A Couple of CBC Releases

I don't think I've ever had two CBC press releases in one day so I'm going to post them here for you.

First, CBC has released a new Hockey Night in Canada app for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA INTRODUCES iPhone & iPod APP

Free App features live box scores, stats, and CBCSports.ca articles

CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA has introduced a new way for hockey fans to follow every player, every goal and every game with the all-new CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA Application for iPhone and iPod Touch. The free app, launched this week, provides users with instant access to live box scores, statistics and results from all NHL games whenever and wherever they are.

Game statistics are broken down for every team, player and game. Division and conference standings are instantly updated, as are NHL player highlights. Users can find out who is leading the NHL in points, goals, plus/minus, goals against average, save percentage and wins.

The new iPhone and iPod Touch app features breaking news headlines, comprehensive stories and in-depth features from CBCSports.ca, and users can navigate the complete NHL schedule including CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA broadcasts.

The free app can be downloaded by visiting cbc.ca/mobile/iphone, CBCSports.ca/hockey or by visiting the Free Application section of the iTunes store.

And this is the preview of the Battle of the Blades season finale.

A THREE-WAY SHOWDOWN, SPECIAL GUESTS AND GROUP NUMBERS

CELEBRATE THE BATTLE OF THE BLADES FINALE

Canadians to decide who of the remaining three pairs will win $100,000 for charity

The final decision will be in the hands of Canadians, Sunday, Nov. 15, as they choose who of the remaining three pairs will win BATTLE OF THE BLADES, at Toronto’s historic Maple Leaf Gardens. Results will then be announced during a full-blown ice extravaganza, which is set for the series finale, Monday, Nov. 16. Both shows start at 8 p.m., on CBC Television.

The final battle begins on Sunday, when the following three remaining pairs will perform to music of their choice: Shae-Lynn Bourne and Claude Lemieux, Marie-France Dubreuil and Stéphane Richer, and Jamie Salé and Craig Simpson. Competition shifts to collaboration after the individual performances when the members of all three pairs join together for a special group performance. The evening will also begin in style with a special group number featuring the men from BATTLE OF THE BLADES.

The competition wraps up the following night with a special one-hour show for the finale results episode. Kicking things off will be a group performance featuring all eight pairs from the competition, set to the show’s theme song, Bryan Adams’ There Will Never Be Another Tonight.

Monday’s show will also include a guest performance by the show’s co-host and skating mentor Kurt Browning, followed by a special routine by returning competitor Barbara Underhill and her former professional skating partner Paul Martini. This will be the first time Underhill and Martini have skated together since they performed a farewell show at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens in 1998.

The magic on the ice continues with a guest performance by Salé and her husband and skating partner David Pelletier, who as a coach on the show has also been featured in weekly Point of View segments offering tips on figure skating. Dubreuil and her husband and professional skating partner Patrice Lauzon will also join together on the ice for a special guest performance.

When the winning pair is revealed, on Monday’s show, they will receive a $100,000 cheque made out to the charity of their choice. Three charities remain as possible recipients of this prize money. Bourne and Lemieux are skating for Make-A-Wish Canada; Dubreuil and Richer are competing for MA Fondation; and Salé and Simpson are battling it out for The Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Centre (Northern Alberta) Society.

Viewers can learn more about the competitors at www.cbc.ca/battle, the official online portal for the series and the source for everything about BATTLE OF THE BLADES. In addition to videos and behind-the-scene photos, the site offers viewers the opportunity to become fans of their favourite pair and track each participant’s activity as they strive to be the final pair remaining at the end of the series.

BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the brainchild of Kevin Albrecht with development by Sandra Bezic. BATTLE OF THE BLADES executive producers are John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby and Kevin Albrecht. It is produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC Television.

That's it.

It's Thursday Linkage

Let's do linkage for today. I'm debating on whether to cover the UFL game between Florida and New York at Hartford, CT. I have a press credential, but I'm thinking I have so much to do right now. Not sure right now. I'll know more later.

In any event, let's bring you some links.

John Ourand and Tripp Mickle of the Sports Business Journal report that ESPN has won South American media rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics. Harbinger of things to come perhaps?

Jim Romenesko at the Poynter Institute says Steven A. Smith is returning to the Philadelphia Inquirer as a columnist.

Writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center, Dave Kindred tells us his approach on writing a sports column.

Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina noticed another spelling error by ESPN SportsCenter at the Washington Nationals' expense.

Christina S.N. Lewis of the Wall Street Journal looks at the auction of the old Pontiac Silverdome.

CNBC's Darren Rovell writes about the official USC football blog that gives fans an inside look at the Trojans.

Darren likes the stock plan being offered to Boise State fans.

The New York Times' Richard Sandomir says the New Jersey Nets are trying to find their fans in the most unorthodox places.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union writes that Time Warner Cable is going to produce live pre and postgame shows for Siena basketball.

Pete has the NFL TV schedule for Week 10 in New York's Capital Region.

Pete updates the college football TV schedule.

Pete likes the fact that Sean McDonough and Bill Raftery are being assigned to the Northeastern-Siena game next week.

The Washington Examiner's Jim Williams talks with Matt Millen about making his NFL Network debut tonight.

Sarah Talalay of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that Miami is making a pitch to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022.

Barry Horn in the Dallas Morning News says the Cowboys employee who was paralyzed in the team's training facility bubble collapse earlier this year will speak out for the first time on local TV tonight.

Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman isn't thrilled about Versus giving Chad Ochocinco a weekly platform.

Crain's Chicago Business' Ed Sherman writes that the NFL has moved the Bears-Vikings game in Week 11 to the national doubleheader slot.

Ed adds that tonight's Bears-49ers game is still not widely accessible.

William Houston in Truth & Rumours writes that figure skating in Canada gets a new website.

And William reviews Wednesday's Rogers Sportsnet's interview of Mike Danton, the former St. Louis Blues player, who was jailed for trying to hire someone to kill his agent.

The Big Lead has the video of the woman who was in the center of the Steve Phillips affair speaking to Good Morning America.

The Big Lead also has the first known picture of Jim Nantz's girlfriend.

Chris Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media notes that ESPN has helped the University of Georgia set a very unique record this football season.

Matt Sebek of the Joe Sports Fan blog hosts the Blogs With Balls After Dark video .

The Sports Media Watch notes that NFL viewership has hit its highest level in two decades.

SMW looks at NASCAR's ratings this season.

Joe Favorito looks at former Olympian Jeremy Bloom forging a trail for social change.

Steve Lepore of Puck The Media has the CBC press release announcing the new Hockey Night in Canada iPhone app.

Cameron Frye is spearheading a campaign to get NESN's Jack Edwards on Twitter. You go, girl!

And here's Kristine Leahy of WEEI.com with today's edition of The Five.

That's all for now.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Basketball
James Madison at Ohio State - Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.

College Football
Ball State at Northern Illinois - ESPNU, 6 p.m.
South Florida at Rutgers - ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Texas Southern at Grambling - ESPNU, 9 p.m.

NBA
Cleveland at Miami - TNT, 8 p.m.
Phoenix at Los Angeles Lakers - TNT, 10:30 p.m.

Inside the NBA - TNT, 1 a.m.

NFL
Chicago at San Francisco - NFL Network, 8 p.m.

NHL
Ottawa at Philadelphia - TSN/Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at Pittsburgh - NHL Network (US)/MSG Plus/FSN Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Atlanta at New York Rangers - SportSouth/MSG Network, 7 p.m.
Florida at Boston - Fox Sports Florida/NESN, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Tampa Bay - Fox Sports North/Sun Sports, 7:30 p.m.
Vancouver at Detroit - Fox Sports Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Nashville at St. Louis - Fox Sports Tennessee/Fox Sports Midwest, 8 p.m.
Montreal at Phoenix - RDS/Fox Sports Arizona, 9 p.m.
Dallas at San Jose - NHL Network (Canada)/Fox Sports Southwest/Comcast SportsNet California, 10 p.m.

NHL On The Fly - NHL Network, 10 p.m.

UFL
Florida vs. New York at Hartford - Versus, 7 p.m.

Entertainment
Survivor: Samoa - CBS, 8 p.m.
Bones - Fox, 8 p.m.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - CBS, 9 p.m.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - FX, 10 p.m.
Naked Science - National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
Private Practice - ABC, 10:01 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman - CBS, 11:35 p.m.

Two Quick Press Releases For You

I have a couple of releases for you before I do the regular stuff for today.

These are quotes and notes from NBA TV's Fan Night on Tuesday.

Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night – Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Denver Nuggets (90) @ Chicago Bulls (89)

Voting is open on NBA.com for next week’s Fan Night match-up that will air on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Fans can select between the following games:

Warriors @ Cavaliers

Suns @ Rockets

Thunder @ Heat

Raptors @ Nuggets

Pacers @ Nets

Clippers @ Hornets

Bulls @ Kings

Pistons @Lakers

CLIP OF THE DAY

(click on link below to watch)

TNT’s Ernie Johnson interviews Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on his recent announcement that he has leukemia

**** **** **** ****

Pre-Game Show

Ernie Johnson, Dennis Scott and Kevin McHale

McHale on Nuggets guard JR Smith and what he is bringing to the team: “Shooting and more shooting. He helps spread the court. He rises up and shoots the three effortlessly.”

McHale on Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin: “Kenyon Martin is one tough customer. He gives them a real physical presence. He’s not afraid to hit you and when he is hitting people and him and Nene are playing aggressively, that makes them a whole different type of team.”

Scott on the progression of Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony’s game: “He loves contact. He is one of the few guys in the NBA that really relishes taking the ball to the basket and getting to the free-throw line. George Karl talked about his focus and how he is looking for the double-team and always looking for the right things.”

McHale on Carmelo Anthony: “The amazing thing to me is that he gets to the free throw line 11 times a game. He puts pressure on the defense and makes you foul him.”

Scott on Bulls forward Taj Gibson’s energy in the game: “He’s the energizer bunny. When he comes in the game he’s diving at loose balls. I think he may be kin to (Joakim) Noah the way they both play, they go for everything.”

McHale on Allen Iverson’s current situation with the Grizzlies: “First of all, if you are looking at Memphis, they are very disjointed right now. Is A.I. going to play, is he not going to play, what is going to happen? So right away it hurts the team. When you are in our league it has to be the team first and that is the one thing about Allen he is so talented but does he put the team first. Is it more about you or the Memphis Grizzlies?”

McHale on Suns guard Steve Nash’s performance so far this season: “He is doing what he has always done which is to take the ball in his hand and make plays and make shots. Right now it is fun to watch him play. (Channing) Frye gives them that spreading the floor, which is so good for Steve. Steve needs court spreaders.”

Abdul-Jabbar on finding out that he had been diagnosed with leukemia: “For me, it was scary. I have had to live with cancer in my family. My grandfather died from colon rectal cancer. My uncle died from it. My dad almost died from it. I have the gene for it. Cancer is a scary thing and is part of what I was dealing with already so when I heard the word leukemia I was scared and very concerned.”

Abdul-Jabbar on his current health status and his ongoing treatment program: “I feel great now. I have been dealing with it under the instruction of my oncologist. That is the key - to stick with the regimen. You have to see a healthcare specialist that understands this type of situation and you have to take your medication and get your blood checked regularly. If you do that, with early detection and treatment you have a good chance of managing this condition and not having to change your life drastically.”

***** ***** *****

Halftime Report

Johnson, Scott and McHale

McHale on Carmelo Anthony’s ability to score at will: “He scores the ball very easily. He scores in such a myriad of ways that it is hard to keep him off the line and off the box score.”

Scott on Carmelo Anthony’s improved game: “I’m amazed at his patience this year. Really under control, really focused and waiting for the double-team. Ya’ll not coming; I’m taking my man, so ya’ll better come get me.”

McHale on the maturation process for players in the league: “When I first got the ball in the post, I was so excited to get it. I went so fast, I would end up shooting a seven footer at the basket. As you get better, you don’t look at the guy defending you, you look at where you are going. He is looking at where he is going. When you are a good low-post player, it is the patience that makes the difference.”

McHale on Bulls center Joakim Noah: “I love this kid. He works so hard. I loved him at Florida. He is just a winner; He does a lot of little things and he is really fighting hard for them (Bulls).”

Scott on Noah’s passion: “I love his energy coming out of Florida. A lot of people said they didn’t like his game. But with two national championships in college, he is bringing that same energy and same passion to the game and it is rubbing off on the rest of his teammates.”

***** ***** *****

NBA GameTime

Johnson, Scott and McHale

Scott on Chicago’s loss to the Nuggets: “I have to give Chicago a lot of credit. They didn’t shoot the ball well but they stayed scrappy. Noah with 21 rebounds. I thought Taj (Gibson) did an excellent job filling in for (Tyrus) Thomas but throughout the game, they could not make the wide open shot out of the pick and roll.”

Scott on the Bulls’ offense: “Until they find another guy off the bench to come in with some offensive fire power like (Ben) Gordon, it could be a long year unless they score by committee.”

Nuggets guard Carmelo Anthony joined the Fan Night crew via Arena Link.

Anthony on his improved play: “I feel real good, I feel real focused. I’m trying to make the free throw line a friend of mine again. Getting out in open court is something that I’ve been focusing on. ”

Anthony on JR Smith’s request to be called Earl Smith: “I think I’m going to stick with JR.”

Anthony on new teammate Ty Lawson: “I love him; I love what he is bringing to our team and what he is bringing off the bench. He is brining that momentum that we are looking for.”

And the finale of HBO's 24/7 Pacquiao/Cotto is on Friday.

24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO

NOV. 13 EPISODE

Episode #4 (series finale)

Debut: FRIDAY, NOV. 13 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Both camps wind down and the pressure builds as Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) and Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) attend mandatory fight week activities preceding their Nov. 14 megafight in Las Vegas.

Prior to the debut of the final episode of 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO, the first three episodes will be seen back-to-back, starting at 8:00 p.m. In addition, all four episodes will be seen back-to-back on HBO on Saturday, Nov. 14, starting at 9:30 a.m. The series is also available on HBO On Demand.

On Saturday, Nov. 14 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents “Pacquiao vs. Cotto,” live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The executive producers of 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; coordinating producer, Dave Harmon; producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates.

To the Primetime and Late Night Viewing Picks next.

Golf Channel's Tournament Sked

This is what Golf Channel is airing from the various golf associations over the next few days.

GOLF CHANNEL TOURNAMENT COVERAGE

Nov. 9 - 15, 2009

Children’s Miracle Network Classic

Dates: 11/12 – 11/15

Venue: Walt Disney World Resort’s Magnolia and Palm Courses

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday - Sunday 1 – 4 p.m. (Live) / 7 – 10 p.m. (Replay)

GOLF CHANNEL On-Air Talent:

Rich Lerner (Play by Play)

Frank Nobilo (Analyst)

Curt Byrum (Tower)

Jerry Foltz (On Course)

Billy Ray Brown (On Course)

Todd Lewis (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes: Thursday – Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, PGA TOUR Primetime will re-air each round of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic…GOLF CHANNEL will broadcast all four rounds in high definition…Haymes Snedeker, older brother of PGA TOUR professional Brandt, will compete together this week at the CMN Classic. Haymes won last year’s Big Break X: Michigan reality series on GOLF CHANNEL, and received a sponsor exemption into this week’s tournament as a result of winning the series. Haymes and Brandt will tee-off together at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday and noon on Friday…During live tournament coverage of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic and the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, Inga Hammond and Tim Rosaforte will provide updates on the top storylines from the various tours and updates on the season-ending Kodak Challenge this week live from the 17^th hole at Disney’s Magnolia Course, site of the finale of the Kodak Challenge where $1 million is up for grabs…Current Big Break Disney Golf competitors Gipper and Tony Finau will compete in a special Children’s Miracle Network Prize Challenge Wednesday afternoon (4 p.m. ET, approx) on the 17^th hole at Disney’s Magnolia Course for the opportunity to earn an all expenses paid VIP trip to the 2010 Children’s Miracle Network Classic. The challenge will be featured on Thursday’s Golf Central Pre Game at 12:30 p.m. ET and during live tournament coverage. The Finaus qualified for the challenge by winning a challenge on Tuesday’s episode of Big Break Disney Golf.

Lorena Ochoa Invitational

Dates: 11/12 – 11/15

Venue: Guadalajara Country Club, Guadalajara, Mexico

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday 4 – 6:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday 4 – 6:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday 4 – 6:30 p.m. (Live)

Sunday 4 – 6:30 p.m. (TD)

GOLF CHANNEL On-Air Talent:

Brian Hammons (Play by Play)

Dottie Pepper (Analyst)

Kay Cockerill (Tower)

Val Skinner (On Course)

Charlie Rymer (On Course)

Stephanie Sparks (Interviews)

Broadcast Notes: Lorena Ochoa hosts a field of 36 players for the 2009 edition of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, including Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel, Karrie Webb, Suzann Pettersen, Natalie Gulbis, Kristy McPherson, Jiyai Shin, Yani Tseng and Ai Miyazato. Miyazato will be the featured “Spotlight Player” during Thursday’s telecast.

JBWere Masters

Dates: 11/11 – 11/14

Venue: Kingston Heath Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia

Airtimes (Eastern):

Wednesday 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. (Live)

Thursday 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. (Live)

Friday 10:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. (Live)

Saturday 10:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. (Live)

Thursday – Sunday 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Replay)

Broadcast Notes: Tiger Woods headlines the field that also features Geoff Ogilvy, John Daly, Adam Scott, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby and Aaron Baddeley. The 2009 edition of the JBWere Masters sees the tournament contested for the first time at Kingston Heath Golf Club as the first venue of the new rotation policy among the famous sandbelt courses of Victoria.

Sunday 9:00 a.m. – Noon (Live)

UBS Hong Kong Open

Dates: 11/12 – 11/15

Venue: Hong Kong Golf Club, New Territories, Hong Kong

Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday 1 – 4 a.m. (Live)

Friday 1 – 4 a.m. (Live)

Saturday 1:30 – 5:30 a.m. (TD)

Sunday 1:30 – 5:30 a.m. (TD)

Broadcast Notes: This year’s UBS Hong Kong Open is the penultimate event on the 2009 European Tour schedule, taking place a week before the season-ending Dubai World Championship. The top 60 players in The Race to Dubai after this week’s event are eligible to play in the Dubai World Championship. Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Y.E. Yang, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Angel Cabrera, Darren Clarke, Rory Sabbatini, Mark O’Meara and Danny Lee headline the field.

I have another press release post before giving you Primetime and Late Night Viewing Picks and the links.

ESPN's 24 Hour College Basketball Marathon is Really 24 Hours

When ESPN did its first college basketball marathon last year, it had 9 live games with a break between 6 and 10 a.m. This year, there will be no break. It'll be wall-to-wall college basketball with 12 games filling the entire 24 hour period next Tuesday. We're talking serious stuff here. Here's the release.

Second Annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon Features Extensive Coverage across Multiple Networks Nov. 17, Including 12 Straight Games on ESPN

Includes Telecasts of Men’s No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Michigan State and Women’s No. 1 Connecticut

ESPN’s second annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon -- featuring 12 consecutive live college basketball games in 24 hours Tuesday, Nov. 17, on ESPN -- will include extensive coverage across the ESPN platforms to celebrate the beginning of the 2009-10 season. ESPN games will tip off every two hours, beginning at midnight ET with Cal State Fullerton at UCLA.

In addition to ESPN’s 24 consecutive hours, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile will offer an extensive lineup of action. Combined, the networks will televise at least 38 total hours of coverage with 19 games -- 17 men’s and two women’s – in a minimum of 25 ½ hours.

The schedule will be highlighted by prime-time telecasts of the top two men’s teams in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll: Gonzaga at No. 2 Michigan State, coming off a National Championship game appearance last year, at 8 p.m. and Memphis vs. No. 1 Kansas from St. Louis in a Hall of Fame Showcase contest at 10 p.m.

A women’s doubleheader will feature defending National Champion and No. 1 Connecticut against No. 14 Texas at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2 in the ESPNU Road to the Championship from San Antonio. The first game will pit No. 9 Tennessee against Texas Tech at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

Production and commentator highlights:

• ESPN.com’s Andy Katz will be available for live reaction and commenting on the matchups, results and performances across multiple ESPN platforms from the Bristol, Conn., headquarters for the entire 24-hour Marathon, including ESPN.com, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU and ESPN Radio.

• ESPN.com will feature Tip-Off Marathon Live, which will include fan comments and questions as well as polls, photos and videos throughout the 24 hours. In addition, ESPN.com will incorporate analysts and interviews with coaches and players.

• Commentator Dave Pasch and analyst Doris Burke will call the first and last game of the 25-plus hours: Cal State Fullerton at UCLA on ESPN at 12 a.m. and a Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT matchup from Tempe at 11:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

• College GameDay host Rece Davis and analysts Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and Hubert Davis will provide live studio coverage on ESPN from midnight to 2 a.m. (2-10 a.m. on tape) and again from 4 p.m. to midnight. Doug Gottlieb and Jay Williams will provide live studio analysis on ESPN from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on ESPN2 from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

• ESPNEWS will offer news, interviews and analysis from Phelps, Bilas, Hubert Davis, Gottlieb, Williams, Katz and more.

College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon programming tidbits:

• For the first time through more than 8,200 live college basketball games in 30 years, ESPN will televise its first 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. live matchups.

• A minimum of 20 conferences will be represented: ACC, Atlantic 10, America East, Big Ten, Big 12, BIG EAST, Big South, Big West, Big Sky, Conference USA, Colonial, Mid-American, Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mountain West, Northeast, Pac-10, Southeastern, Sun Belt, Western Athletic and West Coast. The Southern Conference could be added if Elon advances to the NIT regional final at Duke University, the host site. The Southland Conference could also be added if Texas State advances to the NIT regional final at Arizona State, the host site.

• The marathon will include games from five different United States time zones -- Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific and Hawaii-Aleutian – from 14 states, plus the District of Columbia.

• ESPN360.com will offer coverage of an original game (Northern Illinois at Illinois at 8 p.m.) as well as simulcasts of every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast; ESPN Mobile TV will offer a simulcast of all 12 ESPN games and an 11:30 p.m. ESPN2 telecast;

• ESPN Classic will televise an 11-game marathon of classic men’s college basketball games Sunday, Nov. 15, through Monday, Nov. 16:

Time (ET)	Matchup
7 a.m.	1989: Oregon State at California
9 a.m.	1992: West Coast Conference Tournament Championship: Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine
11 a.m.	1997: Western Athletic Conference Semifinal: New Mexico vs. Utah
1 p.m.	1991: Patriot League Championship: Fordham vs. Holy Cross
3 p.m.	1994: Massachusetts at Temple
5 p.m.	2006: NCAA First Round: Bradley vs. Kansas
7 p.m.	1984: St. John's at Georgetown
9 p.m.	1983: North Carolina at Clemson
11 p.m.	2008: National Championship: Kansas vs. Memphis
1 a.m.	1995: Preseason NIT Championship: Georgetown vs. Arizona
3 a.m.	2005: Kansas at Texas Tech

2009-10 College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon Schedule for ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup	Network
Tue, Nov 17	12 a.m.	Cal State Fullerton at UCLA Dave Pasch & Doris Burke	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	2 a.m.	San Diego State at St. Mary’s Terry Gannon & Stephen Bardo	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	4 a.m.	Northern Colorado at Hawaii Carter Blackburn & Mark Adams	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	6 a.m.	Monmouth at St. Peter’s Bob Wischusen & Tim Welsh	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	8 a.m.	Drexel at Niagara Jon Sciambi & LaPhonso Ellis	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	10 a.m.	No. 24 Clemson at Liberty Eric Collins & Adrian Branch	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	Noon	Northeastern at Siena Sean McDonough & Bill Raftery	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	2 p.m.	Arkansas-Little Rock at Tulsa Ron Franklin & Fran Fraschilla	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	4 p.m.	Temple at No. 21 Georgetown Mike Patrick & Len Elmore	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	5:30 p.m.	CBE Classic: Binghamton at Pittsburgh John Saunders, Bob Valvano & Bob Holtzman	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com
	6 p.m.	NIT from Durham, N.C. (Duke University)* Brad Nessler & Jimmy Dykes	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	7 p.m.	ESPNU Road to the Championship: No. 9 Tennessee vs. Texas Tech (women’s game from San Antonio) Pam Ward, Kara Lawson & Rebecca Lobo	ESPNU
	7:30 p.m.	Hall of Fame Showcase: Arkansas vs. No. 23 Louisville (from St. Louis) Dan Shulman, Bob Knight & Holly Rowe	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com
	8 p.m.	Gonzaga at No. 2 Michigan State Dave O’Brien & Steve Lavin	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	8 p.m.	Northern Illinois at Illinois Lou Canellis & Dickey Simpkins	ESPN360.com
	9 p.m.	CBE Classic: Duquesne at Iowa Jim Barbar & Mac McCausland	ESPNU
	9:30 p.m.	ESPNU Road to the Championship: No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 14 Texas (women’s game from San Antonio) Pam Ward, Kara Lawson & Rebecca Lobo	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com
	10 p.m.	Hall of Fame Showcase: Memphis vs. No. 1 Kansas (from St. Louis) Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Holly Rowe	ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
	11:30 p.m.	NIT from Tempe, Ariz. (Arizona State University)* Dave Pasch & Doris Burke	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile

* Matchup determined Monday, Nov. 16

That's a lot of serious stuff there. I can't watch all of it, but I'll probably watch some of the games from my office.

NFL Network Programming Line & Inside The NFL Quotage

Putting together two press releases for you. This is what NFL Network will be showing over the next week.

NFL NETWORK PROGRAMMING NOTES (11/11-11/17)

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL KICKS OFF

WITH BEARS-49ERS AT 8:00PM ET

Interview with Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning at 9:00 AM ET

Titans-Bills ’00, Broncos-Redskins ’95 & Patriots-Colts ’07 Featured on Greatest 4^th QTRS Saturday at 8:00 PM ET

NFL Classic Games Features Five Throwback Games Friday at 2:00 & 8:00 PM ET and Saturday at 9:00 AM, 12:00 & 3:00 PM ET

Snoop Dogg to Give His Week 10 Picks Friday on NFL Total Access

THURSDAY NIGHT KICKOFF – THURSDAY 6:00-8:00 ET

· On Vernon Davis’ Super Bowl Journey, the 49ers TE talks about his relationship with head coach Mike Singletary. Davis credits his coach with helping him develop the “team first” attitude that earned him the honor of being named a team captain.

· On The Marshall Plan, Marshall Faulk compares 49ers LB Patrick Willis’ playing style to his coach, Hall of Fame LB Mike Singletary

· Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders debate Bears QB Jay Cutler’s status as an elite quarterback

· Jason La Canfora reports from Bears-49ers matchup and weighs in on where coaches like Jon Gruden, Mike Holmgren, Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan will end up

HALFTIME SHOW

· Excerpts of Michael Irvin’s interview with Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco that will air in its entirety on Sunday’s NFL GameDay Morning

NFL GAMEDAY MORNING – SUNDAY 9:00-1:00 ET: Michael Irvin 1-on-1 with Chad Ochocinco

· Michael Irvin sits down with Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco to talk about the upcoming showdown with the Steelers and how Cincinnati has evolved from the 11-loss team it was in 2008 into one that is already controlling its playoff destiny halfway through this season.

· On Kerry Rhodes’ Super Bowl Journey, the Jets S reflects on his team’s recent slide in the standings after having lost 4 of its last 5 games. He also offers an all-access pass to his celebrity charity events to benefit the Kerry Rhodes Foundation, a charity that works to provide college scholarships to underprivileged students.

· Michael Lombardi reports from Bengals-Steelers matchup

· Kara Henderson reports from Jaguars-Jets matchup

· Randy Moss reports from Lions-Vikings matchup

· Lindsay Soto reports from Saints-Rams matchup

· Paul Burmeister reports from Cowboys-Packers matchup

NFL Classic Games

Friday, November 13

2:00 PM ET – Green Bay at Dallas (1995 NFC Championship Game) – Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns, scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to turn a 27-24 deficit into a 38-27 Cowboys victory. Dallas advanced to its third Super Bowl in four years.

8:00 PM ET – New England at Indianapolis (11/30/2003) – New England’s defense stopped the Colts three times from the 1-yard line in the final seconds to secure a 38-34 victory. The Patriots jumped out to 17-0 and 31-10 leads, but Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes as Indianapolis mounted a comeback. Tom Brady passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns for New England.

Saturday, November 14

9:00 AM ET – Buffalo at Tennessee (1999 AFC Wild Card) -- Kevin Dyson caught a cross-field lateral on a kickoff return and sprinted 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown with three seconds remaining to give the Titans a 22-16 victory. The Titans advanced from this “Music City Miracle” victory to Super Bowl XXXIV.

12 NOON ET – New England at Indianapolis (2006 AFC Championship Game) -- Down 21-6 at halftime, Peyton Manning led the Colts to 32 second-half points in a 38-34 comeback victory and a berth in Super Bowl XLI. Manning passed for 349 yards in the victory.

3:00 PM ET – Green Bay at Dallas (11/24/1994) – Backup quarterback Jason Garrett led the Cowboys to a team-record 36 second-half points as Dallas overcame an 11-point deficit to win 42-31 on Thanksgiving Day. Garrett passed for 311 yards and two touchdowns while Packers quarterback Brett Favre passed for 257 yards and four touchdowns. Sterling Sharpe was on the receiving end of all four Favre scoring passes.

NFL Classic Games is the only show on television where fans can catch the complete network broadcasts of classic NFL regular season and playoff games.

NFL Films Presents: Love, Hate and Grief – Friday at 1:00 PM ET

This week, Steve Sabol sits down with former New York Giants WR Phil McConkey to talk about his football career including his college days playing for the Naval Academy, serving four years as a Naval officer before signing with the Giants as a 27-year-old rookie and his memories of winning Super Bowl XXI and having his picture on the front page of the New York Times.

NFL Films Presents explores the depth of the NFL Films archive – the world's largest sports film library – with unique perspectives on football's greatest heroes and personalities as well as its history, humanity and humor.

Greatest 4^th QTRs – Saturday at 8:00 PM ET

This week’s Greatest 4^th QTRs highlights Week 10 matchups between the Titans-Bills, Broncos-Redskins and Patriots-Colts with a look back at the following games:

Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills (1/8/2000): Kevin Dyson caught a cross-field lateral on a kickoff return and sprinted 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown with three seconds remaining to give the Titans a 22-16 victory. The Titans advanced from this “Music City Miracle” victory to Super Bowl XXXIV.

Denver Broncos vs. Washington Redskins (9/17/1995): In a back and forth game, a last-minute 43-yard touchdown pass from QB John Elway to WR Rod Smith gave the Broncos a 38-31 win.

New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (11/4/2007): Working to overcome a 10-point deficit and remain on track for an unbeaten season, QB Tom Brady threw two of his three touchdown passes in a four-minute span of the fourth quarter to beat the defending Super Bowl champion Colts, 24-20

Greatest 4^th QTRs is a two hour compilation of three memorable fourth quarters in NFL history. Using NFL Films footage, Greatest 4^th QTRs preps viewers for the upcoming weekend’s games by reliving three of the most exciting finishes between teams set to faceoff on Sunday.

THIS WEEK ON NFL TOTAL ACCESS: Snoop Dogg on Friday

Wednesday, November 11

• VP of officiating Mike Pereira discusses RB Ryan Moats’ fumble in the second quarter of the Texans-Colts game and RB LeSean McCoy’s third down catch that was not given forward progress in the Eagles-Cowboys game on ‘Official Review’
• Lindsay Soto reports from Colts’ training facility
• A look at the top 10 statistical performances from Week 9

Thursday, November 12

• Post-game reactions and analysis of Bears-49ers game

Friday, November 13

• Snoop Dogg gives his Week 10 picks
• Jason La Canfora goes ‘Around the League’

Saturday, November 14

• ‘Put up your Dukes’ with Jamie Dukes

Monday, November 16 – 90-minute Monday Night Football edition

• Michael Lombardi goes ‘Around the League’
• A look back on all of Sunday’s action and a preview of the Ravens-Browns game

Tuesday, November 17

• Jason La Canfora goes ‘Around the League’
• A look at the top 10 plays from Week 10

THIS WEEK ON AROUND THE LEAGUE: NT Jay Ratliff on Cowboys Cam Wednesday

Wednesday, November 11

· NT Jay Ratliff on Cowboys Cam

· Steve Wyche, Jason La Canfora and Mike Lombardi debate which QB will prevail in the Sunday night Tom Brady-Peyton Manning (Patriots vs. Colts) showdown

Thursday, November 12

· Bears sideline reporter Zach Zaidman reports from Candlestick Park in San Francisco

· LB Joey Porter on Dolphins Cam

Tuesday, November 10

· Colts president Bill Polian on Colts Cam

THIS WEEK ON PLAYBOOK:

Wednesday at 6:00 PM ET – Recap Edition Playbook – Mike Mayock, Solomon Wilcots and Brian Billick discuss:

· How the Colts survived a big scare from the Texans to remain unbeaten

· How QB Tom Brady and the Patriots tamed the wildcat

· How the Bucs shocked the Packers for Tampa’s first win of the season

· The Thursday Night Football Bears-49ers matchup

Friday at 6:00 PM ET – AFC Playbook – Brian Baldinger, Sterling Sharpe and Joe Theismann discuss:

· How the Falcons can shut down the Panthers’ passing game

· How the Saints’ defense will keep New Orleans on the path to perfection

· Why the Packers might struggle to shut down the Cowboys’ offense

· How the Vikings’ offense could roll over the Lions

Saturday at 6:00 PM ET – NFC Playbook – Brian Baldinger, Sterling Sharpe and Joe Theismann discuss:

· How the Patriots’ passing game can hand the Colts their first loss of the season

· Why the Bengals might struggle to contain the Steelers’ high-octane offense

· How the Jets’ ground game can run all over the Jaguars

· Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski explains how RB Cedric Benson’s success will create opportunities for the passing game

· Brian Billick explains how the Patriots’ defense can contain Colts TE Dallas Clark

THIS WEEK ON NFL.COM: Official Review online segment Wednesday, Matt Millen chat Thursday, Browns WR Mohamed Massaquoi chat Friday

Wednesday, November 11

• VP of officiating Mike Pereira discusses QB Donovan McNabb’s fourth down spot in the Eagles-Cowboys game and Broncos WR Brandon Marshall’s ball spike that wasn’t penalized as unsportsmanlike conduct on ‘Official Review’

· San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Clarence Shelmon breaks down QB Philip Rivers’ touchdown pass to WR Vincent Jackson against the Giants

Thursday, November 12

• 12 NOON ET – NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock chat
• 1:00 PM ET – NFL.com columnist Bucky Brooks chat
• 2:00 PM ET – NFL Network analyst Matt Millen chat

Friday, November 13

· 11:00 AM ET – NFL.com fantasy editor Michael Fabiano chat

· 12 NOON ET – NFL.com columnist Vic Carucci chat

· 1:30 PM ET – Browns WR Mohamed Massaquoi chat

Sunday, November 15

· 12 NOON ET – NFL.com fantasy editor Michael Fabiano chat

• 7:00 PM ET – NFL.com columnist Bucky Brooks chat

DAY-BY-DAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (all times listed are ET)

Wednesday, November 11

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

12 MIDNIGHT – Playbook: Wednesday recap edition

1:00 AM – NFL Weekly Countdown: Week 9 (HD)

1:30 AM – Sound FX: Week 9 (HD)

2:00 AM – NFL Replay: Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots (HD)

3:30 AM – NFL Replay: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles (HD)

Thursday, November 12

10:00 AM – Playbook: Wednesday recap edition

11:00 AM – America’s Game: 1981 San Francisco 49ers (HD)

12 NOON – America’s Game: 1984 San Francisco 49ers (HD)

1:00 PM – America’s Game: 1988 San Francisco 49ers (HD)

2:00 PM – America’s Game: 1989 San Francisco 49ers (HD)

3:00 PM – America’s Game: 1994 San Francisco 49ers (HD)

4:00 PM – America’s Game: 1985 San Francisco 49ers (HD)

5:00 PM – Around the League (HD)

6:00 PM – Thursday Night Kickoff (HD)

8:00 PM – Thursday Night Football: Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers – LIVE

11:30 PM – Kay Jewelers Post-Game Show (HD)

12 MIDNIGHT – NFL Total Access (HD)

Friday, November 13

9:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Top 10 Coaches Who Belonged in College

10:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Top 10 Tight Ends

11:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Top 10 Football Factories

12 NOON – Sound FX: Week 9 (HD)

12:30 PM – NFL Weekly Countdown: Week 9 (HD)

1:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: Love, Hate and Grief (HD)

1:30 PM – NFL Film Session: Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots (Super Bowl XX)

2:00 PM – NFL Classic Games: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys (1995 NFC Championship)

5:00 PM – Around the League (HD)

6:00 PM – Playbook: NFC edition

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

8:00 PM – NFL Classic Games: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (11/30/2003) (HD)

11:00 PM – Playbook: NFC edition

12:30 AM – NFL Total Access (HD)

1:00 AM – NFL Classic Games: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (11/30/2003) (HD)

Saturday, November 14

9:00 AM – NFL Classic Games: Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans (Music City Miracle, 1/8/2000)

12 NOON – NFL Classic Games: New England Patriots Indianapolis Colts (2006 AFC Championship) (HD)

3:00 PM – NFL Classic Games: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys (11/24/1994)

6:00 PM – Playbook: AFC edition

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

8:00 PM – Greatest 4^th QTRs

10:00 PM – Playbook: AFC edition

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

12 MIDNIGHT – Greatest 4^th QTRs

Sunday, November 15

7:00 AM – Playbook: AFC edition

8:00 AM – Playbook: NFC edition

9:00 AM – NFL GameDay Morning (HD)

1:00 PM – NFL GameDay StatZone (HD)

4:00 PM – NFL GameDay Scoreboard (HD)

7:30 PM – NFL GameDay Highlights (HD)

11:30 PM – NFL GameDay Final (HD)

Monday, November 16

7:00 AM – NFL GameDay Final (HD)

4:00 PM – NFL Replay Real-Time: Week 10 (HD)

5:00 PM – Around the League (HD)

6:00 PM – Up to the Minute (HD)

6:30 PM – The Coaches Show (HD)

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD) – 90-minute Monday Night Football edition

8:30 PM – The Coaches Show (HD)

9:00 PM – NFL Follies: Follies On Parade (1990)

10:00 PM – The Coaches Show (HD)

10:30 PM – NFL Follies: NFL Football Card Follies (1991)

11:30 PM – NFL Total Access (HD) – updated with postgame press conferences and analysis

1:00 AM – NFL GameDay Final (HD)

Tuesday, November 17

6:00 AM – NFL Total Access (HD)

1:00 PM – NFL Replay Real-Time: Week 10 (HD)

2:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Top 10 Draft Busts

3:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Top 10 Biggest Upsets

4:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Top 10 Home Field Advantages

5:00 PM – Around the League (HD)

6:00 PM – Playbook: Tuesday recap edition

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

8:00 PM – NFL Replay: Matchup TBD (HD)

9:30 PM – NFL Replay: Matchup TBD (HD)

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

12 MIDNIGHT – Playbook: Tuesday recap edition

1:00 AM – NFL Replay Real-Time: Week 10 (HD)

And here's what was said on Showtime's Inside The NFL tonight.

NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES FROM WEEK TEN OF INSIDE THE NFL ON SHOWTIME®

Troy Polamalu and Champ Bailey Selected to

INSIDE THE NFL Team of the Aughts

NEW YORK (Nov. 11, 2009)—The New York Giants Osi Umenyiora joins INSIDE THE NFL on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME to discuss the Giants recent string of loses. Plus host James Brown, Cris Collinsworth, Phil Simms and Warren Sapp select a cornerback and safety this week for INSIDE THE NFL’s Team of the Aughts.

INSIDE THE NFL is being produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films with new episodes airing on SHOWTIME every Wednesday during the NFL season through February 10, 2010. Pete Radovich serves as coordinating producer. The executive producers are Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports, and NFL Films President Steve Sabol.

Below are excerpts transcribed from this week’s episode:

LOMBARDI REPORT

(On Larry Johnson): I have talked to several teams however, there is not a lot of interest in bringing him into the locker room. Because he’s been with three coaches, every coach has had problems with him. In fact Dick Vermeil called him complex, which is another way to say he’s tough to deal with.

I see a declining player. I see a back that has a lot of carries, over 1,300 carries…the life expectancy for a running back in NFL terms is very short, five years. So it’s difficult. You have a complex character, a declining player; it’s tough to marry that.

(On Lovie Smith): These next two games for the Chicago Bears are going to be critical. They play the 49ers. They come home to play the Eagles. Lovie Smith is the defensive coordinator. They have not played well….The water is going to get a lot hotter in Chicago, because of the expectations. You bring in Jay Cutler, you give up the draft choices, its going to be a tough situation.

(On Raiders Situation): The Raiders and the League are cooperating, which is hard to believe, on this situation and they are going to do some investigation. They are going to talk to Tom Cable. But I think at the end of the day, Tom Cable is 6-14 as a head coach of the Raiders. Winning still matters even though they have not won. I don’t think Tom Cable will be the head coach after the season is over with.

OSI UMENYIORA INTERVIEW

(On season being over): That’s a ludicrous question, man. How’s our season going to be over? I mean we’ve lost four straight games but I mean we’re five and four. It’s not the end of the world. A lot of teams have been in this similar situation that we’re in right now. As a matter of fact we’ve had our backs against the wall a bunch of times since I’ve been here. This is one of those times and I expect us to come out swinging.

What is the right formula (with Bill Sheridan) for your defense? Man, he is in a bit of a conundrum here. I think you don’t want to over do it by bringing pressure because you know of the injury situation we have in the back. And also you don’t want to not bring pressure because if you don’t, they can quite easily do the 7-man protections—keep everybody in, block us all up and go deep—so I think we need to find a happy medium and a happy balance as to when to pressure and when not to pressure. I think he’s been doing a pretty good job of that as of late.

INSIDE THE NFL TEAM OF THE AUGHTS

Last week Randy Moss was named the Wide Receiver of the Decade. This week the crew picked the Safety and Cornerback of the decade.

Cornerback – Champ Bailey

SIMMS on BAILEY: I’ll never forget once someone said, ‘He is a tremendous cover corner, one of the best.” And his comment was, “That is insulting. I am not a cover corner. I am a complete corner. I do the tackling part too.” Which he does and doesn’t get enough credit for it.

Safety – Troy Polamalu

COLLINSWORTH on POLAMLU: He has the chance to be the greatest safety of all time.

That's it for this post.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 9

This is the latest edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast that I co-host with Sports Media Journal's Keith Thibault.

We discuss the beginning of the NFL Network Thursday Night Football schedule and the network's continuing dispute with Time Warner Cable. In addition, we banter back and forth on whether there can be a true alternative to ESPN. And we talk about what properties the league-owned networks will keep for themselves in the future and whether they'll take postseason games from the over the air networks. We round out the first segment with a discussion on the latest ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Jimmy The Greek.

Then we talk with NESN's Vice President of Programming and Executive Producer Joel Feld about his efforts to develop original series on the channel, the channel's partnership with the Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox, possible streaming of games and my repeated criticisms (here and here) of Dirty Water TV.

Take a listen to the podcast right here.

NFL Continues Its Ratings Onslaught

We have our midweek NFL press release touting its ratings and there's plenty of reasons why the league should be beating its chest. Very impressive. Take a look.

NFL TOPS ON TV AT MIDSEASON

NFL Games Most-Watched Show on TV, In Primetime & On Cable

NFL Games Six Most-Watched Sporting Events since Super Bowl

As the season hits the midpoint, NFL fans continue to tune into games in record numbers.

Following are some fast facts about the NFL on TV at midseason:

· An average of more than 17 million viewers watches each NFL game on television – the highest viewership at this point in a season in 20 years.

· Each of the networks televising NFL games has shown an increase in viewership vs. 2008.

· NFL telecasts are averaging more than double the viewership of the combined average of non-NFL primetime programming on the big four broadcast networks since the beginning of the NFL season (8.3 million viewers on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC).

· The NFL 4:15 PM Sunday national game on CBS and FOX is averaging a combined 23.5 million viewers (up six percent from last year) – making the 4:15 PM window on the two networks the most-watched program on all of television this season.

· NBC Sunday Night Football is the most-watched show in primetime since the NFL season began with an average of 19.5 million viewers (up 22 percent from last year).

· ESPN Monday Night Football is the most-watched show on cable this TV season with an average of 14.6 million viewers (up 18 percent from last year).

· NFL games account for the top six and eight of the 10 most-watched sporting events since Super Bowl XLIII.

Following are the most watched sporting events since Super Bowl XLIII:

Rank (since Super Bowl)/ Event		Viewers
1. FOX Sunday National (mostly Vikings-Packers), 11/1		29.8 million
2. FOX Sunday National (mostly Falcons-Cowboys) 10/25		28.4 million
3. FOX Sunday National (mostly Redskins-Giants), 9/13		25.1 million
4. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Cowboys), 9/20		24.8 million
5. CBS Sunday National (mostly Titans-Patriots), 10/18		23.9 million
6. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Bears), 9/20		23.9 million
7. World Series Game 4 (Yankees-Phillies), 11/1		22.8 million
8. World Series Game 6 (Phillies-Yankees), 11/5		22.3 million
9. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Broncos), 10/4		22.0 million
10. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Eagles), 11/8		21.9 million

NFL games topped the local ratings in 22 NFL markets last week. Following are the NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Nov. 2-Nov. 8:

Week of 11/2-11/8			HH	HH	RTG
Market	Game	Date	RTG	SHR	Rank
New Orleans*	Falcons at Saints	11/8/09	63.8	83	1
Dallas	Cowboys at Eagles	11/8/09	37.1	56	1
Cincinnati	Ravens at Bengals	11/8/09	34.9	63	1
Milwaukee	Packers at Buccaneers	11/8/09	32.3	65	1
Nashville	Titans at 49ers	11/8/09	31.5	50	1
San Diego	Chargers at Giants	11/8/09	31.5	59	1
Indianapolis	Texans at Colts	11/8/09	30.7	57	1
Boston	Dolphins at Patriots	11/8/09	28.3	62	1
Charlotte	Panthers at Saints	11/8/09	26.9	44	1
Baltimore	Ravens at Bengals	11/8/09	26.2	53	1
Kansas City	Chiefs at Jaguars	11/8/09	26.2	51	1
Atlanta*	Falcons at Saints	11/8/09	24.4	39	1
Tampa	Packers at Buccaneers	11/8/09	22.7	44	1
Chicago	Cardinals at Bears	11/8/09	22.3	51	1
Miami	Dolphins at Patriots	11/8/09	21.8	45	1
Phoenix	Cardinals at Bears	11/8/09	20.9	42	1
Seattle	Lions at Seahawks	11/8/09	20.3	43	1
Washington, DC	Redskins at Falcons	11/8/09	20.2	45	1
Houston	Texans at Colts	11/8/09	19.5	41	1
Detroit	Lions at Seahawks	11/8/09	17.1	31	1
Denver	Cowboys at Eagles	11/8/09	16.8	26	1
San Fran-Oakland	Titans at 49ers	11/8/09	16.4	43	1

* Local affiliate & ESPN combined

Source: NFL & Nielsen Media Research

Nothing much more need be said about the great ratings for the National Football League this season.

Screamin' Gus Johson to Call More Games for Big Ten Network

Big Ten Network subscribers get more Gus Johnson this season and that's definitely a good thing. One of the more entertaining announcers will be calling at least 15 basketball games for BTN.

Gus Johnson to Call More Big Ten Network Basketball Games This Season

Big Ten Super Wednesdays to feature conference double-header

CHICAGO – Gus Johnson, recognized as one of the most exciting and entertaining sportscasters in the industry, will be calling at least 15 games this year on the Big Ten Network, an increase over last season. Two of those contests will be Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament games.

“Gus has established himself as one of America’s favorite play-by-play announcers because his genuine passion for the game is evident during every telecast,” Big Ten Network VP, Production/Executive Producer Mark Hulsey said. “We’re thrilled to have him back for another year.”

Also returning is Jim Jackson, the former two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, back for his third season as the network’s lead basketball analyst. Jackson will appear in studio on Wednesdays for the Big Ten Tip-Off Show and Sundays for This Week in Big Ten Basketball, new this season and debuting in January. The Toledo, Ohio, native will also serve as a game analyst on selected contests during the week. “With his Big Ten experience and perspective, Jim is one of the strongest hoops analysts in the business,” Hulsey said.

Johnson, a Detroit native, has called NFL and NCAA Tournament games for CBS since 1996 and made his Big Ten Network debut in November 2008. Johnson’s voice is associated with many memorable NCAA Tournament games of the past 15 years.

Nine of Johnson’s games will be conference matchups, including Illinois-Iowa (Jan. 5), Wisconsin-Michigan State (Jan. 6), Northwestern-Ohio State (Jan. 19), Iowa-Michigan State (Jan. 20), Ohio State-Indiana (Feb. 10), Ohio State-Penn State (Feb. 24) and Wisconsin-Indiana (Feb. 25), plus two Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal games on March 12.

Johnson’s first Big Ten Network assignment comes Thursday, when he and Jackson team for the Ohio State-James Madison game in Columbus. Johnson and Jackson will call three game broadcasts together.

As the season begins with six Big Ten teams in the AP Top 25, and two in the Top 10, the Big Ten Network will be the fans’ source for the most coverage, producing nearly 300 men’s and women’s basketball games in 2009-10, including two-thirds of all men’s conference games. Every basketball game on the network will be telecast in high definition.

The network also is streaming 21 men’s regular season non-conference games, and will air seven of those on a delayed basis on the linear network as part of its StudentU initiative, which provides students the opportunity to produce games and earn valuable experience. Approximately 100 women’s games will be streamed, and 34 of those will be StudentU productions and air on delay on the linear network.

During conference play, the Big Ten Network will feature a doubleheader at 6:30 PM ET and 8:30 PM ET on Wednesdays, titled Big Ten Super Wednesday, which will be preceded by a 30-minute Big Ten Tip-Off Show with lead studio host Dave Revsine and Jackson, and appearances by Steve Smith. A post-game show immediately follows the games.

Additional Big Ten Network studio talent this season for men’s basketball will include Dan Dakich, Tim Doyle, Kendall Gill, Gene Keady, and Shon Morris. Tauja Catchings, Vera Jones, Mary Murphy, Stephanie White and lead the women’s basketball coverage.

In addition to This Week in Big Ten Basketball, the network will debut two other basketball-themed shows in January that will air weekly. And beginning Selection Sunday, March 14, the network will air a half-hour show for 23 consecutive nights that will include in-depth, behind-the-scenes coverage of Big Ten Teams making a run into the post-season. Details on those programs will be forthcoming.

I'm very happy to have Big Ten Network on DirecTV. Now all I need is to get a new TV.

Doing The Veterans Day Links

On this day on which we honor our veterans, the men and women who have served to make our world safer, I give thanks to the brave soldiers, military medical personnel and all who have sacrificed for us. And to those who are currently serving overseas, thanks and I appreciate you. Please come home safely.

Let's do our links.

Michael Hiestand of USA Today writes that NFL and college football analyst Matt Millen refuses to look back at his failed tenure as Detroit Lions GM. And Michael add that it appears Jim Lampley won't be going to the Winter Olympics ending a streak of 14 consecutive Olympic assignments.

Beth Harris of the Associated Press reports that Voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers Vin Scully has announced he will work the 2010 season and then decide his future later.

CNBC's Darren Rovell says the buzz on the new Andre Agassi book is paying off in very good sales.

Editor & Publisher's Pub blog says the Hockey Hall of Fame has honored Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Dave Molinari.

Jerry Barmash in New York Sportsbeat continues his talk with Yankees radio voice John Sterling.

Alan Sepinwall of the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger shares his thoughts on the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Jimmy The Greek.

The Washington Post's Leonard Shapiro says WRC-TV reporter Lindsay Czaniak was just getting to the tough questions in her interview with DC NFL team owner Daniel Snyder when the band started playing.

The Washington Examiner's Jim Williams says MLB Network gets into Hot Stove mode today.

In the Washington Times, Tim Lemke has an update on a sports lobbying group that may or may not be fronted by satellite television.

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel talks with ESPN NBA analyst Hubie Brown about tonight's Magic-Cavs game.

Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune talks with ESPN's Jon Gruden about working on Monday Night Football and trying to adjust to life without coaching.

To the South Florida Sun-Sentinel where Sarah Talalay writes that the Florida Panthers' new sponsors are infusing a lot of cash to the team's coffers.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News writes that Cowboys fans have an opportunity to watch last Sunday night's win against the Eagles again tonight.

Ed Sherman in Crain's Chicago Business says the Bears may be struggling, but they won't be flexed out of Sunday Night Football next week.

Ed says Matt Millen faces a credibility issue when he starts doing Thursday Night Football this week.

Bob Wolfley from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looks at the high pay for college football coaches.

Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times was at a luncheon where Dodgers voice Vin Scully was speaking.

And Diane writes that Vin didn't have much to say about the Frank and Jamie McCourt divorce war.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has the college football TV schedule for SoCal.

Tom also wishes reporters would stop speculating on Vin Scully's future.

William Houston in his Truth & Rumours blog talks about how Rogers Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos got the first interview with Mike Danton, the former St. Louis Blues winger who was convicted for trying to hire a hitman to kill his agent.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail wonders how Danton will be perceived after the interview airs tonight.

In Australia, Michael Warner of the Melbourne Herald-Sun says fans are angry that they won't be able to watch Tiger Woods in the Australian Masters as he plays in the morning local time and 9 Network won't start coverage until 12:30 p.m.

Rick Kissell of Variety says sports continues to draw tremendous ratings in primetime.

Also from Variety, Cynthia Littleton says Comcast's cable properties including Versus and its regional sports nets would join an expanded NBC Universal umbrella.

Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek says USA Network won the cable primetime ratings, but ESPN won the key demographic race.

Anthony writes that the Steelers helped to steer ESPN to big ratings for Monday Night Football.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News says the NFL Network has signed an Video on Demand agreement with a digital media service company.

Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine says the Philadelphia Phillies may have lost the World Series, but they did win one thing... exposure.

The Sports Media Watch has the weekend overnight ratings.

SMW says it appears that ESPN will claim the entire NBA Eastern Conference Finals for itself.

SMW tells us that Sunday's NASCAR on ABC's ratings ended up being even with last year.

And the SMW says the NFL on CBS' national game on Sunday did not measure up to ratings from last year.

The Big Lead has a great interview with ESPN college basketball analyst and noted Duke apologist Dick Vitale.

Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball recaps Bob Costas' interview with MLB Walking, Talking Conflict of Interest Bud Selig.

Joe Favorito talks about how History Channel will get some nice cross-promotion during Saturday's Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight on pay per view.

Steve Lepore from Puck The Media has some really good programming suggestions for NHL Network.

The Babes Loves Baseball blog is happy to have Vin Scully call the Dodgers for at least one more season.

The EPL Talk blog tells Fox Soccer Channel to use its own announcers on UEFA Champions League games.

And Kristine Leahy has today's edition of The Five on WEEI.com.

That's it for now. Coming up later today, a link to the latest edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast and our guest will be Vice President of Programming for NESN, Joel Feld. Keep your Twitter and RSS feeds updated.

Get Ready for the Pats-Colts Hype

Well, it already began on NBC last Sunday when Al Michaels mentioned it on Football Night in America before the Cowboys-Eagles game. Now NFL Network is joining in by showing two classic Patriots-Colts matchups this weekend.

CLASSIC WEEKEND ON NFL NETWORK:

TOM BRADY-PEYTON MANNING DUELS HIGHLIGHT FIVE NFL CLASSIC GAMES

FRIDAY & SATURDAY ON NFL NETWORK

With Patriots-Colts, Cowboys-Packers and Bills-Titans games on the schedule this week, NFL Network highlights classic matchups between the clubs.

NFL Classic Games airs the following matchups featuring the complete network broadcasts with original announcers and graphics:

Friday, November 13

2:00 PM ET – Green Bay at Dallas (1995 NFC Championship Game) – Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns, scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to turn a 27-24 deficit into a 38-27 Cowboys victory. Dallas advanced to its third Super Bowl in four years.

9:00 PM ET – New England at Indianapolis (11/30/03) – New England’s defense stopped the Colts three times from the 1-yard line in the final seconds to secure a 38-34 victory. The Patriots jumped out to 17-0 and 31-10 leads, but Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes as Indianapolis mounted a comeback. Tom Brady passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns for New England.

Saturday, November 14

9:00 AM ET – Buffalo at Tennessee (1999 AFC Wild Card) -- Kevin Dyson caught a cross-field lateral on a kickoff return and sprinted 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown with three seconds remaining to give the Titans a 22-16 victory. The Titans advanced from this “Music City Miracle” victory to Super Bowl XXXIV.

12 Noon ET – New England at Indianapolis (2006 AFC Championship Game) -- Down 21-6 at halftime, Peyton Manning led the Colts to 32 second-half points in a 38-34 comeback victory and a berth in Super Bowl XLI. Manning passed for 349 yards in the victory.

3:00 PM ET – Green Bay at Dallas (11/24/94) – Backup quarterback Jason Garrett led the Cowboys to a team-record 36 second-half points as Dallas overcame an 11-point deficit to win 42-31 on Thanksgiving Day. Garrett passed for 311 yards and two touchdowns while Packers quarterback Brett Favre passed for 257 yards and four touchdowns. Sterling Sharpe was on the receiving end of all four Favre scoring passes.

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.

It's always fun to see the old games with the original calls.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Basketball
Coaches vs. Cancer: Robert Morris at Syracuse - ESPNU, 7 p.m.
Coaches vs. Cancer: North Carolina Central at North Carolina - ESPNU, 9 p.m.
Coaches vs. Cancer: Detroit at Cal - ESPNU, 11 p.m.

College Football
Toledo at Central Michigan - ESPN2, 8 p.m.

NBA
Utah at Boston - Comcast SportsNet New England, 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland at Orlando - ESPN, 8 p.m.
New Orleans at Phoenix - ESPN, 10:30 p.m.

NHL
New York Islanders at Washington - NHL Network (US)/MSG Plus 2/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, 7 p.m.
Anaheim at New Jersey - RDS/Fox Sports Prime Ticket/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Columbus - Fox Sports Detroit/Fox Sports Ohio, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Buffalo - TSN/MSG Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles at Carolina - Fox Sports West/Fox Sports Carolinas, 7 p.m.
Colorado at Chicago - Altitude/Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

NHL On The Fly - NHL Network, 9:30 p.m.

Entertainment
Human Wrecking Balls - G4, 8 p.m.
Gold Town - National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
Inside the NFL - Showtime, 9 p.m.
Coca-Cola: The Story Behind the Real Thing - CNBC, 9 p.m.
The Ultimate Fighter - Spike, 10 p.m.
Alaska State Troopers - National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
Nip/Tuck - FX, 10 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman - CBS, 11:35 p.m.

Some Upcoming Programming Releases

This next batch of releases deals with upcoming programming on the various networks. Let's begin with MLB Network which kicks off its Hot Stove season premiere on Wednesday.

MLB Network BEGINS OFFSEASON COVERAGE WITH Hot Stove on wednesday, november 11

Secaucus, NJ, November 10, 2009 – A new season of Hot Stove premieres on MLB Network with Greg Amsinger, Al Leiter, Dan Plesac and Billy Ripken on Wednesday, November 11 at 6:00 p.m. ET and Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET. As MLB Network’s live offseason studio show, Hot Stove features updates and analysis of the moves all 30 clubs are making and planning in preparation for the upcoming season. The show will also include the latest news on baseball’s end-of-year awards, including the Silver Slugger, MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards. A preview of the new season can be viewed here.

Hot Stove will air on select weeknights throughout November and December live at 6:00 p.m. ET and re-air at 7:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET. During the MLB Winter Meetings from December 7-10, Hot Stove will telecast live from Indianapolis with analysis on offseason trades, free agent signings and player movement rumors.

The Southern affiliates of Fox Sports Net will air SEC Gridiron Live on Wednesday and will discuss some topics of note in college football.

SEC Gridiron LIVE Tackles the BCS Standings

Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FOX Sports South

Top 5 Florida / Alabama Championships; Mark Ingram vs. Anthony Dixon; Orgeron’s Return to Ole Miss

On Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FOX Sports South, SEC Gridiron LIVE presented by O’Charley’s takes an in-depth look at the BCS Standings and counts down the Top 5 Florida / Alabama SEC Football Championships. Host Charles Davis and analyst David Pollack tackle hot topics from around the conference including whether Florida is using Tim Tebow too much on the ground; how Alabama’s Mark Ingram matches up against Mississippi State’s Anthony Dixon; and how Tennessee assistant head coach Ed Orgeron will fare in his return to Ole Miss. The crew picks this weekend’s games, and Pollack outlines how South Carolina could upset Florida. And in honor of Veteran’s Day, social media reporter Cassidy Hubbarth will feature an all-military lineup of fan photos.

Join SEC Gridiron LIVE’s Hubbarth at O’Charley’s in Lawrenceville, Ga. (830 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30043) on Friday, November 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. ET.

SEC Gridiron LIVE will be distributed to more than 24 million cable and satellite households on the FSN regional networks throughout the SEC territory – FOX Sports South, Sun Sports, FOX Sports Houston and FOX Sports Southwest.

The NBA on TNT resumes on Thursday with another doubleheader.

The NBA on TNT Continues Thursday with Doubleheader Action

Cavaliers @ Heat followed by Suns @ Lakers

TNT NBA Thursday continues on November 12 with a doubleheader beginning at 8 p.m. (ET). The first game will feature LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers traveling to South Florida to face Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Play-by-play announcer Marv Albert will call the game alongside analysts Mike Fratello and Reggie Miller with Craig Sager reporting. In the second game of the night, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will host Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Doug Collins (analyst) will be courtside with Cheryl Miller reporting. The Emmy® award-winning studio show Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst) will recap the games.

Exclusive content, analysis from TNT announcers and replays of Inside the NBA are available on TNT OverTime on NBA.com. The broadband channel gives fans the inside scoop on players, coaches and storylines taking place around the league seven days a week. Check out the NBA on TNT pages on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NBAonTNT) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) to see the latest NBA on TNT schedule, news updates and special features from TNT announcers.

TNT NBA THURSDAY SCHEDULE:

Thursday, Nov. 12

8 p.m. NBA Tip-Off

Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

8:15 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers @ Miami Heat

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)

10:30 p.m. Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers

Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Doug Collins (analyst) and Cheryl Miller (reporter)

Post-game Inside the NBA

Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

NBA ON TNT UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday, Nov. 19

8 p.m. NBA Tip-Off

Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

8:15 p.m. Phoenix Suns @ New Orleans Hornets

Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) and David Aldridge (reporter)

10:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls @ Los Angeles Lakers

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Doug Collins (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)

Post-game Inside the NBA

Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

This Saturday, Fox Soccer Channel airs several international "friendlies" involving the United States, Brazil and England.

UNITED STATES, BRAZIL AND ENGLAND

IN ACTION SATURDAY ON FOX SOCCER CHANNEL

Los Angeles, CA (November 10, 2009) – Four nations that have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ – as well as two others vying for a coveted ticket to South Africa – will be featured on Fox Soccer Channel this Saturday, Nov. 14.

A trio of live and exclusive English-language international match telecasts begins at 2 a.m. ET when New Zealand hosts Bahrain in the decisive second leg of their 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Asia/Oceania play-off. Following a goalless draw in Bahrain last month, the winner of Saturday’s contest will book its place in the world’s most prestigious tournament.

Later in the day, Fox Soccer Channel will showcase a pair of enticing international “friendly” matches between teams that have already secured spots in South Africa. At 10 a.m., the United States Men’s National Team begins a two-game European tour by visiting Slovakia, which next year will make its first World Cup appearance as an independent nation.

At noon ET, two world powers collide when Brazil faces England in Doha, Qatar. Five-time World Cup champion Brazil, led by Kaka, Robinho and Dani Alves, will face an English squad that charged through European qualifying with superstars including Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and John Terry. The two nations last met in 2007, when they inaugurated the new Wembley Stadium with a 1-1 draw seen live on Fox Soccer Channel.

WHAT: A trio of live international soccer matches on Fox Soccer Channel

WHEN: Saturday, November 14

New Zealand vs. Bahrain – 2 a.m. ET

Slovakia vs. United States – 10 a.m. ET

Brazil vs. England – 12 p.m. ET

WHERE: Fox Soccer Channel, America’s Soccer Network

HOW: Fox Soccer Channel is available through affiliated cable systems, and through DirecTV and Dish Network satellite providers. For more information, visit Fox Soccer Channel online at foxsoccer.com.

On Sunday, CBS Sports airs the prestigious Arete Awards honoring the most courageous athletes in sports.

CBS SPORTS PRESENTS 20^th ANNUAL ARETE HONORS ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15

From Lance Armstrong to Muhammad Ali to Arthur Ashe to Tiger Woods, the ARETE Honors have paid tribute to some of the world’s greatest and most inspiring athletes over its 20 years. CBS Sports will once again broadcast the one-hour special, ARETE HONORS FOR COURAGE IN SPORTS on Sunday, Nov. 15 (5:00-6:00 PM, ET; 3:00-4:00 PM in late NFL markets; taped). Produced by Intersport and hosted by CBS Sports’ James Brown, the yearly event honors athletes—both the known and unknown—that have aspired to excellence and, in the process, overcome unbelievable obstacles.

Bringing together some of sports’ most uplifting stories, this year’s honorees include Zac Sunderland, Iran Soccer and Matt Long.

At the young age of 16, Zac Sunderland embarked on a lonely quest to sail around the world. This California kid launched his boat, Intrepid, into the Pacific Ocean last June and encountered every obstacle imaginable along the way. He was trailed by pirates, hit heavy storms, created parts for his deteriorating boat, and lost all communication with his family. Through this adventure, Zac demonstrated the ultimate courage and persevered through the toughest moments of his young life.

After four Iranian soccer players silently wore green to show solidarity in support of presidential candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi after he lost to hard-lined president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, soccer became a sport that reached well beyond the playing field. The players wrapped green tape around their wrists during a match in South Korea to show their support of the election protests; green was the color used by Moussavi during his campaign. As a result, all four players have “retired” from playing soccer and have been banned from ever playing again by the government they protested.

Three years ago, firefighter Matt Long was expected to die after he was run down by a bus as he biked to work. After more than 40 surgeries and hundreds of hours of therapy, Long learned to walk again. Though the injuries he sustained have left a metal rod in his left leg, he now lives his life through an unstoppable training method, determined to become the athlete he once was. After participating in last year’s New York City marathon, he competed in the Lake Placid Ironman competition.

Intersport is the Chicago-based television and marketing company that is considered one of the industry’s leaders. CBS Sports’ Ryan Galvin serves as coordinating producer for the show.

Also on Sunday, Tennis Channel Academy returns with Tracy Austin as the host.

HALL OF FAMER TRACY AUSTIN RETURNS AS HOST

FOR SECOND SEASON OF TENNIS CHANNEL ACADEMY

Tennis Channel’s Eight-Part Coaches Series Begins Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6:30 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2009 – One of America’s all-time most popular tennis stars, Tracy Austin, will return as host of Tennis Channel Academy, which begins its second season on Tennis Channel this month. Austin, who took viewers to six top-level tennis academies during the series’ initial run last autumn, will highlight seven new coaches this year before concluding with a Best of Tennis Channel Academy: Backhands edition. The first episode of Tennis Channel Academy will premiere Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6:30 p.m. ET, and will be replayed on the network during subsequent weeks. A complete schedule can be found at www.tennischannel.com/schedule.

“Tennis Channel Academy gives recreational players access to the best coaches in a way that just wasn’t available before,” said Austin. “In our first season we were able to showcase not just several of the best tennis pros in the sport but also dozens of techniques and drills that can instantly improve anyone’s game. We have another great lineup in place with this year’s coaches and I’m excited to share their lessons with our viewers.”

Tennis Channel Academy introduces viewers to the top coaches in the game, men and women who teach some of the sport’s most accomplished players. Austin unveils technique, conditioning, psychology and overall strategy through a different coach each episode, and brings Tennis Channel viewers the same lessons that regularly guide Grand Slam tournament champions and on-court Olympians. In the first edition of the new season, she introduces audiences to Harold Solomon, former U.S. Davis Cup winner and coach of such stars as Jim Courier, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles and current No. 5 singles player Elena Dementieva. Other Tennis Channel Academy coaches this season include Rennae Stubbs, Johan Kriek, Craig Kardon, Wayne Bryan (with twin sons Bob and Mike, one of the most accomplished doubles teams in tennis history), Emilio Sanchez and Brett Hobden.

During the inaugural season of Tennis Channel Academy, viewers visited Nick Bollettieri, Chris Evert and her brother John, Pat Etcheberry, Robert Lansdorp, Rodney Harmon, and Carlos Rodriquez (with former No. 1 Justine Henin).

Austin is perhaps best known for storming onto the tennis scene and dethroning four-time US Open champion Chris Evert in 1979, winning the tournament as a 16-year-old prodigy, the youngest US Open champion in history. She held the No. 1 singles ranking in 1980 before a variety of injuries cut short her career, but nonetheless managed to win 30 career titles, including two US Open singles championships and a Wimbledon mixed doubles title. The International Tennis Hall of Fame inducted Austin into its wings in 1992.

2009 Tennis Channel Academy Schedule (episodes premiere Sundays at 6:30 p.m. ET unless otherwise noted)

Episode Location Date

Harold Solomon, Harold Solomon Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Nov. 15

Rennae Stubbs, Saddlebrook Resort, Tampa, Fla., Nov. 22

Craig Kardon, Retired player Jeff Tarango’s home, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Nov. 29

Johan Kriek, Johan Kriek Academy, Springbrook Tennis Academy, Fla., Dec. 6

Wayne Bryan, Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo, Calif., Dec. 13, 6 p.m.

Emilio Sanchez, Sanchez/Casal Tennis Academy, Naples, Fla., Dec. 13

Brett Hobden, Malibu Racquet Club, Malibu, Calif., Dec. 20, 6 p.m.

Best of Tennis Channel Academy: Backhands, Dec. 20

That will do it for tonight and I'll be back later in the morning.

Fistic Press Releases

Here are a couple of releases regarding the fighting game.

First, CBS spins its low ratings for Strikeforce last Saturday.

"CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS" MAIN EVENT FEATURING FEDOR VS. ROGERS DRAWS 5.46 MILLION VIEWERS

Full Broadcast Averages 4.04 Million Viewers, Winning its Time Period in Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34 and Significantly Boosting the Networks Time Period Averages in all Key Adult and Men Demos

"CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS" Tops College Football on ABC and ESPN in Men 18-34 and Adults 18-34

The main event of CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS featuring Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers reached 5.46 million viewers while drawing impressive young adult and male demographic ratings, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings from 11:00-11:15 PM on Saturday, Nov. 7. The demographic ratings include a 3.5/10 in men 25-54, 3.3/11 in men 18-49 and 3.1/12 in men 18-34, 2.5/7 rating in adults 25-54, 2.4/8 in adults 18-49 and 2.4/09 in adults 18-34.

For the entire broadcast, CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS (S) (9:00-11:24PM) averaged 4.04m viewers, winning its time period among adults 18-34 and men 18-34, and delivering ratings significantly higher than the Network's season to date averages in the time period among young adult and male demos. The ratings include a 1.8/06 in adults 18-49, 1.8/07 in adults 18-34, 2.6/07 in men 25-54, 2.5/08 in men 18-49 and 2.3/09 in men 18-34.

Compared to CBS's 9:00-11:00PM season-to-date averages, CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS was up +38% in adults 18-49 (from 1.3/04), +125% in adults 18-34 (from 0.8/03), +117% in men 25-54 (from 1.2/03), +178% in men 18-49 (from 0.9/03) and +283% in men 18-34 (from 0.6/02).

CBS's SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS outrated ABC's regionalized primetime college football in men 18-34 (2.3/09 vs. 1.9/07) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07 vs. 1.5/06) and ESPN's Florida State vs. Clemson primetime game in men 18-34 (2.3/09 vs. 0.7/03) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07 vs. 0.5/02). CBS also topped ESPN2's primetime Vanderbilt vs. Florida game in men 18-34 (2.3/09 vs. 1.1/04) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07 vs. 0.9/04).

The audience composition for CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS was 31% adults 18-34 and the median age for the broadcast was 41.4.

CBS' sister cable network, Showtime previews the next installment of Fight Camp 360 in advance of the Super Six boxing tournament.

Episode #2 of FIGHT CAMP 360°:

INSIDE THE SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC

PREMIERES SATURDAY, NOV. 14 ON SHOWTIME®

Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward In Training Camp;

Plus, Behind-The-Scenes From Fight Week in Europe on Oct. 17

NEW YORK (Nov. 10, 2009)—The critically acclaimed reality series from SHOWTIME Sports®—FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic—returns to SHOWTIME with Episode #2, premiering Saturday, Nov. 14, at 10:40 p.m. ET/PT.

The six-episode reality series takes viewers behind the scenes of the groundbreaking Super Six World Boxing Classic. From the conception of the tournament to the crowning of a new champion in the super middleweight division, FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic will profile the colorful and charismatic personalities of the fighters, their families and promoters.

Episode #2 takes viewers deep inside the training camps of Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward as they prepare for their first tournament matchup–Saturday, Nov. 21, live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Plus, Episode #2 will profile the fight week activity of Arthur Abraham, Andre Dirrell, Carl Froch and Jermain Taylor as they kick off the tournament in spectacular fashion from two different cities in Europe on Oct. 17.

Below are the air dates and times for FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic--Episode2:

Saturday, Nov. 14 - 10:40 p.m. SHO (premiere)

Monday, Nov. 16 - 10 p.m. SHO2

Tuesday, Nov. 17 – 10 p.m. SHO2

Tuesday, Nov. 17 – 12 a.m. SHO

Wednesday, Nov. 18 – 11 p.m. SHO2

Thursday, Nov. 19 – 10 p.m. SHO2

Thursday, Nov. 19 – 1:05 a.m. SHO

Friday, Nov. 20 – 10 p.m. SHO2

Saturday, Nov. 21 – 4:35 p.m. SHO

Note: all times ET/PT

In addition, SHOWTIME2® will air special replays related to the Super Six World Boxing Classic throughout the week beginning Nov. 16. Days, times and program listings below.

Monday, Nov. 16 - 10:30 p.m. Super Six World Boxing Classic: Froch vs. Dirrell/Abraham vs. Taylor

Tuesday, Nov. 17 – 10:30 p.m. ShoBox: The New Generation: Ward vs. Miranda

Thursday, Nov. 19 – 10 p.m. ShoBox: The New Generation: Kessler vs. Perdomo

For more information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic including exclusive videos, photography, expert analysis from Al Bernstein and Steve Farhood, and much more please visit www.WorldBoxingClassic.com.

About SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC

The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division. The field is comprised of world renowned fighters with a staggering combined record of 161-4-1 with 117 knockouts: former IBF middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham of Germany; U.S. Olympic medalist Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell of Flint, Mich.; WBC super middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch of England; WBA 168-pound champion Mikkel “Viking Warrior” Kessler of Denmark; former undisputed 160-pound world champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor of Little Rock, Ark.; and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward of Oakland, Calif.

All bouts in the Super Six World Boxing Classic will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic trophy.

And that will end this post.

Three NFL Press Releases For Your Reading

We have releases to post on this very early Wednesday morning. And it's Veterans Day so thanks to all of those who have served our country whether it be in the past or current. Thanks for helping to keep us safe.

To a release from ESPN talking about its monster ratings for Monday Night Football which were up from the previous week.

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Wins the Night in Key Male and Adult Demos

Second-Largest Cable Audience of 2009

ESPN’s Monday Night Football game – the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 28-10 road victory over the Denver Broncos – earned an 11.5 rating, representing an average of 11,358,000 households (16,002,000 viewers – P2+). As it has each week this season, MNF led all the night’s programs (broadcast or cable) in all key male demos and people 18-34, and it is the second most-viewed program on cable television in 2009, surpassed only by the MNF telecast of October 5 (Green Bay at Minnesota). In cable history, it is the fifth most-viewed telecast of all time, based on the average of 11,358,000 homes (excludes breaking news).

For 2009, the 10 MNF telecasts represent cable’s 10 biggest audiences in terms of both household impressions and total viewers. Through nine weeks (10 games) of the NFL season, ESPN’s MNF is averaging a 10.6 rating and 10,474,000 households (14,573,000 P2+), up 16 percent, 17 percent and 18 percent, respectively, from last season.

ESPN.COM

ESPN.com had 78.6 million page views to NFL content accessed via computers and mobile devices for Monday thru Tuesday at noon -- up 17 percent from the comparable time period last year. Specifically, page views for the NFL section on computers and mobile were up 18 percent from last year. Additionally, ESPN.com streamed 2.6 million NFL related videos -- up 39 percent from last year.

NEXT WEEK ON MNF

Next week’s MNF matchup on ESPN Nov. 16 will be a matchup of AFC North teams when Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens travel to Cleveland to face the Browns at 8:30 p.m. ET. ESPN’s game around the game coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. with NFL Live and continues throughout the afternoon.

We have quotage from NFL Network and The Coaches Show.

Quotable from Week 9 Edition of The Coaches Show on NFL Network

(Airs Mondays at 6:30 PM ET with replays at 8:30 and 10:00 PM ET)

Quick Quotes:

“Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are good young corners for the Miami Dolphins. They’re going to have terrific careers. –Steve Mariucci on the Dolphins’ rookie CBs Vontae Davis and Sean Smith

“Larry is a heck of a player, but it’s always something. It’s unfortunate that this had to happen but you could see it coming.” – Steve Mariucci on the Chiefs’ decision to release RB Larry Johnson

“He’s a good player but he’s a descending player too. As a player in that situation, instead of saying these types of things, you want to endear yourself to the organization because when you’re on the street after making those remarks, it’s going to be tough to get a job.” – Mike Martz on former Chiefs RB Larry Johnson

“When you’ve got this guy playing quarterback you know that he can do it anytime, anywhere.” – Steve Mariucci on Saints QB Drew Brees

“They’ve been hanging by a thread.” – Mike Martz on the Indianapolis Colts staying undefeated

“Everybody is vulnerable; it’s hard to go 16-0. But, the Saints are a little bit more balanced on both sides of the ball and they’re healthier – that’s the key.” – Steve Mariucci on which undefeated team, the Colts or Saints, is more vulnerable

“If I’m a receiver for Jay Cutler, I love this guy because he can make all the throws. Johnny Knox and Devin Hester have got to be excited.” – Steve Mariucci on Bears QB Jay Cutler

“This should be a non-issue. They’re doing the right thing for Anquan. With an ankle like that, he could probably use a little bit more time off.” – Mike Martz on Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin

“Look at the job that he’s done in that division. They’ve already beat Baltimore twice, Pittsburgh [once]… who would have thought that at this point in the season, they’d be where they are.” – Mike Martz on Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis being his early pick for Coach of the Year

“This is a slam-dunk. How about Mike Nolan? He brings that 3-4 defense that is leading every [defensive] category you can think of. Mike Nolan has done a great job.” – Steve Mariucci on Broncos defensive coordinator Mike Nolan being his coordinator of the year

*** Video clips from Week 9 are available on NFL.com. These videos include:

- Week 9’s Can’t Miss play: Dolphins CB Vontae Davis’ interception

http://www.nfl.com/videos/miami-dolphins/09000d5d8140544c/WK-9-Can-t-Miss-play-Vontae-INT

- Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt on WR Anquan Boldin

http://www.nfl.com/videos/arizona-cardinals/09000d5d81412985/Whisenhunt-on-Boldin

- And many more Week 9 game highlights and postgame video only on NFL.com.

6:30-7:00 & 8:30-9:00 PM ET Monday: The Coaches Show (HD)

Host: Charles Davis Analysts: Mike Martz and Steve Mariucci

The Coaches Show takes an inside look at the previous Sunday’s games, analyzing the big plays and tough decisions made by NFL head coaches on the sidelines in a 30-minute, roundtable program (Replays at 8:30 and 10:00 PM ET Mondays).

And truTV, formerly known as Court TV, is teaming up with NFL Films for a behind-the-scenes look at the NFL.

truTV and NFL Films Go Behind the Scenes of Professional Football In New Series NFL FULL CONTACT, Premiering Monday, Feb. 8

Series to Explore What It Takes to Create an NFL Season, On and Off the Field, from Draft Day through Super Bowl

For football fans, the excitement of watching two teams give it their all in head-to-head competition is a weekly ritual. But what they see on the field is actually the result of countless hours of hard work and high stress.

This February, truTV and NFL Films will provide unprecedented, exclusive access to what really goes on behind the scenes of professional football in the new series NFL FULL CONTACT. The series, which premieres Monday, Feb. 8, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), will follow the action from draft day to the Super Bowl, showing football fans what happens beyond the playing field.

“There’s no bigger or more powerful sport than NFL football,” said Marc Juris, executive vice president and general manager of truTV. “NFL FULL CONTACT will take pro football and turn it inside out, giving viewers inside access to a very different team of NFL stars.”

“NFL FULL CONTACT is a perfect addition to the truTV lineup,” said Darren Campo, senior vice president of programming, production and development for truTV. “The series promises to have built-in appeal for truTV’s core audience of young male viewers.”

NFL FULL CONTACT will prove that the players and coaches on the field aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure. The show will pull the curtain back to show the people called upon to pull off the biggest live NFL events. From providing security to coordinating halftime performances, jobs are on the line, and every second counts. There are no second takes, and when mistakes are made, the whole world witnesses them. This series will show viewers the unpredictable challenges and conflicts that ensue in the high-stakes atmosphere that extends from the sidelines to the television truck to the locker room to the halftime show.

NFL FULL CONTACT’s opening episode will follow the NFL Kickoff game in Pittsburgh. Among the behind-the-scenes positions featured are the senior vice president of events for the NFL, a former Secret Service agent currently a member of NFL security, the events director for the NFL, an NFL Network television producer, a concert manager, a talent wrangler and the team from a fireworks company.

Subsequent episodes will follow the NFL draft, the opening game of the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, the third annual NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium in London and, finally, the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl, both held in South Florida this year.

FULL CONTACT is produced for truTV by NFL Films. Steve Sabol is executive producer of NFL Films, and Charles Coplin is NFL vice president of programming. For truTV, Robyn Hutt serves as executive in charge of production and Anthony Horn is supervising executive producer.

The most storied filmmaker in sports, NFL Films has been chronicling and telling the story of America’s favorite sport for more than four decades. NFL Films has received numerous accolades, including 97 Sports Emmys^®. Its Road to the Super Bowl production is the longest running (40th anniversary this year) and most honored (28 Emmys) annual sports special on television.

truTV is television’s destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective. Currently seen in 91 million U.S. households, the 17-year-old network is enjoying its best deliveries ever in key demographics. truTV features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can’t normally experience. truTV’s primetime fan favorites include the original series Black Gold, Operation Repo, The Smoking Gun Presents… and Forensic Files. During the daytime, the channel features expert trial coverage under the name IN SESSION.

And that concludes this post.

Review of 30 for 30 - "The Legend of Jimmy The Greek"

This is a review of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary, "The Legend of Jimmy The Greek". For those who saw Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder every Sunday on The NFL Today on CBS from 1976-1988, there was no one like him. For those who never him, no one on TV today can ever match the chutzpah or the bravado of one Jimmy The Greek.

For one, he was a prognosticator who legitimized gambling and the point spread for NFL games. Two, he was certainly one of the most original characters ever seen on sports television. And three, he came at a time when there were only two Sunday NFL pregame shows, the widely popular NFL Today on CBS and NBC's pregame show which was slaughtered in the ratings every week by the NFL Today.

To understand Jimmy The Greek, one must understand his background. Jimmy was born on the wrong side of the tracks in Steubenville, OH. He lost his mother at the age of 10 and he also lost three of his children. As an early teen, Jimmy found that he had a knack with numbers and could use that knowledge in gambling. By the 10th grade, he quit school and worked on his gambling skill full time. He gambled on the horses and the cards. He made money. He lost money. But the whole time, he always had fun.

The Greek also could read people and he could gather information to his advantage. Using that info, he would gamble all he had to get the big score, but he would also lose big as well. He quickly made his name on big scores and in 1948, he discovered through a girlfriend that women didn't like mustaches. So he hired some women to do some informal polling at three Steubenville supermarkets to find out who they liked in the Presidential election, Senator Thomas Dewey, who had a mustache or the unpopular incumbent, Harry S. Truman. Pollsters had Dewey easily winning the election. But using the information he gathered from women, he saw that based on their dislike of mustaches, he bet $10,000 on election on 17-1 odds and won back $170,000.

In the 1950's, Jimmy moved to Las Vegas, but after a conviction for interstate gambling, the Greek decided that he had to quit gambling and worked at a casino in its public relations department.

But he really took off when he started to write a newspaper column in the early 1960's establishing the point spread for football games. For many Americans, it was their first education on the point spread and gambling on the NFL. But one career move he didn't make was selling his name to the Las Vegas sports books. Had he done so, it's felt by the Greek's family that he would have made millions, but he did not want his name associated with sports gambling. So a huge opportunity fell by the wayside.

In the mid-1970's, things started going the Greek's way. He was pardoned by President Gerald Ford, expunging his conviction and in 1976, CBS hired him to join Brent Musburger, Phylis George and Irv Cross on the NFL Today. It legitimized him and it gave him national prominence.

But during those years, especially with Brent and Phylis, Jimmy could be volatile. At one point, Jimmy and Phylis sparred forcing CBS to separate them on the set. In addition, Jimmy feeling Phylis was taking away his airtime, fought with Musburger at a bar following one show. He also became high maintenance forcing producers to find a way to calm him down.

He worked 12 years on the NFL Today, but it all came crashing down in 1988 when he made a comment to WRC-TV on Martin Luther King's birthday about the so-called breeding of the black athlete. It aired on NBC stations all throughout the country, became the lead story on NBC Nightly News and for all intents and purposes, Jimmy The Greek's career was over. CBS not wanting any controversy took The Greek off the air and fired him. He never worked in television again.

Director Fritz Mitchell, a former lead researcher on The NFL Today, manages to get the lead cast at the pregame show including Musburger, George and Cross to talk about Jimmy. In addition, we hear from his son, Anthony, co-workers at CBS including former NFL Today producer George Veras who was very instrumental in getting the documentary on the air, former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather and good friend, writer Frank Deford. Mitchell uses an actor playing the Greek to narrate the documentary. And while he doesn't sound like Jimmy, the device works and it holds the film together, enabling the viewer to go from one story to another.

This is a documentary that shows the good side of Jimmy The Greek and the bad side. But it also shows what impact The Greek had on gambling bringing it into the mainstream.

I'm very glad to see that Mitchell was able to get the people inside The NFL Today and CBS to talk about Jimmy and also get family members to give us a look at the man. I do think Jimmy would have liked this look at his life.

This receives an A+ and it's as close to perfect on its storytelling.

"The Legend of Jimmy The Greek" premieres tonight at 8 on ESPN with multiple replays throughout the week.

Another fantastic effort by ESPN Films.

NFL Says No Flexing in Week 11, Sked Remains The Same

This just in from the NFL offices. The first chance to flex the schedule in Week 11 will go away as the NFL and NBC will keep the originally scheduled Philadelphia at Chicago for Sunday Night and all of the games slotted for CBS and Fox during the afternoon hours will remain as well.

Here's the schedule for Week 11 in the League Where They Play for Pay.

WEEK 11 FLEX SCHEDULING:

NO CHANGES TO ORIGINAL SCHEDULE;

EAGLES-BEARS REMAINS NBC SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

The final Week 11 NFL schedule was announced today with the originally scheduled Philadelphia at Chicago Sunday night game on NBC remaining in place.

Following is the final Week 11 NFL schedule:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 (WEEK 11)

MIAMI AT CAROLINA

8:20p (ET)

NFLN

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22

INDIANAPOLIS AT BALTIMORE	1:00 PM (ET)	CBS
WASHINGTON AT DALLAS	1:00 PM (ET)	FOX
CLEVELAND AT DETROIT	1:00 PM (ET)	CBS
SAN FRANCISCO AT GREEN BAY	1:00 PM (ET)	FOX
BUFFALO AT JACKSONVILLE	1:00 PM (ET)	CBS
PITTSBURGH AT KANSAS CITY	1:00 PM (ET)	CBS
SEATTLE AT MINNESOTA	1:00 PM (ET)	FOX
ATLANTA AT N.Y. GIANTS	1:00 PM (ET)	FOX
NEW ORLEANS AT TAMPA BAY	1:00 PM (ET)	FOX
ARIZONA AT ST. LOUIS	4:05 PM (ET)	FOX
SAN DIEGO AT DENVER	4:15 PM (ET)	CBS
N.Y. JETS AT NEW ENGLAND	4:15 PM (ET)	CBS
CINCINNATI AT OAKLAND	4:15 PM (ET)	CBS
PHILADELPHIA AT CHICAGO	8:20 PM (ET)	NBC

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23

TENNESSEE AT HOUSTON

7:30 PM (CT)

ESPN

The NFL will utilize “flexible scheduling” on Sundays in Weeks 11-17. Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all NFL Sunday time slots in those weeks and give teams a chance to play their way onto primetime and into the late-afternoon 4:15 PM ET time slot on CBS and FOX.

For each of the flexible scheduling weeks with the exception of Week 17, the NFL will announce the start times of games on Sundays no later than 12 days prior to that weekend. To ensure a Sunday night game and doubleheader games with playoff implications in Week 17, the flexible scheduling decision for that Sunday may be made on six days notice.

Don't forget, as soon as I get the schedule the remaining weeks, I'll post it on Fang's Bites.

Two Football Viewership Notes

To show that football attracts viewers, we have ratings notes from both NBC and CBS. Starting with NBC, almost 22 million viewers watched Sunday night's Cowboys-Eagles game proving that the marketing campaign that "Sunday night is Football night" is practically true.

21.9 MILLION WATCH “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”

SNF No. 1 Primetime Show Since Beginning of NFL Season

Cowboys-Eagles Game Wins Night; Up 31% Over Last Year’s Week 9 Game

NEW YORK – Nov. 10, 2009 – NBC's "Sunday Night Football" was the No. 1 broadcast on Sunday night and the No. 1 primetime show of the week in the key advertising demos and, since the beginning of the football season, SNF now stands as the No. 1 primetime show on television.

The Cowboys 20-16 victory over the Eagles was seen by 21.9 million viewers, up 31 percent over last year's Week 9 game (Patriots-Colts, 16.7 million) and stands as the second most viewed SNF game of the season trailing only the much-hyped debut of the new Cowboys stadium (24.8 million viewers, the most watched NFL primetime regular-season game in 12 years). The household rating for the game was a 13.1/21 up 24 percent from last year's Week 9 game (10.6/16).

Despite competition for the top spot this week from Wednesday's sixth and deciding game of the 2009 World Series, NBC's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast of the Dallas Cowboys at the Philadelphia Eagles was the No. 1 program of the week in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and all key adult-male demographics – men 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.  With an average 21.9 million viewers, "Sunday Night Football" ranked No. 2 for the week in total viewers, behind only the Phillies-Yankees Game 6 (22.3 million).

SNF LEADS NBC TO SUNDAY NIGHT VICTORY: For the night (from 7:30-11 p.m. ET), NBC averaged a 7.2/18 in adults 18-49 and 18.9 million viewers overall. NBC's margin of victory over the No. 2 network was 118 percent in adults 18-49 (7.2/18 for NBC from 7:30-11 p.m. vs. a 3.3/8 for CBS from 7-11 p.m.) and 50 percent in total viewers (18.9 million for NBC vs. 12.6 million for CBS).

SNF DOMINATES PRIMETIME THROUGH 9 WEEKS: Since the beginning of the football season (9/10/09-11/8/09) "Sunday Night Football" ranks as the top program in all of primetime television in viewers  (19.5 million), the key advertising demos including Adults 18-49 (7.7), Adults 18-34 (6.8), Adults 25-54 (8.3), Men 18-49 (10.6), Men 18-34 (9.1) and Men 25-54 (11.4) and tied for No. 1 with NCIS in households (11.8).

Since the beginning of the television season (9/21/09), SNF is tied for the No. 1 primetime program in Adults 18-49 and ranks No. 2 in viewers only behind NCIS.

BEST START IN "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" HISTORY:  Through nine weeks (eight SNF games) "Sunday Night Football" is off to its best start since NBC acquired the NFL's premier primetime package in 2006 (SNF, 2006-Present, MNF, 1970-2005). Below is the SNF viewership through seven weeks from 2006-2009:

2009: 19.5 million
2008: 16.0 million, up 22%
2007: 16.1 million, up 21%
2006: 17.8 million, up 10%

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" GAMES WITH 20+ MILLION VIEWERS:
1. 9/20/09, Giants-Cowboys, 24.8 million (Dallas Cowboys stadium debut)
2. 12/14/08, Giants-Cowboys, 23.1 million
3. 9/10/06, Colts-Giants, 22.6 million ("Manning Bowl")
4. 9/21/08, Cowboys-Packers, 22.29 million
T5. 11/8/09, Cowboys-Eagles, 21.9 million (This past Sunday Night)
T5. 11/5/06, Colts-Patriots, 21.9 million
7. 11/25/07, Eagles-Patriots, 21.8 million
8. 9/13/09, Bears-Packers, 21.1 million
9. 9/10/09, Titans-Steelers, 20.9 million (Thursday Night Opener)

And CBS Sports says it's loving the ratings for its SEC package as viewership has reached its highest levels in over a decade.

CBS SPORTS’ COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON-TO-DATE RATINGS BEST IN 13 YEARS

“SEC ON CBS” IS HIGHEST RATED COLLEGE FOOTBALL PACKAGE

CBS Sports’ coverage of the SEC ON CBS through the first 10 weeks of the season is averaging a national household rating/share of 4.0/9, up 29% from last year’s 3.1/7. This 4.0/9 is the highest rating in 13 years at this point in the season since college football returned to the Network in 1996.

CBS Sports’ coverage of the SEC ON CBS is currently the highest-rated college football package on any network this season. The SEC ON CBS is one-tenth of a household rating point above ABC’s season-to-date ratings for college football in 2009 (4.0/9 vs. 3.9/8). This is the best margin for CBS Sports against ABC at this point in the season since 1996.

I'll post more press releases as news breaks today.

Bringing You The Tuesday Links

I was very productive this morning. Getting in early today helped out. Plus I have to review the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Jimmy The Greek later so expect that sometime this afternoon.

First, a couple of links from the Sports Business Journal.

John Ourand says the networks are looking for additional revenue streams in their next round of sports league negotiations as their profit margins shrink.

And the SBJ looks at what's ahead for the next five years for the league-owned sports networks.

Here's a video from Bloomberg News featuring Senior Vice President of Disney Sports Enterprises regarding the rebranding of the Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.

CNBC's Darren Rovell says a signed ball by the World Series Champion New York Yankees will sell for $3,500.

The St. Petersburg Times' Eric Deggans writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center tries to find the reasons behind the NFL's increased TV ratings this season.

Editor & Publisher says Boston.com is relaunching its sports section in the wake of increased competition from other web outlets.

The Associated Press has comments from Dish Network's CEO on a possible Comcast/NBC deal and how it could affect his business.

Jessica Heslam of the Boston Herald speaks with outgoing Fox25 sports anchor Butch Stearns.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times reviews the new NBA book written by the always insufferable Bill Simmons.

Bob Raissman from the New York Daily News feels CBS' Phil Simms backtracked on his analysis on Sunday. Whatever, Bob.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union talks about NBC's good ratings for Sunday Night Football.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call enjoys listening to ESPN/ABC's Matt Millen. I totally disagree, but that's ok.

Laura Nachman says a popular sports radio host at Philadelphia's WIP could be leaving at the end of the year.

Michael Klein of the Philadelphia Inquirer also writes about the WIP situation.

The Washington Examiner's Jim Williams says NBA TV is giving the fans a voice in choosing what games they show.

Jim also has the best of the Sunday NFL pregame quotes.

Ken Tysiac of the Raleigh (NC) News & Observer writes that ESPNU will air the announcement live of where a top college basketball recruit will be attending next fall.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News says a popular local sports radio duo is coming back to the airwaves.

Barry lists the NFL games on TV for Week 10 and seems to have woken up on the wrong side of bed this morning. Kind of like me.

Barry also has the college football TV schedule.

Barry speculates if last Sunday was the last appearance by the Cowboys on NBC.

Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas has the Big 12 TV schedule for the rest of the season.

John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says both the Bearcats and Bengals scored well in the local ratings this past weekend.

And John says a high school football semifinal game will be carried on local cable this weekend.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that my Browns may be blacked out next Monday for the first time since returning as an NFL franchise in 1999.

Jon Spencer of the Mansfield (OH) News Journal says a former local official will return to his TV roots and host a show for Fox Sports Ohio.

Ed Sherman writes in Crain's Chicago Business that a longtime radio sports reporter returns to work after losing his voice. Having worked in radio, that is the worst thing that could happen.

Ed says the Bears' recent bad play is resulting in lower TV ratings.

Dick Harmon of the Deseret (UT) News says the video of New Mexico women's soccer player Elizabeth Lambert's actions in the Lobos' game against BYU last week has become a YouTube sensation.

Dan Hinxman of the Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal says ESPN chose the WAC over the Mountain West Conference as College Gameday's showcase game this Saturday.

Two stories from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

First, the Chargers have sold out their game against the Eagles this Sunday marking the earliest the team has avoided a blackout this season.

Matthew T. Hall of the Union-Tribune says the Chargers are now exploring a site near the Padres' Petco Park for a new stadium.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News pays tribute to a long time LA radio sportscaster who recently passed away.

Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle advises the NFL to abolish the Thursday Night games.

Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says CTV has packed up its recently-built broadcast center and taking it to Vancouver where it will host the 2010 Winter Olympics for Canada's Olympic Broadcasting Consortium.

Tracy Swedlow of Interactive TV Today writes that NBC is planning a big interactive TV and video on demand push for the Winter Olympics.

R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News says the Ski Channel has signed a video on demand deal with Dish Network.

Multichannel says MASN will air 9 Georgetown University basketball games this season.

BBC News says UK soccer fans will be able to watch the English Premier League on their iPhones, for a fee, of course.

Steve Lepore of Puck The Media has his usual Tuesday mailbag.

Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! Sports' Puck Daddy blog wonders if the proposed Comcast/NBC deal could finally ease the DirecTV/Versus stalemate.

Chris Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media has some suggestions for SI.com.

Chris wishes the perpetually lovely Linda Cohn, a Happy Birthday. And Fang's Bites also wishes the ESPN anchor a Happy Birthday as well.

Dave Kohl in the Major League Programs blog pays tribute to the same LA sportscaster as Tom Hoffarth earlier in this post.

Dave also offers some thoughts on some of the sports media occurrences over the last few days.

Former Deadspin editor Will Leitch writes a post for his old stomping grounds that ESPN.com's Bill Simmons is now part of the establishment, just like Leitch as he's working for New York Magazine.

And here's Kristine Leahy with The Five on WEEI.com.

That's all for now.

Mayne Street - Careful, He Bites

Another Tuesday, another Mayne Street webisode. Here, Kenny is on a fake paparazzi shoot for ESPN when he finds Ben Stiller to be a bit condescending. The lovely Maria Menounos of Access Hollywood makes a cameo.

The best part? Seeing Alison Becker again. Never a bad thing.

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

College Football
Ohio at Buffalo - ESPN2, 7 p.m.

NBA
Denver at Chicago - NBA TV, 8 p.m.

NHL
Pittsburgh at Boston - Versus/TSN, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Toronto - Rogers Sportsnet Ontario, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Montreal - RDS/Rogers Sportsnet West, 7:30 p.m.
Edmonton at Ottawa - Rogers Sportsnet East, 7:30 p.m.
Vancouver at St. Louis - Rogers Sportsnet Pacific, 8 p.m.
Nashville at San Jose - NHL Network (Canada)/Fox Sports Tenneseee/Comcast SportsNet California, 10 p.m.

2009 Lester Patrick Awards - NHL Network, 7 p.m.
NHL On The Fly - NHL Network, 8 p.m.

Entertainment
E:60 - ESPN, 7 p.m.
30 for 30: "The Legend of Jimmy The Greek" - ESPN, 8 p.m.
V - ABC, 8 p.m.
NCIS - CBS, 8 p.m
NCIS: Los Angeles - CBS, 9 p.m.
Sons of Anarchy - FX, 10 p.m.
Big Break Disney Golf - Golf Channel, 10 p.m.
Surviving Disaster - Spike, 11 p.m.
Late Show with David Letterman - CBS, 11:35 p.m.

Actually, One More Press Release Post

I think I can fit five releases here for you. All are miscellaneous press releases and don't relate to one particular sport. Let's get to them.

Starting with the Late Show with David Letterman, tennis star Andre Agassi makes an appearance on Wednesday to talk about his tell-all autobiography which has certainly been making waves.

TENNIS STAR ANDRE AGASSI TO VISIT CBS' "LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN," WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11

Agassi's Much Buzzed-About Autobiography, Open, Hits Stores Today

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 – Tennis star Andre Agassi will visit the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, Wednesday, Nov. 11 (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Agassi is promoting his much talked-about autobiography, Open, in stores today, in which he discloses major revelations about his personal and professional life, including his drug use during his playing career. The LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN is a production of Worldwide Pants Incorporated. Barbara Gaines, Matt Roberts, Jude Brennan, Maria Pope and Rob Burnett are the executive producers.

Official CBS Web site: http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/

Next, ESPN announces that it and ESPNews will go all out to cover this Saturday's Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight. It used to be a regular occurrence for ESPN to cover the big boxing bouts, but lately, it's just been lip service. Nice to see the network giving some credence to this fight.

ESPNEWS & SportsCenter Coverage of Pacquiao – Cotto

ESPNEWS and SportsCenter will provide weeklong coverage leading up to the much-anticipated welterweight title bout between Manny Pacquaio – the junior welterweight champ and the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to The Ring Magazine (49-3-2) – and WBO welterweight champ Miquel Cotto (34-1). Dan Rafael and Brian Kenny will share reporting duties with Jaime Motto appearing on ESPN Deportes’ SportsCenter. The coverage will culminate with extensive post-fight reporting late Saturday, Nov. 14.

• Coverage will commence tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 10, when both fighters arrive in Las Vegas.

• On Wednesday, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes will air live both fighter’s press conference at approximately 3 p.m. ET. Also, legendary boxing journalist/historian Bert Sugar will be interviewed on ESPNEWS at 6 p.m.

• On Thursday afternoon, each fighter will conduct a satellite interview tour with segments live on ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes.

• The weigh-in will air live Friday at 6:10 p.m. on SportsCenter, as well as the other two networks.
  
  

• Kenny and Rafael will report throughout Saturday, Nov. 14, the day of the fight, on SportsCenter and ESPNEWS, with Motto on ESPN Deportes’SportsCenter. Rafael will score the bout round by round on ESPNEWS, followed by 30-45 minutes of post-fight interviews, analysis, highlights and press conferences.

The 30-year-old southpaw Pacquiao, is tied with Oscar De La Hoya with titles at six different weight classes. He has won his last 10 fights as he continues to move up in weight class. He now challenges Cotto, 29, who began his career 32-0 before losing a controversial TKO to Antonio Magarito in July 2008.

The ESPN family of network tells us what's on tap for motorsports this week.

Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Live from Phoenix on ABC

Only two races remain in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and this weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 15. ESPN’s live, flag-to-flag coverage of the race airs on ABC beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 2:30 p.m. ET. The race’s green flag is at 3:30 p.m.

Also from Phoenix, ESPN2 airs coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Friday, Nov. 13, at 5:30 p.m., as well as practice earlier that day at 2 p.m. In addition, coverage of final practice airs Saturday at 3 p.m.

Dr. Jerry Punch will be lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reporting from the pits will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch, with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.

Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty, co-owner of a winning team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham in the ESPN pit studio.

NHRA Championships to be Decided in Season Finale at Pomona

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series concludes its Countdown to 1 playoffs and season this weekend as the series visits Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif., for the NHRA Finals. ESPN2 will air qualifying and eliminations action, with qualifying airing Saturday, Nov. 14, at 10:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations action airs Sunday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.

The season concludes where it began with an event traditionally laced with drama. The historic racetrack typically enjoys seasonably cool temperatures that translate into perfect racing conditions and a spectacular, no-holds-barred battle for the prestigious NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships. Final standings in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle world titles will be determined in the season’s final day.

Paul Page anchors ESPN2’s coverage with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould, Dave Rieff and John Kernan report from the pits. Rieff and Dunn host NHRA RaceDay on Sunday at 11 a.m. to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action.

NASCAR Nationwide Series Live from Phoenix on ESPN2

ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend as the series races at Phoenix International Raceway. The live, flag-to-flag telecast airs Saturday, Nov. 14, at 4 p.m. ET, with the green flag at 4:45 p.m. ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC.

Marty Reid will be lap-by-lap announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reporting from the pits will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch, with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Tim Brewer in the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage.

Allen Bestwick will host the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace, Brad Daugherty, co-owner of a winning team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham in the ESPN pit studio.

Evernham, Craven, Said on NASCAR Now Roundtable

NASCAR on ESPN analysts Ray Evernham, Ricky Craven and Boris Said will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program on Monday, Nov. 16, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Allen Bestwick will host the edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.

Mike Massaro hosts half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now airing Tuesday through Friday of this week at 5 p.m. Massaro will be joined by Said for the one-hour weekend edition that airs Sunday, Nov. 15, at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceeway. The weekend wrap-up edition airs at 10 p.m. Sunday. Nicole Manske and Angelique Chengelis will report from the speedway for both programs. .

NASCAR Now is hosted by Massaro, Bestwick and Manske and originates from ESPN’s high definition studios in Bristol, Conn. Contributors include NASCAR Insiders Marty Smith and Angelique Chengelis, analysts Ray Evernham, Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Boris Said, Ricky Craven and Randy LaJoie, and ESPN.com reporters Ed Hinton, Terry Blount and David Newton. The NASCAR on ESPN team event coverage team of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Spake and Vince Welch also make frequent contributions to NASCAR Now.

Golf Channel announces that the famous TPC Sawgrass course, the one with the island green on the 17th hole will be part of its Amateur Tour National Championships in 2010.

TPC Sawgrass to Headline 2010 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour National Championships

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 9, 2009 – The PGA TOUR’s famed TPC Sawgrass – home to the iconic “17^th Island Green” and THE PLAYERS Championship each year on the PGA TOUR – will headline the roster of courses hosting the 2010 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour National Championships, Sept. 21-29, 2010, in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Fla.

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and neighboring Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass, in addition to St. Johns Country Club and World Golf Village’s Slammer & Squire Course, will welcome the more than 1,200 expected participants for the concluding event for the 2010 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour season. The Sawgrass Golf Resort & Spa will serve as host resort and tournament headquarters.

“With the Florida coastline, historic St. Augustine and the World Golf Hall of Fame serving as backdrops, we look forward to providing a first-class experience for our Amateur Tour members and their families at the 2010 National Championships,” said Gene Pizzolato, GOLF CHANNEL chief revenue and marketing officer and COO, GOLF CHANNEL New Media Ventures.

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most recognized courses in the world, featuring its signature 17^th hole, a 132-yard par-3 with water surrounding the green. Dye’s Valley Course also will be the site of the recently announced Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open on the Nationwide Tour, scheduled for October, 2010. Located just north of St. Augustine, St. Johns Country Club is one of the top-rated courses in the area and hosted the first stage of the 2009 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament in October. World Golf Village’s Slammer & Squire Course, designed by Hall of Fame members Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen, offers views of the World Golf Hall of Fame from several holes and is distinguished by memorable par-3’s, preserved woodlands and wetlands.

“TPC Sawgrass is delighted that many of the top amateur golfers in the U.S. will have the unique opportunity to test their skills at the home of THE PLAYERS Championship,” said John Hugghins, the PGA TOUR’s senior vice president of TPC Operations. “We are privileged to serve as one of the host sites of this prestigious GOLF CHANNEL event, and look forward to providing competitors and their families with a truly memorable experience, on and off the course.”

The 2010 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour season is underway at courses nationwide, with local tournaments currently taking place throughout the country. For complete information, visit www.GolfChannel.com/amateurtour.

And lastly, this comes from Friend of Fang's Bites, Joe Favorito. I linked to a story from Richard Sandomir in the New York Times about this over the weekend. Here's the official announcement that a Broadway play is in the works about the late Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi.

TONY PONTURO AND FRAN KIRMSER ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION TO BRING THE LIFE OF LEGENDARY COACH VINCE LOMBARDI TO BROADWAY

“Lombardi,” based on the bestseller “When Pride Still Mattered” by Pulitzer Prize winning author David Maraniss, to tell the life story of Vince Lombardi, one of America’s Most Quoted and Legendary Personalities

New York, November 9, 2009 – Tony Ponturo, one of the most influential figures in sports and entertainment in the last 20 years and current head of Ponturo Management Group LLC., the New York based sports and entertainment management, investment and marketing company and the current producer of Broadway’s Memphis, and Fran Kirmser, a fixture in the arts and producer of the Tony Award Winning Musical Hair, today announced they have joined forces to bring the life story of Vince Lombardi to the stage in a dramatic production.

Lombardi, a new play written by playwright and Oscar winner (for the creation of the life story of radio legend Norman Corwin and member of the noted Steppenwolf Theater Company of Chicago) Eric Simonson, is based on the best-selling biography When Pride Still Mattered by Pulitzer Prize winning author (currently at work on the biography of President Barak Obama) David Maraniss. This original work will bring the audience into the life and times of one of America’s most inspirational and mercurial personalities, Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi.

“Sometimes we need to go back in our history, to learn lessons for today. Vince Lombardi’s name is on the Super Bowl trophy, but many young people do not know the story of this man.” Ponturo said. “In a time where people continue to look for the shortcuts to success, Vince Lombardi’s story teaches that hard work, discipline, respect and time are the elements needed to succeed. “’Lombardi’ expects to entertain those who love the stage with the classic tale of triumph by a very diverse and sometimes misunderstood soul, while also bringing in those who enjoy sports but never thought that such drama could be played out on the stage.”

Ponturo will team up with Kirmser, who backs projects in both non-profit and commercial realms, such as the work of great American playwright August Wilson. “Vince Lombardi -- his inspiration, passion and ability to get people to achieve what they thought they couldn't achieve -- is more relevant now, in these challenged times, than ever before,” Kirmser said. “Sport produces great human drama, and there is no better dramatic character from sport to bring to life in theater than a man who overcame great obstacles to become a success and is always identified as one of America’s most inspirational leaders.”

Ponturo and Kirmser met while collaborating on the production of Hair, Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical.

“Vince Lombardi was not just a great coach, he was one of the most compelling individuals in American popular culture in the 20^th Century. I am very pleased to bring the essence of my work and his life to Broadway in this play,” Maraniss added.

The play, with a multi-character cast, is scheduled in debut on Broadway in the fall of 2010. For more information on Lombardi log onto www.lombardibroadway.com

And that will do it for tonight.