Friday's Links

Many apologies to the regular readers to this site. I’ve been busy with work and other personal issues, but I’m back with links and a few other things. First, Rudy Martzke of USA Today buries the lead of his story; that it appears that ABC will no longer carry Monday Night Football after this season and give the games to ESPN. Martzke spends the first part of his story about giving more time to Jim Nantz and Billy Packer on this Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show. Who cares? I just care about when and where the teams will play, not who talks more. Packer is so old that his teeth are ready to fall out and his opinions are quite antiquated. It’s time for CBS to put Packer out to pasture and have Clark Kellogg or Jay Bilas as the lead analyst. Speaking of being put out to pasture, Martzke should be retired. His articles are almost unreadable these days.

Bill Griffith of the Boston Globe has some media notes but he mostly focuses on Dave Jageler who leaves WWZN, 1510 The Zone to join the Pawtucket Red Sox radio broadcasting team. “Jags”, as he is affectionately known, had to suffer as the co-host of the midday show with Eddie Andelman. I can write 30 paragraphs on how bad Andelman is as a host, but they wouldn’t do him justice. I’m glad for Dave and he will do a good job with the Pawsox.

Over to New Hampshire where Jim Baker has his take on Jageler’s departure plus he sorts out the college basketball viewing this weekend.

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune has a feature on the new TV voice of the Chicago Cubs, Len Kasper who replaces Chip Carey. In fact, there will be a new analyst on WGN, former Cubs catcher Bob Brenly replaces Steve Stone.

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post has multiple stories once again this week. His first story is about Dave Justice leaving ESPN and joining the YES Network.

Marchand has five questions for CBS announcer Don Criqui.

Crosstown from the Post, Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News gives the needle to the media for coverage on the steroids issue. This story was actually boring reading to me, but I can let you be the judge.

Larry Stewart of the LA Times writes about FSN’s decision to drop Tom Arnold as host of “The Best Damn Sports Show Period” and have Chris Rose return with a new cast of characters. When the show began, Rose was the host and there was a rotation of three co-hosts of which Tom Arnold was one. When FSN decided to make Arnold the main host with John Salley as his sidekick, the show really went downhill. Tom Arnold as the main host of anything is a bad idea. Arnold was given a one year contract to give a presence at big sporting events for BDSSP. But you won’t see him on the main set. A little of Arnold goes a long way.

In Houston, David Barron of the Chronicle talks with CBS’ Jim Nantz about the NCAA Tournament.

We continue our media column trip around the country and we go to the Miami Herald where Barry Jackson writes about the changing landscape for Florida’s regional sports networks. It appears that Sun Sports and FSN Florida will interchange programming as the two become corporate partners.

That’s it for today. There will be no afternoon update unless something major breaks.

I’ll have a review of the NCAA Tournament Selection Shows on CBS and ESPN late Sunday night and links to the Sunday media columns as they warrant. Have a good weekend.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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