Let’s finish up the press releases so I can go to bed.
From CBS, ten members of the New York Rangers will help David Letterman with the Top Ten List on Wednesday.
THIS JUST IN…
…from CBS Entertainment
TEN MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK RANGERS PRESENT THE
TOP TEN LIST ON CBS’s “LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN,”
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30
NEW YORK, Sept. 29 — Ten members of the New York Rangers will present the Top Ten List on the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, Wednesday, Sept. 30 (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The 2009-2010 National Hockey League regular season kicks off Thursday, Oct. 1, with the Rangers playing their first game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, Oct. 2.
Also featured on the Wednesday, Sept. 30 LATE SHOW is an interview with pop superstar Madonna and a performance by musical guest Harry Connick Jr. 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/
Besides the NFL and the SEC, here’s what else is in store for CBS Sports this weekend.
CBS SPORTS AND PGA OF AMERICA FOSTER LOVE OF GOLF WITH ENCORE PRESENTATION OF REALITY-BASED SHOW ON SATURDAY
CBS Sports presents a one-hour encore presentation of the PGA of America special PLAY GOLF AMERICA: GET GOLF READY on Saturday, Oct. 3 (2:00-3:00 PM, ET; aired on 5/3/09). Hosted by CBS Sports’ Bill Macatee, the show follows a group of six amateur would-be golfers, who come from all walks of life, as they begin to discover a love and passion for the game of golf. The novice golfers begin with lessons at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. where they are given instructions from some of America’s top instructors including Top 50 Instructor and PGA of America Director of Instruction T.J. Tomasi, 2008 PGA Teacher of the Year Martin Hall, and top female instructor and the second woman to play in a PGA Tour event Suzy Whaley, as well as many other top flight instructors. CBS Sports’ Chris Svendsen serves as the coordinating producer.
CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR COWBOYS UP WITH PRO BULL RIDING’S “GODADDY.com INVITATIONAL” ON SUNDAY
CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR presents professional bull riding’s GoDADDY.com INVITATIONAL on Sunday, Oct. 4 (5:00-6:00 PM; 3:00-4:00 PM in late NFL markets; taped 10/2-3) from the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore. The GoDADDY.com INVITATIONAL is the 2
9th stop on the Built Ford Tough Series. With only two more events on the “Road to Vegas” left after Portland, the championship round will go a long way in setting up the world standings for the 2009 PBR World Finals in what has been one of the closest races for a world title in the 16-year history of the PBR. Craig Hummer, Ty Murray and Leah Garcia call the action for CBS Sports. CBS Sports’ Ross Schneiderman serves as coordinating producer.
Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
Golf Channel will be busy this week.
GOLF CHANNEL TOURNAMENT COVERAGE
Oct. 1 – 4, 2009
Turning Stone Resort Championship
Dates: 10/1 – 10/4
Venue: Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort, Verona, N.Y.
Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 4 – 6 p.m. (Live)
Friday 4 – 6 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 4 – 6 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 4 – 6 p.m. (Live)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Talent:
Rich Lerner (Play by Play)
Brandel Chamblee (Analyst)
Peter Oosterhuis (Tower)
Matt Gogel (On Course)
Andrew Magee (On Course)
Inga Hammond (Interviews)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Notes: The Turning Stone Resort Championship is the first of five events in the PGA TOUR’s Fall Series that will air exclusively on GOLF CHANNEL… Mutual of Omaha Putting Line powered by Aimpoint, a graphics technology that predicts the break of a putt and suggests where a player must aim to hole out, will be used during the telecast will be used on holes 16 and 18.
Navistar LPGA Classic
Dates: 10/1 – 10/4
Venue: The Senator Course, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Prattville, Ala.
Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. (Tape Delayed)
Friday 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. (Tape Delayed)
Saturday 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. (Tape Delayed)
Sunday 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. (Tape Delayed)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Talent:
Brian Hammons (Play by Play)
Beth Daniel (Analyst)
Kay Cockerill (Tower)
Charlie Rymer (Tower)
Val Skinner (On Course)
Todd Lewis (Interviews)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Notes: The top five players on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings will compete in the Navistar LPGA Classic… Big Break Ka’anapali winner and current LPGA player Kim Welch will be wired for sound during Thursday’s opening round and featured as the “Spotlight Player” of the day.
Soboba Classic
Date: 10/1 – 10/4
Venue: The Country Club at Soboba Springs, San Jacinto, Calif.
Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (Live)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Talent:
Jerry Foltz (Play by Play)
Curt Byrum (Analyst)
Phil Parkin (Tower)
Jason Buha (On Course)
Stephanie Sparks (Interviews)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Notes: A strong field has gathered this week for the inaugural Soboba Classic. The $1 million event has attracted 66 of the Top-70 money winners on Tour. The only exceptions are Michael Sim, Mathias Gronberg and Darron Stiles, who are all competing on the PGA TOUR this week. The other missing player is Steven Alker… The top-25 money winners at the conclusion of the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C. (Oct. 22-25) will be awarded PGA TOUR cards for 2010.
Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship
Dates: 10/1 – 10/4
Venue: East Course, Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, Md.
Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 1 – 3:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 1 – 3:30 p.m. (Live)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Notes: The Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, the Champions Tour final major of the year, will be televised by GOLF CHANNEL and NBC. GOLF CHANNEL will provide live coverage on Thursday and Friday, while NBC will televise the weekend’s play. Dave Marr will serve as the play-by-play commentator during GOLF CHANNEL’s coverage and will be joined by NBC Sports talent… The tournament will be aired in HD.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Dates: 10/1 – 10/4
Venue: Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland
Carnoustie and Kingsbarn Golf Course, Fife, Scotland
Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Live)
GOLF CHANNEL Broadcast Notes: GOLF CHANNEL will broadcast the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in HD… GOLF CHANNEL’s Tom Abbott will play in the amateur portion of the pro-am event.
CBC airs the premiere of its “Battle of the Blades” later this week.
LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!
CBC TELEVISON’S BATTLE OF THE BLADES DEBUTS OCT. 4
Sandra Bezic and Dick Button headline judging panel
Canadian figure skating and hockey icons take to the ice in a live competition of artistry and athleticism as CBC Television’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES premieres on Sunday, October 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
Ten charities chosen by the competitors will be the beneficiaries of donations, announced weekly, as pairs are eliminated from the competition on the Monday night result show. At the completion of the seven week series, the winning pair will make a combined donation of $100,000 to their chosen charities. The benefactors include Make-A-Wish Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Alberta Cancer Foundation, MA Foundation, The Foundation Fighting Blindness, Diabetes Hope Foundation, Wounded Warriors, The Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Centre Society, Bloorview Kids Rehab and World Vision Canada.
Bringing together a top-notch group of judges, choreographers and coaches, CBC Television’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES has assembled an all-star cast to ensure that the athletes and viewers are treated to the very best in this ground breaking competition. Each Sunday night, the pairs perform a routine to a specific musical theme and viewers will cast their votes by mobile phone text message, internet (www.cbc.ca/battle) or telephone. The two pairs with the fewest votes return for the Monday night live results show to perform their routines again. The judges will determine which pair goes home and which advances to the next round. Throughout the series a special guest judge, announced each week, will join Sandra Bezic and Dick Button.
Sandra Bezic is widely regarded as one of the most influential people in skating. She is an Olympian and has been a coach, choreographer, producer, on-air analyst, and author in her storied career. Her award winning choreographic work has guided numerous Olympic and World Champions. Bezic has been the driving creative force behind ground breaking live skating tours and more than 30 television specials, winning an Emmy for outstanding choreography and two Gemini’s as a producer. She has also served as a figure skating analyst for NBC for more than 20 years.
Widely considered one of the premier figure skaters of all time, Dick Button steps into his role as judge on BATTLE OF THE BLADES armed with his signature tough, but thoughtful, commentary. During a seven year period he dominated the sport like no other, winning two Olympic gold medals (1948, 1952), five consecutive World Championships (1948-52) and seven U.S. National titles. Button’s career as a figure skating analyst is equally remarkable and has earned him legendary status. He made his television debut with CBS at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games. In 1981 Button became the first winner of an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Sports Personality – Analyst.” Button is a member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and Olympic Hall of Fame.
Internationally renowned choreographers for the cast of BATTLE OF THE BLADES include: Renee Roca a three-time U.S. Champion ice dancer and respected choreographer who’s worked with Olympic Champions, Skating With Celebrities and Katarina Witt’s German production of Stars Auf Eis ; former U.S. National Ice Dance Champion, three-time World Bronze dance medallist and Emmy Award-winning Michael Seibert; Torontonian David Wilson who is widely sought after choreographer by Olympic and World competitors; and Evgeny Platov, who is a two-time Olympic Champion and four-time World Ice Dance Champion skating first for the U.S.S.R, then for the Unified Team and Russia.
The coaches include former Olympians; Doug Ladret who along with his skating partner, Christine Hough-Sweeney, was a Canadian Pair Champion and World and Olympic team member; Patrice Lauzon, a five-time Canadian Ice Dance Champion and two-time World Silver medallist with his partner and now wife, Marie-France Dubreuil; Paul Martini, Canadian Sports Hall of Famer and seven-time World Professional Skating Champion with partner Barbara Underhill; Olympic and World Champion David Pelletier who with his partner Jamie Salé were recently inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame; rounding out the coaches are Rockey Marval, married to Brasseur and former U.S. National Champion and lastly, Sean Rice, who with his wife/partner Jodeyne Higgins has performed around the world.
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.
Finally, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia has a documentary on the old Spectrum. And thanks to the great people at CSN Philly for sending Fang’s Bites this release.
COMCAST SPORTSNET TO AIR SPECIALLY PRODUCED ONE-HOUR DOCUMENTARY ON THE SPECTRUM: “BUILDING A MEMORY” TO DEBUT ON OCTOBER 5
Philadelphia, PA (September 29, 2009) – Comcast SportsNet, the leader in regional sports, celebrates the history of the Spectrum, the legendary arena slated to close at the end of October, with “Building A Memory.” The hour-long documentary is the result of over 200 hours of interviews and is told by the people that called the Spectrum home. “Building A Memory” will debut on Comcast SportsNet on Monday, October 5 at 9 p.m.
When Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider declared, “This will be the final year of the Spectrum,” Comcast SportsNet immediately began culling through file footage to document the 42-year history of the Spectrum and compiling a “must interview” list.
Some of the memorable names interviewed for “Building A Memory” include Snider, former Flyers players Bob Clarke, Bernie Parent, Tim Kerr, and General Manager Keith Allen; former 76ers Charles Barkley, Julius Erving, and Gerald Henderson; college basketball legends Mike Krzyzweski, and Christian Laettner; plus music promoter Larry Magid and entertainer Billy Joel.
“Building A Memory” was produced by Comcast SportsNet’s Emmy-Award winning Executive Producer Brad Nau. According to Nau, “The story is told by the people involved – the performers, the athletes, the fans, and the employees – who share their thoughts about the Spectrum.”
“The Spectrum is a very special place for so many millions of people,” said Snider. “’Building A Memory’ highlights the great events, the terrific people and the wonderful memories that the Spectrum created for me and everyone who has ever attended an event there over the past 42 years. I’d also like to commend Brad Nau who gave so tirelessly of his time to produce this great show.”
The Spectrum opened on September 30, 1967, with the Quaker City Jazz Festival. After nearly 40 seasons of Philadelphia Flyers hockey and Philadelphia 76ers basketball, the Spectrum gave way to the Wachovia Center in l996. The two teams moved to their new home, paving the way for a minor league hockey team, the Philadelphia Phantoms, and a new indoor soccer team, the Philadelphia Kixx, to call the Spectrum “home.”
Pearl Jam will have the distinction of being the final act to play the Spectrum when they perform four shows at the end of October as part of the Final Farewell Concert Series at the Spectrum. In addition to Pearl Jam’s final four shows at the Spectrum, the Final Farewell Concert Series also features Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Maxwell, Leonard Cohen, and Daryl Hall and John Oates performing with Todd Rundgren and the Hooters.
“Building A Memory” will air on Comcast SportsNet on Monday, October 5 at 9 p.m.; Wednesday, October 7 at 9 p.m.; Friday, October 9 at 4 p.m.; Tuesday, October 13 at 9 p.m.; and Thursday, October 15 at 4 p.m. The program will also air on The Comcast Network on Monday, October 12 at 10:30 p.m.; Tuesday, October 13 at 7 p.m.; Thursday, October 15 at 10 p.m.; and Wednesday, October 21 at 10 p.m.
And that’s it for now.
