My apologies for not posting after my Thursday entry. I was called away to the home office which has only one dial-up internet connection and could not post to the blog. And then I was at the Reality Fan Forum last night helping to update the Big Brother Head of Household competition so blogging last night was quite difficult. But I’m here now and I’m giving you the Friday megalinks without delay.
As always, it’s the Weekend Viewing Picks.
This weekend is like the calm before the storm as next weekend, the Olympics in Communist China begin and the PGA Championship will be underway. This weekend, it’s quiet.
Now that the Trading Deadline is over, MLB settles in for the late summer pennant races. The NFL starts to kick off the 2008 season with the Hall of Fame Weekend including the induction ceremonies and the annual exhibition season start. The U.S. men’s basketball team has another pre-Olympic warm up and the LPGA is in the UK for the Women’s Open Championship.
Starting off with baseball, Fox Saturday baseball has regional coverage with the Yankees hosting the Angels, Milwaukee at Atlanta and the White Sox with Ken Griffey, Jr. taking on Kansas City at 3:55 p.m. The regional splits and announcing assignments are here. On Sunday, TBS has the Angels-Yankees at 1 p.m. WGN carries the Cubs hosting the Pirates at 2 p.m. ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball pits the Phillies against the Cardinals at 8 p.m.
The NFL’s Hall of Fame Weekend starts exhibition season. The induction ceremonies are on Saturday and both ESPN and NFL Network have live coverage of the Class of 2008 going into the Hall. ESPN’s coverage will be anchored by Trey Wingo and Tom Jackson. NFL Network will have Rich Eisen and Michael Irvin. ESPN’s and NFL Network’s coverage begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The following night, NBC has the annual Hall of Fame Game between the Washington Redskins and Indianapolis Colts at 8 p.m. Al Michaels and John Madden begin the Super Bowl season for NBC Sports on Sunday night.
NASCAR is in the Poconos for the Pennsylvannia 500, Sunday. ESPN has the race starting at 2 p.m.
Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix will be on Speed, Sunday morning at 7:30.
The Women’s Open Championship at the Sunningdale Country Club in Berkshire will be broadcast on ABC, Saturday on tape at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday on tape at 1.
The PGA Tour has two tournaments, the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Ohio. CBS has coverage over the weekend at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Then Golf Channel has the Legends Reno -Tahoe Open throughout the weekend at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday as well. Michelle Wie will try to make the cut and most likely will not.
Team USA gears up for the Olympic basketball tournament with a game against Russia in Shanghai. ESPN 2 has the game early Saturday morning at 3.
Both HBO and Showtime have boxing title bouts Saturday night. HBO’s Boxing After Dark has Zab Judah and Joshua Clottey fighting for the vacant IBF welterweight title. Bob Papa, Max Kellerman and Lennox Lewis will have the call. During the Boxing After Dark program, HBO will also show the replay of the July 26 welterweight fight between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito that Margarito won in an 11 round TKO. Boxing After Dark starts at 9:30 p.m.
Showtime Championship Boxing has Dimitri Kirilov defending his IBF Junior Bantamweight title against Vic Darchinyan. Showtime’s coverage begins at 9 p.m.
The U.S. Open Series continues with the finals of two tournaments. The ATP’s Western & Southern Financial Group Masters and the WTA’s Rogers Cup have their championships on Sunday and ESPN2 will have both matches starting at 3 p.m.
Let’s now head to your links.
National
USA Today’s Michael McCarthy writes about the possible destinations (MLB Network) for former NESN anchor Hazel Mae.
The Sports Media Watch has some ratings news and notes.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell wonders why the owners of Big Brown are running him at the Haskell Invitational this weekend.
East and Mid-Atlantic
David Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch looks at Peter Gammons going ballistic on Manny Ramirez on ESPN890 radio yesterday.
Newsday’s Neil Best writes that YES’ and WFAN’s Kimberly Jones was considered for the Giants radio pre-game show host position.
In the New York Post, Phil Mushnick wishes ESPN would not adopt replay for the Little League World Series.
The Post’s Justin Terranova talks with TBS’ Buck Martinez about the Angels-Yankees series this weekend. And Justin has five questions for SNY’s Keith Hernandez.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has the composite NFL exhibition TV schedule.
A few things from Ken McMillan of the Hudson Valley Times Herald-Record. First, he writes that WFAN will air regular Olympic updates plus some programming and 1050 ESPN will also have nightly programming from Communist China as well. Ken says WFAN will pick up some Westwood One Sunday afternoon NFL games. And Ken writes that no New York area radio stations have yet to pick up Westwood One’s college football doubleheaders.
From the Baltimore Sun, Ray Frager reminds us that the Ravens have split their exhibition games between two TV stations this summer.
In the DC/Baltimore Examiner, Jim Williams updates Redskins fans on the options they have in listening to the games.
Midwest
George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal talks about ESPN and NFL Network battling for viewers for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies.
Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) says a local sports anchor will be heading to Communist China to cover the Olympics.
Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune writes that former Bear Dan “Manster” Hampton will join sports radio station WSCR. Teddy also has his weekend viewing picks.
Ted Cox from the Chicago Daily Herald also has a story on Hampton joining WSCR.
Jeffrey Flanagan of the Kansas City Star looks at a long time TV sports anchor who is celebrating five years on the radio.
South
The State’s Gerald Davis talks with a resident who has hooked up with SPEED as a production assistant.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the sports radio battle between WQAM and the Ticket is heating up.
Jerry Greene of the Orlando Sentinel talks about ESPN’s Trey Wingo hosting the NFL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies this weekend.
Jim Reeves of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes that Dallas Cowboys radio Brad Sham will be seen in Oliver Stone’s movie about President George W. Bush.
Over to the Daily Oklahoman where Mel Bracht has a story on the Cowboys appearing on HBO’s Hard Knocks for the second time. Mel writes about the winner of the radio rights to Oklahoma City’s NBA franchise. Mel writes for the Olympics, Cox Communications will be bundling various channels for the Olympics. In his notebook, Mel talks about the Oklahoma Sooners. Here are Mel’s viewing picks.
Canada
William Houston of the Toronto Globe and Mail reports that former Canucks coach Marc Crawford is joining CBC as a game analyst.
Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star remembers former CFL wide receiver and long-time TV analyst Leif Pattersen.
The Canadian Press says CBC is setting the bar high for its last Olympics in at least six years.
West
In the Deseret (UT) Morning News, Scott D. Pierce writes about Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann reuniting for NBC’s Football Night in America.
Jay Posner in the San Diego Union-Tribune says NBC is serving up an Olympics feast. Jay has the weekend ratings for San Diego from last week.
John Maffei of the North County Times finds it strange that the new San Diego Fox affiliate won’t have a regularly scheduled sportscast.
Blogs
Deadspin talks with columnist Mike Nadel who criticized ESPN’s Erin Andrews for wearing a skimpy outfit while covering Wednesday’s Cubs-Brewers game.
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Inside the Cubs blog shows what Erin was wearing on Wednesday.
Awful Announcing shows us the Manny Ramirez SportsCenter ad that will never air again.
Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media blog says CBS Sports has hired a new Coordinating Producer.
That’s all.
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