Monthly Archives: March 2013

When was last coast-to-coast, national hockey cover for Sports Illustrated? Clue: It’s been a while

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lt turns out that great shot of the Chicago Blackhawks was a regional cover for Sports Illustrated this week. It went out to 66 percent of the country.

The other cover was a vintage photo of Patrick Ewing at Georgetown, noting the end of the current version of the Big East in basketball.

It got me thinking: When was the last time Sports Illustrated had a coast-to-coast, national cover for hockey?

The answer: More than three years.

You have to go back to March 8, 2010 when Sports Illustrated featured Sidney Crosby and Canada winning the gold over the U.S. in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Since then, Sports Illustrated has run five regional hockey covers. Prior to this week’s issue, the previous one was last April, featuring New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lindqvist in a playoffs preview. I didn’t see that cover in Chicago. We received Bubba Watson winning the Masters.

Among the other regional covers were the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, and the Boston Bruins in 2011. Sorry, Los Angeles Kings, but you didn’t merit any cover treatment for capturing last year’s Cup.

When I asked about the cover situation, SI spokesman Scott Novak said, “Hockey is deeply woven in the DNA of Sports Illustrated.”

Indeed, hockey isn’t likely to get slighted with the new administration at Sports Illustrated. Paul Fitchenbaum, the head of SI’s entire sports group, served as the magazine’s hockey editor for many years. Chris Stone, the new managing editor, once wrote the Inside the NHL column.

That doesn’t guarantee that hockey will be featured on more covers. And it would be easy to knock SI for not featuring hockey more in its most prime position. Hockey was routinely on SI’s cover during the first 30 years of the magazine.

However, it’s a new era. At the end of the day, it also is incumbent on the NHL and hockey to produce stars and deliver stories worthy of SI cover treatment. The Blackhawks story clearly is a start in the right direction. Hopefully, there will be more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s official: ESPN hires Ray Lewis; will host “Gruden-like” specials

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Ray Lewis already is making the rounds today at ESPN. Expect to see quite a bit of him, as evidenced by Lewis hosting his own Jon Gruden-like specials.

ESPN didn’t sign Lewis to only play him in third-down situations. Don’t be surprised if he eventually becomes a regular on Sunday NFL Countdown.

From Bristol:

Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 12-time Pro Bowler Ray Lewis, who ended his legendary NFL career by helping the Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII last month, is joining ESPN as a NFL studio analyst.  The two-time Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer will appear on Monday Night Countdown, Sunday Night Countdown and SportsCenter, while also contributing to ESPN’s annual Super Bowl coverage.

Lewis will travel to the site of each week’s Monday Night Football game where he will offer analysis alongside Stuart Scott, Hall of Famer Steve Young and his former Ravens teammate Trent Dilfer during the pre-game Countdown and post-game SportsCenter. Lewis will contribute to Sunday NFL Countdown throughout the season and make a weekly appearance on ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning. The 17-year NFL veteran will also have the opportunity to host specials similar to Jon Gruden’s QB Camp series. He is expected to start on August 1.

“Ray is a tremendous addition to our NFL roster and he will have an immediate impact on our coverage,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, production. “One of the most accomplished players in NFL history, fans will be drawn to his knowledge, experience and, of course, the passion he always exudes for the game.”

Lewis added: “ESPN is such a big part of how fans watch and experience sports, especially the NFL, so I’m excited to join their team.  I’m ready to bring the same level of passion to this next phase of my life as I brought to the field during my years as a player. I can’t wait to work with my new teammates, many of whom I’ve already known for years.”

Lewis played his entire 17-year career (1996-2012) with the Ravens and was part of both of the franchise’s Super Bowl titles – XXXV (named MVP) and XLVII. His 12 Pro Bowl selections are tied for the fifth-most in NFL history and most by a linebacker. He is also one of only six players to earn the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award multiple times (2000 and 2003). Named to the 2000s All-Decade Team, Lewis played in 228 games during his career, amassing 41.5 sacks and 31 interceptions. The second draft pick in Ravens history – the No. 26 pick overall in the 1996 NFL Draft – Lewis is the all-time franchise leader in many categories, including tackles (2,643), fumble recoveries (31), seasons (17), games played (228) and playoff games (11).

Lewis made a guest appearance on ESPN’s NFL Live last summer, and he had a similar role on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown at Super Bowl XLI in South Florida in 2007. He was the featured athlete on the cover of EA Sports’ Madden NFL 2005, and he was profiled in NFL Network’s documentary series A Football Life.

Lewis is involved in charitable activities, motivational speaking and mentoring. He started the Ray Lewis 52 Foundation, a non-profit corporation which provides personal and economic assistance to disadvantaged youth. In May 2010, a portion of Baltimore’s North Avenue was renamed “Ray Lewis Way” in honor of his charitable work; similar honors include a 2006 JB Award (named for CBS broadcaster James Brown) and an “Act of Kindness” Award for his community work.

Miami New Times says no to handing over records to MLB; cites detest of Loria

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The Miami New Times ultimately did the right thing, if not for some of the wrong reasons.

In a column written by Chuck Strouse, the paper said it wouldn’t hand over the evidence that could incriminate players like Alex Rodriguez.

He writes:

Sorry, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. We won’t hand over records that detail the inner workings of Biogenesis, the controversial Coral Gables anti-aging clinic that allegedly supplied prohibited drugs to six professional baseball players, including Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.

The reasons are manifold. History plays a role in our decision. So do journalistic ethics and the fact that we have already posted dozens of records on our website. Finally, there is a hitherto-unreported Florida Department of Health criminal probe into clinic director Anthony Bosch.

However, Strouse writes part of the reason for not delivering the requested information is that the paper doesn’t want to aid Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. He views MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and baseball are an extension of Loria.

One of our most significant motivations for denying baseball is right here in the tropics. His name is Jeffrey Loria, and he owns the Miami Marlins, who start regular-season play in just a few weeks. A March 1 story in the Atlantic called the pudgy art collector’s stewardship of our baseball team, which has twice won the World Series, “the biggest ongoing scam in professional sports.” The magazine’s article describes, as New Times has in the past, how Loria hornswoggled $515 million in public backing for the stadium and parking facilities, then delivered a losing season and sold off all his best players.

The magazine blamed Selig: “If Marlins fans want results, they should send a few representatives to Commissioner Bud Selig’s office in New York. There’s a clause in Selig’s contract mandating that he act in ‘the best interests of baseball.’ Right now that would mean stepping in to prevent owners like Loria from using a big-league team as a front for squeezing money from taxpayers.”

So this is the guy who wants our records?

That’s fine if you detest Loria. Who doesn’t in Miami? But this is a journalistic issue. As the paper points out, handing over the records would set a bad precedent.

Then there is the question of ethics. A month ago, I opposed both the newspaper’s lawyer and the article’s author, Tim Elfrink, and wanted to give the records to baseball. I hoped to see A-Roid and the others punished and believed walking the ethical line was the only way to make that action happen. But then I began pondering the precedents that would set. First, we would be handing over the product of our reporting to a for-profit group with a seamy past. What if baseball improperly used our work? What if it decided to punish some players and not others?

Second, we would be sending the wrong message to future anonymous sources who might want to give us records. Our source for this article fears for his safety. How could we subject him to greater risk by losing control of the information he had provided?

“Handing over the records makes you a tool of Major League Baseball,” comments Charles Davis, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. “And you are scaring people in the future who might be thinking of calling you.”

That should be the first and only reason why the Miami New Times doesn’t hand over the records.

 

 

Pre-SI jinx? Blackhawks, on a two-game losing streak, land hockey on cover

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Is even the hint of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated enough to launch the famed jinx? The streak ended Friday, and the Blackhawks have given up 12 goals in two straight losses.

Kidding aside, the Hawks definitely are deserving. Landing on the SI cover speaks about the impact the Hawks made during their run.

The cover also speaks to the aura SI still has in the market. The news was the talk of the town in Chicago Tuesday.

Newspapers aren’t dead yet: Men say they are main sources for sports news

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A survey said that newspapers remain the top source for sports news for men.

I suppose I should ask this question: Is this a survey from 1965?

Amid all the calamitous news about newspapers and anything associated with them comes a recent survey by M/A/R/C for the Newspaper National Network.

Erik Sass for the Media Daily News reports:

Among male sports fans ages 18-54, 76% cited the sports section of their local newspaper Web site as one of their “go-to” sources for sports news, while 69% cited the print edition.

That compares with 66% for ESPN.com, 46% for league sites, 45% for Yahoo Sports.com, and 45% for ESPN Sports Center. Further down the list, 33% said sports talk radio and 23% said Sports Illustrated or SI.com.

The finds are from a survey by M/A/R/C for the Newspaper National Network. The poll of 716 men ages 18-54, including in-depth interviews with 404, found that this key audience demo prefers both print and online newspapers to any other source for sports content.

I’d like to believe the survey’s findings are valid. I’m a newspaper guy. I want them to thrive.

However, what about declining circulation figures? What about the fact that I never see a young person reading a newspaper?

The survey says it polled men in the 18-54 category. What was the distribution: 3 percent from 18-35; 97 percent from 35-54?

More from the survey:

Even more striking, men ages 18-54 who didn’t classify themselves as regular newspaper readers still cited newspaper Web sites as their top source of sports news.

Overall, 75% of non-regular readers cited newspaper Web sites as a go-to source, compared to 71% for ESPN.com, 40% for Yahoo Sports.com, and 38% for ESPN Sports Center. Sports talk radio trailed at 27%, and Sports Illustrated and SI.com came in at 16% and 13% among non-regular readers.

Newspapers’ advantage was qualitative as well. Among regular readers, 72% said sports content from newspapers was superior to any other source, and 62% said they get news and analysis they can’t find anywhere else.

On one level, it makes sense. Under the everything is local category, the local paper still has the most reporting about the local teams. Yet there are plenty of new local sites that provide popular alternatives.

Here’s the headline from all of this: Sports fans still love newspapers, says newspaper association.

Make of it what you will. Let’s just say I am skeptical.

 

 

 

Jimmy Roberts on reporting golf story from Attica: ‘It’s a scary place; Everything you would think it is’

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Jimmy Roberts never imagined he ever would do a golf story at Attica State Prison. Yet there he was in a room interviewing convicted murderers.

“You never know,” Roberts said. “Attica is a scary place. It’s everything you’d think it is.”

The piece highlights the debut of his new show, In Play with Jimmy Roberts. The premiere episode is Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. on the Golf Channel.

This is the network’s version of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The show, which will air once a month, will focus on long-form storytelling about all things golf.

There should be no shortage of material. Here’s the rundown for the debut:

Golf Vistas From Behind Bars – Sentenced to prison for a murder he claims he did not commit, Valentino Dixon has spent the past 21 years in Attica State Prison in Upstate New York. Eligible for parole in 2030, Dixon has never played a round of golf or even picked up a golf club. However, he passes the time in his cell drawing famous golf holes from around the world. Interviews with Dixon, Charlotte Ross, his childhood art teacher and Lamar Scott, who also is serving a life sentence but claims he committed the crime Dixon was convicted for more than two decades ago, are featured.

The King’s Warehouse – Latrobe, Pa., is an iconic location in American golf as the home of the sport’s most famous player, Arnold Palmer. In a massive warehouse is a treasure trove of memorabilia that Palmer has collected over the years. Rich Lerner joins The King for a rare tour.

Divots of Depression: Christina Kim – With her robust, upbeat persona, LPGA professional Christina Kim seems an unlikely victim of depression. Known for her incandescent smile and her full-throttle cheering at the Solheim Cup, Kim found herself in that unlikely position in 2011, wrestling with depression and contemplating suicide. Damon Hack sits down Kim for her first on-camera interview about her battle with depression.

Roberts’ prison story is really compelling; more than worth your time. I did a Q/A with the long-time NBC Sports reporter (@jimmyrobertsNBC) on the show and the art of telling a good story.

So this is the Golf Channel’s version of Real Sports?

That’s a very apt description. You need three things to tell a good story: You need the resources and time to report it; you need the time to tell it; and you need a good story.

With those three components, you have a fighting chance people will want to either see or read your story. Golf Channel made a commitment to storytelling with this show.

What is it that has drawn you to this role as a storyteller?

For better or worse, it’s the lot I’ve fallen into. I grew up with the Wide World of Sports, and later I was very fortunate to get to work with people like Jack Whitaker and Jim McKay. I’m not a stats guy. I’m more of an up-close-and-personal person. I still think there’s nothing like a good story.

(Below is Rich Lerner talking about his story with Palmer)

Why will this type of vehicle work for golf?

I think it was George Plimpton who said something to the effect, ‘The smaller the ball, the better the writing.’ A lot of what’s going on in golf is pretty compelling. You can watch golf on TV and enjoy the competition. But there’s a whole segment of the population, myself included, who play golf. We relate to the game in that aspect.

Golf may be a sport, but it’s also a culture. Golf Channel has done a good job of positioning itself as the voice of this culture. There are so many stories out there. We look forward to telling them.

What was it like going to Attica?

If you’re of a certain age, Attica means something to you. I got goosebumps walking in there. You remember the helicopter shots of the dead bodies (from the famous prison riot).

It’s a dark place; it’s a dangerous place. It’s Medieval. It’s every bit as dangerous as its reputation.

I’m glad I went there. It’s one of the more interesting stories I’ve ever been a part of. I’m glad I met (the main subject). I hope somebody sees his story and says, ‘I wonder if this is worth taking a look at.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gottlieb added to NCAA tournament lineup; Nichols, LaForce to be sideline reporters

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A chance to be part of the NCAA tournament was a big reason why Doug Gottlieb jumped to CBS from ESPN. He will team with Spero Dedes for second- and third-round coverage.

Also, Rachel Nichols, who recently went to CNN/Turner, and Allie LaForce, who does a late-night show with Gottlieb on CBS Sports Network, have been added as game reporters.

Otherwise, it’s basically status quo when all the fun begins with the play-in games a week from tomorrow.

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Here’s the official announcement:

Turner Sports and CBS Sports today announces its lineup of broadcast teams for the third year of combined coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.  Once again, CBS Sports and Turner Sports provide live, full national coverage of the tournament’s 67 games across four national television networks – TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV – as well as across multiple platforms including NCAA March Madness Live®.

The tournament tips off on Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20 with the NCAA FIRST FOUR™ on truTV Presented by Northwestern Mutual. Marv Albert and Steve Kerr will be courtside calling the action from Dayton, Ohio on March 19, with Craig Sager reporting.  Wednesday’s FIRST FOUR broadcast team, which will also call the second and third round games from the Dayton site, will be announced on Selection Sunday.

For the third consecutive year Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg, Steve Kerr and reporter Tracy Wolfson will team up for the Final Four® and National Championship game live from Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, April 6 and Monday, April 8.

Joining this year’s announcer line-up are Doug Gottlieb, who will serve as a game and studio analyst, and courtside reporters Rachel Nichols and Allie LaForce.   

 Following are the announcer pairings for the second and third rounds (Thursday, March 21-Sunday, March 24):

 

Play-By-Play / Analyst // Reporter

*Regional Announce Teams

 

Jim Nantz / Clark Kellogg // Tracy Wolfson*

Marv Albert / Steve Kerr // Craig Sager*

Verne Lundquist / Bill Raftery // Rachel Nichols*

Kevin Harlan / Reggie Miller / Len Elmore // Lewis Johnson*

Ian Eagle / Jim Spanarkel // Allie LaForce

Brian Anderson / Dan Bonner // Marty Snider

Tim Brando / Mike Gminski // Otis Livingston

Spero Dedes / Doug Gottlieb // Jaime Maggio

Studio Coverage

For the third consecutive year, Turner Sports and CBS Sports will utilize two studios, based in New York and Atlanta, to cover all the tournament action. Studio coverage again will be anchored by Greg Gumbel and Ernie Johnson with Charles Barkley, Greg Anthony and Kenny Smith providing analysis throughout the tournament from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York.  Matt Winer anchors the coverage from Turner Studios in Atlanta and will be joined by Seth Davis and Steve Smith.  In addition, Lesley Visser will serve as a contributor.

During the Regional Semi-finals and Finals, Gottlieb will join the New York studio team.  Gumbel will remain in New York alongside Barkley, Anthony, Gottlieb and Kenny Smith, while Johnson will shift to the Atlanta studio to join Davis and Steve Smith.

Studio coverage for the FIRST FOUR originates from Atlanta and will feature Johnson, Barkley, Kenny Smith and Steve Smith on Tuesday with Winer, Davis and Steve Smith providing analysis on Wednesday.

 

Tiger Effect kicks into high gear for golf; NBC does big rating Sunday

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I’m saying it: Tiger Woods is back. When you win 5 of the last 19 tournaments you entered, you’re back.

Now Woods might not be back-squared until he wins a major, but there is no denying that Woods is poised to have a big year. I mean, Woods took only 100 putts for 4 rounds. That’s insane. Sunday’s victory definitely put the buzz meter in overdrive for the Masters.

Once again, the ratings showed the Tiger Effect. NBC did a 4.4 overnight rating for Sunday’s final round in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. That was a nifty 42 percent increase over 2012, and the best Sunday for the event since 2006. It also was the same rating for Fox’s coverage of Kobolt Tools 400.

Only Woods can put golf on par with NASCAR.

No offense to Michael Thompson, winner of the Honda Classic, or any of the other lesser names who manage to win a PGA Tour event, but having Woods in the lead just elevates everything to a much higher level. Few athletes move the needle more than he does.

Bob Harig of ESPN.com offered this perspective of Woods’ game:

He won for the fifth time in 50 weeks, the second time in 2013 and narrowed the gap on No. 1 Rory McIlroy in the Official World Golf Rankings.

And let’s not get into the most ridiculous question in golf: Is he back?

Back to what? Woods is 37, and while he admirably talks about trying to be better than ever and is wired in a way that elite performers must be, those mortals among us must realistically acknowledge that such comparisons are unfair.

Who, in sports, is better at age 37 than 27? Do we really think he is going to duplicate the feats of 2000, when he won three majors (something accomplished only once prior in the game’s modern history)? And are we going to call him a failure if he doesn’t?

And yet, Woods might again be the best in the world.

“He’s been playing like this for quite some time,” acknowledged longtime rival Phil Mickelson, who tried to make a run at Doral but finished 5 strokes back in a tie for third. “All last year and this year now. He’s pretty strong. Playing at a pretty high level week in and week out it seems like.”

Also, on a side note, Rory McIlroy looked like Rory McIlroy again with a 65 Sunday, his best round of the year. If he rounds back into form, coupled with Woods’ strong play, it could be an exciting period for golf. To which NBC, CBS, and the Golf Channel say, thank you.

 

 

 

 

NBC Sports Radio: Erik Kuselias takes over morning drive; Stashower at night

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The NBC Sports Radio launches on April 1. Former ESPNer Erik Kuselias will be the main man in the mornings.

The official announcement:

Dial Global and the NBC Sports Group announced programming moves as they prepare to fill out their roster and go live 24/7 on Monday, April 1. Weeknight host Erik Kuselias will move to morning drive, 6-9a ET, and Sunday morning host Jon Stashower will take over the 7-10p ET, Monday-Friday slot.

Since the September, 2012 launch of The Erik Kuselias Show on NBC Sports Radio, Kuselias has solidified his position as a top national sports-radio personality. His energy, knowledge of all sports, interview skills, legal background, engaging personality, and passion for sports radio make him the top pick to kick off morning drive on NBC Sports Radio. It’s familiar territory for “EK,” having filled in for Mike and Mike more than any other guest host in the history of the show. He will be joined by one of the best producers in sports radio, Rob “Stats” Guerrera.

Jon Stashower is one of the best sports broadcasting voices in the business. Passionate and knowledgeable, Jon delivers a refreshing approach to sports talk, adding a depth and a quality that is hard to match. He goes behind all the water-cooler topics and breaks down the games, headlines and highlights with great insight and analysis, making him the perfect choice to lead into the evening games.

Erik Kuselias says, “I’m thrilled to be in the prime spot for NBC Sports Radio’s first daily lineup. We believe this is the smartest and most fun sports radio program in the nation, and we look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. Additionally, NBC Sports and Dial Global Sports allow us to have an unparalleled guest list, which will help us rejuvenate mornings for those looking for a fresh approach.”

“In sports, so much happens at night,” says Jon Stashower. “It’s when the games are played and so many of the stories break. I’m really looking forward to being on every night to break down all that’s going on.”

Chris Corcoran, Executive Vice President, General Manager, Dial Global, adds, “I can’t wait to fire up morning drive with EK and break open the playing field. And we’re thrilled to give Stash his own weekday show. He’s a consistent, solid performer who grabs listeners’ attention and keeps them tuned in.”

Rob Simmelkjaer, Senior Vice President, NBC Sports Ventures and International, adds “Erik brings a rare combination of analytical rigor and energy to the world of sports radio. And like many in the New York area, I’ve spent years listening to Jon Stashower’s familiar voice talking sports. He gives our radio network additional credibility.”

NBC Sports Radio will launch its full 24/7 talk programming on April 1, 2103. More announcements will be made shortly.

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Al Michaels inducted into TV Academy Hall of Fame tonight

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It will be a big night for Al Michaels in Hollywood. The current voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football is being honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with induction into its Hall of Fame.

It is an impressive class. Besides Michaels, there’s Ron Howard, Bob Schieffer, Law and Order creator Dick Wolf, CBS president of CEO Leslie Moonves, and Philo Farnsworth, the scientist who gets much of the credit for inventing TV during the 1920s. Why Farnsworth wasn’t the Hall’s first inductee is beyond me.

In the Hollywood Reporter, Moonves cracked:

“When you read the list of who’s in the Hall of Fame, you see what a great honor it is. Al Michaels and I joke that not only are we getting in, we’re getting in without using steroids.”

The honor is well deserved for Michaels, who has done everything during his long career. Just to start your week out right, listen to Michaels’ signature call.

 

 

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