Lots of stuff for the upcoming sports weekend. We have the NHL and NBA Playoffs in full swing. The Players Championship continues. There’s MLB on Fox and ESPN plus the decision that came down late Thursday against the NFL Network. Let’s get to the national links.
First from Boston, Dave Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch continues to look into Ron Borges of the Boston Globe. Good article from Scott looking into possible conflicts of interest with Borges covering the De La Hoya – Mayweather fight last week while he may or may not have been on the payroll of De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Borges returned to the Boston airwaves this week hardly sounding contrite or remorseful for being caught plagiarizing a football notes article two months ago. The Globe isn’t commenting and the Boston Newspaper Guild is defending Borges (why?). Scott goes into the entire matter and certainly does his due diligence in asking Golden Boy why Borges was working for them.
The Globe’s Susan Bickelhaupt writes about the transition of the Red Sox from Entercom’s WEEI to WRKO this season. WEEI/WRKO Program Director Jason Wolfe said he’s received positive feedback regarding Glenn Geffner. I find that hard to believe. In fact, the anti-Geffner blog, 38 Cliches calls Bickelhaupt’s article “rose colored” and I agree with that. Today’s entry says,
“Let’s deconstruct this a little bit. First, we know that Geffner in particular has not been “very well received”. The undersigned writer plumbs the depth of the digital and print opinions on the subject and offers both the good and bad on a daily basis. There is very little positive said about Geffner.”
Some disclosure here, I’m a member of the Remy Report Message Board and I started a thread titled, “The I Miss Jerry Trupiano Thread”. I thought it would get just a few replies, but I find a new complaint there almost every day. And when I’m in chat with members who listen to the games via the internet, there are complaints about Geffner’s style. And the complaints are getting louder. I put a link to 38Cliches on my site and I will continue to support it as long as it’s in existence.
As mentioned, golf’s “5th major”, the Players Championship, is taking place this weekend. Michael Hiestand of USA Today has a feature on NBC’s coverage and the 17th hole in particular, which is the TPC at Sawgrass’ signature hole. You’ve seen it, the island green that has caused the indigestion of many a golfer yesterday. Hiestand also has a blurb on a story that former US Women’s Soccer team member Julie Foudy will have on pregnancy and women’s college sports for ESPN’s excellent Outside the Lines program. From what I’ve read, the fact that some student-athletes are getting abortions to avoid losing their scholarships is quite alarming.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times has a story about Roger Mayweather considering broadcasting as a new career.
The New York Post’s Pat Reichart has 5 questions for YES analyst Al Leiter.
Neil Best of New York Newsday has updated his column from last night.
Bob Raissman is showing his colors a bit. He has some harsh words for Roger Clemens.
Jim Williams of the Baltimore/DC Examiner has a feature on “When Good Broadcasters Go Bad”. Two examples, Gary Thorne on MASN making his comments about Curt Schilling’s bloody sock being faked, and Rick Dempsey really digging a hole for himself by using domestic abuse references on Jay Gibbons while interviewing Gibbons’ wife as she promoting a drive by the Baltimore Orioles’ wives on behalf of a battered women’s shelter. To Laura Giuliani’s credit, she just sat quietly. When will people ever learn?
Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune writes about Fox using microphones for umpires and giving them an opportunity to show their humorous side.
The State’s (South Carolina) Doug Nye writes that the NBA is struggling to find viewers. To be honest, I’m finding myself less interested in the NBA since 1999 and really don’t care who wins.
The Toronto Star’s Chris Zelkovich says a new TV rights deal between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Rogers Sportsnet will have widespread implications across Canada.
Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer is not supportive of an idea to spread the NFL draft over a three day period and have the first round on Friday in primetime.
Staying in Philly, Laura Nachman of Philly Burbs.com has a profile on Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
The NFL says it will appeal the ruling handed down yesterday that Comcast could put the NFL Network on a sports tier.
Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune applauds NFL Commish Roger Goodell for opening up access to the media.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has an additional article about Fox miking MLB umpires.
Larry Stewart of the LA Times has more on NBC reducing the amount of commercial breaks in the Players Championship, plus he writes about the increased high definition coverage of sporting events.
And John Maffei of the North County Times has an extensive media column today and he has info on NBC and the Players Championship, review of ESPN’s reworked First Take (formerly Cold Pizza), and the son of the late “Voice of God” voiceover artist, John Facenda, suing over the use of his dad’s voice in ads and video games.
We’ll have the primetime viewing choices and perhaps some more links later.
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