Two Programming Notes For You

Two programming notes on this Monday. Let’s take a look at what Golf Channel is offering this week.

Golf Central on-site at the Northern Trust Open

Premieres (All times Eastern)

The Golf Fix (Live)

Host: Michael Breed

Guest: Brittany Lincicome

Airtime: Monday, 7-8 p.m. ET

Multi-time LPGA winner Brittany Lincicome will join host Michael Breed to provide tips and instruction on how to improve the golf game in a fast-paced format. Breed will utilize the studio’s new high-tech golf simulator for shot re-creations and real-to-life demonstrations 

Golf Central (On-site at Northern Trust Open Thursday – Sunday)

Live Airings:  Monday – Wednesday               6-6:30 p.m.

Thursday – Friday                     8-8:30 p.m.

                        Saturday                                   6-6:30 p.m.

Sunday                                     6-7 p.m.

Golf Central Pre Game (On-site at Northern Trust Open)

Live Airings:  Thursday – Friday                    4:30-5 p.m. ET

                        Saturday – Sunday                  12:30-1 p.m. ET

Golf Central and Golf Central Pre Game will broadcast live and on-site from Riviera Country Club, site of the Northern Trust Open, Thursday – Sunday. Kraig Kann, Brandel Chamblee and Scott Walker will report from Riviera C.C., joined by the network’s team of reporters from Orlando.

Grey Goose 19^th Hole (Live)

Host: Steve Sands

Panelists: John Hawkins, Charlie Rymer

Contributors: Win McMurry, Jay Coffin, Rex Hoggard

Airtime: Wednesday, 7-8 p.m. ET

Host Steve Sands and panelists John Hawkins and Charlie Rymer will debate the hot topics in golf coming out of the Farmers Insurance Open and leading into the Northern Trust Open, featuring viewer interaction throughout the show. The cast will be joined by Golf Channel’s Win McMurry, GolfChannel.com editorial director Jay Coffin and senior writer Rex Hoggard.  

Top 10: Risk vs. Reward (New)

Host: Lauren Thompson

Airtime: Wednesday, 9-9:30 p.m. ET

Host Lauren Thompson will count down the top 10 risk/reward decisions made in golf.  Included in the countdown will be Michelle Wie’s decision to compete on the PGA TOUR, Tiger Woods switching golf coaches and 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup Team Captain Hal Sutton pairing Woods and Mickelson together. Top 10 will feature interviews with Curtis Strange, Hal Sutton, Kenny Perry and Zach Johnson.

And NASCAR season ramps up this week as the Daytona 500 is coming up. This is ESPN’s motorsports programming.

Motorsports This Week on ESPN

ESPNEWS Live from NASCAR Media Day at Daytona

ESPNEWS will surround NASCAR Media Day at Daytona International Speedway with a special multi-hour program featuring exclusive interviews with NASCAR’s top drivers along with analysis of the upcoming season. The program airs Thursday, Feb. 4, at 12:30 p.m. ET.

NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Kyle Busch and NASCAR rookie Danica Patrick are among the drivers scheduled to appear from Daytona on the program, along with Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin and many more.

NASCAR Now co-hosts Mike Massaro and Nicole Briscoe will host the program and conduct the interviews, with Briscoe on the scene in Daytona and Massaro in ESPN’s studios. In addition, ESPN NASCAR analyst Ricky Craven will weigh-in via satellite.

Reports from NASCAR Media Day also will appear on SportsCenter, ESPN.com and other ESPN platform
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NASCAR Now Leads Fans into Daytona Opening Weekend

ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now, which returned to the air for its fourth season on Feb. 1, will get NASCAR fans ready for this weekend’s Daytona 500 qualifying and Bud Shootout with 30-minute programs airing Tuesday through Friday of this week.

Mike Massaro hosts programs airing Tuesday and Wednesday at NASCAR Now’s regular time of 5 p.m., Thursday at 6 p.m. and Friday at 5:30 p.m. NASCAR Now co-host/reporter Nicole Briscoe will be in Daytona starting Thursday.

On Monday, Feb. 8, NASCAR Now will originate from Daytona International Speedway for a week of programs starting with a one-hour roundtable discussion program hosted by Allen Bestwick with analysts Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett and Ricky Craven. 

The first two weeks of the program will include a focus on the top 10 teams in the sport, looking back at the 2009 season and looking ahead to 2010 with predictions from ESPN analysts. In addition, the first week of the program will feature drivers of the decades, with legendary driver David Pearson appearing on Tuesday’s program and three-time champion Darrell Waltrip on Wednesday..

As long as Erik Kusilias stays away from my TV and doesn’t talk down to me or you, I’m fine with what ESPN is showing.