Some Leftover Press Releases

I need to post some press releases that have been lingering in the Fang’s Bites inbox for the last few days. Let’s put them up now.

ESPN has announced five additions to its World Cup coverage team.

Five Former FIFA World Cup Players and Premier League Club Manager Join ESPN for 2010 FIFA World Cup

Ruud Gullit, Steve McManaman, John Harkes, Alexi Lalas, Efan Ekoku and Roberto Martinez to Provide Match and Studio Analysis

ESPN has announced that five former FIFA World Cup players – Ruud Gullit, Steve McManaman, John Harkes, Alexi Lalas and Efan Ekoku – and the Premier League’s Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez will serve as match and studio analysts for the company’s unprecedented coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa (June 11–July 11, 2010). The six commentators, five of whom were members of a combined seven FIFA World Cup tournament teams and one, a rising star in the Premiership’s managerial ranks, will be part of ESPN’s English-language commentary team in the United States on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and ESPN360.com.

Gullit, the former Dutch national team star, was one of the top footballers of his generation with is best professional years in the Italian Serie A (1987-1994) playing for AC Milan and Sampdoria. Englishman McManaman played for the Premier League’s Liverpool FC and Real Madrid in Spain’s La Liga, while Nigerian standout Ekoku played for several English Premier League clubs, including Norwich City. Spanish-born Martinez played for Spanish and English clubs before transitioning to the managerial ranks. He will return to Wigan after his 2010 FIFA World Cup role for ESPN in the U.S.

McManaman and Ekoku, who serve as television commentators in England, made their U.S. debuts on ESPN2 Friday during the network’s comprehensive coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Draw. Harkes and Lalas, two of the most recognizable faces in U.S. Soccer history, currently serve as soccer analysts for the network.

“Ruud, Steve, Efan, John and Alexi will bring fans the first-hand experience they all have from being part of the most popular – and, arguably the most competitive – sporting event in the world, while Roberto will offer a tactician’s insight,” said Jed Drake, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer, event production. “Their in-depth knowledge of the game and post-career roles as television commentators and manager will help elevate our coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup across ESPN’s media platforms.”

Assignments are to be determined, and other ESPN commentators for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be announced at a later date. Biographical highlights:

Ruud Gullit

Gullit, who excelled at numerous positions on the pitch, was signed by AC Milan in 1987 from PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie for a then record £18 million. Gullit led his three club teams – HFC Harlem (1981), Feyenoord Rotterdam (1984), and PSV Eindhoven (1986 and ’87) – to Dutch league titles before his exceptional run at AC Milan that saw the famed club capture the Scudetto (Italian Football Championship) three times (1988, 1992 and ’93). He played for Netherlands in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and was named World Soccer Magazine “World Footballer of the Year” in 1987 and 1989. In 1994, Gullit moved to Chelsea in the Premier League.

Gullit coined the term “sexy football” as a commentator in England in 1996 to describe teams who play attractive soccer with deft touches and defense-penetrating, pass-and-move style of play. In 1987, when he was awarded the European Footballer of the Year, Gullit dedicated the honor to Nelson Mandela, then imprisoned by the Apartheid regime in South Africa. The move endeared him to Mandela and South Africans who applauded his public stance against injustice. In joining ESPN’s FIFA World Cup team, Gullit will travel to South Africa to provide U.S. television analysis for this historic sports event in the country’s history.

Gullit served as a soccer commentator for ITV for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, and he works as an analyst for the UEFA Champions League matches on Sky Sports. Gullit has also served as manager for three European clubs – Chelsea, Newcastle United, Feyenoord Rotterdam – and Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy.

Steve McManaman

One of England’s most decorated footballers, McManaman was the first British player to win the UEFA Champions League title twice, and he was the first English footballer to win the Champions League with a non-English club. He signed as a professional with Liverpool FC in 1990 and after making 364 appearances for the club transferred to Real Madrid in July 1999. He played for England in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and in the UEFA European Football Championships in 1996 and 2000.

Following his retirement from professional soccer in 2005, McManaman embarked on a new career in television as a commentator and pundit, providing analysis for ITV during the 2005 Champions League Final, for ESPN Star Sports in Singapore in 2006, and for Setanta Sports.

Efan Ekoku

Ekoku tallied an impressive 16 goals in 38 appearances for Norwich City during the 1993-94 Premier League season to earn a spot on the Nigerian national team for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. That same season, he scored Norwich’s first ever goal in European competition against Vitesse in the UEFA Cup (Sept. 15, 1993). Ten days later at Goodison Park, he became the first player to score more than three goals in a Premier League match with four goals as Norwich beat Everton 5-1. Ekoku also played for other clubs, including Wimbledon and Sheffield Wednesday

After his retirement from professional soccer, Ekoku earned his FA (Football Association) and UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) coaching licenses. He currently works as commentator for the BBC for Barclays Premier League matches.

John Harkes

One of the most accomplished American-born players ever, Harkes captained the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and was a fixture in the midfield for the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cup tournaments, as well as the 1988 Olympics. During his 13-year international career,
Harkes captained Major League Soccer’s D.C. United to back-to-back MLS Cup titles (1996 and 1997), the 1998 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup and Inter-American Cup championships. He was one of the first Americans to succeed at the highest levels in England, playing for five seasons (1991-96) for Sheffield Wednesday and helping to pave the way for other U.S. soccer players in Europe. He retired from professional soccer in 2003.

Harkes joined ESPN in March 2007 as the lead soccer analyst for Major League Soccer telecasts and U.S. Men’s National Team matches, including qualifying matches and the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Alexi Lalas

Lalas is one of the fiercest defenders in American soccer history. A standout for the U.S. National Soccer Team at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup tournaments, his exceptional play earned him an all-tournament mention during the ‘94 event when the U.S. side advanced to the knockout round. He parlayed that success into a professional contract with Italian club Padova, becoming one of the first Americans to play in the Serie A.

Following a 10-year professional career in Europe and Major League Soccer in the United States, Lalas moved into club management. He was president and general manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy when David Beckham joined the club from Real Madrid. Since January, Lalas has been a studio analyst for ESPN.

Roberto Martinez

Martinez is regarded as one of the rising stars in the Premiership’s club coaching ranks, having been highly sought after following two full seasons as manager of Swansea City FC. In his first full season with the club (2007-2008), he led Swansea to one of its best seasons and earned a promotion from League One. In 2008–09, Martínez presided over Swansea’s return to England’s second tier division for the first time in 24 years. In June 2009, he became Wigan’s new manager.

Martínez played for his home town club, CF Balaguer, in the Spanish Third Division before moving to Real Zaragoza in La Liga where he made his senior debut. He moved to Wigan Athletic on a free transfer in July 1995 and made over 200 appearances for the club through 2001.

ESPN Inc.’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Coverage in the United States

South Africa 2010 will be ESPN’s eighth FIFA World Cup and coverage of the event promises to be the most comprehensive in company history. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will air all 64 matches live and in high definition. ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network available in 41 million homes, will feature live English-language simulcast of matches on ESPN and ESPN2. ESPN Deportes, the Spanish-language all sports network, will air up to 40 matches in Portuguese live in the U.S.

Additionally, ESPN will present 2010 FIFA World Cup television studio programming from site in South Africa, offering U.S. sports fans the most comprehensive news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase. Studio coverage of the quadrennial global event will include SportsCenter segments, a nightly World Cup Live program, and pre-, halftime and post-match shows, with additional studio programming and World Cup-branded segments, totaling more than 65 hours of coverage, originating from two sets in and around Johannesburg.

ESPN Coverage of Past FIFA World Cup Events:

Germany 2006 – All 64 matches live and in high definition

Korea/Japan 2002 – 58 ESPN and ESPN2 matches live (6 tape-delayed broadcasts on ABC)

France 1998 – All 64 matches live on ESPN (27), ESPN2 (23) and ABC Sports (14)

USA 1994 – All 52 matches – ESPN (41) and ABC (11)

Mexico 1986 – 15 matches on ESPN (U.S. cable television rights)

Spain 1982 – 7 matches on ESPN

Here’s quotage from ESPN regarding last week’s World Cup Draw.

ESPN Analysts Breakdown 2010 FIFA World Cup Draw

ESPN soccer analysts John Harkes, Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman and Efan Ekoku offer their perspectives on the 2010 FIFA World Cup Draw, which took place last Friday at the Cape Town International Convention Center in South Africa, as all 32 teams were slotted into the eight groups (of four teams) for the 64-match tournament next summer (June 11-July 11, 2010) in South Africa:

On the United States draw in next year’s tournament and on the England match on June 12 …

Harkes: “It’s a great challenge to play against one of the great teams in the world like England. This is a good opportunity for the U.S., to play that underdog role, and, with Algeria and Slovenia, those two teams are unknown. The U.S. have never faced them, so that becomes unpredictable. As a coach, you really need to do the research and scout them. I do think Group C has a good opportunity for the U.S. to advance out of the first round.

“There are so many players who play there in England. They know these guys. They have a relationship, a banter, they talk everyday. It’s exciting. There’s a huge adrenaline rush when you play against any of the big teams from around the world, but to play against England with so many great players on that squad is going to be a good challenge.

“The one thing about England, they’ve changed in the last 10-12 months and the reason for that is (Fabio) Capello. He’s a great orchestrator of building teams and not individuals. He’s brought the best out of them. They have a very good team.”

Lalas: “I was ecstatic. I think it’s a great group and the best group the U.S. has drawn in a World Cup. The opportunity the U.S. has to get out of the group is immense. England, of the seeded teams, would have been one of the teams I would have wanted to play, so that fell in nicely because I think the U.S. can not just give them a game but get points out of it. If it’s three points, that’s great. If it’s one point, that’s okay – it’s a great result in terms of having that first game. We know how important playing well in that first match is. When the U.S. gets a point out of that first game, history has shown they’ve gone through. With all respect to Slovenia and Algeria, these are teams that the U.S. should do well against and get points, and if they don’t, it will certainly be a disappointment, but ultimately a failure.

“I have for many, many years fought this snobbery that exists about everything that happens over in the U.S. soccer-wise is second-rate and isn’t good enough. Well
, here’s an opportunity for the U.S. and for guys like Landon Donovan to prove they have the ability to compete and to play well against what a lot of people perceive to be in England as a superior level of soccer and a superior level of football.”

On the U.S. facing Slovenia and Algeria …

Harkes: “It’s that unknown, that unpredictability that you get from these teams. One of the things that’s always been said about the African teams is how unpredictable they area. They’re strong, they’re powerful and they’ve got speed. So that’s something they have to be able to contend with. And with Slovenia, beating Russia at the end shows they have a little bit of grit and determination themselves, coming off that qualification with confidence.”

Lalas: “That England game is huge. It’s big and there will be a lot of focus but you qualify with your performance over the three games (in pool play). I do believe the U.S. will get points and should be favored in those games but making that transition from one game where you’re the underdog to the next games where you’re the favorite is not easy to do mid-tournament.”

An English perspective on Group C …

McManaman: “As an Englishman, I have to say we have to be fairly happy. It’s a draw that everybody will look up and think that we should qualify, and I think that’s all you can ask for. Looking at all the draws like the Brazilians, Portuguese and the Ivory Coast (in Group G), there lots of difficult games and one big team is unfortunately going to be left out, and when you look at ours and you’d be fairly confident that we should progress, I’d be very disappointed if England didn’t get through.”

On the keys to success for the U.S. side …

Harkes: “Good health. They have to have players who are fit. Losing Charlie Davies and Onyewu is going to be difficult for them to replace. It’s all about the preparation and they just have to let it unfold, but the U.S., they just have to continue to believe.”

On the toughest group …

Harkes: “Group G. I think Brazil and Ivory Coast get through. Ivory Coast have too many good players and they are coming off a high. Didier Drogba is very hard to stop.”

Lalas: “Group G. You have Kaka for Brazil, Didier Drogba for Ivory Coast and Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal – three of the biggest players in the world and one of them is going to go home with his team. I still see Brazil figuring it out, and I think Portugal is going to be the odd man out.”

On dark horse teams to watch …

Harkes: “I like Uruguay. A lot of people kind of overlook them coming out of COMNEBOL and South America. They have a little bit of a European kind of attitude mixed with their play, so it could favor them. I also like Ivory Coast. They have a very good side.”

Lalas: “Ivory Coast. If they get out of that ‘Group of Death’ – and I think they will, with the confidence they will have going through that and the players that they have, and their ability, I see them having a real legitimate shot of being the first African nation to win a World Cup.”

Ekoku: “Probably Ghana is the number one African team now. They will be the team likely to do well.”

McManaman: “We all hope for a dark horse. It’s the surprise that makes it interesting.”

On a potential tournament winner …

Lalas: “Germany. As we go to Africa and we celebrate this incredible creativity and free-wheeling type of style, the team that comes out and is clinical and regimented and structured the way a German team can be is going to win it. Plus, they’re going to be playing in a climate that completely suits them.”

On host nation South Africa …

Ekoku: “It’s not the strongest team we’ve seen. They’re in for a rough ride. South Africa has got lots of work to do. I don’t see them going very far.”

NBC announced yesterday that Joe Theismann and Joe Gibbs will join Tom Hammond for the early NFL Wild Card playoff game on January 9.

JOE GIBBS & JOE THEISMANN JOIN TOM HAMMOND ON NBC’s NFL WILD CARD SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 2010

Michaels & Collinsworth to Call Primetime Wild Card Game

NEW YORK – Dec. 7, 2009 – Hall-of-Fame head coach Joe Gibbs, who coached the Washington Redskins to three Super Bowl championships, and two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Theismann of the NFL Network, will join NBC Sports' Tom Hammond to call the first game of NBC Sports' NFL Wild Card doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010.

Gibbs returns to NBC for the first time since he served as an analyst for NFL Live, NBC Sports' NFL pre-game show, from 1994-1997. This will be Theismann's first broadcast for NBC. Theismann quarterbacked Gibbs' Redskins to a win in Super Bowl XVII. The announcement was made Monday by Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics.

"Football Night in America" reporter Tiki Barber will serve as the sideline reporter. The game will be co-produced by NBC's Tommy Roy and Rob Hyland and directed by Fox's Artie Kempner.

"Joe Gibbs is one of the most beloved people to have ever worked at NBC Sports and we're so happy that he's made a pit stop to work for us again," Ebersol said. "Joe Theismann has always provided insightful analysis and we all can't wait to see him join his former coach."

Gibbs said: "I'm really excited about coming back to NBC Sports. I'm also excited about working with Joe again but he'll probably argue with me the whole night. I'm going to make him promise to let me get in a word edgewise."

Theismann said: "I really appreciate the opportunity to broadcast the Wild Card game. There's always a chance that Cinderella will find the slipper. I'm ecstatic to be working with my old coach. I owe so much to him. But I don't know if he's going to be able to handle three straight hours with me. I drove him crazy for six years."

NBC Sports will broadcast live coverage of NFL Wild Card Saturday Doubleheader, on Jan. 9 starting at 4 p.m. ET with a special edition of "Football Night in America" followed by the first Wild Card matchup. At 8 p.m. ET, the "NBC Sunday Night Football" team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Andrea Kremer will call the second Wild Card game.

Gibbs returns to NBC for the first time since he served as an analyst for NFL Live, NBC's NFL pregame show, from 1994-1997. He first coached the Redskins from 1981-1992 when he led the team to wins in Super Bowls XVII, XXII and XXVI each with three different quarterbacks, XVII with Theismann. After retiring from coaching in 19
92, Gibbs turned his focus to his NASCAR team, Joe Gibbs Racing, which has three championships under his ownership, one with Bobby Labonte and two with Tony Stewart. Gibbs returned to coach the Redskins from 2004-2007. In his 16 years as a Redskins head coach, Gibbs had only three losing seasons and led the team to the playoffs 10 times. He has an overall record of 171-101 including a 17-7 record in the postseason. He remains an advisor to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder.

Theismann, who currently analyzes game film for the NFL Network's "Playbook," served as an analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football from 1988-2005 and for ESPN's Monday Night Football in 2006. In 1985, Theismann, while still an active player, was an analyst on Super Bowl XIX on ABC working alongside Frank Gifford and Don Meredith. Theismann was a fourth-round pick out of Notre Dame in the 1971 NFL draft and went to the Canadian Football League where he played three seasons for the Toronto Argonauts. He then went on to play 11 years with the Redskins (1974-1985) and was named NFL MVP in 1983.

Hammond, one of sports broadcasting's most-respected and versatile talents, has called one of NBC's Wild Card playoff games since 2006 and is the lead play-by-play voice on Notre Dame football telecasts. The versatile Hammond, who has been with NBC Sports since the late 1970's, will serve as the figure skating play-by-play commentator during the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, his ninth Olympic assignment for NBC Sports. He also hosts NBC Sports' award-winning coverage of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

The early Wild Card game will be produced by Tommy Roy, who produced Super Bowl XXXII, the last NFL game on NBC prior to the NFL's return in 2006. Roy also was executive producer for Super Bowls XXXII, XXX and XXVIII. Rob Hyland, NBC's Notre Dame producer, will co-produce with Roy. Fox Sports' Artie Kempner, who served as the lead NFL director for Fox's NFL package from 2003-2008 and directed Super Bowl XLII will direct the early game. Kempner also serves as Fox's lead NASCAR director.

Fred Gaudelli is the producer of NBC's "Sunday Night Football" and Drew Esocoff is the director. They will handle the primetime Wild Card Saturday game. This is Gaudelli and Esocoff's fourth season at the helm of NBC's "Sunday Night Football," the duo have produced and directed every "Sunday Night Football" broadcast since moving to NBC Sports after producing and directing "Monday Night Football" for ABC.

Interesting that Fox is loaning out a director for the Wild Card game.

Universal Sports has signed an agreement with the International Skating Union for several figure skating and speed skating events.

Universal Sports and International Skating Union ink Four-Year Multi-Platform Distribution Deal

World Figure Skating and Speed Skating Championships Highlight Agreement

Los Angeles, December 7, 2009: Universal Sports and UniversalSports.com will be the home of the International Skating Union’s (ISU) key events through 2013, highlighted by the ISU World Figure Skating Championships and ISU Speed Skating Championships and ISU Short Track Speed Skating Championships. The announcement was made by Universal Sports Chairman and CEO Claude Ruibal and ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta.

“We’re very excited to have reached this wide-ranging deal with the ISU making Universal Sports the long-term home for key ISU events,” says Ruibal.

“These prestigious events will provide our consumers with what has traditionally been some of the most compelling and entertaining Olympic sports content. As a new sports network, we are proud and encouraged that ISU has selected Universal Sports as their USA distributor to highlight their amazing athletes as they compete in their respective competitions.”

“The ISU is thrilled to have a permanent home for our major competitions showcased by Universal Sports in the United States,” says Cinquanta. “Our major figure and speed skating events and championships will be well-served by this partnership with Universal Sports, which will offer our viewers a vibrant, multi-platform opportunity to interact with our stars.”

Details of the events and rights to be showcased annually by Universal Sports include the following:

Figure Skating:

ISU World Figure Skating Championships

ISU European Figure Skating Championships

ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships

ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships

ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Individual Events (5) and Final (1)—does not include 2009-10 season and excludes all Skate America events

Speed Skating:

Essent ISU European Speed Skating Championships

Essent ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships

Essent ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships

Essent ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships (not held during 2009-10 due to Winter Olympics)

Short Track

ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships

And here’s who you see on tonight’s Tony Barnhart Show on CBS College Sports.

BCS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BILL HANCOCK AND LEGENDARY NAVY AND DALLAS COWBOYS QUARTERBACK ROGER STAUBACH THIS WEEK ON “THE TONY BARNHART SHOW” ON CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK

Barnhart Examines the Fiesta Bowl Match-up: Boise State vs. TCU, Plus Staubach on Army-Navy

CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK’s THE TONY BARNHART SHOW, a weekly one-hour primetime college football talk show, features the Executive Director of the BCS Bill Hancock, plus former Navy and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, on Tuesday, Dec. 8 (9:00 PM, ET).

“Mr. College Football,” Tony Barnhart, hosts the show along with Brian Jones. The hard-hitting program debates and analyzes the hot topics and issues facing college football both on and off-the-field. This week, Barnhart and Jones take an in-depth look at the Fiesta Bowl match-up between undefeated teams Boise State and TCU, and discuss the Army–Navy game with Staubach.

Throughout the season, the show has featured a variety of high-profile guests from the college football community, including coaches, administrators, writers, broadcasters and former players to the program. The distinguished guests will offer in-depth, lively, opinionated, topical discussions on the world of college football.

The TONY BARNHART SHOW will air each Tuesday throughout the college football season at 9:00 PM, ET. Mike Aresco serves as Executive Producer. Tyler Hale and Stefan Van Engen produce.

I still have a bunch of releases, but those can wait for later.