NFL-Centric Press Release Action

We have three NFL-related press releases, two from NFL Network and one from Versus. Wait, did I mention one from Versus? Yes I did. You’ll see what it relates at the end. First, we have quotage from NFL Network from its NFL Gameday Highlights and NFL Gameday Final programs.

Week 9 (Nov. 8, 2009) – Quotable from NFL GameDay Final & NFL GameDay Highlights on NFL Network

(Airs Sundays at 7:30 PM ET & 11:30 PM ET)

“Last year the New Orleans Saints defense was terrible. But you add just one guy – Darren Sharper. He is the difference.”

— Deion Sanders on New Orleans defense and Sharper, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions

“If you can go by land or by air like the Bengals can, it can give guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed headaches.” – Michael Irvin on the Bengals offense having the upper hand over the Ravens defense for the second time this season

“They controlled the ball for 40 minutes. That means that Joe Flacco is just sitting over there on the bench.”

— Steve Mariucci on Bengals offensive performance in win over Ravens

“I am officially off the Giants bandwagon.” – Deion Sanders after the Giants lost their fourth consecutive game

“He’s going to be a superstar in this league.” – Michael Irvin on Giants WR Hakeem Nicks, who leads all rookies with 407 receiving yards

“This is a quality win for the Cowboys after losing 44-6 last year in Philly. They were balanced on offense. On defense they kept away from allowing the big play to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and made Donovan McNabb earn every yard.”

– Steve Mariucci on Dallas’ victory over Philadelphia

“He looks like the 2008 model.”

— Deion Sanders on Falcons RB Michael Turner, who rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns vs. Redskins

“For a big man, he’s got so much speed plus great vision.”

— Steve Mariucci on Falcons RB Michael Turner

“In his first career start the Bucs dressed Josh Freeman up like Steve DeBerg.”

— Rich Eisen on rookie QB Josh Freeman and the Bucs wearing the team’s classic orange uniforms against Green Bay

“They’ve got to wear them next game.” – Deion Sanders on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting their first win of the season in classic uniforms

“Talk about a throwback. Here’s Ahman Green running the ball for the Packers.”

– Rich Eisen on Green rushing against Tampa Bay, which was wearing its classic uniforms. Green rejoined the Packers this season after playing for the club from 2000-06.

“The Boss is back.” – Rich Eisen on Giants TE Kevin Boss, who had an eight-yard touchdown reception vs. Chargers

“How did he come out of there?” – (in unison) Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin on Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew breaking through numerous defenders for a nine-yard touchdown run

*** Additional exclusive video clips from Sunday’s NFL GameDay are available on NFL.com. Click on the video segments. These videos include:

– Cardinals QB Kurt Warner’s 5 TD performance at Soldier Field in Chicago

– http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d81408913/WK-9-Kurt-Warner-highlights

– Deion Sanders’ “Let’s Go Primetime”

– http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d8140e3cb/Let-s-Go-Primetime

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

7:30 PM -8:30 PM ET: NFL GameDay Highlights

Host: Rich Eisen Analysts: Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin

Following the late afternoon games,
NFL GameDay Highlights offers analysis of the events of the day. Includes highlights from all completed games, insider commentary, on-field interviews and post-game press conferences.

11:30 PM -1:00 AM ET: NFL GameDay Final

Host: Rich Eisen Analysts: Deion Sanders and Steve Mariucci

NFL GameDay Final is the definitive exclamation point on Sundays providing unlimited highlights of all the games, plus post-game press conferences, interviews from the field and locker room, audio captured throughout the day and expert analysis.

This Thursday, NFL Network kicks off its 8 game regular season schedule and it begins with the Bears-49ers.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 — 8:00 PM ET

CHICAGO BEARS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS ON NFL NETWORK

‘The Marshall Plan’ Takes a Look at How Patrick Willis Might be the Next

Mike Singletary on Thursday Night Kickoff

A Look at the Rise of 49ers TE Vernon Davis

Mariucci, Faulk and Sanders Debate Jay Cutler’s Status as an Elite Quarterback

NOTABLE & QUOTABLE…

• “Any time you get knocked off, you want to correct the mistakes and get out on that field as fast as possible especially as a player. You want to put it behind you and get right to the game at hand.” – MATT MILLEN on the Bears and 49ers headed into this week’s Thursday Night Football game

• “With the second half of the season underway, the Bears and Niners must get on the winning track. This game could wind up having playoff tie-breaking implications in the NFC.” – BOB PAPA on the Bears-49ers matchup

• “Typically, it’s easier for quarterbacks to get in sync with a tight end and both Jay Cutler and Alex Smith have two great weapons with Greg Olson and Vernon Davis. The quarterback to tight end combination plays an important role in the development of young quarterbacks to help them find a rhythm in the passing game.” – STEVE MARIUCCI on relationships of QBs Jay Cutler and Alex Smith with respective TEs Greg Olson and Vernon Davis

ANNOUNCERS

Bob Papa, Matt Millen

PREGAME (6:00 PM ET)

Thursday Night Kickoff

Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders, Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Jason La Canfora (Eisen, Sanders, Mariucci and Faulk in Los Angeles; La Canfora via remote in San Francisco)

PRE-KICK (8:00 PM ET)

Pre-Kick Show

Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders, Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Bob Papa, Matt Millen

POSTGAME

Postgame Show

Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders, Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk

WHERE TO WATCH

DirecTV – Channel 212 (SD/HD), DISH Network – 154 (SD/HD)

Verizon – Channel 88 (SD) 588 (HD), AT&T U-Verse – 630 (SD) 1630 (HD)

Check your local cable listings

NFL.com LIVE – live “look-ins” at select moments of game

NFL Mobile Live only from Sprint

LOCAL OTA SIMULCAST*

My Network 50 (WPWR)

CW Ch. 31 (KBCW)

Thursday Night Football

NFL Network begins its fourth year airing the exclusive Thursday Night Football primetime package. NFL Network presents eight games in the key stretch of the season as teams jockey for playoff berths and seeding.

NFL Network has assembled an award-winning team to cover its “Run to the Playoffs” slate. This season marks the debut of new game analyst MATT MILLEN who returns to the broadcast booth after a successful NFL analyst stint with FOX and CBS from 1995 to 2000. Millen is joined by second-year NFL Network play-by-play announcer BOB PAPA, the radio voice of the New York Giants who has called a pair of Super Bowls. Papa was also the lead voice for NFL Europa games including the 2007 World Bowl on NFL Network and has worked seven Olympics. MARK TEITELMAN and CRAIG JANOFF produce and direct Thursday Night Football.

RICH EISEN hosts NFL Network’s Thursday Night Kickoff, a two-hour pregame show from NFL Network’s Los Angeles studios. Eisen, a two-time Sports Emmy nominee in the Studio Host category, is joined by fellow Sports Emmy nominee STEVE MARIUCCI, a former NFL head coach with the San Francisco
49ers and Detroit Lions who also served as Brett Favre’s quarterback coach in Green Bay; MARSHALL FAULK, who won a Super Bowl XXXIV ring with the Rams, earned 2000 NFL MVP honors and three Offensive Player of the Year awards (1999-2001) and has been selected to seven Pro Bowls; and DEION SANDERS, a two-time Super Bowl winner who was 1994 Defensive Player of the Year and an eight-time Pro Bowler who holds the NFL record with 18 career return touchdowns. Coverage also includes on-site reports from insider JASON LA CANFORA, who is in his first season with NFL Network after an award-winning newspaper career with The Washington Post and reporter SCOTT HANSON, host of NFL Network’s NFL RedZone channel that airs every Sunday. Senior producer BARDIA SHAH-RAIS joins coordinating director JEN LOVE on the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. MIKE MURIANO is coordinating producer of the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. ERIC WEINBERGER is executive producer of NFL Network.

NFL.com LIVE features live programming including live “look-ins” of Thursday Night Football, game highlights and instant analysis from NFL Network talent. From the NFL Network studios in Los Angeles, FRAN CHARLES, JAMIE DUKES, BUCKY BROOKS and MICHAEL FABIANO provide expert analysis, commentary and fantasy information with contributions from Faulk, Mariucci and Sanders. Hanson, along with PAUL BURMEISTER provide live reports from the stadium. New this year, Playbook analyst MIKE MAYOCK gives instant X & O analysis of key plays right after they happen from NFL Films headquarters.

And Chad Ochocinco will be on Versus’ Sports Soup program to guarantee a Bengals victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers tomorrow.

CHILD, PLEASE! OCHOCINCO GUARANTEES A WIN AGAINST
THE STEELERS IN FIRST WEEKLY SPORTS SOUP SEGMENT

NEW YORK, N.Y. (November 9, 2009)-VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, today announced that Chad Ochocinco, All Pro wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, will have a weekly segment in Sports Soup beginning Tuesday, November 10, at 10 p.m. ET. The segment, titled Child, Please!, will feature the always outspoken Ochocinco giving his unvarnished opinion on anything and everything that is on his mind.  

In his first segment tomorrow night he sounds off on Sunday's game in Pittsburgh, the bribe in this past Sunday's game, and much more, including what he would do if he was the NFL commissioner to what he was for Halloween:  

On Sunday's game in Pittsburgh:  Experts had us as underdogs this Sunday, I mean come on, son.  Get out of here with that. Troy, Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, Deshea Townsend, William Gay. You guys...child please, that's all I can say.  Literally no disrespect but you guys don't stand a chance. I'm riding high on confidence right now.  

The bribe in the November 8 game against the Ravens: Me being me - a fun guy who likes to have fun - I asked the guy next to me if he had a dollar. He obliged, I took the dollar and I wasn't going to actually ask the ref, you know, let me get the call. Just having fun. It's me and again, the NFL sees things like this and fines me and enjoys it and embraces me because I'm around for the next 10 years.   

Each week on Sports Soup Matt Iseman takes viewers around the entire world of sports to find the clips that are the most ridiculous, extreme and memorable for all the right and wrong reasons. Since the show launched Sports Soup has continuously featured interviews with high-profile athletes and celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neal, Will Ferrell, Mike Tyson, Michael Irvin, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and most recently Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, Brandon Marshall, subbed in for Iseman to host an episode.  

To add the list of celebrity guests, and in addition to the launch of the "Child, Please!" segment, tomorrow night's episode will also feature an interview with boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao just days ahead of his November 14 super-fight against Miguel Cotto.  

That is it for the NFL-centric release post. I have more releases coming up.