Fang's Bites

How Monday Night Football Broke John Lennon’s Death

Today is the 30th Anniversary of the shocking death of John Lennon. For those of us alive back then, it’s a moment we’ll never forget. I found out the following morning on the radio. But for millions of Americans watching the New England Patriots taking on the Miami Dolphins on ABC, it was Howard Cosell who broke the news. On Sunday, ESPN’s Outside the Lines explored how the news got to ABC Sports through an ABC News producer who just happened to be at the same hospital where Lennon was transported for treatment from his gunshots.

The most fascinating part was hearing an off-air conversation between Cosell and play-by-play man Frank Gifford on whether they should break the news during the game. Tom Rinaldi has the story.

Great story and one that wasn’t unveiled until now.

Videos of the Week – Fang’s Bites Favorite Beatles Songs

Time to do a Videos of the Week and since Sirius XM does “Breakfast with The Beatles” at 9 a.m. on Underground Garage every Sunday, I figured I’d give you some of my all-time favorite songs from my all-time favorite band. Many of these I have posted before, but I will do a countdown from 10 until 1.

Let’s start with number 10 and Penny Lane. This video comes directly from Apple Corp, The Beatles’ own record company so no threat of it being taken down.

From Help!, this is my 9th favorite Beatles song (no, it’s not Revolution No. 9. No. 9. No.9), You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away.

This is from the movie and album, “Let It Be”. The famous rooftop concert on top of Apple Records in London in 1969. This is “I’ve Got A Feeling” at number 8.

Another video directly from the Apple Corp. vaults. “I Am The Walrus” from “Magical Mystery Tour”. This is my 7th favorite song.

At number 6, here’s “Strawberry Fields Forever”. Great song.

These are The Beatles performing “Hey Jude” on The David Frost Show at number 5. Note the Al Franken look-a-like at 4:23.

At number 4, this is a live performance of “All You Need Is Love” for the first ever live global satellite link. If you saw “The Beatles Anthology”, you’ll know that it was broadcast to 26 countries and 400 million people watching live.

Monday’s Links

I’m here late after being at the office all day. I’ve been also dealing with the phone company which has been very unresponsive to my requests to correct the problem. In fact, I’ll out the company, Broadview Networks. This company plays games, drops your phone call and does not call back after it makes promises to do so. After restoring my phone service, it actually crossed my fax line into my main phone line and pushed my main phone line into line #2. And I have no idea where line #2 is. This is just tremendous work by Broadview Networks. Don’t ever use this company.

Now, onto the links for this Monday.

Let’s start with a bunch of stuff from the great Sports Business Journal.

John Ourand chronicles how the Big Ten Network managed to make deals with Time Warner Cable, Mediacom and Charter Communications this season.

Terry Lefton says Bank of America has apparently won the rights for sponsorship at the new Yankee Stadium.

Terry writes that T-Mobile has re-upped with the NBA as a sponsor for three more years.

Terry also writes that NFL Commish Roger Goodell is worried about reduced revenues for the league.

Eric Fisher says AOL Sports will undergo a site redesign to highlight its FanHouse blog.

Jon Show writes that the PGA Tour is in its second of year of adding parties and other peripheral events to its Fall Series tournaments in an attempt to attract more fans.

My thanks to the SBJ for opening up links to its site every week. It’s much appreciated.

USA Today’s Michael Hiestand says Brett Favre’s debut with the New York Jets could not have gone any better for CBS.

Paul J. Gough of the Hollywood Reporter says Sunday Night Football won the night for NBC.

CBS says the overnight ratings for its regional NFL action yesterday highlighted by Jets-Dolphins were the highest since the network returned to the league in 1999.

The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick goes after CBS for not showing both US Open men’s semifinals live on Saturday even though they were being played simultaneously.

The Sports Media Watch says ratings for the U.S. Open’s women’s finals were up over last year. The SMW says ratings for Fox NFL Sunday and NBC’s Football Night in America were down from last year. And the blog has a look at the ratings for the three NFL Sunday networks.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell applauds the changes that the Women’s Tennis Association will undertake for the offseason. Darren tells us why you probably won’t see a “Chad Ocho Cinco” jersey this season. And Darren says despite Tom Brady being lost for the entire season, Las Vegas still gives the Patriots good odds at winning the Super Bowl.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union lists the college football games that will be seen in the New York Capital Region this weekend.

Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun notices that CBS’ Kevin Harlan gives credit to offensive linemen for their blocks. And Ray liked one addition to the NBC Sunday Night Football scoreline.

Christopher Byrne of the Eye on Sports Media blog wonders why ESPN did not bother to show “The Hurdle” from Saturday’s Central Michigan-Georgia game. Here it is, by the way:

Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times looks back at the weekend in TV sports.

Jeffrey Flanagan of the Kansas City Star talked with CBS’ Dan Dierdorf before yesterday’s Chiefs-Pats game.

Dusty Saunders of the Rocky Mountain News hopes ESPN will practice what it has preached about this season of Monday Night Football.

R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News says DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket PPV package has several improvements including more games in HD.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News gives his Top 10 Moments in LA Dodger history.

John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable says MASN has picked up some carriage deals in Virginia and North Carolina, but none of them with Time Warner Cable.

Ben Grossman of Broadcasting & Cable says reports of Lance Armstrong returning to the Tour de France next year could be a boost for Versus.

Jon Lafayette from TV Week says Versus has hired a new executive to be in charge of digital media.

Multichannel News says to celebrate its 10th anniversary, NBA TV will allow the fans to vote for what games they want to watch on Tuesday nights. I like this idea.

Being a big Beatles fan, this comes as good news to me and anyone who has Sirius Satellite Radio. Ryan Saghir of the Orbitcast blog says Sirius will begin airing the excellent “Breakfast with the Beatles” program starting this weekend.

That will do it for tonight. I hope my phone issues are over by tomorrow.

Something

“Something” by The Beatles, written by George Harrison. All of the Fab Four’s significant others at the time, Yoko Ono, Linda Eastman, Patti Boyd and Ringo’s girlfriend. I could post these all night.

I’m stepping out but coming back later.

Thursday night links are coming. They really are. Just be patient.

In My Life

I’ll post another Beatles video. One of the best songs John Lennon ever wrote, “In My Life”. Enjoy.

The song always gives me goosebumps. Thursday night links coming up. I promise.

All You Need Is Love

For no reason other than I can, here are The Beatles singing “All You Need is Love” from the 1967 global satellite broadcast, “Our World”. This video can be seen the The Beatles Anthology DVD.

For more Beatles videos, you can click on my previous posts here and here. Yes, I posted “All You Need is Love” before, but I like the song. Sue me.

I’ll be back with some Thursday night links later.

Videos of the Week – More Beatles Stuff

I forgot about Videos of the Week. I did a post on The Beatles back in August. I figured it was time to do one again.

Probably one of my favorite songs, “All You Need is Love“, performed for one of the first live global TV shows in 1967. This is on the Beatles Anthology DVD.

Later in their career, the Beatles stopped touring and to meet the demands of TV shows wanting them to appear, they started making videos for their singles. You could say this was the advent of MTV when the channel actually played music videos. This is “Hello, Goodbye“.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Penny Lane, another one of my favorites. Let’s face it, most of what they’ve done are my favorites.

A rare video promoting “Help“. Notice the playfulness of Paul and George trying to be seen by the camera as they pop up behind John.

From the movie “Help”, here’s a clip of the guys singing “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away“. Notice Paul & George flirting with the girl on the sofa.

Also from “Help”, “You’re Gonna Lose That Girl“.

Enjoy.

Videos of the Week

I’m watching “Beatles’ Biggest Secrets” on BBC America. Fascinating stuff so I give you some videos of my all time favorite band.

I Am the Walrus from “Magical Mystery Tour”

Yesterday live at Budokan

Hey Jude from the David Frost Show

Let It Be from the movie, “Let It Be”