Rome addresses Stern interview: Thought it was a softball question

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Interesting day for Jim Rome. From CBS Sports Network:

On tonight’s episode of ROME on CBS Sports Network, Jim Rome addressed his radio interview with NBA Commissioner David Stern from earlier today.

(ROME ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH STERN): I’ve done interviews with David Stern several times over the years. We’ve always had a very good relationship. It’s been kind of a contentious give-and-take at times, but always a fundamental level of respect. I did not expect that to go that way and that was certainly not my intent.

(ROME ON STERN’S RESPONSE): It was a rhetorical device. A lot of people don’t know that phrase (‘Have you stopped beating your wife yet?’). They didn’t know where he was going. I understood it. I didn’t take great offense to it. I didn’t agree with it. But the fact of the matter is I thought my question was direct and it was not a loaded question. So I thought that analogy was inappropriate. My point is, I don’t think that it’s fixed (the NBA Draft). Even after that conversation, I don’t think that it’s fixed. But I thought the question was fair.

(ROME ON ASKING THE QUESTION): I was not looking to start anything. I thought it was a soft ball question, to be honest. I thought it was an easy question. I thought he’d say, ‘Come on, are you kidding? Conspiracy theories? The only people who believe that are whack jobs and people that are out of hand.’

Contentious Rome-David Stern interview: Commish accuses Rome of ‘cheap thrill’ question

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Great to see NBA Commissioner David Stern throw it back in the face of Jim Rome today.

During the final portion of an interview with the commish on his radio show, Rome asked about the ridiculous notion that the draft lottery was fixed to give the New Orleans Hornets the No. 1 pick in the draft. Don’t get me started on that subject.

Deadspin has the link to the interview.

Rome said: “I know you appreciate a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy. Was the fix in for the lottery?”

Stern’s initial response included him asking Rome, “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?”

Indeed, how was Stern supposed respond?. One loaded question deserved another.

Rome and Stern debated for a few minutes. Then eventually, Stern said: “It’s good copy when you do things for cheap thrills.”

Later Stern said, “You’ve been successful making a career out of it.”

Whoa.

Rome clearly was taken aback and protested the comments. Running out of patience, Stern said, “Do you want to hang up on me?”

Whoa, part 2.

For the record, Rome didn’t hang up. Eventually, the exchange ended with Stern saying, “”I have to go call someone important now. Stephen A. Smith is up next.”

Whoa, part 3.

I’m not sure about Rome’s intentions, but he should have known better than to ask Stern such a loaded question. Then again, perhaps Rome knew exactly what he was doing.

The exchange has Rome trending on Twitter and elsewhere.

As for Rome, this is his most recent Tweet as of 3:30 ET: “NBA Commissioner David Stern, right now in The Jungle”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A surprise: Duval to work U.S. Open for ESPN

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I can safely say I never envisioned the often reticent David Duval wanting a career in television.

Apparently, that’s the case. The former No. 1 player in the world will be part of ESPN’s broadcast team for the U.S. Open.

From the release:

Duval, winner of 13 events and more than $18 million on the PGA TOUR, will be an analyst on feature group coverage that will air on ESPN3, ESPN’s multi-screen live sports network. The programming is available online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE.

“TV is definitely something that’s interesting and intrigues me,” said Duval. “I enjoy the game so much and I enjoy what’s going on in the game right now so much. The opportunity to do this presented itself and it worked out, so I thought this could be pretty fun.”

Duval had intended to play in the U.S. Open but did not qualify and indicated his work for ESPN should not be viewed as a signal he’s hanging up the clubs for good.

“I don’t want it to be seen as a transition because I don’t believe my playing career is over,” he said. “I know I’ve had a rough year but I’ve also been dealing with other small injuries that I haven’t talked about. But it (TV) is definitely something I’d like to do in the future.”

Who knew? He’s definitely a complex dude. I found him to be arguably the most intelligent golfer I’ve covered, capable of delivering deep, thoughtful answers. However, he also could be painfully terse in interviews. I thought he found the entire process extremely tedious. Nobody will ever accuse him of being a quote machine.

Exactly how Duval’s personality will translate to television remains to be seen. Clearly, though, it is worth a try of both fronts.

 

 

 

Stanley Cup Final could have used a Gretzky; Game 1 ratings soar with LeBron, Durant

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It’s all about big, big stars.

The NBA has them for its final; the NHL didn’t. Just look at the ratings.

Final numbers for the Stanley Cup finals were the lowest since 2007. The Los Angeles Kings-New Jersey ratings were down 33 percent from last year, averaging 3 million viewers per game.

Meanwhile, Game 1 of the NBA Finals did an 11.8 overnight rating, the highest ever for a game on ABC. And it only figures to get bigger if LeBron James and company can win a few games in this series.

The NBA rating speaks to the star power of a final that includes James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook. As much as people hate the Heat, they still tune in to watch. I thought it was great that they made the finals. Rooting for Miami to lose to Boston is sort of like wanting Jack Nicholson’s Joker to be knocked off with 45 minutes left in Batman. I wanted more Heat, not less.

As for hockey, would the ratings have been down if the Kings still had a player named Wayne Gretzky? Definitely not.

Gretkzy, though, is long gone, and the league doesn’t have another transcendent star, given the uncertain health status of Sidney Crosby. As a result, the final featured two mostly unknown teams. And the Kings going up 3-0 also dulled the ratings momentum.

The NHL’s parity is great in the early rounds, when the No. 8 Kings proved that the seeds don’t really matter in hockey. The new format of airing every game on NBC’s various platforms resulted in a nice increase in the ratings.

However, the problem with parity is that sometimes the big-name teams and players get knocked off before the finals. For the first time since 2007, there wasn’t an Original 6 team or Crosby-led Pittsburgh in the Finals. Instead, the NHL got Los Angeles-New Jersey, two teams that don’t necessarily move the meter even in their home markets.

There are plenty of positives for hockey. But as the ratings for the Final showed, there’s plenty of room for improvement.

 

 

 

 

Get ready for return of Dream Team; NBA TV documentary debuts tonight

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Given our love for anniversaries with round numbers, the 20-year mark for the legendary 1992 Olympics powerhouse will be front and center this summer. It begins with an NBA TV documentary simply titled, The Dream Team. It debuts Wednesday at 9 p.m. (ET) and will be replayed about a million times.

Then coming in July, Jack McCallum, who covered that bunch for Sports Illustrated, will be out with a new book, Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever.

Quite a mouthful, Jack.

Both the documentary and the book are excellent. I’m planning an interview with Jack soon.

Then again, how could they miss given the subjects?

It was an unprecedented, and never duplicated, array of transcendent superstars playing for the same team; 11 of the 12 players are in the Hall of Fame. The Dreamers featured Michael Jordan, fresh off a second NBA championship with the Bulls, trying to grab the torch away from Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, two aging stars who saved the NBA in the 80s.

The documentary details the over-the-top rock star adoration that greeted the team at every stop. And for contrast, there’s great footage of John Stockton, the short white guard, going unrecognized as he walked through the streets of Barcelona with his family.

Indeed, the best part of the documentary is the behind-the-scenes accounts of the team. It includes never-before-seen footage of an intense scrimmage in Monte Carlo in which respective team captains Jordan and Johnson played as if it was the Chicago Stadium for the NBA Finals.

There’s much more. You come away from the documentary feeling the same way as the players. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone.

Said Jordan: “What we did will go down in history as one of the biggest, biggest things that ever happened. And it won’t ever be duplicated.”

 

 

 

Made for TV pairing does no favors for Bubba Watson at U.S. Open

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The U.S. Open is hard enough without having to be part of a circus.

So regardless of what he says, Bubba Watson can’t be pleased with a made-for-TV pairing that has him playing with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson during the first two rounds of the U.S. Open.

Did I say circus? It’s going to be an absolute zoo. You can be sure Woods and Mickelson also aren’t thrilled with this threesome, but at least they’ve had plenty of experience with massive galleries and people scurrying all over the place.

It’s a different story for Watson, who has struggled ever since winning the Masters. He’s only played twice and missed the cut at the Memorial a couple of weeks ago. Yes, the sudden spotlight can be overwhelming.

Clearly, the United States Golf Association wants to create more of a buzz for the Open with this pairing. But why? Isn’t the tournament big enough?

During a conference call today, I asked NBC producer Tommy Roy if the USGA consults with the network on the pairings. He said:

We talk about it, more about the timing that they go off so that it fits within certain windows.  But the fact of the matter is that the pairings are up to them.  But they have a good sense of what makes for good television, as well.  They play consult a little but it’s their pairings.

Obviously, NBC and ESPN will focus the majority of their coverage on that one pairing. Steve Stricker is 6-under through 13? Great, save it later for the Golf Channel. 

It’s going to be all-Tiger-Phil-Bubba, all-the-time when they’re out on the course. I asked Johnny Miller about the pairing. He said:

I’ve played in similar type of threesomes with Trevino and Nicklaus, and not so much in the U.S. Open, because they would never do that in the mid 70s, have the three biggest draws together.

But golf is a new world.  It’s a big sport now.  It will be very interesting to see how that pairing pans out or whether they all play poorly or they all play well or just one plays well.  With that many people and that much pressure, to be honest with you, at the Open, knowing this pairing is historical, the three biggest draws in the tournament being together, it will be fun to watch.  I can’t wait to watch it.  I hope they do great.

It’s just sort of unique.  So, is this a precursor of something of the future we are going to see a lot more of, where you put the best players together, or if it’s just a one‑time thing.

Is it fair? Frank Nobilo said:

(Watson’s) stated goal, he stated recently, is to be the best player in the world.  So I think he would embrace that opportunity to take them on.  You have got to beat them, whether it Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday; but for him, it’s something I think he would relish.

And just to add, you have three different types of fans that are going to come out, which I don’t think golf has really had.  Phil and Tiger ‑‑ but Bubba brings a different element to golf which we haven’t seen in many a year and that’s something that has to be said, as well.

Miller said as only he could:

Let’s put it this way:  I would much rather play with two guys that are shooting 67, than two guys that are shooting 79 going to every toilet, you know.

I’m not sure about the toilet part, but I’m betting Watson’s scores will be closer to 79 than 67.

 

 

 

New York sportswriters help arrange dream practice round with Mickelson at U.S. Open

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People in our business take a lot of flak these days, so it’s nice to point to a good deed done by a couple of sportswriters in New York.

Hank Gola of the New York Daily News and Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post helped make a golfer’s dream come true at the U.S. Open.

After years of failing, New Jersey club professional Mark McCormick finally qualified for this week’s big event in San Francisco at age 49. He beat a field in sectional qualifying that even included his 21-year old son, Ryan, who plays at St. John’s.

Gola and Cannizzaro have gotten close to McCormick through the years. They know McCormick, a lefty, is a huge Phil Mickelson fan. In fact, when Mickelson pulled into contention during the 2010 Masters, McCormick made a beeline to Augusta National to be on hand to see him receive his third Green Jacket.

The sportswriters both had the same thought. Without consulting the other, they each sent text messages to Mickelson, explaining the story and asking if he would play a practice round with McCormick.

Mickelson immediately texted back, “8 a.m. Tuesday.” Filling out the group is Keegan Bradley, a St. John’s alum.

So this morning, McCormick will prepare for his first U.S. Open while walking the fairways with his favorite player.

In a diary for the New York Post, McCormick said:

I’m playing a practice round with Phil Mickelson [today] and I don’t know how I’m going to be. I’ll probably be a wreck, but it’ll be fun. I’ll probably be  ready to puke and smile at the same time.

Maybe because I’m a lefty and he’s always been such a nice guy who does the right thing, I’ve always rooted for him to win every week. I’m going to be so  nervous playing with him, I hope I can get a ball airborne.

I’m sure he will. And I’m sure it will be a memory of a lifetime for McCormick, thanks to a couple of sportswriters.

“This is one of those times as a sportswriter, you’re just really happy for somebody,” Gola said.

Indeed, to use a Jewish term, you did a “mitzvah,” boys. Well done.

 

 

 

 

Pressing issue: Ralph Nader ticked off at in-game radio ads on Yankees games

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In December, when I review my favorite stories of the year, I’m pretty sure this one will be high up on the list.

Ralph Nader is ticked off at the amount of in-game ads during Yankees radio broadcasts. Really.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times reports Nader sent a letter to the Yankees. From his story:

In a letter Friday to team executives Randy Levine and Brian Cashman, Nader listed 22 in-game ads that ran during the June 1 Yankees-Tigers game; he said they served to “disrupt the flow and excitement of the game broadcast and undermine your responsibilities as a guardian of the national pastime.”

Later in the story:

Nader cited ads that sponsored the pitching matchup (Chock Full o’ Nuts), pitch count (5-hour Energy), rally moment of the game (Rally BMW), game-time temperature (Peerless Boilers), national anthem (Mutual of America Life Insurance), call to the bullpen (Honda) and 15th out of the game (Geico).

Most of the ads, not surprisingly, strained to make a connection with the action on the field.

“Have you no boundaries or sense of restraint?” Nader wrote, in his position as the founder of the sports advocacy group League of Fans. “Have you no mercy on your play-calling broadcasters?”

At age 78, has it come down to this for the great consumer advocate? Complaining about in-game radio ads seems a bit trivial given all the other things to harp about in society. Then again, Nader always has been a multi-tasker.

As for the in-game ads that pollute games broadcasts everywhere, let’s be honest, nobody likes them. Not the teams, not the stations, and certainly not the listeners. Most of them are annoying and some are obnoxious. From the Yankees game, Nader notes this brutal ad:

“And the pitch is called a strike as he threaded the outside corner. And that is painting the corner. And painting the corner is sponsored by Certa Pro Painters because painting is personal.”

Nader does have a point, but here’s the bottom line: WCBS pays the Yankees $14 million to air the games. The station has to find a way to pay its bills.

Times are tough, you might have heard. The big-name sponsors are cutting back. Hence, stations are forced to wedge in the cheaper in-game ads to lure in the small companies. It’s called making ends meet.

Unless the teams reduce their right fees (yeah, right), listeners will have to suffer through more in-game ads despite the noble efforts of Mr. Nader.

Full disclosure: I am the co-host of a Saturday morning golf talk radio show on WSCR-AM 670, the flagship station of the Chicago White Sox. Have yet to receive a letter from Nader complaining about number of ads on our show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NBC Sports looks to get into radio

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Get ready for more sports talk radio.

NBC Sports is expanding its horizons. This morning, it announced the creation of the NBC Sports Radio Network.

The initial plans will start on a smaller scale with NBC and local Comcast SportsNet personalities providing reports and analysis to participating stations. Eventually, the expectation is that NBC will have a 24/7 platform that airs on various stations throughout the country and perhaps SiriusXM, much like ESPN and Fox.

From the release:

The NBC Sports Group and Dial Global (NASDAQ: DIAL) announced a partnership today to create the NBC Sports Radio Network. Beginning in September, the network will be distributed to radio stations nationwide by Dial Global.

The network’s content will include hourly sports news updates, daily features as well as full-length shows.

In addition to distribution on terrestrial radio stations, NBC Sports’ audio content will be available on a wide variety of digital platforms. Live shows will be streamed on NBCSports.com, DialGlobalSports.com, affiliate stations’ websites and other streaming services. On-demand short-form audio content will also be distributed online and through podcasts and other digital applications. Dial Global will be the exclusive ad and affiliate sales representative to the network.

“We are thrilled to bring the rich heritage of NBC Sports to listeners across national radio for the first time,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “By adding radio to our broadcast, cable, regional, and digital assets, the NBC Sports Radio Network will give sports fans a new way to interact with the NBC Sports Group day in and day out.”

“Dial Global is excited to partner with NBC Sports Group to expand upon Dial Global’s live play-by-play platform. We are confident that with NBC’s sports assets, we will create a leading full service sports network and bring great sports audio to listeners across America,” said Spencer Brown, Co-CEO of Dial Global.

Tapping into the NBC Sports Group’s unique mix of national and local assets, the NBC Sports Radio Network will provide stations both national and regional sports content. Listeners may hear hourly sports updates, long-form shows and features hosted by national NBC Sports voices, NBC Sports Regional Networks on-air personalities, or NBC affiliate sportscasters, depending upon location. Specific programming and commentator details will be announced at a later date.