Links on Your Easter Sunday

I've run errands galore today on this Easter Sunday. Then after a late lunch, I'm now in front of my computer to do the links.

I'm also watching The Masters which is perfect on a day like today. Sunday at The Masters is always fun, especially if there's movement and if Phil Mickelson can continue his charge, you just wonder how much pressure Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera will feel as they hear the roar from the patrons and see the scoreboard change. That's going to be interesting especially if Mickelson doesn't go crazy and starts making silly shots. Well, as I'm about to post this, Phil had a six shot charge to go ten under, two shots off the pace and then hits a shot into the water at 12. That's Phil. He may have shot himself out of contention now. Good job, Phil.

Let's do the links.

Neil Best of Newsday is rooting for fellow 48 year old Kenny Perry to win The Masters.

The New York Times' Richard Sandomir reviews HBO's excellent "Thrilla in Manila" documentary.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News wonders who will be the new partner for WFAN's Mike Francesa.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post does some revisionist history on the 1960 World Series? Does that merit 12 paragraphs in a Sunday column???

John Doyle of Foster's (NH) Daily Democrat writes about Granite State natives Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley who call the Boston Bruins for NESN.

John Harstock of the Altoona (PA) Mirror profiles a native who works as a researcher for ESPN.

Bob Fernandez of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the FCC is now stepping into the Comcast-NFL Network dispute.

Michael Klein of the Philadelphia says Comcast SportsNet has hired a former newspaper writer to assist on its multiplatform Eagles coverage.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner says The Masters on CBS is a tradition unlike any other. Jim also looks at TBS' second season as an MLB TV rightsholder.

Dave Weekley of the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail says there's no doubting the Tiger Effect on golf's TV ratings.

Daryl Maxie of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says ESPN had to fill a lot of time when it aired yesterday's Georgia spring football game.

Tim Gayle and Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery (AL) Advertiser write about CBS moving the annual Iron Bowl to the day after Thanksgiving riling Auburn and Alabama fans alike.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News reviews ESPN's Outside the Lines report on the Dallas girls high school basketball coach that was on the front end of a rare 100-0 win.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reviews a book on baseball's unwritten rules.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports on another agreement between FSN Rocky Mountain and Brensan Communications for Colorado Rockies games.

Adam Rose of the Los Angeles Times suggests we read an Esquire article on former USC and Los Angeles Raiders quarterback Todd Marinovich.

Diane Pucin of the Times says The Masters has viewers hooked.

Artie Gigantino of the San Francisco Examiner says CBS and The Masters are synonymous with one another.

Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle scolds CBS and Fox for bad sports TV deals.

The Sports Media Watch says NASCAR on Fox is now 7 for 7, seven straight double digit ratings drops. SMW says the PGA Tour on TV has reversed its downward ratings trend just in time for The Masters. Paulsen says last week's MLB season opener on ESPN2 finished down from the year before. And we have the usual weekend ratings predictions.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says it appears the Bruins-Canadiens and a Western Canadian NHL playoff series will begin on Thursday so it can be in the Saturday Hockey Night in Canada rotation. Steve says it appears Calgary-Chicago will start Thursday as well most likely on TSN.

Some items from Christopher Byrne at the Eye on Sports Media, most of them Masters-related. First, Chris notes that CBS' Nick Faldo made reference to the crowd at Augusta as the "gallery" instead of The Masters-approved "patrons". Chris says IBM needs to do a better job on updating its Masters crawl. Chris asks where is Bobby Clampett on CBS' coverage of The Masters? Christopher shows us what the Nationwide Tour trailers look like. And Chris says sometimes the PGA Tour TV partners fudge the figures to get Tiger Woods on their leaderboards.

Joe Favorito says the Anaheim Angels publicly handled the Nick Adenhart tragedy as best as the franchise could.

Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News reports that Comcast's regional sports networks are reporting ratings gains for their local NHL game casts.

Stuart Miller of Multichannel writes that outdoor sports are getting their due on the major cable sports networks.

That does it. Enjoy the rest of your Easter Sunday.