One of my all-time favorite guys and a six-time All-Star with the Angels. I covered Fregosi when he managed the White Sox from 1986-88. Always entertaining.
Besides how could I not like a guy who called me, “Baseball Ed”?
Hawk Harrelson had reason to be upset over blown call by Hernandez
Good thing the White Sox eventually beat Miami 4-3 in the 11th inning. They should have won in the 10th inning if not for this blown call by Angel Hernandez, who probably shouldn’t be thinking of a long-term future in baseball.
Weekend wrap: Assessing ESPN’s job cuts; Documentary coming on ‘Bad Boys’; latest podcasts
Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports media…
This week’s big news was ESPN eliminating jobs despite making a ton of money. Will Leitch of Sports on Earth writes “it is the cost of doing business.”
Eric Deggans of the National Sports Journalism Center says the ESPN cuts show that despite the big profits and job security don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. On the positive side, they have a new shiny bus for SportsCenter.
An ESPN 30 on 30 on the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys”? SI.com’s Richard Deitsch reports it will air next spring. Wonder if Michael Jordan will weigh in with his view? Wouldn’t count on it. He wouldn’t have anything nice to say.
Awful Announcing examines the unique lexicon of Mike Emrick.
Here’s a story Michael Bamberger did in Sports Illustrated on Ken Venturi’s final telecast in 2002. Very moving piece.
Awful Announcing has an interview with Ed Cunningham, the ESPN football analyst and award-winning filmmaker. Now there’s a unique combination.
Michael Bradley of the National Sports Journalism Center writes that sports talk radio hosts have “usurped the power” of local columnists.
Frank Deford’s weekly NPR commentary is on the retirement of David Beckham.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes about an ESPN poll to select the best NFL coach. How can it not be Lombardi?
Fang’s Bites has the details of the Tennis Channel’s coverage of the French Open.
Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News writes that Kevin Kennedy can empathize with the pressure on Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.
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Sports Media Podcasts
The Big Lead: Jason McIntyre talks with Jay Williams about the NBA draft.
Awful Announcing: An interview with Eddie Olczyk.
The Sports-Casters chat with Kenny Albert and Sports Illustrated’s Ben Reiter.
Sports Media Weekly: Ian Eagle discusses the French Open.
Striking back: NFL takes issue with Jim Litke’s view in AP column
Yet another example of how things are different in the new world of sports media.
Earlier this week, Jim Litke of the Associated Press wrote a column that was highly critical of the NFL. Mostly, he slammed the league’s decision not to award a Super Bowl to Miami because the city can’t build a new stadium.
That kind of arrogance may seem breathtaking, but it’s all just another day’s work for the NFL. Goodell runs a cartel that could teach the International Olympic Committee a thing or two about ruthlessness.
In the past, the only recourse for the NFL PR department would have been to call Litke and scream at him for a long time over the phone. However, the league now has its own “NFL Communications” blog.
That allowed Greg Aiello to write an open letter, refuting Litke’s claims. Aiello writes:
Dear Jim: I am compelled to respond to your column today because it is not only unfair but also inaccurate and misleading in many respects.
Steve Ross’s stadium renovation proposal called for Mr. Ross to pay for 70 percent of the costs, as well as to bring Super Bowls and other marquee events to South Florida or pay a substantial financial penalty (in excess of $100 million) if he failed to do so. Your column neglected to mention those facts and inaccurately said that he wants “taxpayers to foot the bill,” implying the entire bill.
Mr. Ross’s proposed investment is consistent with stadium development throughout our league. There are 13 stadium projects in the pipeline now with 74 percent ($3.2 billion) of the costs being privately financed by NFL owners. Your column says that new NFL stadiums are “largely publicly-financed stadiums.” That is not true. You completely overlooked the extraordinary amount of private money that is going into NFL stadium projects. Specifically, private investment accounts for 100 percent of the cost of the Jets/Giants’ MetLife Stadium, more than 60 percent in Dallas, more than 90 percent in San Francisco, more than 70 percent in Atlanta, and more than 50 percent in Minneapolis.
This hardly is the first time a league disagreed with Litke’s views. I am sure he is used to it.
However, Aiello’s open letter allowed the NFL to get its rebuttal out to a much larger audience.
Guess it works both ways in the new world of sports media.
Biggest race in the world? NBC executive says it is Monaco Grand Prix; live coverage Sunday
Sam Flood, the executive producer for NBC Sports, is telling me Sunday’s race on his network “is the biggest event in auto racing.”
Wait a minute. When did NBC acquire the rights to the Indianapolis 500?
The answer: It didn’t.
Flood was talking about the Monaco Grand Prix. For the time ever, NBC will air the race live Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET. It highlights the network’s new package to air all the Formula One races on either NBC or NBC Sports Network.
So what about that other race Sunday? You know the one in Indianapolis?
“The most watched series in the world is Formula One racing,” Flood said. “And the Grand Prix is the biggest race in that series. The entire world will be watching.”
With the possible exception of the U.S. Much like European Premier League soccer, the trick now is for NBC to develop a following for Formula One here.
“This is one of those sports, when you get into it, you’re hooked for life,” Flood said.
Flood thinks the Monaco Grand Prix will be a good opener.
“It truly is like a Kentucky Derby,” Flood said. “You’re not going to a car race. You’re going to an event. It’s stars and celebrity and the luxury of Monaco. You’ll be amazed how cool it is when they race by those multi-million dollar homes. It’s stunning.”
Iowa sports legend, Jim Zabel, dies at 91; followed Reagan as WHO sports director
I know my old friend and proud Hawkeye fan, Reid Hanley, would be sad today. Jim Zabel, a long-time fixture on Iowa radio broadcasts, died Thursday at 91.
From the Des Moines Register:
In a career spanning nearly seven decades at WHO radio in Des Moines, Zabel was the colorful play-by-play voice for more than 6,100 sporting events, including six Rose Bowls, 26 NCAA basketball tournaments and several runnings of the Drake Relays.
He once ran a footrace against Jesse Owens, followed Ronald Reagan as WHO’s sports director and hosted the longest-running bowling show in television history.
But Zabel was best known for his cries of “I love it! I love it! I love it!” that punctuated climactic moments during Hawkeye football and basketball games. “Hug and kiss those radios, folks,” he implored fans when his beloved Hawkeyes faced a dramatic turning point. “Man-oh-man-oh-man,” he groaned when critical fumbles or rim-clanking foul shots put a game out of reach.
The story had this quote from Zabel:
“If you want to know what to put on my tombstone,” Zabel said in 1994, “just three words: I HAD FUN.”
No. 1 again: NBC Sunday Night Football tops in prime time
Question: Will SNF be able to make it three in a row with Carrie Underwood, who replaces Faith Hill this year? You know, it’s all about the opening theme.
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From NBC:
Sunday Night Football on NBC finished this television season as the No. 1 show in primetime (Viewers 2+ and all key adult and male demos), based on Nielsen combo data and all 19 SNF telecasts. This marks the second straight television season, and the only two times on record, that a sports series has been the most-watched show of the primetime TV season.
For the 2012-2013 primetime television season, Sunday Night Football ranks as the most-watched show (21.5 million, viewers 2+), and the No. 1 program across the key demographics of Adults 18-49, 18-34, 25-54 as well as Men 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54.
- The 21.5 million average viewers for Sunday Night Football (all 19 telecasts) tops second place NCIS (21.3 million);
- In the advertiser-coveted Adult 18-49 demographic, SNF tops the second place show by two full ratings points (8.2 vs. 6.2 for Big Bang Theory);
- In the Adult 18-34 demographic, Sunday Night Football’s margin over the second place show is 60% (7.2 vs. 4.5 for Big Bang Theory).
OTHER SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL VIEWERSHIP NOTES:
- The 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons of Sunday Night Football are the first three seasons that an NFL primetime package drew more than 21 million viewers since the 1994-1996 seasons of Monday Night Football on ABC.
- The final average household rating of 12.8/19 (all 19 telecasts) is on pace with the last two seasons of Sunday Night Football and just one-tenth off of last year’s 12.9/20.
Maddening: Too many two-day gaps in NHL, NBA playoffs
I really don’t understand it. The NHL compressed its season to jam in 48 games. The schedule required players to play several back-to-backs.
Then the playoffs roll around, and the pace is reduced to a leisurely stroll.
Take the Chicago-Detroit series. After Game 1 on Wednesday, May 18, there was a two-day break until Game 2 on Saturday. Then after playing Game 3 on Monday, there is another two-day break until Game 4 tonight.
The Pittsburgh-Ottawa series already has had two 2-day breaks. Boston-New York Rangers had two days off between Games 1 and 2 last week.
If you think that is bad, after playing Game 2 on Tuesday night, the San Antonio-Memphis series has a three-day break until Game 3 on Saturday in Memphis.
What’s the reason for all this? Of course, television.
(Note: In the case of Chicago-Detroit, Game 2 had to be pushed to Saturday because of the possibility of a Game 6 in the Chicago-Miami series that would have been Friday night in the United Center.)
The networks are trying to package these series so they can maximize ratings. That means spreading them out to minimize multiple games on the same day.
However, the long gaps interrupt the flow of these series for fans. I don’t know about you, but it annoys me to have to wait two or three days between games.
I also think the gaps provide a competitive advantage for older, veteran teams who can benefit from the extra days of recovery. I’m sure Tim Duncan and the Spurs aren’t complaining.
At least the NBA is ahead of the NHL. Thanks to the lockout, there’s a long way to go before anyone lifts the Stanley Cup.
You would think there would have been a greater sense of urgency to accelerate the NHL playoffs for an earlier finish. The finals now could extend into late June. Really, will anyone care by then?
Let the hype begin: CBS opens 2013 with Alabama-Texas A&M on Sept. 14
Talk about a huge way to begin the season. The defending national champs trying to avenge their only 2012 loss against the Aggies and “Johnny Football.”
I can hardly wait, except it would mean that summer is nearly over, and we barely get summer in Chicago. High of 54 today. Football weather.
Here are the highlights of CBS college football schedule:
CBS Sports kicks off its 13th consecutive season of national coverage of Southeastern Conference Football on Saturday, Sept. 14 (3:30-7:00 PM, ET) with the much anticipated rematch between Alabama and Texas A&M. CBS Sports continues to be the exclusive national network broadcaster of SEC home football games, showcasing the top conference match-ups with the “SEC Game of the Week.”
The SEC ON CBS schedule features a total of 16 games during the network’s 13-week season, including two doubleheaders and the SEC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 7 (4:00 PM, ET).
In addition to the SEC, CBS Sports also broadcasts Air Force at Navy for the third consecutive year on Saturday, Oct. 5 (11:30 AM, ET), the annual Army-Navy game on Saturday, Dec. 14 (3:00 PM, ET) and the 79th Sun Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 31 (2:00 PM, ET).
Highlights of 2013 schedule include:
(All Times ET)
September 14 – Alabama at Texas A&M, 3:30 PM
October 5 – Air Force at Navy, 11:30 AM
October 19 — SEC Doubleheader, 12:00 NOON & 3:30 PM
November 2 — Georgia vs. Florida, 3:30 PM
November 9 — SEC Doubleheader, 3:30 PM & 8:00 PM
November 29 — Arkansas at LSU, 2:30 PM
December 7 — SEC Championship, 4:00 PM
December 14 — Army vs. Navy, 3:00 PM
December 31 — Sun Bowl, 2:00 PM
All other “SEC Games of the Week” are announced six-to-12 days prior to their broadcast date.
Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson, along with Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines, serve as CBS Sports’ lead college football announce team.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game, halftime and post-game studio show, is broadcast in the half-hour format throughout the season, providing highlights and analysis of all the day’s action.
Back in the day: Remembering Cooper Rollow with old friends from Tribune
As long as you are in this business, your fondest memories always are of the people who walked in the door with you back in the day. Everyone was young, full of energy, and yes, a bit of mischief.
So that’s why it was so special when the veteran Chicago Tribune folks got together over the weekend to remember legendary sports editor Cooper Rollow, who died last month. In advance of Rollow’s memorial service Sunday, Don Pierson, the Tribune’s great NFL writer and a mentor of mine, threw a reunion for the old crew Saturday night.
The group included Roy Damer, who had his first byline in the Tribune in 1956; George Langford, Rollow’s successor as sports editor; Robert Markus, who covered many events with Rollow as a Tribune columnist; former high school sports writer Jerry Shnay, who still talks of his battles with Taylor Bell. There was Skip Myslenski, Neil Milbert, Mike Conklin, Steve Nidetz, and Fred Mitchell, whose familiar bylines graced the Tribune for years.
It had been decades since we were all together, but the stories flowed as if it was yesterday. One tale after another about true Tribune characters like Rollow, Dave Condon, Bob “Lefty” Logan, Bill Jauss, and the sports department’s beloved Bernie Colbeck, our greatest advocate and friend.
Not to sound like an old veteran who says “it was better back in the day,” but it truly was when it comes to camaraderie and just having fun. Nobody worked from home as they do today. As a result, the newsroom hummed with everyone coming together to put out the paper the next morning. It was serious work, to be sure, but there also were plenty of byplay, pranks, and in general just goofing on each other. Simply, you couldn’t wait to come in every day to be a part of it.
My former boss, Owen Youngman, now a journalism professor at Northwestern, wrote about Rollow and the weekend’s activities on OwenYoungman.com. He recalled how being the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune back then was among the biggest jobs in sports:
For a good part of the 20th Century, it was not at all unusual to find one particular person front and center at important moments in the life of Chicago, in the business of media, and in American sports.
That person was not an athlete or a mogul, as such a person almost certainly would have to be today. He was the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune.
“He was so influential,” said one of my former colleagues at a gathering I attended on Saturday night; “it was the biggest job in the country.” “I couldn’t believe the famous people who came in,” said another. “He was a celebrity,” nodded a third.
Indeed, Rollow was a person of considerable influence. Pierson said if Rollow was calling, “Pete Rozelle picked up the phone.”
Why not? Rollow was a wonderful man who had a terrific sense of humor, as evidenced by this story:
Neil Milbert talked about the Saturday night in football season when, with the desk on deadline to close the Sunday paper, Rollow noticed from his office that a tour group was being led through the building. He burst from his office waving a fistful of paper and shouting, “Stop the presses! I’ve got a story that will turn this town upside down!” The dumbfounded civilians stopped in their tracks, unaware they were the target audience for a very particular sort of street theater.
As I said, only in the newsroom. Thanks to Don for throwing the party. Thanks to Cooper and the old gang for all the memories.