Today is the official first day of The Masters and it’ll be fun to watch online. I went over to Masters.com and they did not kick off live streaming of Amen Corner at 10:45 as scheduled, but I went over to Masters Live at CBSSports.com and found it webcasting as it was supposed to. Ian Eagle is on the call at Amen Corner so it’s nice to have someone from CBS Sports there. Holes 15 and 16 are scheduled to start webcasting at 11:45, then there will be one hour of bonus coverage from the CBS Sports crew at 3 p.m., before ESPN comes on at 4 p.m.
The Masters always tells us that it’s truly Spring and that warmer weather is on the way. After the winter we’ve had in New England, it’s definitely time for warmer weather.
Just checking before 11 a.m., Masters.com now has put Amen Corner live.
Let’s do the links.
Newsday’s Neil Best says Mets fans will be rooting for a 50 minute rain delay so they can watch Saturday’s Mets-Marlins game in its entirety. As it stands, the game will start at 6:10 p.m. and will be joined in progress due to Fox’s exclusivity between 4 and 7 p.m.
MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann pays tribute to his mother, a huge Yankees fan, who passed away last weekend. My sympathies to Keith. You may recall Keith’s mom got famous in 2000 when an errant throw by the Yankees Chuck Knoblauch hit her square in the face. She was ok.
The interview with his mom was funny. You can see from where Keith got his dry humor.
Dan Lamonthe of the great Red Sox Monster blog has the video of your first Red Sox drunken fan. And he was caught on NESN. Notice his wife and daughter trying to get him to leave.
The Baltimore Sun’s Ray Frager discusses MASN being shut out on Time Warner Cable systems in North Carolina.
Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times writes that Verizon and Sun Sports struck a deal before last night’s Tampa Bay-Red Sox game to put 75 Rays games on its systems.
But as Jeff Barlis of the Gainesville Sun reports, Cox won’t be showing them in North and Central Florida.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette says Comcast has yet to come to terms with Fox Sports Southwest to show St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers games. Nice. Way to go Comcast.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News has two wishes. That Dick Vitale could work the NCAA Tournament and Johnny Miller could work The Masters. Barry looks at the Opening Day ratings for the Texas Rangers and notices they pale to Boston in comparison.
Jon Lafayette of TV Week has a look at the MLB teams garnering the highest ratings (ahem… Red Sox) and teams gaining the biggest ratings gains last season. Thanks to Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star and his Twitter page for the link.
Eric Benderoff of the Chicago Tribune writes that ESPN’s Windy City website launches on Monday.
Phil Rosenthal of the Tribune says the Cubs will announce a new deal for their Spanish radio rights.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has a quick blurb on a story that’s been burning up the sports blogosphere. I saw it on Busted Coverage last night. Apparently, Deadspin and Tom confirmed that there’s no wrong doing.
David B. Wilkerson of Marketwatch.com looks at MLB Network.
Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says despite not being shown in all of Canada, the Blue Jays’ season opener did well for Rogers Sportsnet. Chris looks at Canada’s Masters coverage for the week. And Chris writes that Rogers Sportnet and Setanta Sports will share UEFA Championship League games next year.
The EPL Talk blog discusses why ESPN losing the UEFA Champions League is not good for US soccer fans.
Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette talks with CBS’ Nick Faldo about The Masters. Nice redesign by the Telegram & Gazette.
Matt Middleton of the Augusta (GA) Chronicle says TV has expanded the scope of its Masters coverage.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has various news and notes today including stuff about The Masters.
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times enjoyed watching the Golf Channel’s Masters coverage yesterday.
The Nielsen Wire blog says when Tiger Woods wins at The Masters, ratings on CBS go up.
Ken Schott of the Schenectady Gazette writes that the voice of the Albany River Rats has been silenced thanks to a job cutback. Ken also has his Frozen Four picks.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner talks with the ESPN crew covering the Frozen Four at the Verizon Center this week.
The Sports Media Watch says th
is year’s Final Four ratings were the third lowest since 2003. SMW says IndyRacing on Versus hardly registered in the ratings.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says Tyler Hansbrough was worth more to North Carolina than his potential NBA rookie contract.
Joe Favorito wonders how far is too far?
John Gauder of Comcast Nashville uses The Tennessean to write an article to blame the NFL Network in their dispute.
That’s going to do it. Enjoy The Masters today.
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