Monday Night Links

Let’s check some links for you.

By the way, I’m getting hooked on Hell’s Kitchen on Fox. Chef Gordon Ramsay runs his kitchen like a drill sergeant, but he wants the trainees to learn. If you haven’t seen his other show, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America, it’s tremendous. It’s so tremendous that Fox is doing its own version with Ramsay this fall. He’s the best. I wouldn’t want to cook for him, but I love him yelling at people. As long as it’s not me, I’m entertained.

Ok, to some links.

We have two stories from the Sports Media Watch blog (and thanks for linking to me today). First is the overnight ratings from the sporting weekend. MLB on Fox was the highest rated sports event over the weekend beating the competition handily.

And the second story is entitled “Eight Simple Rules for Fixing the NBA” and I wholeheartedly agree with the assessment that ABC should go to later afternoon starts instead of airing 1 p.m. where the viewership is lower. Plus, not competing against the NCAA Tournament would be better for the NBA.

Ron Borges, disgraced from the Boston Globe for plagiarism, made his first appearance on WEEI in Boston today in eight years. Borges was prevented from appearing on WEEI due to the Boston Globe’s ban on its reporters from going there. I didn’t listen to him today because I personally find him reprehensible. Borgie has appeared previously on ESPN Radio in Boston with Michael Felger. Bruce Allen in the Boston Sports Media Watch blog has the recap of the appearance. Here’s Jonathan Wallach subbing for Dale & Holley introducing Borges. And at the end of the show, Borges crossed over with Big Show host Glenn Ordway who was licking his chops to talk to Borgie.

This year, the Tennis Channel aired its first Grand Slam tournament, the French Open. Next year, it appears to have won the cable and digital rights for Wimbledon. Here’s a story from MSNBC.com on the agreement. ESPN said last month it was close to coming to an agreement with the All England Lawn and Tennis Club. And in addition, the Tennis Channel reached an agreement with ESPN to carry part of the Australian Open next year so in two short years, the channel will have three of the four Grand Slam tournaments.

TNT will show its entire coverage online as John Consoli of Mediaweek tells us. In Canada, TSN will stream live coverage of all four rounds of the Open Championship from Carnoustie, but only from the 16th – 18th holes. What is that?

The Big Ten Network will carry more than 600 hours of Penn State sports programming. That’s a lot. In addition, Iowa football fans who were accustomed to watching a one hour replay show on Mediacom Connections cable will have to watch Iowa football replays on the Big Ten Network. By the way, Mediacom has not entered into an agreement to carry the Big Ten Network so fans will be shut out of any Iowa football games on the channel.

Brian Biggane reports in the Palm Beach Post that Steve Goldstein, the Florida Panthers‘ radio play-by-play man moves to the TV side and the team also changes radio stations in Miami.

Sprint cell phone customers will be able to hear Fox Sports Radio thanks to mSpot.

Lots of links this evening. That will do it until Tuesday.