The Monday Linkage

Good Monday to you. If you’re back at work, I certainly hope your weekend went well. Let’s get to some links.

Continuing with one of the biggest non-stories since Katie Couric went to CBS, the Erin Andrews “controversy” that began with Mike Nadel’s column on Thursday is addressed again in Michael Hiestand’s column in USA Today.

David Scott of Boston Sports Media Watch reviews the weekend in Boston sports and also has some programming news for 890 ESPN Radio.

Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the reaction of Skip Caray’s long-time broadcast partner Pete Van Wieren to his friend’s passing. Mark Bradley of the AJC says Skip did things his way. And we have reaction to Skip’s passing from former Brave Dale Murphy and other Atlanta personalities. MLB.com has a video obituary of Caray. Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel says summers won’t be the same without Skip. And here’s Skip’s call when the Braves won the World Series in 1995. Finally, earlier this year, Skip, Van Wieren and their partner Ernie Johnson, Sr. were inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame.

The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick says the eventual demolition of Yankee Stadium is all due to money.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times says NBC is totally embracing the online experience for these Olympic Games.

Rick Kushman of the Sacramento Bee tells readers to get ready for an Olympics overload.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell is in Communist China to look at the business end of the Olympics. He first writes about some traditional medicines in China that aren’t available here in the States for a reason. And Darren has his Top 5 Olympic mascots.

Ken McMillan from the Hudson Valley Times Herald-Record says NBC has extended the time for the Olympics Opening Ceremonies by a half-hour. Why not show the thing live Friday morning and then show it again at night, instead of just delaying it? CBC is doing that exact thing on Friday. I don’t know.

Roger Catlin of the Hartford Courant says NBC is really hyping the Opening Ceremonies.

Matea Gold from the Los Angeles Times talks with NBC Today Show Executive Producer Jim Bell who is in China for the Olympics and has experience in producing the Olympics as well.

The Today Show’s Matt Lauer will join Bob Costas as the co-host for the Opening Ceremonies.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says ESPN’s in-game interviews during Sunday Night Baseball are a genuine waste of time and I have to agree.

The Sports Media Watch has some ratings news and notes. And the SMW looks at past NFL Hall of Fame Game ratings.

The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writing today for Pro Football Weekly says new studio analyst Michael Strahan won’t be treated as a fifth wheel on Fox NFL Sunday.

The San Marcos (TX) Record says the NFL Network will be added to Grande Communications’ HD tier in time for exhibition season.

Daniel Kaplan and Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal write that 612 retired NFL players are suing the NFL Players Association for having Electronic Arts alter their images on the Madden video game so not to pay licensing fees.

John Ourand from the Sports Business Journal reports that the University of Michigan has sold its media rights including radio, website and coaches’ TV and radio shows to IMG College.

Jon Show of the SBJ tells us that the LPGA is trying to sell a $4 million per year sponsorship for an eight tournament series it is trying to get on network TV.

If you’re burned out on Brett Favre overload, then Awful Announcing suggests you avoid ESPN at 12:30 this afternnoon.

ESPN is yanking an ad for AshleyMadison.com.

Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says Canadian sporting events should be produced by Canadian TV and not Americans.

Dusty Saunders from the Rocky Mountain News says one Denver sports radio station has to get its signal problems straightened out.

Jim Williams of the DC/Baltimore Examiner lists his best and worst baseball announcing teams.

Linda Moss and Mike Reynolds of Multichannel News talk about GolTV and four local TV channels being dropped from Dish Network.

That’s all for now.

Arrow to top