You are here: Home / 2011 / Archives for February 2011

Bruins Stay Hot Out On The Road

February 28, 2011 By

The Bruins remained perfect on their road trip, making it five-for-five last night with a 3-2 win over the Oilers in Edmonton. Get all the coverage over at BruinsLinks.com.

Before getting to the regular links, a bit of disappointing news from the weekend – Howard Bryant, writer for ESPN, charged with domestic assault in Buckland. The former Boston Herald sport columnist, and now senior writer for ESPN.com was arrested on Saturday, and will be arraigned today.

Bruins continue slick play - Fluto Shinzawa has Milan Lucic a huge factor for the Bruins once again. Steve Conroy and Joe Haggerty have more on the win.

Seguin, Hall still feeling growing pains - The CSNNE.com notes has the much-hyped rookies going through a developmental first year. The Herald Bruins Notebook from Conroy has more on Lucic’s strong play. The Globe notebook from Fluto Shinzawa has Johnny Boychuk playing in front of his home crowd last night.

The deal with Celtics: They’ve moved on - Steve Bulpett says that the Celtics have turned a corner in adjusting to the trade of Kendrick Perkins. Gary Washburn says Rajon Rondo is still having a tough time. Rich Levine says that player movement is just the nature of the beast in professional sports.

Delonte West should help Celtics - Chris Forsberg says that West might be the biggest addition for the Celtics.

Trade bolsters C’s chances of getting out of the East  – A. Sherrod Blakely says that the trade for Jeff Green was made with an eye on the competition in the Eastern conference. Blakely also reports that Troy Murphy has received his buyout from the Warriors and could be headed to the Celtics today.

How Josh Beckett, Jon Lester view the Red Sox’ Opening Day starter debate - Rob Bradford gets the debate started early. Beckett was a popular topic today, with additional stories from Michael Silverman | Sean McAdam | Joe McDonald | Brian MacPherson

Pitcher caught breaks - Peter Abraham has Clay Buchholz aware that he received some good luck during his 2010 breakout season. The Red Sox notebook from Scott Lauber has more on Buchholz. Michael Silverman looks at the Red Sox connections between Carl Pavano, Josh Beckett and Buchholz.

New stars adjust to spotlight - Scott Lauber has Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez having their eyes opened about what it means to be a member of the Red Sox in just the first week of camp.

Red Sox Prospect Lavarnway Knows The Drill - Dom Amore has the fast-rising catching prospect still a work in progress.

Francona really steps into one - Michael Vega’s notebook has the Red Sox manager trying to end a feud between White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and his former (and current Red Sox) pitcher Bobby Jenks.

Filed Under: Morning Links

A Friday Night Megalink Thing

February 25, 2011 By

Let’s provide the Friday megalinks. Lots of things to get to.

We, of course, provide the Weekend Viewing Picks for your sports and entertainment weekend programming.

Now let’s get to the linkage from across the country.

National

Brian Steinberg of Advertising Age reports that NBC is already seeking $3.5 million for a 30 second spot for Super Bowl XLVI.

Mike McCarthy at USA Today writes that ESPN’s Erin Andrews will be working the red carpet during the Oscars for ABC’s Good Morning America.

Mike and fellow USA Today sport media writer Michael Hiestand debate the pros and cons of airing the NFL Scouting Combine.

George Winslow from Broadcasting & Cable writes that a tennis tournament has decided to use NeuLion’s platform to stream matches online in HD quality.

Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News discusses Versus’ good ratings for the NHL Heritage Classic.

Multichannel notes that Style Network will be turning a NASCAR wedding into a reality TV series.

Glenn Davis at SportsGrid has a video of Erin Andrews looking for that perfect dress for the Academy Awards red carpet.

Marcus Vanderberg from SportsNewser says Versus will air its next UFC MMA card in 3-D.

Sports Media Watch writes that MSG saw its highest ratings in 16 years for the New York Knicks with Carmelo Anthony’s debut.

SMW says NASCAR’s Nationwide Series got off to a slower start in the ratings from last year.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says the NHL on Versus continues to be red hot in the ratings

CNBC’s Darren Rovell says outsourcing has helped smaller teams stay in contention.

Awful Announcing notices the notorious “Schwab” making a cameo in the new Hooters ad featuring ESPN’s Dick Vitale.

SportsbyBrooks gives the legendary voice of Mississippi State football and basketball Jack Cristil a very nice tribute as he had to step down immediately due to health issues.

In Examiner.com, Evan Weiner looks at the NFL lockout and what it means to the league’s TV partners.

All Access says the embattled Charlie Sheen called into a Fox Sports Radio show to once again rant against CBS, Warner Brothers and Global Warming.

East and Mid-Atlantic

The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn reviews the week in Boston sports media news.

In SB Nation Boston, BSMW Fearless Leader Bruce Allen has a look at the WEEI shakeups and a tumultuous week for the once-dominant sports radio station.

Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette talks about a local part-time radio reporter who has been reporting on the Red Sox for almost two decades.

Richard Sandomir from the New York Times writes about MSG’s boffo ratings for Carmelo Anthony’s Knicks debut.

Richard discusses how a panel takes over as the ESPN Ombudsman.

Richard and Pat Borzi team up for a story on the NFL Players Association trying to prevent the NFL from collecting its TV rights fee during a potential lockout.

Newsday’s Neil Best talks with Steven A. “A is for Amiable” Smith who’s happy to be back with ESPN.

Bob Glauber of Newsday says both New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and HBO will not be back on Hard Knocks at least this year.

It’s official. Phil Mushnick from the New York Post really hates Madison Square Garden and Cablevision Chairman James Dolan.

Justin Terranova of the Post has five questions for MLB Network’s Al Leiter.

Pete Dougherty from the Albany Times Union has ESPN releasing its Big East football schedule.

Ken Schott at the Schenectady Gazette says the local Fox affiliate will have an extra high school sports highlight show this weekend.

In the New Jersey Newsroom, Nicole Pride talks with an ESPN producer who felt a story on paralyzed Rutgers football Eric LeGrand really hit home.

Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Pirates have announced their spring training TV and radio schedule.

At the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg has ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt ripping the students of his alma mater once again.

Jim Williams at the Washington Examiner says NASCAR is back in full swing on TV.

South

Bob Molinaro of the Virginian-Pilot says there’s too much speculating in the sports media today.

Erin Barnett of WSLS-TV in Roanoke, VA reports on College GameDay’s visit to the Virginia Tech campus.

Barry Jackson at the Miami Herald says like them or not, the Miami Heat are among the top of the heap in the local and national NBA TV ratings.

Carlos Frias of the Palm Beach Post talks with Pam Tebow, mother of Tim, about life after the controversial Super Bowl ad she and her son did last year.

Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaking about how he felt Super Bowl XLV went.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle talks with syndicated radio host Paul Finebaum about now infamous confession from the Alabama fan who said he poisoned the Auburn tree. That confession occurred on Finebaum’s show.

Mel Bracht at the Daily Oklahoman talks with the new TV voice of the Texas Rangers.

In his media notebook, Mel says the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be featured nationally this weekend.

Midwest

Kevin Bull of the Detroit Free Press has highlights of an ESPN.com chat conducted by former Michigan Fab Five standout Jalen Rose regarding the new ESPN documentary on the 1992-93 team.

Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press writes that a local radio host is making sure that high school sports gets its due.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has former Brewers manager Ken Macha responding on MLB Network Radio to one of his former player’s comments.

Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business has his winners and losers in sports business and media.

The Des Moines (IA) Register reports that Iowa State’s football game against UConn has been scheduled for a Friday night on ESPN2.

From Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals spring training games will be pre-empting Rush Limbaugh on KMOX.

West

Jay Posner at the San Diego Union-Tribune has CBS’ Clark Kellogg looking forward to seeing San Diego State and BYU square off tomorrow.

John Maffei of the North County Times says it’s BYU and Jimmer Fredette as to why San Diego State is on national TV on Saturday.

Tom Hoffarth at the Los Angeles Daily News looks at the Poynter Institute panel that will play the role of ESPN Ombudsman.

Joe Flint of the Los Angeles Times also looks at the new ESPN Ombudsmen.

Ben Bolch of the Times says Fox Sports Net will honor the late UCLA coach John Wooden during Pac 10 basketball games this weekend.

Canada

Bruce Dowbiggin at the Toronto Globe and Mail writes that TSN continues its TV rights shopping spree, this time at the expense of one of its competitors.

And that is going to do it for the megalinks. Enjoy your sports weekend

Filed Under: Ken Fang, Media News, WEEI

WEEI Announces Mutnansky, Merloni As Mid-Day Show

February 25, 2011 By

They got the dreaded “late Friday afternoon press release” but Mike Mutnansky and Lou Merloni were officially named as WEEI’s new mid-day show, replacing the Dale and Holley show.

Rising Stars To Take Over Middays on WEEI

(Boston, February 25, 2011) – The WEEI Sports Radio Network today announced their next step in a bold new programming lineup. WEEI is pairing two of Boston’s rising stars Lou Merloni and Mike Mutnansky to form the “Mut and Merloni,” show which will debut Monday, March 7.

“Mut and Merloni,” will air weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The new show will precede “The Big Show with Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley” which starts on Monday.

“Our mission at WEEI is to continue to provide the most informative and entertaining sports radio experience for the best sports fans in the country,” said Julie Kahn, Vice President and Market Manager at Entercom New England. “Lou Merloni and Mike Mutnansky are breakout talents. These new lineups make us stronger than ever throughout the broadcast day and position us to be dominant for years to come.”

Mutnansky and Merloni have established themselves in supporting roles on WEEI and are poised to step into the spotlight that comes with having their own show.

Filed Under: WEEI

Perkins Trade Creates Sharp Divide

February 25, 2011 By

The media reaction to the trade of Kendrick Perkins, like the fan reaction, is decidedly mixed. Some say this was a great move, others say it was a terrible, risky move.

As always, Ainge unafraid to take his shot - Bob Ryan is a big fan of Jeff Green.

The Death of Ubuntu - Rich Levine says that without Perkins, the Celtics will never be the same.

On the contrary, Celtics did well - Peter May says that the Celtics got the better end of this deal.

Perkins deal a puzzler - Tim Weisberg says that this deal could end up being one of Danny Ainge’s biggest blunders.

Danny Ainge’s bold move aimed at future and present - Paul Flannery says that this move was made with the goal of improving the team both now and in the future.

Whole lot of Celtics soul gone - Mark Murphy says that the Celtics are more of a common team now.

Contract issue at the center of the deal - Gary Washburn notes that the Celtics decision was in large part, but now wholly, due to Perkins’ contract situation.

Marquis Daniels eyes all options - Murphy’s notebook has the former Celtic focused on his recovery. Jessica Camerato talks to the waived Leon Powe, who would welcome a return to Boston.

Evolution of a pitcher: Lester’s revived changeup completed his arsenal - Brian MacPherson has the third part of his series on Jon Lester.

No minor development - Mike Fine has the Red Sox still working diligently with their minor leaguers, even if there isn’t room on the roster for them at present.

Bruins couldn’t afford to take a pass on puck-moving Kaberle - Fluto Shinzawa says that the Bruins knew they couldn’t let a chance at acquiring the puck-moving defenseman go by this time.

Logan Mankins’ agent points at Patriots - Ian R. Rapoport and Karen Guregian have Frank Bauer sounding off again.

It’s a good time to play catch-up - Chad Finn has an assortment of media news and observations.

‘Sox Guy’ beaming again in Florida – Bill Doyle has a Worcester institution returning the airwaves.

Boston’s Shakeup On Sports Talk Radio Continues - My SB Nation Boston media column looks at some of the happenings this week.

Filed Under: Morning Links

Why Danny Ainge Made The Right Move

February 24, 2011 By

As 3:00 this afternoon approached, the biggest concern I had was that Danny Ainge might actually give up something worth a damn for Anthony Parker. Convinced that nothing was going to happen, I stepped away from my desk for a few moments only to return and look at my Twitter feed and see:

Genius me, I sensed immediately that something big had just gone down involving the Celtics. Something a little bigger than Anthony Parker. When things sorted out and the details came out – Kendrick Perkins had been traded along with Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic (and later, a first round pick) – all hell broke loose.

Celtics fans and bloggers immediately came down hard on the deal. Most questioning the sanity or intoxication level of Ainge (a Mormon, lest we forget). Many looked something like this:

That’s a polite one.

Then, as news came out that Semih Erden and Luke Harangody had been dumped to Cleveland for a second round pick, it began all over again.

Most fans were and still are out of their minds over these deals, saying that Ainge has given up on the season and thrown away the team’s hopes for a title. They’re pissed.

Let’s try and look at this a little more coolly, shall we? Let’s try to detach from the emotional attachment so many fans have for Perkins for a moment. Here’s why not only was this not a disastrous trade, but in fact it was a great move by Ainge.

Kendrick Perkins Isn’t Bill Russell.

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of Perk and what he brings to the team. Ever since he showed up here as a doughy teenager way back in 2003, I’ve enjoyed watching him work and develop himself into a top-notch body-on-body low post defender. He has come so far you cannot  help but admire him. His teammates love him. His coaches love him. But…

There are number of circumstances which make moving him today the right move.

1) The Celtics weren’t going to be able to re-sign him at the end of the season. Perkins had reportedly recently turned down a contract extension offer from the Celtics. The deal was said to be close to or at the maximum that the Celtics could offer Perkins under the current rules. They were going to lose him at the end of the season, plain and simple. If they wanted any return on their investment, they needed to move him. Now. By sending him to Oklahoma City, they send him to a franchise in the Western conference that really wants and needs him, and will do all they can to re-sign him, hopefully keeping him away from the likes of the Miami Heat.

2) His game, while valuable, was extremely limited. There is a reason why Glen Davis has been closing out games with the starters this season, even after Perkins returned from his injury. Davis brings the physical presence on defense, despite his lack of height that Perkins does, while at the same time giving the Celtics someone who is not only not a liability on the offensive end, but someone who brings something to that end of the floor. Perkins is outstanding as that low post defender and is a good shot blocker, but that’s about it. He’s got hands of stone, his offensive game seems to have even regressed a bit, he can’t shoot foul shots, and he’s not a great rebounder. Are you going to hand out a huge contract to a guy you can’t even keep on the floor in the final minutes?

Both Perkins and Davis would be free agents. The Celtics couldn’t sign both. They probably hope to re-sign Davis, and this gives them a better chance to do that.

3) The Celtics did pretty well in the first half of this season without him. Perkins missed most of the first half of the season while recovering from the knee injury suffered in game six of the NBA Finals. The Celtics didn’t miss a beat. Granted they had Shaquille O’Neal for much of that time, and don’t have him at the moment, but they expect him to return, and also expect the “other” O’Neal to return, though if they get anything from him it will be considered a bonus.

So it became clear that if the team wanted to get something for Perkins, now was the time. This isn’t Bill Russell the Celtics just traded. They still have Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis and Delonte West. In among all these moves they also hung onto first-round pick Avery Bradley, whom they like a lot.  Now let’s look at what they got in return for Perkins (and Nate Robinson.)

Forward Jeff Green. The 24-year old, 6-9 Georgetown product is a versatile, intelligent player, who has averaged 15 points a game during his career.  According to observers, he’s either a pretty good defender, or an awful one. He’s not the fastest player, but he’s very active. He gives you a guy who can play both forward positions, and depending on matchups, could play against someone like LeBron James in a Heat series, or Lamar Odom in a Lakers series. He is a restricted free agent after the season, but he is someone the Celtics can look to hold on to and become a cornerstone in the post-Big Three era. Ainge and Doc Rivers reportedly both loved his game coming out of school.

Center Nenad Krstic. As a center, Krstic is the anti-Perkins. He’s soft, not much of a defender or rebounder, but can shoot and score. At seven-feet, he’s at least a big, skilled body, he averaged 16 points a game back in 2007. He can foul – which might be needed against a Dwight Howard, or also stretch the floor a little bit with his shot.

A lottery protected first round pick from the Los Angeles Clippers. This could be another big building piece for the future, either with the actual pick (It is top-10 protected for the next few years) or as a trade piece.

Concerns people have.

There’s been a ton of angst out there among Celtics fans over losing Perkins. They worry that all of a sudden the Celtics can’t match up with Orlando, Miami or the Lakers. They say Perkins could lock down Dwight Howard single-handedly.

That hasn’t been the case all of the time, and especially of late. It’s become an absolute to some people that had Perkins not been injured in game six of the finals that the Celtics would’ve won the series. Without Perkins, Andrew Bynum still had only two points in both game six and seven, and wasn’t a huge factor. As for the Heat, they have no center. I’m not sure how not having Perkins has anything at all to do with how they play the Heat.

If the Celtics get Shaq back in time for the playoffs, and possibly Jermaine O’Neal, the Celtics will have more than enough big bodies to get through the postseason, where remember, there are no back-to-back games, and less travel.

The other moves.

In dumping Semih Erden and Luke Harangody, (and later, Marquis Daniels) the Celtics free up roster spots for potential buyout players. Semih had his moments this season, but you’ve got to think that any veteran that the Celtics can sign (Troy Murphy, for one) is going to be an improvement over those two. There have been a lot of possibilities floated out there as potential buyout candidates, and the Celtics are in a position to sign one as soon as they become available. (It’s worth noting that to make room for Erden and Harangody, the Cavs waived former Celtic Leon Powe, who I could love see back here.)

Ainge said this afternoon that the team would be aggressive in pursuing bought out players, looking for another wing player, a defender or front court help. There should be players available, and they’re bound to be better than Erden and Harangody. He also said they’re expecting Shaq back in a week.

Conclusion

So what Ainge has done today is give the Celtics a better chance of winning, both now and in the future. None of us like to think about it, but this team has a very short window. It’s this season, and perhaps next, and that’s probably it. By adding Green (the best player in the deal, who will contribute now) and the future first round pick from the Clippers, while also keeping Bradley, the Celtics have some assets and possibilities for the future.

Semih Erden, Luke Harangody

Filed Under: Noteworthy

Celtics Look To Add Final Piece

February 24, 2011 By

With the Bruins making a flury of trades last week, will the Celtics follow suit today? It seems unlikely, given what the Celtics have to offer, but Danny Ainge has surprised us before.

At deadline, Celtics in a bind - Chris Forsberg says that the Celtics may be forced to sacrifice the future in order to improve this team. Steve Bulpett says that the Celtics do not want to go that route, and any addition to the roster may come in the form of a player signed after a buyout. Gary Washburn says that the Celtics just don’t have the assets to give another team what they want. A. Sherrod Blakely has Ainge saying he will not do a deal out of panic.

Point taken by Garnett - The Globe notebook by  Julian Benbow has Kevin Garnett looking to be more aggressive on offense. The Herald notebook from Steve Bulpett has Kendrick Perkins out for a week with a strained MCL.  

Evolution of a pitcher: Over time, Lester adds cutter to arsenal - Brian MacPherson has the second part of his three-part series on Sox lefty Jon Lester.

Major obstacle - Nick Cafardo has a piece on Lars Anderson, whom the Red Sox are still high on despite adding Adrian Gonzalez to first base.

Early days of Curt Young era - Scott Lauber has the Red Sox new pitching coach getting to know his staff.

McDonald adopts ‘beast mode’ routine for 2011 - Maureen Mullen has Darnell McDonald looking to improve on his breakthrough season of 2010.

Marco Scutaro prognosis: good - Lauber’s Red Sox notebook has the shortstop feeling at full strength. The Red Sox Journal from Brian MacPherson has Rich Hill looking to secure a spot in the bullpen. The Globe notebook from Nick Cafardo has Terry Francona not ready to name his opening day starter.

A head-scratcher for NHL - John Powers has a feature on the NHL facing the problem of concussions that come from legal hits.

Quite a character, Hnidy brought in for tryout - The Bruins notebook from Fluto Shinzawa has the club bringing back a former defenseman for a look. Steve Conroy has more on the tryout for Hnidy. The CSNNE notes from Joe Haggerty have Steve Kampfer on the outside looking in at the moment in terms of playing time.

Patriots’ view of the NFL combine - Mike Reiss takes a New England-centric look at the combine.

Kevin Faulk feels labor pains - Ian Rapoport talks to the Patriots running back about his rehab will be impacted by a lockout.

Could Colon wind up on Patriots’ radar? - Tom E Curran wonders if Steelers offensive lineman Willie Colon could be of interest to the Patriots.

Filed Under: Morning Links

Dale Arnold’s Final Show Bittersweet

February 23, 2011 By

For the first three hours of today’s Dale & Holley show, the hosts attempted to play it straight. Just another show, ho hum. In reality, it was the end of an era.

Earlier in the day, Dale had announced on Twitter that today would be the final edition of The Dale & Holley show:

[blackbirdpie id="40409431879589888"]

Dale Arnold has been with WEEI from the very beginning, and has had a daily show for most, if not all of that time. Today, his role changed, and going forward he will be an intermittent part of the radio station, filling in when other hosts go on vacation. He mentioned that he’ll be filling in for John Dennis the week of March 7, and will be doing multiple Red Sox and Celtics games during the first week of April.

But today very much felt like a “goodbye” to Dale. Co-host Michael Holley, who will be joining Glenn Ordway next week on the all-new “Big Show” paid tribute to Arnold during today’s program.

Then, in the final hour of the show, special guests called in – Terry Francona, Ray Bourque, Rosevelt Colvin – and clips from Dale’s play-by-play career were played, and intros from interviews with Ted Williams, Bill Russell and Larry Bird were teased. Recorded segments from the likes of Dale’s friend and mentor Doc Emrick also were played.

As the time came to sign off, a clearly emotional Arnold struggled to say anything, and there was a long pause before the show ended.

It was a nice tribute today, but only seemed to underscore how poorly Jason Wolfe and company handled this entire situation. Even those who are not fans of Dale seem to recognize that he got a raw deal in this whole episode.

Filed Under: WEEI

Celtics, Bruins Impressive Out On The Road

February 23, 2011 By

The Celtics and Bruins were both victorious out on the road last night, with the Celtics posting a 115-93 win in Northern California over the Golden State Warriors and the Bruins scoring a 3-1 win over the Flames in Calgary.

Rondo leads Celtics over Warriors, 115-93 - A. Sherrod Blakely has the birthday boy leading the way for the Celtics with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Paul Flannery says we got a look at what it would be like if Rondo played in the Western conference every night.

Ainge ‘looking for help’ - Steve Bulpett has the Celtics director of basketball operations looking to add to his team before tomorrow afternoon’s trade deadline. Nick Underhill looks at some possibilities for the Celtics. Rich Levine says that the Celtics need to add something to get them through this stretch of injuries.

Shaq unlikely to play on trip - The Globe notebook from Julian Benbow has the big man back home in Florida, rehabbing his injury. The Herald notebook from Mark Murphy has Marquis Daniels’ future still uncertain.

Refreshed Thomas, Bruins douse the Flames - Fluto Shinzawa has a rested Tim Thomas leading the Bruins to victory.

Lucic, Krejci regaining their form - Joe Haggerty has a pair of key Bruins stepping up their games.

Milan Lucic’s pair perfect bookends to victory - Steve Conroy’s notebook has the big forward with a pair of goals last night. The Globe notebook from Fluto Shinzawa has Rich Peverley fitting in nicely with his new team.

Carl Crawford says he’s a base-stealer, and always will be - Rob Bradford has the Sox outfielder planning on remaining aggressive on the basepaths with his new team.

Red Sox, umpires come together - Joe McDonald has the Red Sox putting their issues with certain umpires aside for the new season.

Pitchers eat up K rations - John Tomase with an interesting look at the K Rate on the Red Sox staff.

Evolution of a pitcher: Jon Lester finds his groove - Brian MacPherson kicks off a three-part feature on the Red Sox lefty ace.

A year later, prospect Ryan Westmoreland’s comeback moves forward - Alex Speier has a feature on the Red Sox prospect a year into his recovery from brain surgery.

Sign of respect on manager? - Peter Abraham’s notebook has the Sox picking up the two-year option on Terry Francona’s contract. The Red Sox Journal from Brian MacPherson has  Matt Albers looking for a spot on the roster. The Herald notebook from John Tomase has more on the Sox and the Umps.

Devin McCourty Won’t Change Jersey Number for Superstitious Reasons and 19 Other Patriots Thoughts - Jeff Howe has 20 items, mostly about the Patriots rookie star.

Filed Under: Morning Links

Pete Sheppard Speaks Out

February 22, 2011 By

In a Facebook chat yesterday, former (and future?)  WEEI personality Pete Sheppard spoke out about his experiences dealing with 98.5 The SportHub program director Mike Thomas, saying that Thomas will not return his calls, and has even banned Sheppard from doing commercial voice-overs on the station.

Shunned Sheppard launches Facebook fury - Jessica Heslam has more on the chat.

Sheppard also said that he has had conversations with WEEI program director Jason Wolfe recently, though nothing seems to be on the verge of happening.

The Celtics return from the All Star break tonight with a game in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors.

Making the 18th Green - Steve Bulpett has 18 keys to the Celtics winning their 18th banner.

Green still have a ways to go - Gary Washburn has the Celtics focused on a stronger second half to the season than what we saw last season.

Celtics, Rockets deal for Battier not happening - For about an hour last night, Twitter was buzzing over a Marc Stein report that the Celtics were talking to the Rockets about swingman Shane Battier. A. Sherrod Blakely says the deal isn’t happening.

Battier, of course, would be an absolute perfect fit for the Celtics right now, but their lack of trade chips makes a deal virtually impossible for them to make. Julian Benbow looks at the Celtics needs for healthy bodies.

Kevin Garnett won’t change his style - Jackie MacMullan has a look at the swagger that KG brings to the Celtics.

Doc planning to keep Shaquille O’Neal off the court - Mark Murphy’s Herald notebook has the Celtics coach planning on sitting Shaq for this entire West coast trip.

Red Sox lineup cards all on the table - Ron Borges, John Tomase, Steve Buckley and Scott Lauber each try to figure out the best starting lineup for the Red Sox.

How David Ortiz might find life against lefties - Rob Bradford looks at what Big Papi is doing to improve his fortures against left-handed pitchers.

‘Pen moves should give Red Sox relief - Joe McDonald has the rebuilt Red Sox bullpen looking like a strength of the club.

Unassuming Adrian Gonzalez enters spotlight - Gerry Callahan looks at the humble new superstar of the Red Sox.

Andrew Miller hopes fog is lifting - Gordon Edes has a look at the still-promising lefty.

Rodriguez admires kid’s glove - The Globe notebook has A-Rod impressed with Red Sox minor league shortstop Jose Iglesias. The Red Sox notebook from John Tomase has Gonzalez swinging off a tee for the first time since his shoulder surgery.

I’m still wondering why NESN hasn’t yet created a reality series from Fort Myers called “Globe Condo.” You can see the hijinks and hilarity that ensues when Peter Abraham, Nick Cafardo, Dan Shaughnessy and others share a company-owned condo for two months during spring training! Huge ratings!

Is anything else brewin’? - Kevin Paul Dupont thinks that the Bruins could still use some tweaks.

Peverley brings skill up front - Stephen Harris thinks that the center acquired from the Thrashers has star potential.

NFL owner’s scorn bodes ill - Ron Borges looks at how hard line owners like Jerry Richardson could make the NFL work stoppage a complete disaster.

Filed Under: Morning Links

Finally, Some Friday Megalinks

February 18, 2011 By

Ok, I have some time to do some blogging this evening and I figure I’ll do the Friday megalinks, something which has been sorely lacking here. Let’s get cracking on the links.

As always, you can check the Weekend Viewing Picks for all of your weekend in sports and primetime TV.

Now let’s do your linkage.

National

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand and Mike McCarthy debate whether the U.S. Army should be throwing $7 million at sponsoring NASCAR.

Speaking of NASCAR, Hiestand talks about Fox using a new camera at the Daytona 500 that can pick up heat fluctuations.

At Quickish, Dan Shanoff feels the new Captain Blowhard project at ESPN.com will succeed.

Andrea Morabito of Broadcasting & Cable looks at Fox Soccer Channel extending its rights deal with Major League Soccer.

Ryan Ballengee of NBC’s Pro Golf Talk says Golf Channel’s Jim Gray was clearly in the wrong to interrupt golfer Dustin Johnson during the 1st round of the Northern Trust Open. Following Gray’s interview with Johnson, the reporter got into a heated argument with Johnson’s caddie which led to Golf Channel removing him from the broadcast for the rest of the weekend.

Emma Carmichael at Deadspin finds an excerpt from a 1990 book which recounts an incident where former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mario Soto found a way to get revenge on Jay Mariotti.

Dan Fogarty at SportsGrid notes that Tony Kornheiser is wary of blogs and the internet in general. Whatever. Mr. Tony really shouldn’t be talking anymore.

Sports Media Watch notes that the PGA’s Pebble Beach National Pro-Am got a big ratings increase from last year for CBS.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says gets info from NBC Sports how Hockey Day in America will be presented on Sunday.

Awful Announcing has the video of an awkward interview between TNT’s Craig Sager and Washington Wizards rookie John Wall.

Joe Favorito says the New Jersey Devils are bringing fans closer to the game by allowing them to live tweet during games at the game and bring bloggers and broadcasters into the mix.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell says a new ruling regarding the use of likenesses could allow athletes to go after video game manufacturers.

Fred Hickman, formerly of CNN, ESPN, YES and Fox Sports Net, has launched his own media training company for athletes. The question is, will Fred actually show up for his training sessions? Fred’s reputation proceeds him.

East and Mid-Atlantic

Chad Finn at the Boston Globe wonders what’s going on at WEEI?

Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette also discusses the WEEI lineup changes.

Newsday’s Neil Best notes that New York Mets tickets are selling well despite the team’s troubles on and off the field.

The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir looks at a new Broadway sports play being produced by the same people who brought “Lombardi” to the Great White Way.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Times attacks ESPN for allowing its personalities to sign endorsement contracts.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News says Mets owner Fred Wilpon is not ducking questions about convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff.

Pete Dougherty from the Albany Times Union says NASCAR has to learn to be able to take punches when people like Tony Kornheiser make silly statements about their sport.

Pete has a composite Spring Training TV schedule.

In Press Box, Dave Hughes from DCRTV.com says the effects of the Orioles leaving the CBS Radio-owned sports station are still being felt now.

Dave talks with former Baltimore Sun sports media writer Ray Frager who’s now the managing editor at the CSN Baltimore and CSN Washington websites.

South

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says NFL Network will be all over the Scouting Combine next week.

Tom Jones from the St. Petersburg Times talks about Kornheiser’s NASCAR comments and other sports media issues.

The Chattanoogan previews ESPN’s new documentary on Tennessee’s first African-American quarterback.

Ray Buck of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says Fox will have plenty of storylines for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle writes that the late Dale Earnhardt still casts a big shadow over NASCAR.

Kirk Bohls from the Austin American-Statesman says the traditional Texas-Texas A&M Thanksgiving Night football game might be moved to accommodate the Big 12′s TV contract.

Mel Bracht in the Daily Oklahoman talks with Turner Sports’ Kevin McHale about the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk competition.

Mel has his media notebook featuring Fox Sports MLB primetime games.

Midwest

John Kiesewetter from the Cincinnati Enquirer says former Reds teammates Eduardo Perez and Barry Larkin are reunited at ESPN.

Micheal Zuidema at the Grand Rapids (MI) Press talks with an area native who covers NASCAR for the Motor Racing Network.

Lewis Lazare of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at how Comcast is bringing NBC to work together with its sports networks.

Neal Justin of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes that the Minnesota Twins have gone all-cable with its new TV deal with Fox Sports North .

Dan Caesar from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the whole Albert Pujols contract dispute with the Cardinals has become a feeding media frenzy.

West

The Salt Lake Tribune notes that Fox Soccer Channel will pick up a couple of Real Salt Lake MLS games.

John Maffei at the North County Times marks the 25th anniversary of the great movie, “Hoosiers”.

John talks about how NASCAR’s Super Bowl takes place at the beginning of the season, not at the end.

Jim Carlisle from the Ventura County Star says the new Los Angeles Lakers channel to be run by Time Warner Cable is a gamechanger.

Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times talks about Jim Gray’s dismissal from the Northern Trust Open.

Tom Hoffarth at the Los Angeles Daily News says the Time Warner-Lakers deal will have far-reaching effects.

Tom catches up on the two weeks in sports media and has his extensive media news and notes.

Tom also writes about Jim Gray being sent home by Golf Channel.

Jon Wilner from the San Jose Mercury News has an extensive look at the Pac 12 TV negotiations.

Canada

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail notes that CBC’s announcers for the Heritage Classic differ on how the game will affect Montreal and Calgary down the line.

The Canadian Sports Media blog notes that curling is back on TSN this weekend.

And we are done.

Filed Under: Ken Fang, Media News, WEEI
«Older Posts