Fang's Bites

Bringing Out The Wednesday Links

Too many things going on today both at work and in sports media. Trying to figure out a balance. I’ll do my best. We have some linkage for you.

From Wayne Friedman of MediaPost, he hears from an ESPN executive who’s optimistic the network will have enough programming to survive a potential NFL lockout.

USA Today’s Mike McCarthy writes about TNT’s Charles Barkley holding court during yesterday’s joint CBS/Turner NCAA Tournament media day.

Mike says there will be collateral damage to businesses that benefit from the NFL if a lockout occurs.

Brian Lowry of Fox Sports says March Madness can also mean March Mediocre.

Jon Weisman of Variety says a new era in broadcasting the NCAA Tournament is about to begin.

John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable looks at the Library of Congress obtaining a portion of the vast Miley Collection of sports broadcasting archives.

R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News writes that the premiere for Mike Tyson’s reality show on Animal Planet did not do well.

Dave Kindred at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center has 25 do’s and don’ts for aspiring and current sports journalists.

Carolyn Braff of Sports Video Group says the new CBS/Turner consortium for the NCAA Tournament is going to take some time getting used to.

Jason Dachman of SVG says the new CBS/Turner Sports production will be a combined effort.

Dan Fogarty of SportsGrid explains what ESPN’s Jalen Rose meant when he said Duke recruited “Black Uncle Tom’s.”

CNBC’s Darren Rovell has the winner of his Best New Ballpark Food vote.

At Fishbowl New York, Jerry Barmash says video provider CineSport has signed a new contract with the New York Post.

Newsday’s Neil Best catches up with CBS’ Screamin’ Gus Johnson.

Neil has TNT’s Charles Barkley promising to be as candid on the NCAA Tournament as he is during NBA coverage.

And Neil has more with Charles in his blog.

Newsday’s Bob Glauber is saddened to see that former New York Giant and NBC NFL analyst Tiki Barber unretire and return to the football field.

Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union wonders if truTV which is part of the CBS/Turner Sports consortium will be seen in HD in time for the NCAA Tournament.

Pete is looking forward to the high comedy from the Turner crew during the NCAA Tournament that is usually seen on Inside the NBA.

Pete notes that BYU’s Jimmer Fredette is being praised highly by the CBS/Turner announcers.

Ken McMillan at the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record says three games in the early MLB on TBS schedule will be blacked out in the local area.

From the New Jersey Newsroom, Evan Weiner discusses how the NFL’s TV partners have a vested interestin a potential lockout.

Also from the New Jersey Newsroom, Mike Vorkunov talks with ESPN’s Jay Bilas about his other job.

John Gonzalez of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Charles Barkley is warming up for college basketball.

Evan Grant from the Dallas Morning News writes that this Sunday’s Texas Rangers-San Francisco Giants exhibition game has been moved from Fox Sports Southwest’s main channel.

David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says truTV won’t be seen in HD on local cable systems.

John Kiesewetter from the Cincinnati Enquirer says Friday’s A-10 quarterfinal featuring Xavier will be seen locally.

John notes that Friday’s SEC Tournament game with Kentucky will also be seen live in the local area.

Rick Bozich from the Louisville Courier-Journal feels ESPN’s Bob Knight was being a hypocrite in not criticizing Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel over his covering up NCAA violations.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says truTV is not in HD locally.

Bob says the Brewers get their turn on MLB Network this Sunday night.

Lewis Lazare of the Chicago Sun-Times says a local sports talk show host who was arrested on DUI charges over the weekend apologized on the air on Tuesday.

Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business says the host feels lucky to still have his job.

Ed says the Bulls are setting ratings records on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

Dave Brauer of MinnPost says WCCO Radio has lost one of its legacy sports properties.

Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune has CBS’ Jim Nantz not counting out BYU despite it suspending one of its star players.

Shad Powers of The Desert Sun (CA) is covering the players at this week’s BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament through Twitter.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News writes that ESPN’s resident “bracketologist” is not being kind to USC.

Dawn C. Chmielewski of the Los Angeles Times has an ESPN exec being bullish even if an NFL lockout takes place.

From the Corvallis (OR) Statesman Journal, we learn that two Oregon University fans who stole the Lee Corso mascot head when ESPN’s College GameDay visited the area last year have pleaded guilty in court.

Geoffrey C. Arnold from The Oregonian writes that the MLS’ Portland Timbers will have all of their games televised.

Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail wonders if TV would attempt to televise a civil trial involving two hockey players.

Steve Lepore at Puck The Media notes that NBC has announced its first NHL playoff telecast dates.

Sports Media Watch has some various ratings news and notes.

Deadspin says TMZ Sports looks like it’s dead.

We’re going to end it there.

The Miley Collection is Heading to The Library of Congress

If you’ve never heard of the Miley Collection, then you’re probably not a fan of historic radio and TV sports calls. For those of us who have heard of it, it’s a vast treasure trove of sports broadcasting, featuring rare radio and TV calls of some of the greatest moments in US sports history. Starting when he was in high school back in 1947, John Miley started recording sports on the radio. Eventually, he began archiving his tapes and amassed a very large collection of radio and TV calls that date back to 1920 and the infancy of radio. Through a network of other collectors, Miley was able to find other rare recordings and he’s cataloged his tapes so well that networks have come calling to find certain moments.

Since 1990, he’s sold CD’s of his recordings to the public. Now, the Library of Congress will take some 6,000 recordings spanning from 1920 through 1972, digitize them and eventually make them available for public. It’s probably the greatest archive of sports broadcasting and preserves many moments that might have been lost forever.

Some of the greatest broadcasters are involved in the collection, Vin Scully, Curt Gowdy, Marty Glickman, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Jack Buck, Harry Caray and so many more.

Miley will keep a copy of his collection.

Vincent Mallozzi of the New York Times wrote about the Miley Collection back in 2006.

Mallozzi has a story on the Library of Congress purchasing a portion of the Collection.

Mike Dodd from USA Today also writes about Miley selling his collection to the Library of Congress.

And Rich Davis of the Evansville (IN) Courier & Press from Miley’s hometown says the recordings will live in perpetuity.

The Sporting News helped to bring the collection to prominence in 1977 and broadcasters like Bob Costas started calling to listen to his collection. It’s well known among the networks and I look forward to hearing the archives when the Library of Congress makes the tapes available in a couple of years.