campbell-Pascall inside the glass.

Here’s what we have for tonight.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S “NHL PLAYOFF PASS” – MAY 9

Three Crucial Game 5s Tonight

NEW YORK – May 9, 2013 – Games are being presented on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC (in primetime), and NHL Network. In addition, more Stanley Cup Playoff games are being live streamed than ever before.

Tonight	Coverage	Network	Talent
6:30 p.m.	NHL Live	NBCSN	Liam McHugh, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Jones
7 p.m.	N.Y. Islanders (8) @ Pittsburgh (1)	NBCSN	Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire
7 p.m.	Ottawa (7) @ Montreal (2)	CNBC	Bob Cole, Garry Galley, Cassie Campbell-Pascall
9:30 p.m.	Minnesota (8) @ Chicago (1)	NBCSN	Dave Strader, Brian Engblom

TONIGHT, May 9

NHL Conference Quarterfinals continue tonight with three crucial Game 5s. Every opening-round series has required at least one overtime game, in total thus far, there have been 13 overtimes in the postseason.

Tonight’s playoff coverage begins with NHL Live on NBC Sports Network. NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones, begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

At 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the N.Y. Islanders as each team jockeys for the series lead (series tied 2-2). Kenny Albert will call play-by-play alongside Emmy-award winning reporter Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass) from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Penn. Tonight, on day 10 of playoffs, McGuire will cover his ninth postseason game of the year.

On CNBC at 7 p.m. ET, the Montreal Canadiens aim to stay alive in their series as they return to home ice at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, after an overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators in Game 4 (Ottawa leads 3-1).  Bill Patrick and Mike Keenan will host CNBC’s studio coverage.

At 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, the Chicago Blackhawks look to win their series at home against the Minnesota Wild tonight (Chicago leads 3-1). Dave Strader will manage play-by-play and will be joined by analyst Brian Engblom from the United Center in Chicago, Ill.

BLACKOUT REMINDER

During the Conference Quarterfinals, games that air on NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network are subject to local blackouts. NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network begin exclusivity in the second round. Games airing on NBC are exclusive throughout the playoffs.

GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR

For the second consecutive year, and only the second time in the 96-year history of the NHL, every Stanley Cup Playoff game will be televised nationally.

NBC	3
NBCSN	18
CNBC	12*
NHLN	1

OT Games: 13

*Joined-in-progress
There you have it.

Fox Sports 1 Unveils Day 1 Schedule

Fox Sports 1 is now 100 days from launching. Fox has released the programming schedule for Saturday, August 17. Fox Sports 1 gets its official kickoff at 8 a.m. Eastern with NASCAR Live and 7½ of NASCAR coverage culminating with the Camping World Truck Series race live from Michigan International Speedway at noon ET.

Following NASCAR, FS1 goes into MMA mode as it gets ready to air its first UFC card live from Boston with prelims at 6 p.m. and the main bouts at 8 p.m.

Then at 11 p.m., it will be the premiere of Fox Sports live with the TSN dynamic duo of Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole. So lots of things.

We also get details of Fox Sports 1′s other shows that will premiere in its first week including the Regis Philbin-hosted project and other programming. Check it out below.

T-MINUS 100 DAYS & COUNTING TO LAUNCH OF FOX SPORTS 1

Day 1 Schedule Set; Key Talent Hires Made; New Programs Developing

New York – Today marks the start of the 100-day countdown to the historic launch of FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports’ new national multi-sport network, and much has been accomplished since its official unveiling just over two months ago. The channel’s launch schedule is set, key talent and production hires have been made, and programs have been developed. The Day 1 schedule and initial programming highlights are presented here, while the latest information on talent and programming developments are being announced in separate releases bundled and issued today to mark the milestone.

“We’ve been working for months now, but a lot has come together in the time since we officially unveiled our plans for the launch of FOX Sports 1 in March,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports’ Co- President and COO. “The programming schedule has been solidified, and we really come out of the gate incredibly strong from Day 1.”

“Obviously, we knew from the start that finding highly skilled and talented senior production executives and talent to fill key roles would be essential to our success,” added FOX Sports Co- President and COO Randy Freer. “It’s fun to see the team take shape, and there’s an incredible energy and enthusiasm present that people share when they’re working on something they’re passionate about.”

FS1 officially launches at 8:00 AM ET on Saturday, Aug. 17 and includes 18 hours of original programming on Day 1, 16.5 hours of which are live, kicking off with NASCAR LIVE from Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. Seven hours of NASCAR programming follows, highlighted by live flag-to-flag coverage of the NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES race from MIS (12:30-2:30 PM ET). UFC takes center stage beginning at 5:00 PM with UFC TONIGHT, followed by UFC ON FS1 SATURDAY PRELIMS (6:00-8:00 PM ET) before the main event in prime time, UFC ON FS1 SATURDAY, live from TD Bank Garden in Boston (8:00-11:00 PM ET). FS1’s Day 1 wraps with the maiden telecast of FOX SPORTS LIVE, the network’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program. FS1’s Day 1 schedule is as follows (all times ET; L denotes Live):

8:00-8:30 AM — NASCAR LIVE (L)

8:30-9:30 AM — NASCAR SPRINT CUP PRACTICE (L)

9:30-11:00 AM — NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES QUALIFYING (L)

11:00 AM-12:00 PM — NASCAR SPRINT CUP FINAL PRACTICE (L)

12:00-12:30 PM — NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK RACE PRE-RACE (L)

12:30-2:30 PM — NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES RACE (L)

2:30-3:30 PM — TRACKSIDE LIVE (L)

3:30-4:00 PM — UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER

4:00-5:00 PM — UFC UNLEASHED

5:00-6:00 PM — UFC TONIGHT (L)

6:00-8:00 PM — FOX UFC SATURDAY PRELIMS (L)

8:00-11:00 PM — FOX UFC SATURDAY (L)

11:00 PM-12:00 AM — FOX SPORTS LIVE (L)

12:00 AM-1:00 AM — FOX SPORTS LIVE (L)

1:00-2:00 AM — FOX SPORTS LIVE (L)

Once past the launch, the stage is set for several major premieres on Monday, Aug. 19, including CROWD GOES WILD (formerly Rush Hour), starring Regis Philbin (weekdays 5:00- 6:00 PM); FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, hosted by Curt Menefee and Jay Glazer (weekdays, 6:00- 7:00 PM); and FS1’s MONDAY NIGHT FIGHTS franchise (9:00-11:00 PM), with bouts from Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

FS1’s exclusive live coverage of the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League season begins on Tuesday, Aug. 20 and Wednesday, Aug. 21 (2:00-5:00 PM ET), providing the preeminent competition in world club soccer greater with early round exposure than ever before. Later on Aug. 21, live coverage of the NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES race from Bristol Motor Speedway is on display in prime time (7:30-10:30 PM). The prime time schedule on Thursday, Aug. 22 features exclusive live action from CONCACAF Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in North American soccer (8:00-9:30 PM).

Next up is the first UFC-branded Wednesday night on Aug. 28 featuring a FOX UFC WEDNESDAY LIVE event and prelims scheduled from 8:00-11:00 PM ET.

The 2013-14 college football season premieres on Thursday, Aug. 29 (8:00-11:30 PM), followed by a game on Friday, Aug. 30 (8:30 PM ET-12:30 AM ET) and a tripleheader on Saturday, Aug. 31 (12:00-4:00 PM; 4:00-8:00 PM; and 10:00 PM-2:00 AM). Game action on Aug. 31 is preceded by the weekly two-hour FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY pregame show (10:00 AM-12:00 PM). Between the late afternoon and late night games are two hours of hard-hitting UFC 164 Prelims (8:00-10:00 PM).

FS1’s third live UFC event comes Wednesday, Sept. 4, with an action-packed two hours preceding the season premiere of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER (10:00-11:00 PM ET). As previously announced, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature reality series, moves to its new Wednesday 10:00 PM home that night, where it anchors the network’s Wednesday prime time UFC block. The coming season features UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and challenger Cat Zingano as coaches.

That will do it.

Thursday’s Viewing Picks

College Baseball
LSU at Texas A&M — ESPNU, 9 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

College Softball
SEC Tournament, Lexington, KY
Quarterfinals
Alabama vs. Florida — ESPNU, 11 a.m.
LSU vs. Georgia — ESPNU, 1:30 p.m.
Missouri vs. Arkansas — ESPNU, 4 p.m.
South Carolina vs. Tennessee — ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

English Championship
Semifinal
Leicester City vs. Watford — beIN Sport, 2:30 p.m.

Golf
PGA Tour
The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
First Round — Golf Channel, 1 p.m.

Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 9 a.m.
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 7 p.m.

MLB
American League
Oakland at Cleveland — STO, noon
Kansas City at Baltimore — Fox Sports Kansas City/MASN, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Boston — Fox Sports North Plus/NESN, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay — Rogers Sportsnet/Sun Sports, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Houston — Fox Sports West/Comcast SportsNet Houston, 8 p.m.

National League
Pittsburgh at New York Mets — SNY, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Arizona — MLB Network/Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia/Fox Sports Arizona, 9:30 p.m.
Atlanta at San Francisco — MLB Network/SportSouth/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 10:15 p.m.

Interleague
New York Yankees at Colorado — YES/Root Sports Rocky Mountain, 3 p.m.
Detroit at Washington — Fox Sports Detroit/MASN2, 4 p.m.

The Rundown — MLB Network, 2 p.m.
MLB Now — MLB Network, 4 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 6 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 9:30 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN2, midnight
Quick Pitch — MLB Network (Friday), 1 a.m.

MLS
DC United vs. Houston — Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/Comcast SportsNet Houston 2/KTBU, 7 p.m.
New York vs. Montreal — MSG Plus 2/TVA Sports, 7:30 p.m.
New England vs. Real Salt Lake — Comcast Sportsnet New England/KUCW, 8 p.m.
Sporting KC vs. Seattle — KSMO/KONG, 8:30 p.m.
FC Dallas vs. Portland — Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Root Sports Northwest, 9 p.m.
San Jose vs. Toronto — Comcast SportsNet California/Sportsnet One, 11 p.m.

NFL
NFL Live — ESPN, 4 p.m.
The Top 100 Players of 2013: 80-71 — NFL Network, 8 p.m.
The Top 100 Players of 2013: Reactions — NFL Network, 9 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5: New York Islanders at Pittsburgh — NBC Sports Network/TSN/MSG Plus/Root Sports Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Game 5: Ottawa at Montreal — CBC/RDS/CNBC, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5: Minnesota at Chicago — NBC Sports Network/CBC/RDS2/Fox Sports North/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 9:30 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, midnight

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
Morning Drive — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 9 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, noon
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN, 3 p.m.
Dan Le Batard is Making a Mess Highly Questionable — ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.
SportsNation — ESPN2, 4 p.m.
The Best of the Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 4 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
The Crossover — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.
Fox Soccer News — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.
UNITE — ESPNU, midnight
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight

Tennis
ATP/WTA Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
Men’s and Women’s)( Quarterfinals — Tennis Channel, 4 a.m.

Entertainment
Big Bang Theory — CBS, 8 p.m.
Wipeout: Welcome Back, Jill! (yes, welcome back, Jill!) (season premiere) — ABC, 8 p.m.
Future Firepower: Rogue State (series premier) — Discovery, 8 p.m.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? — IFC, 8 p.m.
Beauty and the Beast — The CW, 9 p.m.
The First 48: The Cover Up; Bad Seed — A&E, 9 p.m.
Future Firepower: Super Powers — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Monumental Mysteries: Teen Vampire, King of Cons, First Escape from Alcatraz (series premiere) — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
Person of Interest (season finale) — CBS, 9:01 p.m.
Anger Management: Charlie Lets Kate Take Charge — FX, 9:30 p.m.
Yardcore: Courtyard Kitchen — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters: Manhattan — HGTV, 10 p.m.
Karma’s a B-tch!: Perfect Payback — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Men at Work — TBS, 10 p.m.
The Killer Speaks: Payback: Earl Forrest — A&E, 10 p.m.
The Graham Norton Show — BBC America, 10 p.m.
Future Firepower: Asymetric Wars — Discovery, 10 p.m.
Giving You the Business: Wrapper’s Delight — Food Network, 10 p.m.
Killing Zoe — Sundance Channel, 10 p.m.
House Hunters International: Africa — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
Karma’s a B-tch!: Vanishing Acts — Investigation Discovery, 10:30 p.m.
Cops Reloaded — CMT, 11 p.m.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: David Sedaris — Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
Gigolos: Make Mine a Double — Showtime, 11 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
The Colbert Report: Jennifer Egan and Baz Luhrmann — Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.
Jimmy Kimmel Live — ABC, 11:35 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.
Back to the Future — Encore, 11:45 p.m.

NHL on NBC Announcing Assignments for May 8, 2013

Tonight, the NBC Sports Group will have another four games in the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. That includes two Games 5 including Los Angeles at St. Louis and Detroit at Anaheim. Both series are square at 2 all. Then there are two Games 4 in the Eastern Conference, Boston at Toronto and Washington at New York Rangers. In both series, the higher seed leads two games to one.

One change to the schedule, Boston at Toronto which was supposed to air on NHL Network in the US will shift to CNBC. Los Angeles at St. Louis which will drop the puck at 9 p.m. ET will begin on NHL Network. CNBC will pick it in progress at the conclusion of Bruins-Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.

As it did for Ottawa-Montreal, NBC will simulcast CBC’s coverage with Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson, Glenn Healey and Scott Oake.

Here’s the press release from NBC Sports Group.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S “NHL PLAYOFF PASS” – MAY 8

Four Games Tonight, Including Two Crucial Game 5s

NEW YORK – May 8, 2013 – “NHL Playoff Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage. It is published weekdays to preview the evening games. On Fridays, a weekend edition is posted.

Games are being presented on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC (in primetime), and NHL Network. In addition, more Stanley Cup Playoff games are live streamed than ever before. For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall NHL Playoff coverage, please click here.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Tonight’s Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs game, originally scheduled to air on NHL Network, will now air on CNBC at 7 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues game at 9 p.m. ET (puck drop approximately 9:15 p.m. ET), will likely begin on NHL Network and be joined-in-progress on CNBC at the conclusion of the Boston-Toronto game.

Tonight	Coverage	Network	Talent
6:30 p.m.	NHL Live	NBCSN	Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, Keith Jones
7 p.m.	Boston (4) @ Toronto (5)	CNBC	Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson, Glenn Healey, Scott Oake
7:30 p.m.	Washington (3) @ N.Y. Rangers (6)	NBCSN	Mike Emrick, Pierre McGuire
9 p.m.	Los Angeles (5) @ St. Louis (4)	NHL Network/CNBC*	Dave Strader, Brian Engblom
10 p.m.	Detroit (7) @ Anaheim (2)	NBCSN	John Forslund, Daryl Reaugh

*Joined-in-progress. Game will likely begin on NHL Network

TONIGHT, May 8

NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones, begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Bill Patrick and Anson Carter will host CNBC’s studio coverage.

Tonight’s playoff coverage begins on CNBC when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. ET (Boston leads 2-1). Immediately following Boston-Toronto, CNBC will join-in-progress the first Game 5 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs when the St. Louis Blues host the Los Angeles Kings (series tied 2-2). The Kings-Blues game will begin on NHL Network if Bruins-Leafs is not concluded. Dave Strader will call play-by-play and will be joined by analyst Brian Engblom at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Miss.

NBC Sports Network’s coverage tonight begins at 7:30 p.m. ET as the New York Rangers look to pick up the momentum to tie the series against the Washington Capitals (Washington leads 2-1) on home ice. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will serve as play-by-play announcer alongside analyst Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y.

Game 5 coverage continues on NBC Sports Network at 10 p.m. ET when the Anaheim Ducks take on the Detroit Red Wings, who tied the series in overtime in Game 4 (series tied 2-2). John Forslund will manage play-by-play alongside analyst Daryl Reaugh at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

EMMY AWARD WINNER

Last night at the 34^th Annual Sport Emmy Awards, Pierre McGuire, NBC Sports Group’s “Inside the Glass” analyst for its NHL coverage, was awarded his first career Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality – Sports Reporter.

CONTINUING COVERAGE

NBC Sports Group continues NHL Stanley Cup Playoff coverage as the best-of-seven series continue on Friday. The following dates and times were recently officially released by the NHL.

Date/Time (ET)	Game	Coverage	Network
Thurs., May 9
6:30 p.m.		NHL Live	NBCSN
7 p.m.	5	N.Y. Islanders (8) @ Pittsburgh (1)	NBCSN
7 p.m.	5	Ottawa (7) @ Montreal (2)	CNBC
9:30 p.m.	5	Minnesota (8) @ Chicago (1)	NBCSN
Fri., May 10
6:30 p.m.		NHL Live	NBCSN
7:30 p.m.	5	N.Y. Rangers (6) @ Washington (3)	NBCSN
8 p.m.	6	Anaheim (2) @ Detroit (7)	CNBC
10 p.m.	6	St. Louis (4) @ Los Angeles (5)	NBCSN

BLACKOUT REMINDER

During the Conference Quarterfinals, games that air on NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network are subject to local blackouts. NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network begin exclusivity in the second round. Games airing on NBC are exclusive throughout the playoffs.

That’s it for now.

NFL Network and NFL Films Combine for Six Sports Emmy Awards

NFL Media, comprising of NFL Network, NFL Films, NFL.com and other properties, took six Sports Emmy Awards home from ceremonies in New York on Tuesday. NFL Films working in conjunction with HBO, Showtime/CBS Sports and NFL Network took five statuettes for work on Hard Knocks, Inside the NFL and the Outstanding Sports Documentary, Namath.

Let’s take a look at what the NFL is saying about its six Emmy Awards.

NFL NETWORK & NFL FILMS COMBINE FOR SIX SPORTS EMMY AWARDS

NFL Films Wins Five Emmy Awards – Tied for Most in a Single Year
NFL Network Wins in Outstanding Short Feature & Sports Promotional Announcement – Episodic Categories

NFL Media – comprised of NFL Network, NFL Films, NFL RedZone, NFL.com and NFL Mobile – won six Sports Emmy Awards, it was announced last night in New York City.

NFL Network won in the Outstanding Short Feature category for NFL GameDay Morning: Immaculate Remembrance, as well as in the Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement – Episodic category for A Football Life: Life Story, which it shared with NFL Films. With the two Emmy Awards, NFL Network increased its total to 12 in its nine-year history.

To view the Emmy Award-winning NFL GameDay Morning: Immaculate Remembrance, visit: http://on.nfl.com/142lGw3

NFL Films – the most-honored filmmaker in sports – won five Emmy Awards, which tied for the most awards NFL Films has received in a single year (2010-11) and increased its total to 112 Emmy Awards. Also, NFL Films was the only entity to win awards for multiple networks (HBO, NFL Network and Showtime).

The documentary Namath, produced along with HBO, earned two Emmys in the Outstanding Documentary and Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics categories. Additionally, Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins won in the category of Outstanding Post Produced Audio/Sound, and Inside the NFL won Outstanding Studio Show – Weekly.

This year, NFL Media received a record 24 Sports Emmy Award nominations, surpassing the previous high of 18 set in 2010.

Following is a complete list of the Sports Emmy Awards won by NFL Media this year:

OUTSTANDING SHORT FEATURE
NFL GameDay Morning: Immaculate Remembrance (NFL Network)

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT – EPISODIC
A Football Life: Life Story (NFL Network/NFL Films)

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – WEEKLY
Inside the NFL (Showtime/CBS Sports/NFL Films)

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY
Namath (HBO/NFL Films)

OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION/DIRECTION/LYRICS
Namath (HBO/NFL Films)

OUTSTANDING POST PRODUCED AUDIO/SOUND
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins (HBO/NFL Films)

That is it for this post.

Complete List of Winners for the 34th Annual Sports Emmy Awards

Let’s go over the entire list of those who won hardware in the 34th Annual Sports Emmy Awards. The awards were handed out at Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center in New York.

Overall, NBC Sports Group has reason to crow with 23 Emmys, the most of any sports media group. Turner Sports was next with 7 followed by HBO with 6. The ESPN Family of Networks received five awards and MLB Network had three. The CBS consortium, Fox Sports Media Group and NFL Network won two and YouTube got one Emmy.

The entire list is below. It’s a long list so I give a jump break on the main page. Get ready to scroll for a while.

(continue reading…)

Wednesday’s Viewing Picks

College Baseball
Wofford at South Carolina — Fox College Sports Atlantic, 7 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

College Softball
SEC Tournament, Lexington, KY
1st Round
Alabama vs. Texas A&M — ESPNU, 4 p.m.
Kentucky vs. South Carolina — ESPNU, 6:30 p.m.

Cycling
Giro D’Italia
Stage 5: Cosenza-Matera — beIN Sport, 9:30 a.m.

English Premier League
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.

Golf
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, noon
19th Hole — Golf Channel, 6 p.m.
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 7 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF World Championships, Helsinki, Finland
Group Play
United States vs. Finland — NBC Sports Network, 1 p.m.

MLB
American League
Kansas City at Baltimore — Fox Sports Kansas City/MASN2, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Boston — ESPN/Fox Sports North/NESNplus, 7 p.m.
Oakland at Cleveland — Comcast SportsNet California/STO, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay — Rogers Sportsnet/Sun Sports, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Houston — KCOP/Comcast SportsNet Houston, 8 p.m.

National League
Atlanta at Cincinnati — MLB Network/SportSouth, 12:30 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs — Fox Sports Midwest/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 2:20 p.m.
Miami at San Diego — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports San Diego, 3:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at San Francisco — Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 3:45 p.m.
Arizona at Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Arizona/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 10 p.m.

Interleague
Seattle at Pittsburgh — MLB Network/Root Sports Northwest/Root Sports Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at New York Mets — WCIU/SNY, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Washington — Fox Sports Detroit/MASN, 7 p.m.
Texas at Milwaukee — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox Sports Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
New York Yankees at Colorado — YES/Root Sports Rocky Mountain, 8:30 p.m.

The Rundown — MLB Network, 3:30 p.m.
MLB Now — MLB Network, 4 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 6 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 10 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN2, midnight
Quick Pitch — MLB Network, midnight

NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 2: Chicago at Miami — TNT, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Semifinals
Game 2: Golden State at San Antonio — TNT, 9:30 p.m.

NBA GameTime: Bulls/Heat, Game 2 Postgame — NBA TV, 9:30 p.m.
NBA GameTime: Warriors/Spurs, Game 2 Postgame — NBA TV, midnight
Inside the NBA — TNT, midnight

NFL
NFL Live — ESPN, 4 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 4: Boston at Toronto — CBC/RDS/CNBC/NESN, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Washington at New York Rangers — NBC Sports Network/TSN/RDS2/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/MSG Network, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5: Los Angeles at St. Louis — NHL Network (US)/CBC/RDSI/Fox Sports West/Fox Sports Midwest, 9 p.m./CNBC, joined in progress
Game 5: Detroit at Anaheim — NBC Sports Network/TSN/RDS/Fox Sports Detroit Plus/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, midnight
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 12:30 a.m. (Thursday)

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
Morning Drive — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 9 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, noon
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN, 3 p.m.
Dan Le Batard is a Hater Highly Questionable — ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.
SportsNation — ESPN2, 4 p.m.
The Best of the Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 4 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
The Crossover — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.
Jim Rome on Showtime — Showtime, 9 p.m.
Sportfolio — Bloomberg, 9:30 p.m.
Fox Soccer News — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.
UNITE — ESPNU, midnight
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight

Tennis
ATP/WTA Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
Men’s and Women’s Round of 16 — Tennis Channel, 5 a.m.

Entertainment
The Middle — ABC, 8 p.m.
Survivor: Caramoan-Fans vs. Favorites: Don’t Say Anything About My Mom — CBS, 8 p.m.
Arrow — The CW, 8 p.m.
Jonestown: Paradise Lost — H2, 8 p.m.
The Shining — IFC, 8 p.m.
Nazis: The Occult Conspiracy — Military Channel, 8 p.m.
Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck — Turner Classic Movies, 8 p.m.
Rescue My Renovation: The Ugly Ductling — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
MythBusters: Deadliest Catch Crabtastic Special — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Motives & Murders: Kansas Killer — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Bomb Girls: Fifth Column — Reelz Channel, 9 p.m.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle — Starz, 9 p.m.
Haunted Collector: Hollywood Haunting; Gold Rush Ghost — Syfy, 9 p.m.
Desperate Landscapes: The Top Ten Ways to Make Your Neighbors Jealous — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters: Midland, MI — HGTV, 10 p.m.
I Was Murdered: Silent Night, Deadly Night — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — CBS, 10 p.m.
Secrets of the Dead: Death on the Railroad — PBS, 10 p.m.
The Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius: Seek and Destroy — Discovery, 10 p.m.
Restaurant Stakeout: Kitchen Mafia — Food Network, 10 p.m.
The Real World: Portland — MTV, 10 p.m.
Breakout: Freedom Fighter Escape — National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
About Cherry — The Movie Channel, 10 p.m.
All Grown Up: Child Stars Today — E!, 10:30 p.m.
House Hunters International: Barbados — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
I Was Murdered: Final Delivery — Investigation Discovery, 10:30 p.m.
Model Employee (series premiere) — VH1, 10:30 p.m.
Babel — Sundance Channel, 10:30 p.m.
Cops Reloaded — CMT, 11 p.m.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Carey Mulligan — Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
Real World Aftershow — MTV, 11 p.m.
Punisher: War Zone — IFC, 11 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
Jimmy Kimmel Live — ABC, 11:35 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.

ESPN Beats Its Chest Over Five Sports Emmy Awards

ESPN took home five Sports Emmy Awards during Tuesday’s ceremonies. The Alleged Worldwide Leader won for E:60, Outside the Lines and one for ESPN 3D as well.

We take a look at what ESPN is saying about its awards.

ESPN Wins Five Sports Emmy Awards

ESPN won five Sports Emmy Awards, presented for the 34th year by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences tonight in New York. ESPN was honored for journalism, technical and creative excellence and marketing.

The prime-time magazine show E:60 received the Sports Emmy in the Journalism category for a story on the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team and its infamous fans. Reporter Jeremy Schaap and a crew travelled to Israel to document the rabid and racist nature of the team’s fan base and its behavior at games. It was the show’s fifth Sports Emmy in four years.

Outside the Lines won in the area of Camerawork for “Breaking the Silence,” the 15^th Sports Emmy in the show’s history. Host Bob Ley and reporter Tom Rinaldi told the story of Monika Korra of Norway who was raped by three men while a member of the SMU cross-country team. She went on to help find and convict the three. She also returned to the team and speaks publicly against violence.

ESPN’s “It’s not crazy, it’s sports” promotional campaign took the Sports Emmy for best Promo-Institutional.  One of the spots included in the submission told the humorous tale of a man in Chicago named Michael Jordan. (He is not a former basketball player.)

ESPN 3D – the only all-sports 3D network – defended its Sports Emmy of a year ago by again winning in the Technical Team Remote category for the Winter X Games.

In the New Approaches – Short Format category, Sport Science won its third Sports Emmy in as many years.

ESPN has now won 153 Sports Emmy Awards in 26 years of eligibility.

ESPN’s Sports Emmy Awards:

(all are ESPN, except as noted)

Journalism — E:60 – Beitar Jerusalem (ESPN2)
Technical Team Remote — Winter X Games (ESPN 3D)
New Approaches – Short Format    Sport Science
Camerawork — Outside the Lines – Breaking the Silence
Promo – Institutional — “It’s not crazy, it’s sports.”

And I’ll post more Sports Emmy Award press releases if more arrive in the Fang’s Bites inbox.

NBC Sports Group Crows About Its 11 Sports Emmy Awards

NBC was the network to garner the most Sports Emmy Awards with 11 taking home the bacon for the Olympics, Sunday Night Football, Super Bowl XLVI, Bob Costas, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. That’s a lot of hardware. The next highest award-winner was HBO with six.

Here’s NBC’s press release.

NBC SPORTS GROUP COLLECTS 11 SPORTS EMMY AWARDS, MOST OF ANY SPORTS MEDIA COMPANY

London Olympics Garners Five Awards, Including Outstanding Live Event Turnaround
Sunday Night Football Wins Fifth Consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports Series; Super Bowl XLVI Wins for Outstanding Live Sports Special
Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Pierre McGuire Honored

NEW YORK – May 7, 2013 – NBC Sports Group won 11 Sports Emmy Awards, the most of any sports media company for the third straight year; the London Olympics received five Emmys, including Outstanding Live Event Turnaround; Super Bowl XLVII won for Outstanding Live Sports Special; Sunday Night Football won its fifth consecutive award for Outstanding Live Sports Series; and Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Pierre McGuire were all honored in their respective categories at the 34^th Annual Sports Emmy Awards, presented tonight by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

MARK LAZARUS, NBC SPORTS GROUP CHAIRMAN: “We could not be more proud of our dedicated team. Tonight is particularly special because we were recognized for our coverage of the London Olympics and the NFL, two properties that touch virtually everyone in the NBC Sports Group – and our on-air commentators. It’s rewarding to know that our talent continues to be recognized year in and year out by our peers.”

Formed in January, 2011, the NBC Sports Group consists of NBC Sports, NBC Sports Network, Golf Channel, NBC Olympics, 11 NBC Sports Regional Networks, two regional news networks, NBC Sports Radio and NBCSports.com.

NBCUniversal’s coverage of the London Olympics was honored with a total of five Emmy Awards in the following categories:

• Outstanding Live Event Turnaround;
• The George Wensel Technical Achievement Award – NBC, NBC Sports Network, NBCOlympics.com, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC, Telemundo;
• Outstanding Technical Team Studio;
• The Dick Schaap Outstanding Writing Award;
• Outstanding New Approaches, Sports Programming – NBCOlympics.com.

For the fifth consecutive year, NBC Sports won Outstanding Live Sports Series for Sunday Night Football. NBC Sports has now won the award in six of the last seven years, also winning in 2007 for its NASCAR coverage.

NBC Sports was also honored with the Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports Special for its coverage of Super Bowl XLVI. NBC Sports also received the Emmy in this category for its coverage of Super Bowl XLIII.

Bob Costas was awarded his 25^th career Emmy and fifth consecutive for Outstanding Sports Personality-Studio Host. Costas hosted the London Olympics, is the host Football Night in America, NBC Sports’ acclaimed NFL studio show, and Costas Tonight, which airs on NBC Sports Network. He won the Emmy in the same category last year for his work on Football Night.

Al Michaels was awarded the Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality – Play-by-Play, for his work on Sunday Night Football. For Michaels, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 32^nd Annual Sports Emmy Awards in 2011, this marks his seventh career Emmy Award.

Cris Collinsworth was awarded his fifth consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality-Sports Event Analyst. This marks Collinsworth’s 14^th career Emmy, which includes wins in 2007 and 2008 in the Studio Analyst category for work on Football Night in America.

Pierre McGuire, NBC Sports Group’s “Inside the Glass” analyst for its NHL coverage, was awarded his first career Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality – Sports Reporter.

And ESPN’s press release is coming next.

HBO Sports Wins Six Sports Emmys

This from HBO Sports. The network has taken home six Emmys for its product. Three were in conjunction with NFL Films, two were for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel and there was a single award for the 24/7 series.

Here’s the press release from HBO Sports.

Winners were revealed tonight at the 34^th Annual Sports Emmy^® Awards in New York City.

HBO collected six Sports Emmys Awards. The second most of any single network.

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel received two Sports Emmy Awards tonight and has now been honored with 25 Sports Emmy Awards in the program’s history.

The “24/7” reality franchise took home the trophy for Outstanding Editing for the fifth consecutive year.

The Hard Knocks franchise also captured a Sports Emmy for its series featuring the Miami Dolphins.

The Outstanding Sports Documentary Emmy for NAMATH marks the seventh time HBO has captured the award, and the fifth time in the past six years.

Below are the six Sports Emmy Award wins for HBO:

OUTSTANDING SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
NAMATH (with NFL FILMS)

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPORTS SERIES/ANTHOLOGY–
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL           

OUTSTANDING LONG FEATURE
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL – Steve Gleason: Tragic Hero (Jon Frankel)

OUTSTANDING EDITING
24/7 PACQUIAO/MARQUEZ 4

OUTSTANDING POST PRODUCED AUDIO/SOUND
HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE MIAMI DOLPHINS

OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION / DIRECTION / LYRICS
NAMATH (with NFL FILMS) 

HBO captured the second most of any single network:

NBC — 10
HBO — 6
NBC Sports Network — 4
ESPN — 3
MLB Network — 3
TBS — 3
TNT — 3

For a complete list of wins go to www.emmyonline.org/sports

The 34^th Sports Emmy Award winners were revealed May 7, 2013 in New York City at the Frederick P. Rose Hall in the Time Warner Center.

NBC will crow about its Sports Emmy Awards next.

34th Annual Sports Emmy Awards Winners

The 34th Annual Sports Emmy Awards were handed out tonight in New York at Frederick P. Rose Hall at the Time Warner Center.

Thanks to Josh Krulewitz, ESPN public relations maven, I can list the individual winners. I’ll have a full list from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tomorrow and I’ll post it when it becomes available.

First, no surprises in the talent categories. The usual suspects won, Costas, Collinsworth, Barkley and Al Michaels is back for play-by-play, his sixth Emmy.

If you want to see the nominations in full, you can go here.

I’ll go in the order the awards were handed out.

The George Wensel Technical Achievement Award – Games of the XXX Olympiad: The Multi-Screen Olympics, NBC/Bravo/CNBC/MSNBC/NBC Sports Network/NBCOlympics.com/Telemundo

Outstanding Live Event Audio/Sound – NASCAR on Fox, Fox

Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction – NCAA March Madness: Brackets Everywhere, truTV

Outstanding Studio Show Weekly – Inside the NFL, Showtime/CBS Sports/NFL Films

Outstanding Long Feature – Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: Steve Gleason: Tragic Hero, HBO

Outstanding Editing – 24/7: Pacquaio-Marquez 4, HBO

Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement, Episodic – A Football Live: Life Story, NFL Network/NFL Films

Outstanding Sports Personality, Sports Reporter – (TIE) Pierre McGuire, NBC (why?) and Tom Verducci, MLB Network/TBS

Outstanding Graphic Design – MLB Network Division Series: The Scrapbook, MLB Network

Outstanding Sports Documentary – Namath, HBO

Outstanding Technical Team Studio – Games of the XXX Olympiad, NBC/Bravo/MSNBC/NBC Sports Network/Telemundo

Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming Short Format – Sport Science, ESPN/Base Productions

Outstanding Playoff Coverage – (TIE) National League Championship Series: Cardinals vs. Giants, Fox and NBA Playoffs, TNT

Outstanding Camera Work – Outside the Lines: Breaking the Silence, ESPN

Outstanding Edited Sports Special – One Heartbeat, CBS Sports Network/CBS Sports

Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics – Namath, HBO/NFL Films

Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement, Institutional – (TIE) It’s Not Crazy, It’s Sports: Shake On It, The Name, Born Into It — ESPN/Wieden & Kennedy and NCAA March Madness: Brackets Everywhere, TBS/CBS/TNT/truTV

Outstanding Sports Personality, Play-by-Play – Al Michaels, NBC

Outstanding New Approaches Sports Event Coverage – Red Bull Stratos: Space Jump, YouTube/Red Bull Media House

Outstanding Open/Tease – NBA on TNT: All-Star Game Tease, TNT

Outstanding Post Produced Audio/Sound – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins, HBO/NFL Films

Outstanding Sports Personality, Sports Event Analyst – Cris Collinsworth, NBC

The Dick Schaap Writing Award – Games of the XXX Olympiad: Measure & Motion, NBC

Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming – Games of the XXX Olympiad: Countdown to London, NBCOlympics.com

Outstanding Edited Sports Series/Anthology – Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, HBO

Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio Analyst – Charles Barkley, TNT

Outstanding Sports Journalism – E:60: Beitar Jerusalem, ESPN2

Outstanding Technical Team Remote – Winter X Games 2012, ESPN 3D

Outstanding Short Feature – NFL GameDay Morning: Immaculate Remembrance, NFL Network

Outstanding Live Sports Series – Sunday Night Football, NBC

Outstanding Studio Show, Daily – MLB Tonight, MLB Network

Outstanding Live Event Turnaround – Games of the XXX Olympiad, NBC

Outstanding Live Sports Special – Super Bowl XLVI, NBC

Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio Host – Bob Costas (who else?), NBC/NBC Sports Network

The network press releases crowing about their Sports Emmy wins are trickling in. I’ll post them in order of their arrival into the Fang’s Bites inbox.

Carrie Underwood to Sing Sunday Night Football Theme

After Faith Hill announced that she would no longer sing “(I’ve Been) Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” NBC Sports went searching for a replacement. Sunday Night Football producer Fred Gaudelli says he only had one person in mind and that was Carrie Underwood. And it has come to fruition.

NBC has formally announced that Ms. Underwood will sing an updated version of the theme and Gaudelli says some NFL players will sing some lyrics as well.

Not that this matters, but apparently Carrie’s fans are quite happy over this.

We have the formal announcement from NBC Sports.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO PERFORM “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” OPENING THEME ON NBC

Grammy Award-Winning Artist Records “Sunday Night Football” Opening Theme “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night”

NEW YORK – May 7, 2013 – NBC selected six-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist, Carrie Underwood, to perform “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” the opening theme for primetime television’s No. 1 program, Sunday Night Football on NBC. Country music superstar Underwood, the season-four winner of American Idol, makes her Sunday Night Football debut on Sunday, September 8 on NBC’s first SNF broadcast of the 2013 NFL season, a heated NFC East rivalry game when Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants. The opening theme will continue each week kicking off Sunday Night Football every Sunday night throughout the NFL season on NBC.

“I am thrilled to be a part of NBC’s Sunday Night Football and am so honored they asked me,” said Underwood. “I have always loved football season, and it is so exciting to now become part of it every Sunday night!”

Since winning American Idol and releasing her debut album in 2005, Underwood has sold over 15 million albums, and placed 17 No. 1 singles on the charts.  Her recent album, Blown Away, made history by debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making Underwood only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at No. 1.

“Carrie Underwood was our first and only choice to perform the Sunday Night Football opening,” said SNF producer Fred Gaudelli. “She’s one of America’s most popular entertainers and the perfect fit for our show.”

The now platinum-selling Blown Away album also debuted at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, making Underwood only the second country artist in history to have three consecutive albums debut at No. 1.  She is a six-time Grammy winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.

“Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” is set to the original Joan Jett song, “I Hate Myself for Loving You” and marks Underwood’s first production with NBC Sports. From 2007-2012, the song was performed by music superstar Faith Hill and in 2006, the inaugural season of Sunday Night Football, Pink performed the open.

Underwood is currently headlining and selling out arenas across North America on her “Blown Away Tour.”  The tour, which launched last June, has played in the United States, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Australia, and will perform a total of 112 dates by the time is wraps on May 23 in Abbotsford, BC, Canada.

Sunday Night Football, which averaged 21.8 million viewers in the 2012 season, is primetime television’s No. 1 program.

That does it for this post.

NHL on NBC’s Announcing Assignments for May 7, 2013

NBC has begun to publish its announcing assignments for its NHL games online so I’m going to do my best to post these every day. Tonight, there will be four playoff games and all will be seen on the networks of NBCUniversal. Both CNBC and NBC Sports Network will air doubleheaders.

All of these are Games 4. NBCSN has Pittsburgh-New York Islanders and Chicago-Minnesota. Both are 2-1 with the number 1 seeds, Pittsburgh and Chicago in front.

CNBC will carry Montreal-Ottawa, a simulcast with CBC. Bob Cole, Garry Galley and Cassie Campbell-Pascall will call the game. And the late game will be Vancouver at San Jose, a simulcast with Comcast SportsNet California.

Here’s the NHL on NBC roster for tonight.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S “NHL PLAYOFF PASS” – MAY 7

Four Game 4s Tonight

NEW YORK – May 7, 2013 – “NHL Playoff Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage. It is published weekdays to preview the evening games. On Fridays, a weekend edition is posted.

Games are being presented on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC (in primetime), and NHL Network. In addition, more Stanley Cup Playoff games are live streamed than ever before. For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall NHL Playoff coverage, please click here.

THE PASS (All times ET)

Tonight	Coverage	Network	Talent
6:30 p.m.	NHL Live	NBCSN	Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, Jeremy Roenick
7 p.m.	Pittsburgh (1) @ N.Y. Islanders (8)	NBCSN	Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti
7 p.m.	Montreal (2) @ Ottawa (7)	CNBC	Bob Cole, Garry Galley, Cassie Campbell-Pascall
9:30 p.m.	Chicago (1) @ Minnesota (8)	NBCSN	Rick Peckham, Brian Engblom
10 p.m.	Vancouver (3) @ San Jose (6)	CNBC	Randy Hahn, Drew Remenda, Brodie Brazil, Brett Hadican

TONIGHT, May 7

NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick, begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Russ Thaler and Mike Keenan will host CNBC’s studio coverage.

Playoff coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network with back-to-back Game 4s after overtimes in Game 3. The New York Islanders host the Pittsburgh Penguins as they look to tie the series (Pittsburgh leads 2-1). Kenny Albert will call play-by-play alongside analyst Joe Micheletti from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. NBC Sports Network’s coverage continues at 9:30 p.m. ET with the Minnesota Wild hosting the Chicago Blackhawks (Chicago leads 2-1).

CNBC’s coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET with the Montreal Canadiens at the Ottawa Senators from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario (Ottawa leads 2-1). At 10 p.m. ET on CNBC, the San Jose Sharks look to sweep the series as they host the Vancouver Canucks at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. (San Jose leads 3-0). CSN California’s Randy Hahn will serve as play-by-play announcer alongside analysts Drew Remenda, Brodie Brazil and Bret Hedican.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: TOMORROW, May 8

Tomorrow’s Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs game, originally scheduled to air on NHL Network, will now air on CNBC at 7 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues game at 9 p.m. ET (puck drop approximately 9:15 p.m. ET), will likely begin on NHL Network and be joined-in-progress on CNBC at the conclusion of the Bruins-Maple Leafs game.

Wed., May 8
6:30 p.m.	NHL Live	NBCSN
7 p.m.	Boston (4) @ Toronto (5)	CNBC
7:30 p.m.	Washington (3) @ N.Y. Rangers (6)	NBCSN
9 p.m.	Los Angeles (5) @ St. Louis (4)	NHL Network/CNBC*
10 p.m.	Detroit (7) @ Anaheim (2)	NBCSN

*Joined-in-progress. Game will likely begin on NHL Network

There you have it.

NBC Crows About Kentucky Derby Viewership

NBC has to be pleased about the viewership for the Kentucky Derby. As Orb circled the Churchill Downs track to win the 139th edition of the Run for the Roses, an estimated 16.2 million people watched the race marking the third time in five years that the Kentucky Derby has reached over 16 million viewers. The number is 9% higher than last year and 12% from 2011.

Overall, the Derby hit a 9.7 rating with a 21 share and that’s up 8% from 2012. So you can surmise that NBC’s strategy to promote the race on its multiple platforms is very successful.

By the way, Louisville had the highest rating of all local markets with an astonishing 43.7 rating with a 69 share. That’s amazing number.

Here’s NBC’s press release.

16.2 MILLION WATCH KENTUCKY DERBY ON NBC

2^nd Most-Watched Kentucky Derby Since 1989
Viewership up 9% from Last Year; Up 12% from 2011
9.7 National Rating up 8% from Last Year; Up 14% from 2011
NBC Sports ‘Big Event Strategy’ Leads to More Than 16 Million Viewers for 3^rd Time in 5 years

NEW YORK – May 7, 2013 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby drew 16.2 million viewers, making it the second most-watched Kentucky Derby since 1989. The viewership for the race is up nine percent from last year’s Derby (14.8 million), and up 12 percent from the Derby in 2011 (14.5 million), according to official national data provided today by The Nielsen Company.

Utilizing NBC Sports’ ‘Big Event Strategy,’ three of the last five Kentucky Derby races have recorded at least 16 million viewers.

Saturday’s race (6:05-6:53 p.m. ET), won by Orb, is the second most-watched Kentucky Derby dating back to 1989 (18.5 million on ABC), only surpassed by the 2010 Derby won by Super Saver (16.5 million).

• The household rating of 9.7/21 is the best since 2010 (9.8/23), and tied 2009 as the second highest-rated Derby since 1992 (10.3/30 on ABC).
• The 9.7/21 rating is up eight percent from last year’s race (9.0/20) and up 14 percent from 2011 (8.5/19).
• The pre-race on NBC (5-6:05 p.m. ET) drew 9.1 million viewers, an increase of 12 percent from last year (8.1 million) and is the second-best pre-race viewership dating back to 1992.
• NBC Sports Network’s five-hour pre-race show (11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET) drew 500k viewers, up 19 percent from last year (421k).

MORE PEOPLE WATCH THE DERBY ON NBC: NBC Sports’ coverage of the Kentucky Derby over the last 13 races averages more than 2 million more viewers than the previous 12 Kentucky Derby broadcasts on ABC (14.3 million vs.12.0 million, up 19 percent). NBC’s average viewership of 14.3 million over the last 13 Kentucky Derby broadcasts is more than six million more than the last six years that ABC aired the Derby (1995-2000).

KENTUCKY DERBY CONTINUES TO BE A HIT WITH FEMALE VIEWERS: The Kentucky Derby once again proved to be very popular with female viewers. In fact, 52 percent of Derby viewers were women, making it the only annual sporting event that draws more female viewers than male viewers.

KENTUCKY DERBY VIEWERSHIP
2013	16.2 million	NBC	Orb
2012	14.8 million	NBC	I’ll Have Another
2011	14.5 million	NBC	Animal Kingdom
2010	16.5 million	NBC	Super Saver
2009	16.1 million	NBC	Mine That Bird
2008	14.2 million	NBC	Big Brown
2007	13.7 million	NBC	Street Sense
2006	12.9 million	NBC	Barbaro
2005	13.6 million	NBC	Giacomo
2004	14.6 million	NBC	Smarty Jones
2003	11.8 million	NBC	Funny Cide
2002	12.8 million	NBC	War Emblem
2001	13.5 million	NBC	Monarchos
2000	9.1 million	ABC	Fusaichi Pegasus
1999	9.9 million	ABC	Charismatic
1998	9.5 million	ABC	Real Quiet
1997	11.3 million	ABC	Silver Charm
1996	11.0 million	ABC	Grindestone
1995	9.3 million	ABC	Thunder Gulch
1994	12.1 million	ABC	Go For Gin
1993	11.5 million	ABC	Sea Hero
1992	13.7 million	ABC	Lil E Tee
1991	13.4 million	ABC	Strike The Gold
1990	15.6 million	ABC	Unbridled
1989	18.5 million	ABC	Sunday Silence

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR 2013 KENTUCKY DERBY (Race Portion)

1.	Louisville	43.7/69
2.	Ft. Myers	19.7/37
3.	Cincinnati	18.8/37
T4.	Knoxville	18.4/31
T4.	West Palm Beach	18.4/35
6.	Buffalo	15.9/33
7.	Oklahoma City	15.1/25
8.	Columbus	14.8/31
9.	Indianapolis	13.9/28
10.	Nashville	13.2/22
11.	Jacksonville	13.1/21
12.	Orlando	12.8/28
13.	Richmond	12.7/22
14.	Tampa-St. Pete	12.5/23
15.	Baltimore	12.4/26
T16.	Boston	12.2/28
T16.	Washington D.C.	12.2/27
18.	Dayton	11.7/24
19.	Minneapolis-St. Paul	11.6/28
T20.	Greensboro	11.5/23
T20.	New York	11.5/26

That’s all.

TBS Begins Airing The NCAA Final Four Next Year

This coming from the CBS/Turner Sports NCAA Tournament consortium. Starting next year, TBS will get a bigger role in March Madness. It will split the Regional Finals with CBS and for the next two years, air the National Semifinal games while CBS airs the National Championship Game. Then in 2016, TBS will both the Final Four and National Championship. CBS will get the events the following year and then the two networks will alternate carrying Final Four weekend until 2024 when the current TV contract ends.

Something like this had been expected. So 2013 marks the end of CBS’ 32 year run of airing the Final Four and National Championship exclusively. When Turner signed on as a partner in 2011, it said it wanted to air the Final Four, not just take the early rounds, so it will finally achieve that goal next season.

At least for 2014 and 2015, I would expect the announcing team of Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr to remain on the Final Four and National Championship with Turner making a tweak when it gets the weekend exclusively in 2016.

Here’s the press release.

CBS SPORTS AND TURNER SPORTS ANNOUNCE PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE FOR 2014 AND 2015 NCAA FINAL FOUR^® AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

TBS to Televise NCAA FINAL FOUR^® National Semi-Final Games and
CBS Sports to Broadcast National Championship Games
CBS and TBS to Split ‘Elite Eight’ Coverage Beginning Next Year
TBS to Televise 2016 FINAL FOUR and National Championship Game and
CBS to Broadcast 2017 FINAL FOUR and National Championship Game, Alternating Through 2024

CBS Sports and Turner Sports have announced the programming schedule for their exclusive joint television coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in 2014 and 2015. In each of the two years, TBS will televise the NCAA Final Four national semi-finals and CBS will broadcast the NCAA National Championship game.

Additionally, beginning in 2014 through 2024, coverage of the Regional Semi-finals and Regional Finals games will be split by TBS and CBS. Earlier round coverage of the tournament will continue to be televised across four national television networks – CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV with the First Four® airing exclusively on truTV.

In 2010, Turner Sports and CBS Sports entered into a 14-year exclusive media rights partnership with the NCAA to present the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship from 2011-2024. As part of that agreement, CBS Sports and Turner Sports will alternate coverage of the Final Four national semi-final games and National Championship game between TBS and CBS. The rotation begins on TBS with the network televising the Final Four and National Championship in 2016 with CBS broadcasting the games in 2017.

“Since the inception of our partnership, I don’t think we could have envisioned such a seamless collaboration between our two companies both in front of and behind the cameras,” said David Levy, president of Sales, Distribution and Sports, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “Coming off another incredible year of strong ratings and exciting games, the popularity of the NCAA Tournament and Final Four continues to resonate with fans across the country. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to televise the Final Four national semi-final games and two of the Elite Eight games on TBS beginning next year, and for the network to televise its first National Championship game in 2016.”

“From the beginning, our partnership with Turner Sports has exceeded every one of our expectations,” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports. “Today’s news represents another win-win arrangement that continues to help us extend the reach of this marquee property by combining the resources of our two organizations. As we have done since 1982, CBS is pleased to showcase the National Championship game in 2014 and 2015.”

Turner Sports and CBS Sports recently concluded their third year of exclusive coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship. The 2013 tournament across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV was the most-watched NCAA Tournament in 19 years, averaging 10.7 million total viewers, up 11% from last year’s 9.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

That’s all for now.

Tuesday’s Viewing Picks

College Baseball
Georgia Tech at Ohio State — Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

Cycling
Giro d’Italia
Stage 4: Policastor Bussentino-Serra San Bruno — beIN Sport, 9:30 a.m.

English Premier League
Manchester City vs. West Bromwich Albion — ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.
Wigan Athletic vs. Swansea City — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.

Golf
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 9 a.m.
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 7 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF World Championships, Helsinki, Finland
Group Play
Russia vs. United States — NBC Sports Network, 1 p.m.

MLB
American League
Kansas City at Baltimore — Fox Sports Kansas City/MASN2, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Boston — Fox Sports North Plus/NESN, 7 p.m.
Oakland at Cleveland — Comcast SportsNet California Plus/STO, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay — Rogers Sportsnet/Sun Sports, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Angels at Houston — Fox Sports West/Comcast SportsNet Houston, 8 p.m.

National League
Atlanta at Cincinnati — MLB Network/SportSouth/Fox Sports Ohio, 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs — Fox Sports Midwest/WGN America, 8 p.m.
Arizona at Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Arizona/KCAL, 10 p.m.
Miami at San Diego — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports San Diego, 10 p.m.
Philadelphia at San Francisco — Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 10:15 p.m.

Interleague
Chicago White Sox at New York Mets — Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus/SNY, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Washington — MLB Network/Fox Sports Detroit/MASN, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Pittsburgh — Root Sports Northwest, 7 p.m.
Texas at Milwaukee — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox Sports Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
New York Yankees at Colorado — YES/Root Sports Rocky Mountain, 8:30 p.m.

MLB Network Countdown: Top 50 Calls of All-Time — MLB Network, 1 p.m.
The Rundown — MLB Network, 2 p.m.
MLB Now — MLB Network, 4 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 6 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 9:30 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 10 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN2, midnight
Quick Pitch — MLB Network, 1 a.m. (Wednesday)

NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinal
Game 2: Indiana at New York — TNT, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Semifinal
Game 2: Memphis at Oklahoma City — TNT, 9:30 p.m.

NBA GameTime: Pacers/Knicks, Game 2 Postgame — NBA TV, 9:30 p.m.
NBA GameTime: Grizzlies/Thunder, Game 2 Postgame — NBA TV, midnight
Inside the NBA — TNT, midnight

NFL
NFL Live — ESPN, 4 p.m.
NFL Films Presents: The Greatest Roundtable Ever — NFL Network, 8:30 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 4: Montreal at Ottawa — CBC/RDS/CNBC, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Pittsburgh at New York Islanders — NBC Sports Network/TSN/Root Sports Pittsburgh/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 4: Chicago at Minnesota — NBC Sports Network/CBC/RDS2/Comcast SportsNet Chicago/Fox Sports North, 9:30 p.m.
Game 4: Vancouver at San Jose — TSN/RDS/CNBC/Comcast SportsNet California, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL on the Fly — NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, midnight

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
Morning Drive — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 9 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, noon
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN, 3 p.m.
The Best of the Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 4 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
The Crossover — NBC Sports Network, 6 p.m.
SportsNation — ESPN2, 6 p.m.
E:60 — ESPN, 7 p.m.
30 for 30: You Don’t Know Bo — ESPN, 8 p.m.
The Real Rocky — ESPN2, 8 p.m.
30 for 30: One Night in Vegas — ESPN2, 9 p.m.
30 for 30: Elway to Marino — ESPNU, 9:30 p.m.
Fox Soccer News — Fox Soccer, 10 p.m.
UNITE — ESPNU, midnight
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight

Tennis
ATP/WTA Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
Men’s 2nd Round/Women’s Round of 16 — Tennis Channel, 6 a.m.

Entertainment
Splash (season finale) — ABC, 8 p.m.
NCIS — CBS, 8 p.m.
Hart of Dixie (season finale) — The CW, 8 p.m.
The Italian Job — AMC, 8 p.m.
Deadliest Catch: On Deck: Blood in the Morning — Discovery, 8 p.m.
New Girl: Winston’s Birthday — Fox, 9 p.m.
Roadtrip with G. Garvin: Atlanta — Cooking Channel, 9 p.m.
I Hate My Bath: Big Brown Bath — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
Airport 24/7: Miami: Bomb Threat — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
NCIS: Los Angeles — CBS, 9 p.m.
CONSTITUTION USA with Peter Sagal: A More Perfect Union (series premiere) — PBS, 9 p.m.
Deadliest Catch: The Crooke and The Tangler — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Nightmare Next Door: Drink with the Devil? — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Polygamy, USA: Meet the Polygamists — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Mean Girls — Showtime, 9:15 p.m.
The Mindy Project: Frat Party — Fox, 9:30 p.m.
I Hate My Yard: Ocean Oasis — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters: Palm Springs, CA — HGTV, 10 p.m.
Who Gets the Last Laugh? — TBS, 10 p.m.
Amanda Knox: The Unanswered Questions — CNN, 10 p.m.
Dead of Night: The Manson Tunnel — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Warrior POV: Search & Destroy — Military Channel, 10 p.m.
Body of Proof: Dark City — ABC, 10:01 p.m.
Inside Amy Schumer: Real Sext — Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.
House Hunters International: Amsterdam — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
The Last Region — IFC, 10:45 p.m.
Cops Reloaded — CMT, 11 p.m.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Mindy Kaling — Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
Flip or Flop: Keeping Up with the Joneses — HGTV, 11 p.m.
Nitro Circus Live — MTV, 11 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
The Colbert Report: Douglas Rushkoff — Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.
Flip or Flop?: A Flip with a View — HGTV, 11:30 p.m.
Jimmy Kimmel Live — ABC, 11:35 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m

Fox Taps TSN’s SportsCentre Team as Main Anchors for “Fox Sports Live”

The story first surfaced over the weekend and now it’s been made official by Fox Sports. TSN’s late night SportsCentre team of Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole will become the main anchors for Fox Sports 1′s nightly “Fox Sports Live” that will air at 11 p.m. ET.

Onrait and O’Toole have become so popular, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper even tweeted his regrets about the men leaving TSN in July. Onrait and O’Toole along with their SportsCentre producer will form the team that will become the nightly signature program for Fox Sports 1 when it launches in August.

Let’s take a look at what Fox Sports is saying about this move.

JAY ONRAIT & DAN O’TOOLE TABBED AS PRIMARY FOX SPORTS LIVE HIGHLIGHT TEAM

Popular Canadian Duo Renowned for Fun, Irreverent Style on TSN

New York – Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole, who since 2005 have formed a popular, smart and irreverent anchor team for TSN’s SportsCentre, Canada’s most-watched sports news program, join FOX Sports as the primary highlight team for FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program airing nightly at 11:00 PM ET.  The announcement was made today by FOX Sports’ Co-President and COO Eric Shanks and Executive Vice President, Studio Production, Scott Ackerson.  Onrait and O’Toole, along with Producer Tim, are the first FOX SPORTS LIVE personalities to be announced. The show premieres in conjunction with the network’s launch on Saturday, Aug.17.

“Nowhere in America today are there sports anchors with the style and rapport that Jay and Dan have,” said Shanks. “We respect their work and the tremendous relationship they’ve established over the years with Canadian sports fans. We’re excited to have had a chance to get to know them, and that they’ll have a major role in the launch of FOX Sports 1.”

“It’s obvious that Jay and Dan are a great tandem and really enjoy themselves when they’re on-air,” added Ackerson.  “FOX SPORTS LIVE is going to deviate from existing sports news formulas, and we expect Jay, Dan and Tim to use their unique brand of humor to make the show fun for fans to watch.”

Onrait and O’Toole have been co-hosts of the 1:00 AM ET weekday edition of SportsCentre, which repeats hourly until 1:00 PM ET, entertaining viewers with a brand of humor all their own while delivering a summary of the day’s sports news and events.

“We are thrilled to join FOX Sports 1 and can’t wait to start working with the rest of the team on FOX SPORTS LIVE,” said Onrait. “We like sports and we like to laugh, so that’s pretty much the show.  Dan and I are also looking forward to getting free tickets to a taping of American Idol.  That sealed it for us.”

 

“We are extremely excited to be joining FOX Sports 1,” added O’Toole.  “This is an enormous opportunity for us and we are so honored to have been asked to take part in this bold new venture by FOX.  Jay and I can’t wait to introduce ourselves to Americans across the country and look forward to being invited into their homes.  We will bring the maple syrup.”

Onrait, (pronounced: ON-right) a native of Athabasca, Alberta, Canada, Onrait first joined TSN in 1996 as an editorial assistant while attending Ryerson University.  Upon his graduation in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Radio and Television Arts, he went on to become sports director at a Saskatoon television station, before spending two years as the host of the Big Breakfast on A-Channel.  Onrait joined NHL Network in 2001, serving as host of the network’s flagship show NHL on the Fly as well as Molson That’s Hockey 2. A year later, he re-joined TSN in his current role on SportsCentre.

Onrait’s work assignments over the years have included hosting SportsCentre with O’Toole live from Trafalgar Square during the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London, co-hosting Olympic Morning on CTV with Beverly Thomson for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and coverage of the NHL Trade Deadline, NBA Finals, Vanier Cup and in-studio host of Toronto Raptors broadcasts on TSN.  In 2011, he was honored for his outstanding contributions to the world of sports with a Gemini Award for Best Sportscaster/Anchor.

In addition to hosting SportsCentre with Onrait from the 2012 Olympic Summer Games, O’Toole co-hosted the show with Cory Woron from the International Broadcast Centre for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Prior to joining TSN in 2002, O’Toole was part of Citytv’s launch in Vancouver, where he worked as an anchor and reporter.  In 1998, O’Toole moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta, where he worked as sports director for CJOK-FM and CKYX-FM radio stations for three years. While at the radio stations, O’Toole called play-by-play for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL.  In 2000, O’Toole worked at CTV Edmonton as the Fort McMurray news reporter in the evenings while continuing to work mornings as the radio sports director.

Originally from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, O’Toole graduated from Algonquin College in 1996 with a diploma in broadcasting. While in college, O’Toole did play-by-play for the Ottawa 67s. O’Toole moved to Vancouver in 1997 to work as a traffic reporter for CJJR-FM and CFUN-AM radio stations, reporting from a four-seater plane.

That is all on this post.

Report: Carrie Underwood to Replace Faith Hill on Sunday Night Football

Paul M. Banks of Chicago Sports Media Watch and the Sports Bank appears to have broken the story of Carrie Underwood becoming the new singing voice of Sunday Night Football. Earlier this year, Faith Hill announced that the 2012-13 season would be her last to sing the Sunday Night Football theme of “I’ve Been Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.”

Now NBC has said there will be a “major announcement about a talent addition to Sunday Night Football” on Tuesday. And Ms. Underwood herself tweeted the following:

So let’s just say where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Reading the tea leaves, it appears that Carrie Underwood will be singing theme starting in September.

The First SEC Network Trailer

With the SEC Network now official and ready to premiere in August 2014, ESPN and the SEC has put together this preview trailer of what to expect when the network launches. It’s quite good.

It all comes to fruition in August 2014 on a participating cable and satellite provider.

Monday’s Viewing Picks

Beach Volleyball
Women’s Grand Slam Gold Medal — Universal Sports, 5 p.m. (same day coverage)

College Baseball
Maryland at Clemson — ESPNU, 7 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

Cycling
Giro d’Italia
Stage 3: Sorrento-Marina di Ascea — beIN Sport, 9:30 a.m.

English Premier League
Sunderland vs. Stoke City — ESPN2, 2:55 p.m.

Golf
Live From The Players — Golf Channel, 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony — Golf Channel, 10 p.m.

MLB
American League
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City — Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus/Fox Sports Kansas City, 2 p.m.
Minnesota at Boston — Fox Sports North/NESNplus, 7 p.m.
Oakland at Cleveland — Comcast SportsNet California/STO, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay — Rogers Sportsnet/Sun Sports, 7 p.m.

National League
Atlanta at Cincinnati — ESPN/SportSouth/Fox Sports Ohio, 7 p.m.
Arizona at Los Angeles Dodgers — Fox Sports Arizona/Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 10 p.m.
Florida at San Diego — Fox Sports Florida/Fox Sports San Diego, 10 p.m.
Philadelphia at San Francisco — Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia/Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 10:15 p.m.

Interleague
Texas at Chicago Cubs — Fox Sports Southwest/WCIU, 8 p.m.

The Rundown — MLB Network, 2 p.m.
MLB Now — MLB Network, 4 p.m.
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 6 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN, 10 p.m.
Baseball Tonight — ESPN2, midnight
Quick Pitch — MLB Network, 1 a.m. (Tuesday)

NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 1: Chicago at Miami — TNT, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Semifinals
Game 1: Golden State at San Antonio — TNT, 9:30 p.m.

NBA GameTime: Bulls/Heat, Game 1 Postgame — NBA TV, 9:30 p.m.
NBA GameTime: Warriors/Spurs, Game 1 Postgame — NBA TV, midnight
Inside the NBA — TNT, midnight

NFL
NFL Live — ESPN, 4 p.m.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 3: Boston at Toronto — CBC/RDS/NHL Network (US)/NESN, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Washington at New York Rangers — NBC Sports Network/TSN2/RDS2/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/MSG Network, 7:30 p.m.

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 4: Anaheim at Detroit — CNBC/TSN/RDSI/KDOC/Fox Sports Detroit, 8 p.m.
Game 4: St. Louis at Los Angeles — NBC Sports Network/CBC/RDS/Fox Sports Midwest/Fox Sports West, 10 p.m.

NHL Live — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.
NHL Tonight — NHL Network, 10 p.m.
NHL Live — NBC Sports Network, 12:30 a.m. (Tuesday)

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
Morning Drive — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Sky Sports News — Fox Soccer, 9 a.m.
The Box Score — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, noon
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Dan Le Batard is All Alone by Himself Highly Questionable — ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN, 3 p.m.
The Best of the Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 5:30 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
UNITE — ESPN Classic, midnight
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight

Tennis
ATP Tour
Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain
1st Round — Tennis Channel, 7 a.m.

Entertainment
How I Met Your Mother — CBS, 8 p.m.
Kitchen Crashers: Functional Family Kitchen — DIY Network, 8 p.m.
Oh Sit!: 7Lions — The CW, 8 p.m.
Antiques Roadshow: Rapid City — PBS, 8 p.m.
The Last Samurai — AMC, 8 p.m.
Pizza Cuz: Masters (series premiere) — Cooking Channel, 9 p.m.
Kitchen Crashers: Retro Kitchen with a Twist — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
Brain Games: Power of Persuasion — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Burger Land: Houston, We Have A Burger — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
Mary & Martha — HBO, 9 p.m.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel — HBO Signature, 9 p.m.
Sins & Secrets: Bible Belt Bloodshed — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Funniest Movies of Alll Time — TV Guide, 9 p.m.
Bath Crashers: Heavy Metal — DIY Network, 9:30 p.m.
Yard Crashers: Sunken Outdoor Living Room — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
House Hunters: Chicago — HGTV, 10 p.m.
Red, White and New: Flying, Biking & Big Digging — Travel Channel, 10 p.m.
Hawaii Five-0 — CBS, 10 p.m.
Bates Motel: A Boy and His Dog — A&E, 10 p.m.
James May’s Man Lab — BBC America, 10 p.m.
The Watch — Cinemax, 10 p.m.
Bullet Points: Operation Desert Storm — Military Channel, 10 p.m.
The Numbers Game: What Drives You Crazy? — National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
Scam City: Prague — Science, 10 p.m.
The Big C: Hereafter: You Can’t Take It With You — Showtime, 10 p.m.
Rectify: Plato’s Cave — Syfy, 10 p.m.
The Crow — The Movie Channel, 10 p.m.
Revolution — NBC, 10:01 p.m.
House Hunters International: Auckland, New Zealand — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — IFC, 10:45 p.m.
Cops Reloaded — CMT, 11 p.m.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Christiane Amanpour — Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
Conan — TBS, 11 p.m.
The Colbert Report: Robert Caro — Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.
Jimmy Kimmel Live — ABC, 11:35 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman — CBS, 11:35 p.m.

Inside Mad Men: Season 6, Episode 6, “For Immediate Release”

This was a rather explosive episode for the slow-moving Season 6. Don blows up Jaguar. That pisses off Joan. Megan finds a way back into Don’s pants (this is the nicest way I could put it). Roger uses an airline hostess to drum up new business for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. SCDP attempts to go public. Pete Campbell then blows the secret. And while celebrating, he sees his father-in-law in a house of ill repute and blows a big account. Literally. And then he blows his marriage and goes down swinging.

While all that is happening, all hell breaks lose. There’s an agency merger between SCPD and Cutler Gleason Chaough to get the Chevrolet account and Peggy is back working with Don. And I’m stunned. Easily the best episode of the season. For the first five episodes, the season was moving slowly, then in the last 30 minutes of tonight’s episode, BOOM! New agency.

Let’s go over the episode with Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks, Kevin Rahm (first appearance from him in these videos! Nice!) and Elisabeth Moss discuss what happened in tonight’s episode.

Now to Costume Designer Janie Bryant who describes the outfit Megan wears when her mother comes to visit. Awesome.

And of course, the always cryptic promo for Episode 7.

Mad Men airs on AMC at 10 p.m. ET/PT every Sunday.

Kentucky Derby Ties for Highest Overnight Ratings in 21 Years

NBC Sports is crowing about the overnight ratings for the race portion of its coverage of the Kentucky Derby. In the hour of 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, NBC received a 10.4 number with a 23 share. That’s the highest overnights for the Run for the Roses since 2010 and the best since a 10.9/29 in 1992 when the race was on ABC.

NBC breaks down the numbers for you below.

KENTUCKY DERBY OVERNIGHT RATING ON NBC TIES FOR BEST IN 21 YEARS

Race Portion up 16% and Pre-Race up 15% from 2012
Louisville Leads All Local Markets with a 43.7/69; up 38% from 2012

NEW YORK – May 5, 2013 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, won by Orb, drew a 10.4 overnight rating and a 23 share for the race portion (6-7 p.m. ET), up 16% from the 2012 Kentucky Derby, according to overnight data provided today by The Nielsen Company. The 10.4 overnight rating ties the 2010 race as the best for a Kentucky Derby in 21 years (10.9/29 in 1992).

Overnight Ratings Notes:

• The pre-race coverage on NBC (5-6 p.m. ET) drew a 6.2/15 overnight rating, up 15% from last year, tying 2010 as the best for the pre-race since 2007.
• Coverage from 4-4:30 p.m. ET received a 3.1/8, the best since NBC began 4 p.m. coverage in 2008;
• Coverage from 4:30-5 p.m. ET received a 4.1/10, also the best since NBC began coverage at 4:30 p.m. (in 2007).

NOTE: National ratings and viewership for the race portion will be available on Tuesday, May 7. National ratings for the early coverage will be available on Thursday, May 9.

KENTUCKY DERBY OVERNIGHTS (Race Portion)

	YEAR			OVERNIGHT	NETWORK	WINNING HORSE
	2013			10.4/23	NBC	Orb
	2012			9.0/20	NBC	I’ll Have Another
	2011			9.7/22	NBC	Animal Kingdom
	2010			10.4/23	NBC	Super Saver
	2009			10.2/22	NBC	Mine That Bird
	2008			9.5/21	NBC	Big Brown
	2007			9.8/21	NBC	Street Sense
	2006			8.9/20	NBC	Barbaro
	2005			10.0/23	NBC	Giacomo
	2004			10.1/22	NBC	Smarty Jones
	2003			8.9/20	NBC	Funny Cide
	2002			9.3/21	NBC	War Emblem
	2001			9.4/22	NBC	Monarchos
	2000			7.4/18	ABC	Fusaichi Pegasus
	1999			7.5/19	ABC	Charismatic
	1998			7.7/19	ABC	Real Quiet
	1997			8.8/20	ABC	Silver Charm
	1996			9.4/23	ABC	Grindstone
	1995			7.2/18	ABC	Thunder Gulch
	1994			8.2/21	ABC	Go For Gin
	1993			9.4/21	ABC	Sea Hero
	1992			10.9/29	ABC	Lil E Tee

Louisville topped all metered markets with a 43.7/69. For the race portion, 47 of the 56 Nielsen metered markets showed ratings gains from last year.

TOP METERED MARKETS FOR 2013 KENTUCKY DERBY (Race Portion)

1.	Louisville	43.7/69
2.	Ft. Myers	19.7/37
3.	Cincinnati	18.8/37
T4.	Knoxville	18.4/31
T4.	West Palm Beach	18.4/35
6.	Buffalo	15.9/33
7.	Oklahoma City	15.1/25
8.	Columbus	14.8/31
9.	Indianapolis	13.9/28
10.	Nashville	13.2/22

That is it for this post.

Sunday MLB on TBS Brings the Braves Back to Turner Sports

It’s only for one day, but the Atlanta Braves are back on TBS Sunday. They’ll host the New York Mets in the final game of their three game series. Brian Anderson will be on the call along with analysts John Smoltz and Tom Verducci.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Continues with a Match-Up of NL East Rivals:
New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves on May 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET

Probable Starters Feature New York’s Matt Harvey to Face Atlanta’s Tim Hudson 

“Sunday MLB on TBS” will continue May 5 with a match-up of NL East rivals when David Wright and the New York Mets visit Justin Upton and the Atlanta Braves at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Mets’ Matt Harvey (4-0) is scheduled to take the mound against Braves probable starting pitcher Tim Hudson (3-1), who won his 200^th career game in his last start. Brian Anderson will call the action from the TBS broadcast booth alongside analyst John Smoltz and reporter Tom Verducci.

TBS’ regular season MLB coverage will include a 26-game regular season schedule and the exclusive telecast of the 2013 MLB All-Star Selection Show on Sunday, June 30. In October, TBS will exclusively televise the American League and National League Wild Card games and will once again provide coverage of all four MLB Division Series and exclusive coverage of the National League Championship Series.

TBS has broadcast MLB for more than 30 years, televising the MLB Division Series and one League Championship Series since 2007, and was the home of the Atlanta Braves from 1977 to 2007.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Schedule:

May 5
1:30 p.m. ET	New York Mets @ Atlanta Braves
	Brian Anderson (play-by-play), John Smoltz and Tom Verducci (analysts)

Upcoming Schedule:

May 12
1:30 p.m.	Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox
	Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and John Smoltz (analyst)
May 19
1:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves
	Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Ron Darling and John Smoltz (analysts)

That’s all.