I continue to clear out the press releases that need to be posted. Let’s do this.
First, NBC News has started a segment called “The Science of the Winter Olympic Games” which will air on a bunch of platforms.
NBC UNIVERSAL PRESENTS ‘THE SCIENCE OF THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES’NBC Learn, NBC Olympics, and The National Science Foundation Collaborate To Create Video Content About the Science Behind Popular Winter Olympic Sports
The 16-Part Video Series Starring Top U.S. Athletes And Narrated By NBC News’ Lester Holt Will Be Featured On NBC Broadcast and Digital Platforms Including www.NBCOlympics.com/science and www.nbclearn.com
NEW YORK – December 9, 2009 – How does angular momentum help figure skater Rachael Flatt achieve the perfect triple toe loop? How does elastic collision allow three-time Olympic hockey player Julie Chu convert a game-winning slapshot? How do Newton’s Three Laws of Motion propel short track speed skater J.R. Celski to the finish line? These are just a few of the scientific principles explored in a special 16-part video series entitled “The Science of the Olympic Winter Games,” presented by NBC Learn, NBC Olympics and the National Science Foundation.
In a unique collaboration, NBC Learn, the educational arm of NBC News, has teamed up with NBC Olympics and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to produce a 16-part video series focusing on the science behind how athletes preparing for February’s Vancouver Games skate, ski, jump and curl to Olympic gold. This groundbreaking collaboration capitalizes on the massive spotlight on the Vancouver Olympics to make science accessible to students throughout the United States by illustrating how scientific principles apply to competitive sports.
The video series is narrated by NBC News anchor Lester Holt and available to viewers on www.NBCOlympics.com/science, www.nbclearn.com, and www.nsf.gov. NBC’s “Today” premiered a piece from the series this morning. The project will also be offered to educators as a timely way to incorporate the Olympics into classroom learning.
In each piece in the series, an NSF-supported scientist explains the selected scientific principle, while Olympic athletes describe how these principles apply to their respective sports. The science is broken down by capturing the athletes’ movements with a state-of-the-art, high-speed camera called the Phantom Cam, which has the astonishing ability to capture movement at rates of up to 1,500 frames per second. This allows frame-by-frame illustrations of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, the Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum, friction, drag, speed, velocity, and other scientific concepts.
“Science touches every aspect of our nation’s popular pursuits, including its athletic events,” said Jeff Nesbit, director of the National Science Foundation’s Office of Legislative and Public Affairs. “It’s exciting to partner with NBC Learn and NBC’s Emmy-award winning Olympic division to present the range and depth of that science to a huge American audience while ultimately inspiring the passions of young people across the United States in all the things science can do.”
“This unique project shows just how versatile NBC Learn can be,” said Steve Capus, President of NBC News. “We’ve made a commitment to education and this project is another creative way to support classroom learning using the journalism and production resources of NBC News. Every two years the Olympics captivate us. This project is another way of telling the remarkable stories of athletes who are the best of the best.”
Rachael Flatt, a 17-year-old high school senior at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and among the favorites to qualify for the Vancouver Games in figure skating, may understand the ins-and-outs of the science behind her sport better than anyone else on the ice. The straight-A student’s father is a biochemical engineer, while her mother is a molecular biologist.
“I guess it’s definitely safe to say that science runs in my blood!” said Flatt. “I jumped at the chance to participate in this project because my parents have passed along their love of science to me over the years and I hope to one-day pursue a career in the field.”
In addition to Flatt, the “The Science of the Olympic Winter Games” features two-time Olympic medalist and Harvard graduate Julie Chu (Hockey) from Fairfield, Connecticut; 2006 Olympic bronze medalist John Shuster (Curling), from Chisholm, Minnesota; 2006 Olympian Emily Cook (Freestyle Skiing), from Belmont, Massachusetts; and 2010 Olympic hopefuls J.R. Celski (Short Track Speed Skating) from Federal Way, Washington and Liz Stephens (Cross-Country Skiing) from East Montpelier, Vermont.
Here’s what you’ll see next week on Golf Channel.
COMING UP ON GOLF CHANNEL… Dec. 14-20, 2009
Big Break Disney Golf Season Finale
Special Golf Fix from Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge; Golf’s Amazing Videos Awards Show
Original Programming Premieres and Highlights
(All times eastern)
Big Break Disney Golf (Season Finale)
Time: Tuesday 9-11 p.m.
Hosts: Vince Cellini, Stephanie Sparks
Tuesday’s two-hour, season finale of Big Break Disney Golf will deliver drama and excitement normally seen on Sundays on the PGA TOUR as the final three contestants – Tony Finau, Mike Perez and Kevin Erdman – will compete in 18 holes of stroke play at Disney’s Magnolia Course for the championship. The winner will be crowned Big Break Disney Golf champion and will earn his Big Break – a PGA TOUR tournament exemption to the 2010 Children’s Miracle Network Classic, among other prizes, valued at more than $50,000. Tuesday’s finale of Big Break Disney Golf will re-air Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
The Golf Fix – Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge (two episodes)
Time: Monday 8-9 p.m.
Host: Michael Breed
Monday’s special episodes of The Golf Fix were shot on location at this year’s Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge in Las Vegas, where host Michael Breed and guests Fred Couples, Natalie Gulbis, Butch Harmon, Stewart Cink and Nick Price provides tips and instruction on all facets of the golf swing, from driving to the short game. The Golf Fix will air as two separate half-hour shows at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET.
Golf’s Amazing Videos: The Awards Show
Time: Tuesday 11-11:30 p.m.
The season finale of Golf’s Amazing Videos will feature the first-annual GAVY Awards presentations, highlighting the most amazing golf videos in 2009 and featuring humorous acceptance speeches from Michelle Wie, Tom Lehman, Fuzzy Zoeller, Paula Creamer and Ricky Barnes. Golf’s Amazing Videos also will announce which home video will receive the $5,000 grand prize for best viewer submission in 2009.
News and Talk Show Programming Highlights
Golf Central
Live Airings: Monday – Sunday 6-6:30 p.m. (Live)
Monday – Wednesday, Golf Central will recap all of the top storylines in the world of golf, the Shark Shootout and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Thursday – Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, Golf Central will recap all of the golf news of the day, including highlights of the South African Open Championship on the European Tour.
CBS will air an Olympic skiing legends and celebrity sports event on December 20.
CELEBRITIES AND OLYMPIC LEGENDS TAKE TO THE SLOPES AT JUMA ENTERTAINMENT’S 18th ANNUAL “DEER VALLEY® CELEBRITY SKIFEST” AIRING DECEMBER 20th ON CBS SPORTS AT 5 P.M. EST
Celebrity Hosts Larry David, Neil Patrick Harris and Rob Morrow
With Special Musical Guest Train to Perform
Burbank, Calif. (November 16, 2009) – The 18th annual DEER VALLEY® CELEBRITY SKIFEST, produced by JUMA Entertainment, and featuring stars, Olympians and a special performance by Grammy Award-winning rock band Train, will take place December 4-7, 2009 in Park City, Utah.The event will air as a one-hour special Sunday, December 20, 2009 (5 p.m. ET; 3:00-4:00 p.m. in late NFL markets) on CBS Sports.
The annual event will pair U.S. Olympic ski legends with top celebrities for a weekend of skiing, live music and fundraising for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization devoted to protecting fresh water resources around the world.
“We are so grateful that the Hollywood community comes out every year to show their support for the DEER VALLEY CELEBRITY SKIFEST,” says Bob Horowitz, Executive Producer, JUMA Entertainment. “I am delighted to produce an event where people can enjoy a weekend in a beautiful setting, while benefitting a great cause.”
Confirmed celebrities include: Dylan Bruno, Ty Burrell, David Conrad, Larry David, Neil Patrick Harris, Cheryl Hines, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Max Kennedy, Chris Kennedy, Rob Morrow, Joey Pantoliano, Gloria Reuben, Cheryl Tiegs, Patrick Warburton and many more. The stars are joined by U.S. Olympians Phil Mahre, Steve Mahre, Tommy Moe and Heidi Voelker.
“We are so thankful to the Olympians, sponsors, celebrities, and the team at JUMA, who devote their time, money and energy into this event each year,” says Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President of Waterkeeper Alliance. “The DEER VALLEY CELEBRITY SKIFEST raises necessary funds to support our organization in our global battle to protect our most precious resource – water.”
DEER VALLEY CELEBRITY SKIFEST is produced by JUMA Entertainment for CBS. Bob Horowitz (“The Singing Bee,” “The Superstars”) is creator and executive producer of the event. Lewis Fenton will also serve as executive producer. The DEER VALLEY CELEBRITY SKIFEST has raised millions of dollars for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Waterkeeper Alliance. The organization’s mission is to protect fishable, swimmable and drinkable waterways worldwide.
The DEER VALLEY CELEBRITY SKIFEST will be shot on location at the Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Deer Valley was the site of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games slalom, aerial and mogul events. It was rated the top North American ski resort by readers of SKI magazine for the fourth time this year.
More information about the event can be found at www.dvskifest.com.
And Northeastern University’s radio station will airing plenty of basketball and hockey during the holiday season. All of the games will be produced on the road so my hats off to WRBB for the planning and travel to these events.
WRBB TO BROADCAST GAMES FROM HAWAII, CALIFORNIA
College station to log over 10,000 miles of travel on “Holiday Road Trip”
BOSTON – This holiday season, while Northeastern University students are at home with family and friends, they will be able to keep up with their favorite Huskies teams like never before. The university’s student-run radio station, WRBB, will continue its season of unprecedented Huskies sports coverage with the inaugural WRBB Holiday Road Trip. Between December 22nd and January 4th, student broadcasters will travel over 10,000 miles to bring fans the most comprehensive slate of Northeastern road contests to date.
Eight games will air as a part of the package, including the inaugural Diamond Head Classic from Honolulu; the 43rd annual Cable Car Classic from Santa Clara, California; and Huskies hockey at the Ledyard National Bank Classic in Hanover, New Hampshire. Throughout the journey, WRBBSports.com will serve as a travel log, with daily blog entries beginning on December 19th.
“This year’s travel schedule is extraordinary for us,” said WRBB sports director Alex Faust, “Last season, we sent a crew to Alaska. This year, we’re upping the ante by going to Hawaii and California, proving once again that we are the most-traveled student broadcasters in the nation.”
The large slate of holiday games complements a busy January for WRBB, when 19 games are scheduled to air, including the Frozen Fenway on January 8th.
MEN’S BASKETBALL – DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC
From the Stan Sherriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii
12/22/09 – 3:00p – Northeastern vs. St. Mary’s
12/23/09 – 3:00p/5:00p – Northeastern vs. USC/Western Michigan
12/25/09 – TBA – Northeastern vs. TBD
MEN’S BASKETBALL – CABLE CAR CLASSIC
From the Leavey Center in Santa Clara, Calif.
12/29/09 – 9:00p – Northeastern at Santa Clara
12/30/09 – 9:00p/11:00p – Northeastern vs. Wofford/Kent State
MEN’S HOCKEY – LEDYARD NATIONAL BANK CLASSIC
From Thompson Arena in Hanover, N.H.
1/2/10 – 7:00p – Northeastern at Dartmouth
1/3/10 – 4:00p/7:00p – Northeastern vs. Holy Cross/UMass-Lowell
MEN’S BASKETBALL
From the Verizon Wireless Arena in Richmond, Va.
1/4/10 – 7:00p – Northeastern at Virginia Commonwealth
That’s it for this post.
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