Bringing You Thursday Linkage

Let’s do the Thursday links. I’m waiting on an employee who was supposed to be here at 9:30. It’s now past ten. Not good when someone’s late.

Here are your links.

USA Today’s Vicki Michaelis looks at the legacy of former International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch who died yesterday at the age of 89 including what he meant to NBC and its broadcast of the Olympic games.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch looks at how NFL Network and ESPN will handle their respective coverages of the Draft this week.

And here’s NFL Network’s open for tonight’s Draft. Looks special.

ESPN Ombudsman Don Ohlmeyer discusses various issues including announcers who talk too much, President Obama’s NCAA Tournament brackets and complaints about Big East basketball runovers.

Alex Weprin of Broadcasting & Cable says ESPN and the NHL are among the first to use a new Facebook feature.

David Tanklefsky of B&C talks with Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman about carrying President Obama’s commencement speech to the University of Michigan.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News looks at the NFL Draft going into primetime tonight.

Aaron Kuriloff of Bloomberg News says the NFL is betting on their fans watching the Draft in droves in primetime. 

From the Boston Herald, Jessica Heslam writes about NESN’s Heidi Watney who has been missing from Red Sox games since the beginning of the season.

You can hear that interview Jessica refers to in her story, Heidi talking with WZLX’s Kevin Karlson and Pete McKenzie (both of whom I worked in Groton, CT at Q-105 a long time ago. Karlson  & McKenzie, not Heidi) right here.

The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir asks if you’re ready for the NFL Draft at night?

Richard also writes about the inauspicious end of the US Olympic Network before it even go to make the air.

Jen Wielgus of the Bucks County Courier Times says Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia will be all over the Eagles’ draft picks. 

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner feels ESPN will get the job done during its NFL Draft coverage.

And Jim says three DC outlets will be all over the picks by the Washington NFL team.

Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wonders if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will ham it up for the cameras during tonight’s Draft. 

John Niyo of the Detroit News says the NFL Draft has evolved from the smokey-filled rooms to Radio City Music Hall.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the Green Bay Packers get four primetime games this season.

Jim O’Donnell of the Chicago Sun-Times profiles legendary Cleveland Cavaliers announcer Joe Tait who will leave his job after next season.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that ESPN and NFL Network have a heightened interest in the Rams’ 1st round draft pick.

Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times feels TNT’s Charles Barkley went too far in calling co-horts Ernie Johnson, Jr. and Kenny “The Jet” Smith a-holes this week.

Marcia C. Smith of the Orange County Register profiles Los Angeles Lakers announcer Spero Dedes.

Matthew Coller of the Biz of Hockey delves into why the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff TV ratings are up.

Sports Media Watch asks the legitimate question, is the NFL getting arrogant?

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media feels CBC made the wrong choice in going with the Penguins-Ottawa series instead of taking Washington-Montreal.

Steve says the ratings for the San Jose-Colorado NHL playoff series is doing well in the Bay Area.

This will do it. With the announcement of the NCAA Tournament going to CBS and Turner Sports, I’ll be covering that for the next hour or two.