Yes, it’s Friday, I have a dentist appointment and it’s time for me to do some links. Let’s get started.
This weekend, the NCAA Tournament continues as the Sweet Sixteen will be reduced to the Elite Eight tonight. And after Sunday, we’ll have the Final Four. CBS has your coverage of the Mens’ NCAA Tournament throughout the weekend.
The NCAA Women’s Tournament is also in its Sweet Sixteen and the ESPN family of networks will have coverage starting on Saturday.
The PGA Tour is in New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. The Golf Channel will conclude its early round coverage today, then NBC Sports picks up on Saturday at 3 p.m.
NASCAR’s Sprint Cup took the Easter holiday off and is back with a vengeance on Sunday with the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 (just how does NASCAR come up with these names?) on Fox at 1:30 p.m.
The NBA continues with the Bulls taking on Milwaukee on WGN Saturday night and a Texas two step of Houston facing San Antonio on ABC Sunday at 1 p.m.
And the NHL has its playoff push, NBC showing the Rangers and Pittsburgh for the umpteenth time this season on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
As always, we begin with Michael Hiestand of USA Today. He says NBC Sports should ignore Tibet and other political issues when covering the Olympics in Communist China. Here’s your sports on TV for the weekend.
This week we’ll go East to West. No time for playing around.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe talks with ESPN’s John Buccigross who realizes a dream as he gets to call the NCAA Hockey Tournament this weekend for ESPNU.
From the New York Post, Phil Mushnick predicts that the Mets’ Billy Wagner will say something he will regret during his weekly interviews on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. Also from the Post, Justin Terranova talks with SNY’s Ron Darling about the Mets’ chances this season. And Justin has five questions for the Shark, Jerry Tarkanian about the NCAA Tournament.
The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman is a bit leery about SNY’s plans to take phone calls during Mets games. That’s right, during Mets games.
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times doesn’t like SNY’s new late afternoon lineup of talk shows. And Sandomir has a blurb on TBS Sports’ announcing lineup for its Sunday MLB games.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has the tip times for Saturday’s NCAA Tournament games.
Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun says MASN’s Gary Thorne and Buck Martinez will be doing double duty this season for other networks.
South
Doug Nye of The State writes that Time Warner Cable is confident that it will pick up 45 Atlanta Braves games that will be on Peachtree TV.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says a local sports radio station is shuffling its lineup.
Dave Darling of the Orlando Sentinel wonders why the WWE is still popular.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says CBS’ Jim Nantz and Billy Packer will be looking up at the court tonight at Reliant Stadium.
Ray Buck in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes about an experimental 3-D HD telecast.
Mel Bracht of the Oklahoman says baseball fans will have plenty of viewing options this season. Mel has his media notebook which includes a blurb on ESPN interviewing coaching buddies Bill Parcells, Bob Knight and Tony La Russa this Sunday. And Mel has his viewing picks for the weekend.
Midwest
The Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein talks with ESPN’s Brent Musberger who will call the Cubs season opener on Monday. And Teddy has his top five viewing picks.
George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal says AT&T U-Verse customers won’t get Sports Time Ohio in HD.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talks about ESPN2 picking up the Brewers opener against the Cubs.
From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Judd Zulgad writes that FSN North will be able to interview Minnesota Twins players immediately following a loss.
Paul Christian in the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin says it’s time for baseball to take over your TV and radio.
Jeffrey Flanagan of the Kansas City Star says CBS’ Kevin Harlan was not being a homer for the University of Kansas during the NCAA Tournament last weekend.
West
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret (UT) Morning News likes CBS’ coverage of the NCAA Tournament.
The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jay Posner talks with the new producer of Padres games on Cox 4. Posner for some reason is not credited for his media notebook this week, but believe me, it’s his and he writes about ESPN’s Jamele Hill laughing at Chargers’ Shawne Merriman for having his car stolen and torched. And here are the ratings from San Diego from last weekend.
John Maffei of the North County Times writes that an affiliate switch in San Diego will cause confusion for viewers looking for Fox Sports programming.
Christine Daniels from the Los Angeles Times has her weekly Sound and Vision column.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has Hall of Fame Dodgers announce
r Vin Scully recalling his broadcast perch at the Coliseum where the Red Sox and Dodgers will play an exhibition game this weekend. In his Farther Off the Wall blog, Hoffarth has his extensive media notes and he has a picture of where Scully used to broadcast games from the LA Coliseum.
Canada
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star talks with Blue Jays TV analyst Rance Mulliniks who picks his team to win the World Series. Ok.
William Houston of the Toronto Globe and Mail has Don Cherry condemning the incident in which former goalie Patrick Roy cheered his son to fight during a Junior League game last week.
Blogs
Awful Announcing has the video of a switching glitch during last night’s NCAA Tournament action.
And in that technical glitch, Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media blog noticed someone familiar.
Joe Favorito talks about social networking and Gillette reaching for the stars in his Sports Marketing and Public Relations blog.
The Sports Media Journal is now in the Final Four of its Sports Radio Madness contest.
That should do it for now. I’ll be back later with an update.
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