Wednesday Links

Let’s give you some links on this Wednesday.

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand says the U.S. Open 18 hole playoff drew a lot of traffic to the internet. And Michael lists the TV network options for Michael Strahan who could be signed as early as one week.

Neil Best of Newsday has a special bonus Wednesday column and he discusses the media’s role in covering the Mets’ firing of manager Willie Randolph early Tuesday morning. In his blog, Neil says former Red Sox and Yankee Wade Boggs ended up talking about his friend Randolph, on SNY and on radio in what was supposed to a spot to plug some promtotion.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News writes that Mets GM Omar Minaya tried to enter the spin zone on Randolph’s firing.

Richard Sandomir in the New York Times says it was all-Willie Randolph, all the time on SNY.

John Ryan of the San Jose Mercury News talks about the online traffic for the U.S. Open 18 hole playoff.

Greg Johnson of the Los Angeles Times writes that an extended Tiger Woods absence could have a ripple effect on the PGA Tour and its TV partners.

Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch reminds us how ESPN’s so-called experts made their predictions for the NBA Finals.

Jessica Heslam from the Boston Herald talks about ESPN.com columnist Jamele Hill being suspended. Herald columnist Joe Fitzgerald says Hill’s attempt to be witty ended up as ignorance.

Will Brinson of the AOL Fanhouse blog says someone has to remind Jamele Hill what she wrote about Don Imus when he made his racially insensitive remarks last year.

The Gaffer over at the EPL Talk blog doesn’t like Julie Foudy on ESPN’s coverage of Euro 2008. I’ve liked her actually.

Peter Gothard of the Tech Radar blog says MediaZone will be the official website for live streaming coverage of Wimbledon.

Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post asks if Communist China is going to close off access to broadcasters and reporters during the Olympics.

Michael Dempsey of Variety reports that the creator of FSN’s Amazing Sports Stories is teaming up to possibly produce movies based on his series.

The Philadelphia Daily News says Comcast SportsNet suffered some technical problems during last night’s Red Sox-Phillies game.

Mark Alesia of the Indianapolis Star says the Big Ten Network and Comcast are about to announce a deal that would put the channel on expanded basic from the fall through the spring sesason.

Mike Carmin of the Lafayette (IN) Journal and Courier says BTN and Comcast could announce a deal as early as this week.

William Houston of the Toronto Globe and Mail says TSN’s Glenn Healy could not say no to the NHL Players Association.

I’ll end it here. I’ll be back later.