Fang's Bites

CBS Sports Radio’s Weekend Lineup

CBS Sports Radio has unveiled its full weekend lineup that will begin this week. As you’re aware by now, CBS Sports Radio begins full operation on January 2 with a weekday lineup that includes Dana Jacobson, Tiki Barber, John Feinstein, Jim Rome, Doug Gottlieb, Chris Moore, Scott Farrell and Damon Amendolara.

CBS and its partner, Cumulus Radio have announced the weekend slate, but not in a press release that I could ascertain. We do have the schedule in this graphic so you can some familiar names from ESPN Radio like Amy Lawrence, John Kincaide and sports radio veteran Jody McDonald. Let’s take a look at the schedule in this graphic.

That’s all.

Dallas-Washington on Sunday Night Pulls Tremendous Numbers for NBC

The NFL’s strategy of putting a winner-take-all game on the last Sunday night of the regular season is a successful one. Last night’s Dallas-Washington game for the NFC East title turned out to be the highest-rated primetime game in the history of NBC’s Sunday night package. It’s also the highest-rated primetime game on any network over the last 15 years.

It drew an amazing 18.3 overnight rating with a 30 share which is 7% higher than last year’s Week 17 game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys also was a winner-take-all game for the NFC East.

For NBC, it’s the highest-rated game of the season outpacing the Week 1 contest between Pittsburgh and Denver which had an 18.0/29.

In addition, Washington, DC had its highest overnight rating ever for a primetime game dating back to 1987. Richmond, Norfolk and Dallas round up the top four local markets for the game.

Here’s the NBC announcement.

COWBOYS-REDSKINS SCORES BEST-EVER OVERNIGHT FOR NFL REGULAR-SEASON PRIMETIME GAME ON NBC

18.3/30 Tops ALL Sunday Night Football Broadcasts Plus All Other NBC Primetime NFL Games
Best NFL Regular-Season Primetime Overnight on ANY Network in 15 Years
Best Overnight for any Cowboys-Redskins Primetime Matchup in 19 Years
Washington D.C. Market Drew 44.6/68 Rating, Best Ever for NFL Regular-Season Primetime Game (Since Nielsen People Meters in 1987)

NEW YORK – December 31, 2012 – Last night’s Cowboys-Redskins game on Sunday Night Football is the highest-rated NFL regular-season primetime game ever on NBC, and the highest-rated NFL regular-season primetime game on ANY network in 15 years, according to overnight data released today by The Nielsen Company. The game also generated the best overnight rating for any Cowboys-Redskins primetime matchup in 19 years. The Washington D.C. market had its best rating ever for a primetime NFL game.

Sunday’s game on NBC, in which the Redskins defeated the Cowboys, 28-18, to win the NFC East, drew an 18.3 overnight rating and a 30 share, seven percent higher than last year’s Week 17 game (Cowboys-Giants 17.1/27), which was also a win-and-in game to determine the winner of the NFC East. Last night’s game topped the previous-best NFL regular-season primetime overnight on NBC (18.0/29 for the 2012 Week 1 matchup between the Steelers and Broncos).

Other Ratings Notes:

• The Washington D.C market has its best overnight rating (44.6/68) for a regular-season primetime game in the history of Nielsen People Meters (since 1987), topping the previous high of 43.0/63 for Cowboys-Redskins, Sept. 6, 1993 on ABC).
• Best overnight rating for any regular-season primetime game on ANY network in 15 years (Broncos-49ers, 19.3/30, Dec. 15, 1997 on ABC).
• Best overnight rating for an NFL primetime regular-season final game in 18 years (19.6/33 for 49ers-Vikings, Dec. 26, 1994 on ABC).
• Best overnight for a Cowboys-Redskins primetime matchup in 19 years (20.7/34 on Sept 6, 1993 on ABC).

NOTE: Official national ratings and viewership will be available on Thursday.

BEST OVERNIGHT NFL REGULAR-SEASON PRIMETIME GAMES ON NBC:
1. 18.3/30	Cowboys-Redskins, 12/30/12
2. 18.0/29	Steelers- Broncos, 9/9/12
3. 17.7/28	Vikings-Saints, 9/9/10*
4. 17.2/28	Saints-Packers, 9/8/11*
5. 17.1/27	Cowboys-Giants, 1/1/12
6. 16.9/27	Cowboys-Jets, 9/11/11
T7. 16.5/27	Giants-Cowboys, 9/20/09
T7. 16.5/26	Cowboys-Giants, 9/5/12
T7. 16.5/25	Eagles-Cowboys, 12/12/10
10. 16.4/26	Cowboys-Redskins, 9/12/10

* NFL Kickoff Games

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR COWBOYS-REDSKINS:

1. Washington D.C.	44.6/68
2. Richmond	42.8/60
3. Norfolk	37.1/53
4. Dallas	36.9/55
T5. San Antonio	28.4/44
T5. Austin	28.4/48
7. Albuquerque	27.6/41
8. Baltimore	23.9/35
T9. Greensboro	23.6/35
T9. New Orleans	23.6/32

That’s it for this post.

ESPN Prepares To Cover The Next-to-Last BCS

As we approach the long-awaited college football playoff in 2015, the BCS is still in effect and ESPN will air the entire five game sequence which includes the National Championship Game on January 7. The BCS begins on Tuesday with the Rose Bowl and the Orange Bowl. It then proceeds to the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday and the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday. It all culminates with the BCS National Championship Game on Monday night as Alabama takes on Notre Dame in South Florida.

ESPN plans extensive coverage of the BCS starting on Tuesday, New Year’s Day with all types of pregame and wraparound programming on several of its platforms on TV, radio, mobiles, tablets and computers.

Let’s take a look at the extensive ESPN press release which details its coverage plans.

Extensive BCS Bowls Coverage Includes ESPNU’s Week of Programming, ESPN Radio Live from South Beach and ESPN Deportes’ Spanish-Language Telecasts

ESPN’s extensive college football programming is culminated by all five of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) matchups, including the BCS National Championship (No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Alabama) from Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, Jan. 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, ESPN 3D and WatchESPN.

Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit will work their sixth consecutive BCS National Championship game, calling ESPN’s telecast with Saturday Night Football reporter Heather Cox and College GameDay reporter Tom Rinaldi. For the second straight year, ESPN’s Monday Night Football signal caller Mike Tirico will work ESPN Radio’s broadcast with ESPN college football analyst Todd Blackledge and reporters Holly Rowe and Joe Schad: http://es.pn/11VjVQy.

Studio Coverage

Beginning New Year’s Day, ESPN will provide viewers with daily updates from all the action including all five BCS bowl games. College Football Live at the BCS will be televised daily from 3 – 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2, through Friday, Jan. 4, and again on Monday, Jan. 7, providing all the latest news and analysis of the upcoming matchups. The network’s Emmy Award-winning pre-game show College GameDay will be live from the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl and the BCS National Championship where the crew will be joined by guest analysts and current head coaches Urban Meyer (Ohio State) and Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M): http://es.pn/VCx3UR.

Kicking off 2013, ESPNU will feature its largest on-site presence to-date with seven studio shows from Miami Gardens, Fla. The network’s 74 hours of content begins Tuesday, Jan. 1, and leads into the BCS National Championship. The schedule is punctuated by a marathon of more than 24 hours of BCS-themed content beginning Sunday, Jan. 6, at 10 p.m. and extending until mid-morning Tuesday, Jan. 8: http://es.pn/W5AHXK.

ESPN Radio Shows

Mike & Mike in the Morning (6-10 a.m. ET M-F, simulcast on ESPN2) and SVP & Russillo (1-4 p.m. M-F, simulcast on ESPNEWS 1-3 p.m.) will originate from Miami’s South Beach Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 7-8. Notre Dame alum and morning co-host Mike Golic will watch his sons Mike Jr. and Jake play Monday night against Alabama.

Also, The Herd with Colin Cowherd (10 a.m.-1 p.m. M-F, simulcast on ESPNU) will be in South Beach on January 7, as will Trevor Matich and Brad Edwards, joining Ryen Russillo for a special 2-1/2-hour edition of College GameDay on ESPN Radio at 4 p.m.

Additionally, ESPN Radio will present a 2013 BCS Special hosted by College GameDay’s Russillo, Matich and Edwards. They will be joined by ESPN college football experts, as well as ESPN Radio’s Mikes Golic & Greenberg, Cowherd, Scott Van Pelt, Russillo, and Dari Nowkhah and Mel Kiper Jr. The special will run multiple times the weekend before the title game and will be available for download at ESPNRadio.com.

Additional details:

• ESPN Radio will present exclusive, live national coverage of all BCS contests culminating with the championship game Monday, Jan. 7.
• ESPN Radio has broadcast every BCS bowl game since the inception of the BCS. ESPN Radio’s bowl games – 37 announcers spread across 16 days – has been available to more than 400stations nationwide.
• Internationally, ESPN Radio’s BCS coverage can be heard in Canada (TSN 1050 in Toronto) and the U.S  Virgin Islands (WVWI-AM 1000/St. Thomas).

ESPN Deportes:

ESPN Deportes is the Spanish-language television home for the BCS. ESPN Deportes, for the first time, will air all five BCS bowls, including the BCS National Championship: http://es.pn/SE1kpt for U.S. Hispanic sports fans.

ESPN International

ESPN International will televise the BCS National Championship live to more than 100 countries, across six continents, reaching more than 100 million households:

• Latin America (49 countries):  ESPN networks in Spanish-speaking Latin America, Brazil, and the Caribbean.
• Israel and Sub-Saharan Africa (47 countries):  ESPN Israel and ESPN Africa
• PacRim (six countries; 2.6 million households):  ESPN PacRim
• Canada (12.5 million households): TSN and RDS
• Asia (22 countries; 176 million households):  ESPN China, SE Asia, India, Taiwan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Japan (J Sports 2).

In addition, ESPN America (only European network devoted exclusively to the best in North American sport, available to 19 million homes in more than 40 countries) will broadcast live and exclusive coverage of all five BCS bowls including the title game with all available online through the live and on-demand streaming service ESPNPlayer.com: http://bit.ly/ESPNIntlBowls

ESPN Digital

• WatchESPN: Every live BCS game on ESPN is accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and Xbox.
• ESPN3: Replays of every bowl game available shortly after the conclusion of the games.
• ESPN.com: Stories, columns, blogs, video elements and more.  The bowls homepage will provide previews and post-game content on every game, as well as an in-depth look at all five BCS bowls with an individual page dedicated to the coverage of each: Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl and BCS National Championship.
• ESPN Mobile: Clips, highlights, news and scores available through the ScoreCenter app and via the ESPN College Football app.
• Fans can follow @ESPNCFB on Twitter for the latest scores, news and highlights.

ESPN 3D

ESPN 3D will televise ESPN’s coverage of the Sugar Bowl and the BCS National Championship. In addition, Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore will provide extended coverage of the title game during select commercial breaks of the ESPN telecast.
There you have it.

The Sun Bowl Airs on CBS Today

The 79th annual Sun Bowl will air on the CBS Television Network this afternoon. Georgia Tech will take on USC at 2 p.m. today.

Uncle Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson will call the game with Tracy Wolfson manning the sidelines.

This marks the 45th consecutive year that CBS has aired the game in El Paso, TX.

CBS SPORTS WRAPS UP 2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON WITH THE SUN BOWL

USC Takes on Georgia Tech on Monday, Dec. 31

CBS Sports’ 2012 coverage of college football concludes on New Year’s Eve with the Sun Bowl on Monday, Dec. 31 (2:00-6:00 PM, ET). USC faces Georgia Tech in the 79^th annual Sun Bowl, live on the CBS Television Network. This marks the 45^th consecutive year CBS Sports broadcasts the match-up from El Paso, Texas.

CBS Sports’ lead college football announce team of Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson call the action from Sun Bowl Stadium. Tracy Wolfson serves as sideline reporter. Craig Silver, CBS Sports’ coordinating producer of college football, produces and Steve Milton directs.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game, halftime and post-game studio show, broadcasts live from New York City with host Tim Brando and analysts Spencer Tillman and Tony Barnhart. Vin DeVito produces and Linda Malino directs. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

CBS Sports’ broadcast of the Sun Bowl also will be streamed live on CBSSports.com.

That is all.

Monday’s Viewing Picks

College Basketball
Men’s
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh — ESPN2, noon
Florida A&M at Texas Tech — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox Sports Arizona/Fox Sports Detroit/Fox College Sports Atlantic, 1 p.m.
Michigan State at Minnesota — ESPN2, 2 p.m.
South Dakota at Kansas State — Fox Sports Midwest/Fox Sports North/Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox Sports Prime Ticket/Fox College Sports Pacific, 2 p.m.
Central Connecticut State at Syracuse — ESPNU, 3 p.m.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Oklahoma — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox Sports Arizona/Fox Sports Detroit/Fox Sports North Plus/Fox College Sports Central, 3 p.m.
St. Joseph’s at Drexel — The Comcast Network/Comcast SportsNet (Chicago/Northwest)/CSS, 4 p.m.
Indiana at Iowa — ESPN2, 4 p.m.
North Carolina-Greensboro at North Carolina State — ESPNU, 5 p.m.
Texas-Pan American at Oregon State — Pac-12 Network, 5 p.m.
Gonzaga at Oklahoma State — ESPN2, 6 p.m.
Nevada at Oregon — Pac-12 Network, 7 p.m.
New Mexico at Saint Louis — CBS Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.
Harvard at St. Mary’s — ESPN2, 8 p.m.
North Texas at Middle Tennessee — ESPNU, 8 p.m.

College Football
Music City Bowl, Nashville, TN
Vanderbilt vs. North Carolina State — ESPN, noon

Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
Georgia Tech vs. USC, CBS, 2 p.m.

Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Tulsa vs. Iowa State — ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

Chick-fil-A Bowl, Atlanta, GA
Clemson vs. LSU — ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

ESPNU BCS Bowl Preview Show — ESPNU, 2 p.m.
BTN Football Report 2012: Bowl Preview — Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.
College Football Live — ESPN, 7 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF U20 World Championships, Ufa, Russia
Preliminary Round
Slovakia vs. United States — TSN/NHL Network (US), 5 a.m.
Canada vs. Russia — TSN/NHL Network (US), 9 a.m.

MLB
MLB Network Countdown: Top 10 Regular Season Games of 2012 — MLB Network, 5:30 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: Top 50 Oddest Plays in 2012 — MLB Network, 6:30 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: Top 25 Comeback Players in 2012 — MLB Network, 7:30 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: Top 40 Breakout Performers in 2012 — MLB Network, 8:30 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: 25 Most Unforgettable Ejections of 2012 — MLB Network, 9:30 p.m.
MLB 2012: Year in Review — MLB Network, 10 p.m.

NBA
NBA GameTime — NBA TV, 9:30 p.m.

NFL
Around the League Live — NFL Network, 10 a.m.
NFL Monday Quarterback — CBS Sports Network, 6:30 p.m.

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
The ‘Lights — NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.
The Best of The Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
The Best of The Dan Patrick Show — NBC Sports Network, 4 p.m.
SportsNation: New Year’s Jeers — ESPN2, 11 p.m.

Tennis
ATP Tour: Qatar Open, 1st Round — Tennis Channel, 7:30 a.m.

Entertainment
24, Season 3 Marathon — Audience Network (DirecTV), 8 a.m.
New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Celebrates Dick Clark — ABC, 8 p.m.
iHeartRadio Music Festival — The CW, 8 p.m.
Untold History of the United States: Reagan, Gorbachev & Third World: Revival of Fortune — Showtime, 8 p.m.
Broadcast News — Sundance Channel, 8 p.m.
The Mob Doctor (The Final Shows) — Fox, 9 p.m.
Catfish — MTV, 9 p.m.
Maya Underworld: The Real Doomsday — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Animal House — Encore, 9:40 p.m.
Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve — ABC, 10 p.m.
NBC’s New Year’s Eve — NBC, 10 p.m.
New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin — CNN, 10 p.m.
Andrew Dice Clay: Indestructible — Showtime, 10 p.m.
Count It Down: Oh Yeah, That Happened 2012 — TV Guide Channel, 10 p.m.
New Year’s Eve Live! — Fox, 11 p.m.
MTV’s Club NYE 2013 — MTV, 11 p.m.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — Starz, 11 p.m.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve — ABC, 11:30 p.m.
NBC’s New Year’s Eve — NBC, 11:30 p.m.
New Year’s Eve 2013 — VH1, 11:59 p.m.

NBC’s Football Night in America Quotage For Week 17 of the 2012 NFL Season

We now conclude our Sunday NFL pregame quotage with Football Night in America. We’re done for the night.

“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES – WEEK 17

“Adrian Peterson is the sole reason why this team made the playoffs.” – Rodney Harrison
“He wanted Indianapolis and he’s got them now.” – Tony Dungy on John Harbaugh
“You lose to a team that has lost five straight. There has to be a sense of doubt with the Atlanta Falcons.” – Rodney Harrison
“Andrew Luck is the difference between a two-win Colts team last year and an 11-win team this year.” – Tony Dungy

NEW YORK – December 30, 2012 – Following are highlights for Football Night in America. Bob Costas opened the show live from inside Fed-Ex Field in Landover, Md., where the Washington Redskins are hosting the Dallas Cowboys. Costas was joined on-site by Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst), and Hines Ward, the former Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.

Dan Patrick co-hosted the program from Studio 8G at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios and was joined by Football Night in America analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and NFL insiders Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Carolyn Manno reported on Eagles – Giants, from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Alex Flanagan reported on Packers – Vikings, from Mall of America Field in Minneapolis, Minn.

Following are highlights from Football Night in America:

PETER KING AND MIKE FLORIO ON POSSIBLE COACHING CHANGES

King on Rex Ryan: I believe Rex Ryan will save his job and will be back for a fifth year with the New York Jets. He won’t have his two coordinators back. They will both be gone.”

King on Eagles: “On a very short list to replace Andy Reid, Oregon coach Chip Kelly.”

Florio on Andy Reid and Norv Turner: “I’m told Andy Reid would love to coach the Chargers. It is not known whether or not the Chargers would love Andy Reid to coach them. Money could be the issue there. Either way, Norv Turner is out in San Diego.”

Florio on Browns: “In Cleveland, yet another new coach. Pat Shurmur out with the Browns.”

King on Ron Rivera: “I think he saved his job by winning the last four games of this year in Carolina.”

King on Jaguars: “Gene Smith, the GM in Jacksonville, will be fired. His replacement will determine the fate of head coach Mike Mularkey. The leader to replace Smith is Tom Gamble of the San Francisco 49ers.”

King on Chiefs: “Black Monday is going to be off to an early start. I expect Romeo Crennel of the Kansas City Chiefs to be fired by owner Clark Hunt.”

King on Bills: “In Buffalo, Chan Gailey is going to be gone on Monday.”

Florio on Jason Garret: “Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said head coach Jason Garrett is safe. An ugly showing tonight, failing to miss the playoffs, who knows what happens. Keep an eye on John Gruden if Jones decides to move on from Jason Garrett.”

Video link: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50327091#50327091

ON FALCONS

Harrison on Falcons: “You lose at home. And not only do you lose, but you lose to a team that has lost five straight. There has to be a sense of doubt with the Atlanta Falcons.”

ON TEXANS

Harrison: “This was a devastating loss against the Colts today. Houston was the No. 1 seed and they dropped to the No. 3 seed. Quite frankly, I think they bowed down to the pressure.”

ON RAVENS

Dungy: “I’m a little surprised that John Harbaugh is saying that they were not playing for more. They had a chance to get to the No. 3 seed. He was very comfortable at No. 4 and that tells me that they want to play in Indianapolis. I would have played my guys to go ahead and get a chance to get to the No. 3 spot.”
Harrison: “I believe it was the right move. What is the difference between Cincinnati and Indianapolis? It’s not like the difference between Cincinnati and the Patriots.”
Dungy on Harbaugh: “He wanted Indianapolis and he’s got them now.”

ON PATRIOTS

Harrison: “They have struggled the last couple weeks, but they are starting to gel. I think they need that going in to the playoffs. Denver has a better defense, but the front seven of New England is better. The Patriots have a better offense.”

ON BRONCOS

Dungy on Peyton Manning: “The MVP for today and the season is Peyton Manning — 11 wins in a row, he has made them a believer. Taking them from an eight-win team to 11 straight wins, Peyton Manning is the most valuable performer of the year.”

ON COLTS

Dungy on Andrew Luck: “Andrew Luck is the difference between a two-win Colts team from last year and an 11-win team this year.”

ON COWBOYS

Ward on Romo: “He reminds me a lot of Ben Roethlisberger. Both quarterbacks are very good, but they are even better when they get outside the pocket. The one difference is that Ben wins the big games. For Romo, tonight could be a big game. He needs to step up.”

Ward on Dez Bryant: “I’m very surprised that Dez Bryant did not get selected to the Pro Bowl.”

ON PACKERS

Dungy: “I don’t know if the Packers want to see Adrian Peterson again.”
Harrison: “I don’t know if Minnesota wants to go back and play Green Bay at home.”

ON VIKINGS

Harrison: “Adrian Peterson is the sole reason why this team made the playoffs. He runs hard and he runs tough.”

Harrison: “Adrian Peterson should be the MVP of this league.”

ON 49ERS

Harrison on LaMichael James: “If I’m coach Harbaugh, there are two guys I have to get more involved in this offense. LaMichael James and Randy Moss. He (James) is fantastic.”

ON REDSKINS

Michaels on Robert Griffin III: “You don’t want to go overboard on somebody, but this guy is the real deal on every level. I think 10-years from now, we will be sitting here talking about Robert Griffin III in very glowing terms.”

INTERVIEWS

Below are excerpts from Costas’ interviews with Cowboys TE Jason Witten and Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan.

JASON WITTEN WITH BOB COSTAS

On being in a win-or-go-home situation for the second consecutive year: “It’s tough to get to the situation we are in and play for the division title. It’s been an up and down year. There is no question about that. But to get this opportunity, hopefully our past experiences will allow us to make that jump and get a win.”

On Tony Romo taking blame when things go wrong: “I think it is something he handles really well and does a great job not allowing it to effect his game and his ability to lead our team.”

On Romo’s ability to improvise: “His ability to improvise is like none other. I know that those plays are always alive. It’s great to have a guy like that who you have such great chemistry with on and off the field.”

On being in a familiar win-or-go-home situation: “Our mind-set is one that we are going to find a way to win this game. Our team has embraced that opportunity, and this is why we have played football since we were little kids.”

On the outcome of the game having an impact on the playoffs: “The energy and emotion is going to be through the roof. You are so fortunate to be in that situation and I want our team to enjoy that. It puts chills down your arms just thinking about it. So much work has gone in to getting to this point.”

Video Link: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50325856#50325856

MIKE SHANAHAN WITH BOB COSTAS

On the Redskins game against the Panthers on November 4: “We lost four games in the fourth quarter, when we were ahead or tied. We could have easily been 6-3. I was a little disappointed in how we finished up that game. You find out more about your football team in the second half of the season. I told our players, ‘If we win the rest of our games, we have a chance to win the NFC East. The only thing that has to happen is the Giants have to lose a game.’”

On his relationship with Dan Snyder and the long-term plan to build the team: “When I came here, I looked at our football team and said to Dan, ‘If you plan to fire me before five years, then you are picking the wrong guy. This football team needs to be rebuilt. If you want me to do it the right way, I’ll do it the right way. If you want me to do it the quick way, then that’s not me. So if you are going to hire me, give me five years and I’ll do it right.’”

On the durability and longevity of Robert Griffin III: “I think it is the opposite of what most people think. Robert can run our offense and he will be very successful. When he first started with the option, he wanted to run guys over. He has got to learn how to slide. He can’t take the punishment that he did early in the season, but he has gotten much better at that.”

On RG III’s composure going in to the game against the Cowboys: “Based on my experience with him, it will just be another night. He’s a guy that doesn’t blink. He’s handled himself that way in every game he has played this year. I don’t see why this game will be any different.”

And the night is complete.

Fox NFL Sunday Quotage For Week 17 of the 2012 NFL Season

Let’s continue the Sunday NFL pregame show quotage with Fox NFL Sunday.

FOX NFL SUNDAY NOTES – 12/30/12

Bradshaw: Bears Would Be Worst Team In Playoffs
Long: “Peyton Manning is MVP. Adrian Peterson is offensive player of the year.”
Glazer Reports On Future Employment of Several NFL Head Coaches

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Co-host Terry Bradshaw believes that if the Chicago Bears make it to the playoffs, they will be the worst team in contention: “If this team makes it to the playoffs, it’d be the worst team in the playoffs. At one time this team was 7-1 with a defense that has scored nine defensive touchdowns, one short of the NFL record. They’re all about defense and have a quarterback in Jay Cutler who I don’t think even likes himself.”

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FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer went through what he expects to be the future employment of several NFL head coaches.  Below are a few noteworthy predictions from Glazer: 

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid: “I talked to Andy yesterday who said he’s going to meet with the owner Jeffrey Lurie on Monday. I think everybody realizes it’s a forgone conclusion that he’s out from there. He would like to absolutely coach this year coming up.”

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett: “We told you last week that his job was safe. Nothing has changed. He is in.”

San Diego Chargers head coach Norv Turner:  “We know that Norv is out and general manager A.J. Smith is out as well. It’s a very attractive job out there in San Diego.”

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan:  “I talked to Rex Ryan last night. He said ‘absolutely I want to come back and coach this team again.’ If he comes back and stays his offensive coordinator Tony Sparano will be gone. Rex Ryan has been given no indication one way or the other.”

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Analyst Jimmy Johnson gives his opinion on resting players vs. not resting players once your team has clinched a playoff berth: “It’s more important to be sharp in the playoffs than resting your players in a meaningless game. I like playing all healthy players into the third quarter. That way they can’t take their gear off at halftime. Then in the third quarter, rest your key guys.”

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Analyst Michael Strahan feels that the New York Giants stars need to play consistently: “To play well, you have to have your stars playing at a certain level – don’t drop below a certain level. The Giants stars are up one week and down the next. The stars need to be the consistent factor that the young guys can feed off of and that’s what they haven’t had.”

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Analyst Howie Long predicts who will be MVP this year:  “Peyton Manning is MVP. Adrian Peterson is offensive player of the year.”

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Analyst Howie Long selects his NFL coach of the year: “I’m going to go with Bruce Arians. What an emotional year for the Indianapolis Colts by everyone’s estimation I believe. Everyone thought this was a rebuilding year including those inside the organization. The job he’s done there is nothing short of remarkable.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson added: “How about Indianapolis Colts head coach Bruce Arians going to San Diego and Norv Turner going to Indianapolis to be the offensive coordinator for Andrew Luck.”

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Co-Host Terry Bradshaw on Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson:  “I love Russell Wilson. He is one touchdown pass away from tying Peyton Manning’s rookie record of 26 touchdowns. What he’s done as an undersized quarterback, if that’s what you want to call it, has been impressive.”

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Analyst Howie Long believes the 49ers defense needs someone to step up: “What I saw last week was a major concern particularly on defense. You could write it off to it being a divisional game on the road, or the week before traveling all the way to New England and playing in a very physical night game but with 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith out of that lineup, they’ll need help. He’s a bona fide, card carrying bad man and there was a canyon sized void in that defense and that was apparent. If they can’t get Justin Smith back for the playoffs, somebody needs to step up and apply for that bad man card and it has to be linebacker Aldon Smith.”

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Following a one-on-one interview with Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and FOX Sports’ Erin Andrews about Peterson coming back from a torn ACL last season, analyst Michael Strahan had this to say: “The Vikings trainers had never seen a guy be that ready so fast without losing a lot of strength in his knee. It blew everybody away. If you are the Green Bay Packers today, you look at this guy and it’s like playing against Barry Sanders. The coaches will say, ‘he’s going to make some plays, he’s going to bust a big one but just don’t let him bust two, three or four big ones.’”

—————————————————————————————————

Analyst Michael Strahan previews the NFC East divisional matchup between the Cowboys and Redskins: “With outside linebacker Demarcus Ware being banged up for the Cowboys, does the Cowboys defense have enough to make the Redskins one-dimensional as an offense? I don’t see it. Everything hinges off of the running game of Alfred Morris – another rookie of the year potential candidate if you didn’t have those three young quarterbacks playing well. I don’t think the Cowboys have enough to make the Redskins offense one-dimensional. It’s going to be tough for them to win this game in D.C.”

We’ll conclude with NBC’s Football Night in America.

The NFL Today on CBS Quotage For Week 17 of the 2012 NFL Season

Now, it’s time for CBS’ quotage from The NFL Today. Last one of the regular season.

NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, DAN MARINO, SHANNON SHARPE, BILL COWHER AND BOOMER ESIASON FOR WEEK 17 ON DECEMBER 30

GREG GUMBEL INTERVIEWS COLTS HEAD COACH CHUCK PAGANO

THE NFL ON CBS’s Greg Gumbel previewed the Houston Texans-Indianapolis Colts game with one of the most inspirational stories of the 2012 NFL season, an interview with Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano as he returns to the sidelines for the first time since Week 3 after fighting leukemia.

Click to view: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/video/nfl-on-cbs/OuCARmIqG7Pg

PAGANO: …Mickey shaves her head like the cheerleaders did and the circumstances that she was dealt and what she had been through…to see the smile. Then you look at a guy, like a young man like Corey Lane, and he grabs you. He’s like, ‘You can beat this.’ These are 15 year olds. Just being with young people like that and see what they’re going through. It’s easy to come back and say, ‘Look, if you ever complain about one thing in your life ever again, there is something wrong with you.’

QUICK HITS

(On Jets “Soap Opera”)
SHANNON SHARPE: I love the soaps, “Young and the Restless,” “Bold and the Beautiful” are two of my favorites.  But “As The Jets Turn” has me befuddled. Everybody on the outside knew bringing Tim Tebow in was a bad idea. Everybody inside the Jets organization making this move thought it would be a great idea. And by not going to Tim Tebow, this tells me Rex Ryan did not sign on for Tim Tebow to be there. This was over his head. He said you can force me to take Tim Tebow on my football team, but you can’t force me to play him.
BOOMER ESIASON: I can also tell you that Rex Ryan did not sign up for Tony Sparano to be the offensive coordinator as well.
SHARPE: So moving forward, I think Rex is going to have to adjust how he handles the media and how he handles his own
football team because this was a mistake from the word go. BOOMER: Tony Sparano and Tim Tebow will be outta here before too long.

(On Pittsburgh not making the playoffs)
BILL COWHER: When Ben (Roethisberger) was hurt they were 6-3 and they never really recovered. He was never the same. He played poorly down the stretch… Defensively, while they ranked good statistically, they just didn’t create enough big plays or sacks or turnovers on that side of the ball.
DAN MARINO: I have to look at the continuity of the offensive line. There were a lot of different starting combinations. I think that hurt. But ultimately the last two games that they played in – Ben Roethlisberger, if he has the football in his hand at the end of the game, he is responsible for that football. He threw two interceptions. They were bad interceptions. And, they’re getting a little old, the team, in general.
COWHER: Old on defense, no question about it. Young on the offensive side with Ben and the young receivers and the young offensive line, but they’re definitely getting old and slower on defense. I think there is some concern moving forward, yes.

INSIDE INFORMATION WITH JASON LA CANFORA

(On possible coaching carousel in off-season)
Click to view: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/nfl-on-cbs/5q_DojPURIlG

(On possible front office shake ups)
Click to view: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/video/nfl-on-cbs/6oSYkXWxMGU6

(On chance of Michael Vick being back with Eagles next season)
JASON LA CANFORA: I would say nil right about now. It’s two-fold, first of all the Eagles aren’t going to pay him $15.5 million to stay, which is what he’s supposed to make. Sources tell me that Vick is not inclined to take a penny less to renegotiate and stay in Philadelphia. So this will come to a head shortly after the Super Bowl. He will be released and there will be a market for Mike Vick as a starting quarterback. And I wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up getting something close to $10 million, maybe a little more, on that open market. Buffalo, Oakland [are] among the potential suitors.

Fox’s quotage is next.

NFL Announces 2012-13 Wild Card and Divisional Playoff Round Schedule

The National Football League has provided the schedules for the next two weekends of playoff action.

NBC’s Wild Card Saturday doubleheader kicks off on January 5 with Cincinnati at Houston for the second year in a row. The nightcap in primetime will be Minnesota at Green Bay as those two teams meet for the second week in a row.

For Wild Card Sunday, CBS has the early game while Fox takes the late 4:30 p.m. contest.

And in the Divisional Round, CBS starts off at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, January 12 with the AFC #1 seed Denver hosting the lowest remaining seeded team. Fox carries the Saturday night game starting at 8 p.m. ET in San Francisco.

For Divisional Round Sunday, Fox has the early game at 1 p.m. ET in Atlanta. CBS will carry the late game at 4:30 p.m. as New England hosts its playoff game in Foxboro, MA.

Here’s the press release.

NFL WILD CARD & DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Commissioner ROGER GOODELL announced today the schedule of sites, dates and times for the National Football League Wild Card Playoffs of January 5-6 and Divisional Playoffs of January 12-13 (all times Eastern):

NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND
Saturday, January 5

AFC: 4:30 PM (ET)	Cincinnati at Houston (NBC)
NFC: 8:00 PM (ET)	Minnesota at Green Bay (NBC)

Sunday, January 6

AFC: 1:00 PM (ET)	Indianapolis at Baltimore (CBS)
NFC: 4:30 PM (ET)	Seattle at Washington/Dallas (FOX)

NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
Saturday, January 12

AFC: 4:30 PM (ET)	Baltimore/Indianapolis/Cincinnati at Denver (CBS)
NFC: 8:00 PM (ET)	Green Bay/Washington/Dallas/Seattle at San Francisco (FOX)

Sunday, January 13

NFC: 1:00 PM (ET)	Washington/Dallas/Seattle/Minnesota at Atlanta (FOX)
AFC: 4:30 PM (ET)	Houston/Baltimore/Indianapolis at New England (CBS)

In the Divisional Playoffs, the division champion with the best record in each conference will host the lowest seeded Wild Card survivor. Once teams are seeded for the playoffs, positions do not change:

American Football Conference	National Football Conference
1.  Denver (13-3, AFC West champion)	1.  Atlanta (13-3, NFC South champion)
2.  New England (12-4, AFC East champion)	2.  San Francisco (11-4-1, NFC West champion)
3.  Houston (12-4, AFC South champion)	3.  Green Bay (11-5, NFC North champion)
4.  Baltimore (10-6, AFC North champion)	4.  Washington/Dallas (9-6/8-7) (NFC East champion)
5.  Indianapolis (11-5)	5.  Seattle (11-5)
6.  Cincinnati (10-6)	6.  Minnesota (10-6)

The AFC (CBS, 6:30 PM ET) and NFC (FOX, 3:00 PM ET) Championship Games will be played on Sunday, January 20.

The 2013 Pro Bowl (NBC, 7:00 PM ET) will be played on Sunday, January 27 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, one week before Super Bowl XLVII takes place at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, February 3 (CBS, 6:30 PM ET).

That is all.

2012 NFL Wild Card Playoff Schedule

Technically played in 2013, but you get the idea. This was just announced by the National Football League.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Cincinnati at Houston — NBC, 4:30 p.m. (Dan Hicks/Mike Mayock/Alex Flanagan)
Minnesota at Green Bay — NBC, 8 p.m. (Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya)

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Indianapolis at Baltimore — CBS, 1 p.m. (Jim Nantz/Phil Simms)
Seattle at Dallas/Washington — Fox, 4:30 p.m. (Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Erin Andrews/Pam Oliver)

NFL Network Quotage For Week 17 of the 2012 Season

Let’s do our last set of Sunday NFL pregame quotage for the regular season. As usual, we begin with NFL Network’s pair of pregame shows that began at 7 a.m. ET with First on the Field.

Get ready to scroll as the NFL Network press release lists the quotes from First on the Field and NFL GameDay Morning. Check it all out.

News and Sound Bites From Week 17 Editions of FIRST ON THE FIELD & NFL GAMEDAY MORNING

“It’s a legacy game for Tony Romo, but also a legacy-building game for Robert Griffin III.” – Michael Irvin on Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins
“I see a team in a little bit of disarray trying to find their identity again with a new quarterback. I don’t see that in Seattle.” – Kurt Warner on the San Francisco 49ers & Seattle Seahawks
“It’s going to be tough to get another 200-yard game…I believe he’ll come in right around 150 yards.” – LaDainian Tomlinson Vikings RB Adrian Peterson

Quotes from First on the Field

Every Sunday morning at 7:00 AM ET, NFL Network is First on the Field with Melissa Stark, LaDainian Tomlinson, Sterling Sharpe and Michael Lombardi providing the first analysis of the day’s games.

- “I really don’t think about it. I don’t go around saying ‘Oh my god, if he breaks my record what am I going to do?’ If anyone deserves a record like that, it is Adrian Peterson because he is that kind of player. I wouldn’t be sad about it…but I don’t want him to break it. I want to hold onto that record as long as I possibly can.” – Eric Dickerson on the possibility of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson breaking his single-season rushing yards record

- “What Bruce has been able to do is keep the level of play high for the Indianapolis Colts while paying tribute to the head coach, never losing sight that it was Chuck Pagano’s team. Bruce Arians will be in play for a head coaching position and the San Diego Chargers, and other teams, will be interested.” – Michael Lombardi on if the Indianapolis Colts’ Bruce Arians is a candidate for Coach of the Year

- “When you have a young football team you definitely want to try to gain some momentum going into the playoffs. The last two times the Bengals clinched in Week 16 and got blown out in Week 17, they ended up losing the playoff game in the first round. They didn’t have any momentum.” – Sterling Sharpe on if the Cincinnati Bengals should rest players against the Baltimore Ravens

- “They need a quarterback and one that’s not going to turn the ball over as many times as Mark Sanchez has. My suggestion would be to go to San Francisco and get Alex Smith, a guy who will take care of the football, who will manage the game and who will make the throws you need him to make.” – LaDainian Tomlinson on the New York Jets

- “You can’t continue to throw the ball for less than 200 yards and expect your team to be a viable playoff contender. Vikings management has to ask whether Ponder is our quarterback of the future.” – Michael Lombardi on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder

Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning

NFL GameDay Morning is the most comprehensive pregame show on Sunday morning, airing at 9:00 AM ET on NFL Network and taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Host Rich Eisen joins analysts Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin to bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews.

- “[It’s] a legacy game for Tony Romo, but also a legacy-building game for Robert Griffin III.” – Michael Irvin on the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins game for the NFC East title

- “That’s when you want to be playing your best: in December and January. This is a dangerous team.” – Steve Mariucci on the Washington Redskins, who have won six consecutive games

- “They are the reasons why their teams go…They are very integral parts of their teams winning football games.” – Marshall Faulk on Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray and Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris

- “I see a team in a little bit of disarray [in San Francisco] trying to find their identity again with a new quarterback. I don’t see that in Seattle; I see a team that knows what they want to be and they’re doing it very, very well.” – Kurt Warner on the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks

- “It’s going to be tough to get another 200-yard game. The first time he played [the Packers] he had over 200 yards – you can’t expect that a second time. I believe he’ll come in right around 150 yards.” – LaDainian Tomlinson on Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson facing the Green Bay Packers

- “You cannot go far into the playoffs if you can’t do one thing with your quarterback: protect him. They are going to struggle against teams that rush the passer.” – Marshall Faulk on the Chicago Bears

- “Jim Caldwell has found the secret with Ray Rice which is give him the football more. Thirty touches is the least amount of touches he should have in a football game.” – Marshall Faulk on Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who has rushed for more than 100 yards in two of the last three games

- “This is a very young team that is overachieving. For whatever the reason, they’re playing above themselves right now and you never know when a team plays with emotion, they don’t blink. They have some resiliency that we haven’t seen in awhile.” – Steve Mariucci on the Indianapolis Colts and the return of head coach Chuck Pagano

- “This is the one team that understands more than anything how to slow down Calvin Johnson…They will make Matthew Stafford patient – that’s the one thing he doesn’t want to be.” – Michael Irvin on the Chicago Bears facing the Detroit Lions

Front Office View with Michael Lombardi

On if he has been contacted by the Cleveland Browns regarding a front office position:
“No I have not. I have not been contacted.”

On Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith:
“The Chicago situation will be a surprise. A lot of people in the league that I’ve talked to in the last couple of days seem to think that Lovie Smith, whether he makes the playoffs or not, could be in jeopardy. Let’s assume he doesn’t make the playoffs, then I think he would be gone. What people are targeting, he has a very good staff there in Chicago which means a lot of those coaches would be available. If he does make the playoffs, then I would expect him to have to have a playoff run. His contract expires in 2013 so the Bears are going to have a make a decision: do we extend him or do we rebuild the football team? We won’t know that until after the games today.”

On if New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton’s extension means Jason Garrett is safe in Dallas as Cowboys head coach:
“What we learned from Sean Payton is absence makes the heart grow much fonder and the wallet bigger. He got a raise and Jason Garrett to me has always been safe. All of the people I’ve talked to in Dallas never suspected that Jerry Jones was disappointed in the job that Jason Garrett was doing, even losing close games. He had the full confidence, but now that Sean Payton isn’t in the Dallas area as an available free agent coach, clearly he won’t be going to Dallas. Jason Garrett, win or lose today, returns to Dallas.”

On NFL.com the following video clips from First on the Field & NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:

Chasing History: Adrian Peterson – LaDainian Tomlinson explains how close Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will come to Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/green-bay-packers/0ap2000000118452/Chasing-history-Adrian-Peterson

Stark Reality: Cowboys vs. Redskins – Melissa Stark takes an in-depth look at the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins rivalry:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/dallas-cowboys/0ap2000000118453/Stark-Reality-Cowboys-vs-Redskins

Which Head Coaches will be Fired? – Michael Lombardi examines the potential head coach firings after the 2012 regular season:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0ap2000000118454/Which-head-coaches-will-be-fired

Which Teams will have a Happy New Year? – First on the Field debates which teams will and won’t have a Happy New Year:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0ap2000000118455/Which-teams-will-have-a-Happy-New-Year

Week 17: Bold Predictions – The NFL GameDay Morning crew gets bold with their Week 17 predictions:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118463/Week-17-Bold-predictions

New Year’s Resolutions – Rich Eisen and the NFL GameDay Morning crew break down the 2013 New Year’s resolutions for several people in the NFL:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118456/Player-New-Year-s-resolutions

Health of the Game: New York Jets Cornerback Darrelle Revis – NFL Network’s Health of the Game series on New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis’ recovery from knee surgery continues:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118457/Health-of-the-Game-Darrelle-Revis

NFC East Battle: Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins – Which team is conditioned to go deeper in the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys or Washington Redskins? The NFL GameDay Morning crew gives their predictions:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118459/NFC-East-battle-Cowboys-vs-Redskins

Is Minnesota Vikings Running Back Adrian Peterson’s Season More Impressive than Eric Dickerson’s? – Is Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s 2012 season more impressive than Eric Dickerson’s in 1984? NFL GameDay Morning discusses:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118470/Is-Adrian-Peterson-s-season-more-impressive-than-Eric-Dickerson-s

Coach’s GameDay Decisions – Steve Mariucci breaks down Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck’s decision making, which he believes is the key factor to a Week 17 win over the Houston Texans:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118458/Coach-s-GameDay-Decisions

Warner’s Corner: Houston Texans’ Offensive Flaws – Kurt Warner breaks down the Houston Texans’ biggest offensive flaws:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118462/Warner-s-Corner-Texans-offensive-flaws

The Marshall Plan – Marshall Faulk breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of running backs going into Week 17:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118464/The-Marshall-Plan

Strengths & Weaknesses of Baltimore Ravens & New England Patriots – Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin analyze the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots as they head into Week 17:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118467/Strengths-and-weaknesses-of-the-Ravens-and-Patriots

More Complete Team: Seahawks or 49ers? – Are the Seattle Seahawks a more complete team than the San Francisco 49ers? NFL GameDay Morning debates:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118468/More-complete-team-Seahawks-or-49ers

Can Teams ‘Flip a Switch’ When They Want? – Can teams really “flip a switch” when they are down? Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin weigh in:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000118469/Can-teams-flip-a-switch-when-they-want

CBS’ quotage is next.

Your NFL Viewing Guide For Week 17 of the 2012 Season

So it’s over?
Well, the regular season will be after tonight. Once Sunday Night Football is over, it’ll be the playoffs starting next Saturday with the Wild Card round.

Are there any blackouts this week?
Yes, in Buffalo where Western New York won’t see the New York Jets-Bills game. That is the only blackout for this week. Even San Diego which hadn’t seen a home game since November managed to get its game between the Chargers and the Oakland Raiders sold in time to lift the local blackout.

What’s with the double doubleheaders this week?
With the last week of the regular season upon us, the NFL allows both CBS and Fox to have a doubleheader. And this allows fans to see games with playoff implications. It also gives CBS and Fox an equal amount of doubleheaders for the season. Week 17 is the only week that has both networks airing games in the 4:25 p.m. ET window.

So this means we get more than 2 or 3 games late?
Yes. There will be six games in the late windows distributed to CBS and Fox. That’s the most late games played this season.

Was there a flex for Sunday Night this week?
Yes, Week 17 is always kept open for a potential elimination game and that is the case with Dallas-Washington in primetime. This game is for the NFC East title. Washington can still get into the postseason if it loses and depending on the games earlier in the day. Dallas goes home if it loses and can only get into the playoffs if it beats Washington. Got it?

Anything interesting on the NFL pregame shows?
Well, Erin Andrews has an interview with MVP candidate Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings on Fox NFL Sunday. Former NFL Today host Greg Gumbel returns to his old stomping grounds on Sunday with an interview with Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano as he returns to the job after being out since Week 3 due to his leukemia diagnosis.

So just one blackout. Nice. What are the Games of the Week?With so many with playoff implications, I’ll do my best to limit the number. For CBS, I’ll choose Baltimore at Cincinnati (Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots) for the AFC Central and Houston at Indy (Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf) for the return of Chuck Pagano to the Colts sidelines and to see if the Texans can find a way to not look like it’s on cruise control going into the playoffs.

On Fox, I’ll go with Chicago at Detroit (Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa) as the Bears try to avoid missing the playoffs. They need a lot of help, however.

And there’s the Sunday night game on NBC between Dallas and the DC NFL team (Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya).

Anything else we should know?
Not that I can think of. Enjoy your last full set of games in the NFL until next year.

NBC Previews Sunday Night Football For Week 17 of the 2012 NFL Season

Now to our last NFL preview, NBC’s look at Sunday Night Football which will involve the NFC East blood rivalry between Dallas and Washington. This will be the battle for the NFC East. This is not necessarily “loser go home” as the DC NFL Team can still make the playoffs with a loss depending on earlier action. The Dallas Cowboys will go home if they lose.

Al Michaels will call the game and be joined in the booth by Cris Collinsworth and on the sidelines by Michele Tafoya.

Bob Costas will be at the Stadium Formerly Known as Jack Kent Cooke in Landover, MD with analyst Hines Ward. And Dan Patrick will be in the NBC Sports’ New York studios for Football Night in America with Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison.

Here’s NBC’s press release.

WASHINGTON HOSTS DALLAS TO DETERMINE NFC EAST CHAMPION IN FINAL “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” GAME OF 2012 SEASON

Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream Dallas-Washington on NBCSports.com

NEW YORK – December 26, 2012 – Dallas travels to FedExField in Landover, Md., to take on Washington on Sunday Night Football in a game that will determine the NFC East champion. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

The victor of the Dallas-Washington matchup will win the division title and move into the playoffs. Dallas can only advance to the postseason as the NFC East champion. Washington can advance as either a division winner or as a Wild Card team, if both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings lose in their respective Sunday afternoon games.

Calling the game is six-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 27^th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 13-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his three seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who, last year in her first season with SNF, won the inaugural Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporter.

Football Night in America is hosted by 24-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from FedExField in Landover, Md. Costas will be joined on site by Michaels, Collinsworth and Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Patrick is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com. Carolyn Manno will report on Eagles-Giants, from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., and Alex Flanagan will report on Packers-Vikings, from Mall of America Field at the H.H.H. Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn.

PREVIEW VIDEO:

Florio, Dungy and Harrison on Cowboys-Redskins:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/21428022#50287507

And we’ll complete the NFL posts with the Week 17 Viewing Guide.

NFL Network Previews Week 17 of the 2012 Season

Ok, we move to NFL Network and its pregame shows on Sunday. It all begins at 7 a.m. ET with First on the Field with co-hosts Melissa Stark and Sterling Sharpe live from the NFL Films studios in New Jersey.

Melissa Stark Examines the Dallas Cowboys – Washington Redskins Historic Rivalry on First on the Field Sunday at 7:00 AM ET

­­­­­­­­­­­At 7:00 AM ET, NFL Network is First on the Field with Melissa Stark, LaDainian Tomlinson, Sterling Sharpe and Michael Lombardi providing the first analysis of the Sunday’s games.

Melissa Stark examines the history of the Dallas Cowboys – Washington Redskins rivalry in preparation of their Sunday night matchup which decides the NFC East champion.

Also featured this week:

• Live reports from Baltimore-Cincinnati, Chicago-Detroit, Houston-Indianapolis, Philadelphia-New York Giants

• Front Office View: Michael Lombardi examines the impending NFL offseason

• Chasing History: LaDainian Tomlinson explores Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s chance of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record

• Sterling Sharpe, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Michael Lombardi speculate on the NFL playoffs

• Who will win the NFC East?

• Who is the NFL MVP?

And let’s see what’s up with NFL GameDay Morning.

NFL GameDay Morning Sunday, December 30 at 9:00 AM ET

At 9:00 AM ET, host Rich Eisen and analysts Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin take viewers up to kickoff on NFL GameDay Morning.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano returns to the sidelines this week after taking a leave of absence to fight leukemia in October. Now cleared by his doctors to coach again, NFL GameDay Morning discusses the impact Pagano’s return will have on the Colts as they prepare to enter the AFC playoffs.

Also featured this week:

• Who will win the NFC East?

• Will Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record?

• Which potential six seed in the NFC playoffs would be the most dangerous?

• The New York Giants and what has gone wrong this season

• Aditi Kinkhabwala reports from Ravens-Bengals

• Albert Breer reports from Bears-Lions

• Stacey Dales reports from Texans-Colts

• Kimberly Jones reports from Eagles-Giants

• Alex Flanagan reports from Packers-Vikings

• Jeff Darlington reports from Cowboys-Redskins

And we’ll finish our NFL previews with NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

NFL on Fox Previews Week 17 of the 2012 Season

Let’s take a look at what we have from Fox Sports for Week 17. Lots of stuff to go over. And Fox has a doubleheader for the last week of the regular season.

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES 

Vikings Playoff Hopes & Peterson’s Quest for Single-Season Rushing Record on the Line Sunday as FOX Sports Presents AMERICA’S GAME OF THE WEEK — Packers at Vikings
Week 17 Doubleheader Action Includes Many Matchups Critical to NFC Playoff Picture
Billick: Rebuilding Teams Need to Get the Right Formula for 2013

NFL ON FOX CLOSES 2012 IN BIG WAY –On Sunday, Dec. 30, FOX Sports closes out 2012 and the NFL regular season with doubleheader coverage of seven matchups, most critical to the NFC playoff picture. With their backs against the wall, Eli Manning and the Giants need a win against the Eagles and some help to get into the playoffs. All-time single season receiving yardage leader Calvin Johnson and the Lions look to play spoiler as they host Jay Cutler and the Bears, who will need a lot of help to get into the playoffs should they lose in Detroit. The NFC South closes out the 1:00 PM slate as Matt Ryan and the No. 1-seeded Falcons host the Bucs and Panthers are in New Orleans to take on Drew Brees and the Saints. With a playoff spot on the line, Adrian Peterson and the Vikings face a win-and-in scenario as they host Aaron Rodgers and the NFC North champion Packers in America’s Game of the Week. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver call the action from Minneapolis. The NFC West title is on the line as the Cardinals travel to San Francisco to battle Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers while the Russell Wilson and the Seahawks host the Rams. 

Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s No. 1 pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson.  NFL Insider Jay Glazer breaks the latest league news and scoops from the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio while NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira discusses the previous week’s important impactful calls and points of emphasis in officiating. Comedic prognosticator Rob Riggle provides his weekly picks segment.

In a sit-down interview airing on FOX NFL SUNDAY, Erin Andrews talks with Vikings RB Adrian Peterson to discuss his chances of breaking the all-time rushing record and the Vikings’ playoff prospects.  In a special presentation of BEING: Vincent Jackson—the Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver gives a behind-the-scenes look at his preparations for Tampa’s final game of the season.

For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants — Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick & Laura Okmin, going to 52% of USA, 1:00PM
MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, NJ
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Hartford, Houston, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Portland, Providence, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, West Palm Beach 

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions — Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston & on-field analyst Tony Siragusa, going to 27% of USA, 1:00PM
Ford Field – Detroit, MI
MARKETS INCLUDE: Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tulsa 

Tampa Bay Bucs at Atlanta Falcons — Dick Stockton, John Lynch & Jennifer Hale, going to 9% of USA, 1:00PM
Georgia Dome – Atlanta, GA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa 

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints — Ron Pitts, Mike Martz & Krista Voda, going to 8% of USA, 1:00PM
Louisiana Superdome – New Orleans, LA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, New Orleans, Raleigh 

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings — Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver, going to 82% of USA,  4:25PM
Mall of America Field – Minneapolis, MN
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers — Gus Johnson, Charles Davis & Kristina Pink, going to 7% of USA, 4:25PM
Candlestick Park – San Francisco, CA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Phoenix, Sacramento, San Francisco

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks — Chris Myers, Tim Ryan & Jaime Maggio, going to 6% of USA, 4:25PM
Century Link Field – Seattle, WA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Portland, Seattle, St. Louis

BILLICK: THE FORMULA FOR RENEWED NFL SUCCESS – As Week 17 approaches, this could be the last week of employment for some GM’s and head coaches with their current teams. NFL on FOX analyst Brian Billick examines how these teams will look to change the fortunes of their organizations heading into 2013. “Each team will be looking for that right formula to turn the fortunes of their franchise around. Over the last few years that formula seems to be hiring a new coach and then acquiring your franchise quarterback at the same time.” This formula is, Billick writes, “easier said than done. Current playoff teams such as Houston, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Green Bay and Indianapolis did just that.”

To read an in-depth look from Billick at franchises who’ve made the correct coach-QB decision over the last few years and those who haven’t, click here: http://on-msn.com/UmSzAr

And that does it.

The NFL Today on CBS Previews Week 17 of the 2012 Season

Let’s move to the NFL Today on CBS. For the Week 17 edition, former host Greg Gumbel talks with Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano about his return to the sidelines after being diagnosed with leukemia in Week 3. As you’re well aware, Pagano had to step aside while offensive coordinator Bruce Arians become interim head coach.

Now that Pagano is back, he gives his first network TV interview to CBS. Here’s the preview.

“THE NFL ON CBS’” GREG GUMBEL SITS DOWN WITH INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HEAD COACH CHUCK PAGANO IN PREVIEW OF HIS RETURN TO SIDELINES AGAINST HOUSTON AFTER FIGHTHING LEUKEMIA FOR WEEK 17 OF “THE NFL TODAY” ON SUNDAY, DEC. 30

THE NFL ON CBS, home of Super Bowl XLVII and broadcasting its 53^rd year of the NFL, continues its 2012 NFL season on Sunday, Dec. 30 (1:00-7:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY (12:00 Noon-1:00 PM, ET).

THE NFL ON CBS’s Greg Gumbel previews the Houston Texans-Indianapolis Colts game with one of the most inspirational stories of the 2012 NFL season, an interview with Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano as he returns to the sidelines for the first time since Week 3 after fighting leukemia.

When Pagano took the head coaching job of the Colts in January of this year, little did he know what would lie ahead for him and his team.  Indianapolis started 1-2 with the rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback. During the Colts’ bye week in September, Pagano visited his doctor to check out some symptoms of fatigue and discoloration of his arms. The next thing Pagano knew, he was in the hospital receiving chemotherapy for leukemia.

Meanwhile, Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians was appointed Interim Head Coach on October 1.  Arians and his players promised Pagano that they would keep things going until his return.  With Pagano’s inspiration, Arians’ coaching, Andrew Luck‘s growth at quarterback and the veteran leadership of All-Pro wide receiver Reggie Wayne, among others, the Colts won nine-of-their-next-12 games led by the chant, “1-2-3 Chuck!” Now with Pagano returning this week, he takes back the reigns of a playoff team. Along the way, Pagano’s heroic fight against cancer promoted countless “Chuckstrong” stories.  Charlie Bloom is the producer.

James Brown hosts THE NFL TODAY along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, NFL TODAY Insider Jason La Canfora,as well as Lesley Visser reporting.

Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE NFL TODAY.

Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports and serves as the Executive Producer for THE NFL ON CBS.  Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

That’s going to be it for this post. Fox is next.

ESPN Previews Week 17 of the 2012 NFL Season

As we have reached the end of the NFL regular season, all that’s left is playoff positioning and the schedule for Wild Card Weekend. We’ll get that at the end of Sunday’s action, but first, there are 16 games to be played on Sunday.

ESPN will air its final regular season edition of Sunday NFL Countdown at 10 a.m. Of course, Chris Berman will host and be joined by his usual cast of characters.

Here’s ESPN’s press release.

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown Regular Season Finale Preview

Three-Hour Pre-Game Will Examine Cowboys-Redskins; Reporters Sal Paolantonio and Ed Werder On-Site for NFC East Title Game

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown with Chris Berman, Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski will preview the final week of the regular season on Sunday, Dec. 30, at 10 a.m. NFL Insider Adam Schefter and senior analyst Chris Mortensen will report the day’s news. Correspondents Ed Werder (Cowboys) and Sal Paolantonio (Redskins) will both cover the game that will settle the NFC East (Dallas at Washington), while Bob Holtzman (Green Bay at Minnesota), Josina Anderson (Chicago at Detroit) and Rachel Nichols (Houston at Indianapolis) will report from other top game sites.

With the NFC East once again coming down to a winner-take-all Week 17 game, ESPN will have a trio of features about the Cowboys and Redskins, in addition to reports on the teams from both Werder and Paolantonio:

• Mike Shanahan Conversation: Countdown’sAdam Schefter goes one-on-one with the Redskins head coach, who after a loss against Carolina in early November, was ready to start evaluating players for 2013. Six straight wins later, the Redskins are a victory away from their first division title since 1999.
• Quarterback Soundtracks – Romo and RG III: Last week, the Cowboys played a thriller and a heartbreaker in a 34-31 overtime home loss to the Saints. Hear inside-the-game audio from quarterback Tony Romo’s perspective. Plus, soundtracks highlights Robert Griffin III’s sensational rookie season.
• Vignettes and teases: Countdown will produce special vignettes and teases using Cowboys and Redskins players from the 1970s and 1980s, when both franchises were perennial playoff contenders and the rivalry was red hot.

Other planned Countdown features:

• DJ Porter’s Spins the Sounds of the Season: Shot in Times Square in New York City, DJ Porter spins the sounds and stories from the 2012 season, from the stellar rookie quarterback class, to the remarkable comebacks of Adrian Peterson and Peyton Manning, and more.
• Greg Olsen update: This feature updates the Chris Connelly piece from earlier this season on Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, whose twins were born in the middle of the season. One of his twins, TJ, was born with a heart defect and required surgery shortly after birth. ESPN catches up with the Olsen family to see the progress their young son has made and how the family is coping with what’s been a difficult few months.

The program will discuss the much-anticipated return of Colts coach Chuck Pagano. Countdown will also include live look-ins at Andrew Luck, Matt Schaub, Jay Cutler, Calvin Johnson and other players during their pre-game warm-ups before the 1 p.m. games. Additional segments include a discussion of the NFC Wildcard playoff race and Cris Carter’s “Where You At?”.

More previews are next.

Sunday’s Viewing Picks

College Basketball Viewing Picks

College Football
ESPNU Film Room: BCS National Championship — ESPNU, 6 p.m.

College Hockey
Great Lakes Invitational, Detroit, MI
Championship
Michigan Tech vs. Western Michigan — Fox Sports Detroit Plus/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.

Mariucci Classic, Minneapolis, MN
Boston College at Minnesota — Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.

English Premier League
Everton vs. Chelsea — Fox Soccer, 8:25 a.m.
Queens Park Rangers vs. Liverpool — Fox Soccer, 10:30 a.m.

Goals on Sunday — Fox Soccer, 1 p.m.

Golf
PGA Tour: Year in Review — NBC, 3 p.m.
Skills Challenge, Day 2 — NBC, 4 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF U20 World Championships, Ufa, Russia
Preliminary Round
Canada vs. United States — TSN/NHL Network (US), 4:30 a.m.
Germany vs. Slovakia — TSN/NHL Network (US), 9 a.m.

MLB
Behind the Seams: The Ballpark Factor — MLB Network, 8 p.m.

NBA
NBA GameTime — NBA TV, 10:30 p.m.

NFL Viewing Picks

Sports Talk
Outside the Lines — ESPN2, 10 a.m.
The Sports Reporter — ESPN2, 10:30 a.m.

Tennis
Tennisography: Varvara Lepchenko — Tennis Channel, 7 p.m.
Tennisography: Christina McHale — Tennis Channel, 7:30 p.m.

Entertainment
Silent Movie — Fox Movie Channel, 6 a.m.
Young Frankenstein — Fox Movie Channel, 7:30 a.m.
CBS News Sunday Morning — CBS, 9 a.m.
King Kong — AMC, 9 a.m.
Secret Wilderness-Japan — BBC America, 9 a.m.
Biography: Jodie Foster — Biography, 9 a.m.
Totally ’80′s — VH1 Classic, 9 a.m.
High Anxiety — Fox Movie Channel, 9:20 a.m.
War Horse — Showtime, 10 a.m.
Cassandra’s Dream — Sundance Channel, 10 a.m.
100 Greatest Women in Music: Hour 1 — VH1, 10 a.m.
Totally ’80′s — VH1 Classic, 10 a.m.
Silver Streak — Fox Movie Channel, 11 a.m.
30 Minutes or Less — Starz, 11:05 a.m.
100 Greatest Women in Music: Hour 2 — VH1, 11 a.m.
100 Greatest Women in Music: Hour 3 — VH1, noon
100 Greatest Women in Music: Hour 4 — VH1, 1 p.m.
100 Greatest Women in Music: Hour 5 — VH1, 2 p.m.
60 Minutes — CBS, 7:30 p.m.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special — PBS, 7:30 p.m.
Mega Dens: 340 Bottles of Win on the Wall — DIY Network, 8 p.m.
The Specialist — Encore, 8 p.m.
Safe House — HBO, 8 p.m.
Drugged: High on Alcohol — National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
Mega Dens: Showing Some Leg at the Hotel Bar — DIY Network, 8:30 p.m.
Sun Storm — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Fatal Encounters: Art Imitates Death — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Drugs, Inc.: Motor City Rush — National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.
Bad Teacher — Starz, 9 p.m.
Amistad — Turner Classic Movies, 9 p.m.
American Wedding — HBO, 10 p.m.
The Nazi Gospels — H2, 10 p.m.
On the Case With Paula Zahn: Profile of a Killer — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Alaska State Troopers: Drunk and Dangerous — National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.

Saturday’s Viewing Picks

Boxing
Showtime Sports: Best of Showtime Boxing 2012 — Showtime, 10:30 a.m.
Boxing’s Best of 2012: Rios vs. Alvarado — HBO, 11 p.m.
Boxing’s Best of 2012: Pacquaio vs. Marquez 4 — HBO, 11:40 p.m.

College Basketball Viewing Picks

College Football
Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth, TX
Rice vs. Air Force — ESPN, 11:45 a.m.

Pinstripe Bowl, New York, NY
West Virginia vs. Syracuse — ESPN, 3:15 p.m.

Fight Hunger Bowl, San Francisco, CA
Arizona State vs. Navy — ESPN2, 4 p.m.

Alamo Bowl, San Antonio, TX
Oregon State vs. Texas — ESPN, 6:45 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Tempe, AZ
TCU vs. Michigan State — ESPN, 10:15 p.m.

College Football Live — ESPN, 11:30 a.m.

College Hockey
Great Lakes Invitational, Detroit, MI
Semifinals
Western Michigan vs. Michigan State — Fox Sports Detroit/MSG Plus, 3:30 p.m.
Michigan vs. Michigan Tech — Fox Sports Detroit/MSG Plus, 7 p.m.

Air Force at Minnesota — Fox Sports North, 8 p.m.
Boston University at Denver — NESN/Root Sports Rocky Mountain, 9 p.m.

English Premier League
Sunderland vs. Tottenham Hotspur — Fox Soccer, 7:30 a.m.
Norwich City vs. Manchester City — Fox Soccer, 9:30 a.m.
Manchester United vs. West Brom Albion — ESPN2, 9:55 a.m.
Arsenal vs. Newcastle United — Fox Soccer, 12:30 p.m.
Fulham vs. Swansea City — Fox Soccer Plus, 2 p.m. (same day coverage)
Aston Villa vs. Wigan Athletic — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m. (same day coverage)
Reading vs. West Ham United — Fox Soccer Plus, 4 p.m. (same day coverage)
Stoke City vs. Southampton — Fox Soccer Plus, 6 p.m. (same day coverage)

Golf
Skills Challenge, Day 1 — NBC, 4 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF U20 World Championship, Ufa, Russia
Preliminary Round
Germany vs. Russia — TSN/NHL Network (US), 9 a.m.

Mixed Martial Arts
Showtime Sports: Best of Strikeforce 2012 — Showtime, 10 a.m.
UFC 155: Dos Santos vs. Velasquez II-Prelims — FX, 8 p.m.
UFC 155: Dos Santos vs. Velasquez II — Pay per view, 10 p.m.

NBA
New Orleans at Charlotte — NBA TV, 7 p.m.
Washington at Chicago — WGN America, 8 p.m.
Boston at Golden State — NBA TV, 10:30 p.m.

Scottish Premier League
Hibernian vs. Celtic — Fox Soccer Plus, 9:55 a.m.

Skiing
2012 FIS Alpine World Cup, Bormio, Italy
Men’s Downhill — Universal Sports, 9 a.m. (same day coverage)

2012 FIS Alpine World Cup, Semmering, Austria
Women’s Giant Slalom — Universal Sports, 11:30 a.m. (same day coverage)

Cross-Country, Oberhof, Germany
Tour de Ski — Universal Sports, 7 p.m. (same day coverage)

Sports Talk
Sport Science — ESPN2, 7:30 a.m.
ESPN Sports Saturday — ABC, 4 p.m.
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters — ESPN Classic, 9 p.m.

Tennis
Mulbadala World Tennis Championships — Tennis Channel, 1 p.m., 3 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Entertainment
United States of Steak — Discovery, 9 a.m.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace — Encore, 9 a.m.
United States of Burgers — Discovery, 10 a.m.
Titanic’s Final Moments: Missing Places — H2, 10 a.m.
United States of Bacon — Discovery, 11 a.m.
This is How I Made It — MTV, noon
Grow Your Own Drugs: Herbs — Cooking Channel, 12:30 p.m.
L.A. Confidential — Cinemax, 2 p.m.
The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo — Cooking Channel, 2:30 p.m.
Wedding Hunters (series premiere) — Food Network, 4 p.m.
Heroes of Hell’s Highway: Welcome of Afghanistan (series premiere) — Discovery, 8 p.m.
Big Miracle — HBO, 8 p.m.
101 Gadgets That Changed the World — H2, 8 p.m.
Underemployed — MTV, 8 p.m.
Starting Out in the Evening — Sundance Channel, 8 p.m.
Kelsey’s Essentials: My Trip to Italy — Cooking Channel, 8:30 p.m.
The Mob Doctor (The Final Episodes) — Fox, 9 p.m.
Redneck Island — CMT, 9 p.m.
Heroes of Hell’s Highway: After the Blast — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Motives & Murders: Wicked in the Windy City — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Family Under Construction: Kitchen Nightmares — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
48 Hours: The Stranger Beside Me — CBS, 10 p.m.
Heroes of Hell Highway: Bomb at the Front Door — Discovery, 10 p.m.
Food Court Wars (series premiere) — Food Network, 10 p.m.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams — History Channel, 10 p.m.
101 Inventions That Changed the World — H2, 10 p.m.
Fatal Vows: Your Cheatin’ Heart — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
Say Anything — Sundance Channel, 10 p.m.
Family Under Construction: Plumbing Problems — Investigation Discovery, 10:30 p.m.
Sexual Witchcraft — Cinemax, midnight
The Housemaid — Sundance Channel, midnight

Fox Sports Officially Announces Its Purchase of Sports Time Ohio

It’s official. News Corp. has completed its purchase of regional sports network, Sports Time Ohio and it includes a long-term agreement for the rights to the Cleveland MLB Team. STO had held the rights since 2006. Previously, the rights had been held by Fox Sports Ohio.

No financial terms have been announced, but John Ourand of Sports Business Journal says the purchase price is in the neighborhood of $200-250 million.

No word if STO will remain a separate channel or if it will be folded into Fox Sports Ohio.

We have the press release from Fox Sports on the purchase of STO.

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF SPORTSTIME OHIO

FOX Sports Also Secures Exclusive Long-Term Local Telecast Rights to Cleveland Indians

LOS ANGELES and CLEVELAND – December 28, 2012 – FOX Sports Media Group and SportsTime Ohio today announced an agreement that calls for FOX Sports to acquire SportsTime Ohio, the Cleveland-based regional sports network that has been offering local telecasts of Cleveland Indians games for the past seven seasons.

In addition, FOX Sports Media Group announced that it has secured the exclusive long-term local telecast rights for Indians baseball, ensuring that the Indians will once again be part of the FOX Sports portfolio of regionally televised hometown teams.  Prior to the 2006 season, Indians games were locally televised by FOX Sports Ohio.

FOX Sports Ohio serves more than five million homes throughout the state of Ohio, as well as portions of Kentucky, Indiana, western Pennsylvania, western New York, and West Virginia.  FOX Sports Ohio is the exclusive regional TV home of the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Cavaliers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Columbus Crew, Xavier Musketeers, and Cincinnati Bearcats.

SportsTime Ohio also offers other locally relevant sports content, including Cleveland Browns programming, OHSAA football and basketball playoffs and championships, and Mid-American Conference events.

“The acquisition of SportsTime Ohio solidifies our business in Ohio, and FOX Sports Media Group’s new long-term agreement with the Indians reunites the team with the FOX Sports family,” said Jeff Krolik, executive vice president, FOX Sports Networks.  “We look forward to once again showcasing the Indians to their fans, as well as working with the Indians ownership to continue to enhance the value of this iconic franchise.”

Cleveland Indians Chief Executive Officer Paul Dolan said: “We look forward to a long-term partnership with FOX that will continue to bring state-of-the-art broadcasts of Indians games to the fans while strengthening the franchise and enhancing our ability to build competitive teams.”

Through its subsidiary FOX Sports Networks (FSN), FOX Sports Media Group is the leader in local sports programming, with 20 owned-and-operated regional sports networks, which collectively produce over 5,000 live local events each year and serve as the exclusive regional TV home to more than half of all MLB, NHL, and NBA teams.

That will do it.

ESPN Sees Best Viewership For Christmas Day NBA Games Since 2004

ESPN saw its best viewership for its three NBA games on Christmas Day in eight years. Averaging 2.8 million viewers and a household rating of 2.0, ESPN saw double digit rises as compared to 2010.

Last year, ESPN had two games as Christmas Day opened the 2011-12 season due to the lockout (remember that?).

Let’s see what ESPN is saying about the five games that aired on both ABC and the Alleged Worldwide Leader.

Most-Watched NBA Christmas Day on ESPN Since 2004

ESPN Primetime Doubleheader & All Key Demos Up Double Digits

ESPN delivered its most-watched NBA Christmas Day since 2004 on Tuesday, according to Nielsen. The three-game set averaged 2,819,000 viewers (P2+), up 10 percent from 2,571,000 viewers in 2010. In addition, the games averaged a 2.0 household coverage rating, up 11 percent from a 1.8 for ESPN’s coverage in 2010. ESPN’s 2012 NBA Christmas Day scheduled included, Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers.

ESPN’s primetime doubleheader – Rockets at Bulls and Nuggets at Clippers – delivered double-digit increases compared to 2010. The two games averaged a 1.7 rating and 2,347,000 viewers, up 31 percent from a 1.3 rating and up 25 percent from 1,882,000 viewers compared to ESPN’s primetime doubleheader in 2010 – Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors.

ESPN also generated double-digit growth in all key demos for its NBA Christmas Day telecasts compared to 2010: M18-34 – 2.1 rating, up 24 percent vs. 1.7; M18-49 – 1.9 rating, up 12 percent vs. 1.7; M25-54 – 1.9 rating, up 12 percent vs. 1.7; P18-34 – 1.5 rating, up 25 percent vs. 1.2; P18-49 – 1.4 rating, up 17 percent vs. 1.2; P25-54 – 1.4 rating, up 17 percent vs. 1.2.

In 2004, ESPN televised the Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers Christmas Day game, the only ESPN game that day, which delivered 4,325,000 viewers and a 3.5 rating.

That’s all.

REPORT: Fox Sports To Purchase Sports Time Ohio

With the proverbial Fiscal Cliff approaching in just a few days, Fox Sports and its owner, News Corp., was in a rush to get this deal done. It appears that Fox Sports will purchase Sports Time Ohio, owned by the Dolan family in the range of $200-250 million as reported this morning by Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand:

Source: Fox Sports is paying between $200-$250M for STO. Deal includes a long-term extension of the Indians’ TV rights.

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) December 28, 2012

As Ourand tweeted, the deal includes a long-time agreement for the rights to the Cleveland MLB Team. Still no word whether STO will be folded into Fox Sports Ohio which has the rights to the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Cavaliers, Columbus Blue Jackets and various colleges in the Buckeye State.

In addition to the Cleveland MLB Team, STO has rights to the MAC, Cleveland Browns programming and high school football.

We’ll post the press release when the deal becomes official.

NFL Viewing Picks For Week 17, 12/30/2012

All Times Eastern

NFL Viewing Maps (the506.com)

Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 8:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Sunday NFL Countdown — ESPN, 10 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
NFL Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check your local listings, 1 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
The OT — Fox, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight

1 p.m.

CBS
Baltimore at Cincinnati — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
Cleveland at Pittsburgh — Spero Dedes/Steve Beuerlein
Houston at Indianapolis — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
Jacksonville at Tennessee — Don Criqui/Randy Cross
New York Jets at Buffalo — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon

FOX
Carolina at New Orleans — Ron Pitts/Mike Martz/Krista Voda
Chicago at Detroit — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Philadelphia at New York Giants — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
Tampa Bay at Atlanta — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale

4:25 p.m.

CBS
Kansas City at Denver — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
Miami at New England — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
Oakland at San Diego — Bill Macatee/Steve Tasker

FOX
Arizona at San Francisco — Gus Johnson/Charles Davis/Kristina Pink
Green Bay at Minnesota — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
St. Louis at Seattle — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!

8:30 p.m.

NBC
Dallas at Washington — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya

DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments

College Basketball Viewing Picks For 12/29 & 12/30/12, All Times Eastern

Men’s schedule courtesy of Matt’s College Sports

Saturday, December 29

Studio Shows
ACC Basketball Pre Season Tip-Off Show — ACC Network, check your local listings
75 Years of March Madness: Behind the Mic — CBS, 2 p.m.
75 Years of March Madness: A Coach’s Perspective — CBS, 3 p.m.
Big Ten Finale ’12-’13 — Big Ten Network, 9 p.m.

Orange Bowl Classic, Sunrise, FL
Tulsa vs. Florida State — Fox Sports Net (national)/Fox College Sports Atlantic, 2 p.m.
Air Force vs. Florida — Fox Sports Net (national)/Fox College Sports Atlantic, 4:30 p.m.

noon
Santa Clara at Duke — ESPN2
Western Michigan at NC State — ESPNU

Women’s: Temple at Michigan State — Big Ten Network

1 p.m.
Presbyterian at South Carolina — CSS/Comcast Network/Comcast SportsNet (Bay Area/Houston/Mid-Atlantic/New England/Northwest)

2 p.m.
Loyola (Chicago) at DePaul — Big East Network
NC Central at Marquette — Big East Network
UNLV at North Carolina — ESPN2
Virginia Tech vs. BYU at Salt Lake City, UT — ESPNU
Rice at Texas — Longhorn Network
Hartford at Colorado — Pac-12 Network
Coppin State at Arizona State — Pac-12 Network (Arizona)

Women’s: Cal State-Northridege at Oklahoma — Fox Sports Net Oklahoma/Fox Sports Arizona Plus/Fox Sports Prime Ticket

2:15 p.m.
Auburn vs. Illinois at Chicago, IL — Big Ten Network

3 p.m.
Maine at Quinnipiac — NESN

4 p.m.
Kentucky at Louisville — CBS
Florida A&M at Georgia — CSS/Comcast SportsNet (Bay Area/Chicago/Houston/New England/Northwest)
Lafayette at Stanford — Pac-12 Network

Women’s: UConn at Stanford — ESPNU

4:30 p.m.
Chicago State at Ohio State — Big Ten Network

5 p.m.
Army at Texas A&M — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox College Sports Central

6 p.m.
Xavier at Tennessee — ESPNU
Idaho State vs. Washington State at Kennewick, WA — Pac-12 Network

7 p.m.
Alcorn State at Syracuse — Big East Network
George Mason at South Florida — Big East Network
Central Michigan at Michigan — Big Ten Network
Missouri-Kansas City at Kansas State — Fox Sports Midwest/Fox Sports Arizona Plus/Fox Sports West/Fox College Sports Pacific

7:30 p.m.
Washington at UConn — ESPN2

8 p.m.
Butler at Vanderbilt — ESPNU
Denver at Louisiana Tech — ESPN Plus
Ohio at Oklahoma — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox College Sports Central
Towson at Oregon State — Pac-12 Network

10 p.m.
Cal-Santa Barbara at Cal State-Fullerton — ESPNU

10:30 p.m.
Harvard at Cal — Pac-12 Network

Sunday, December 30

1 p.m.
Wofford at Virginia — Fox Sports Net-regional (Arizona/Florida/Prime Ticket/San Diego/South/Southwest)/Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic/NESN

Women’s: Marist at Kentucky — Fox Sports North Plus/Fox Sports South Plus
Women’s: Rutgers at Tennessee — Fox Sports Arizona Plus/North/South/Wisconsin

2 p.m.
Women’s: Houston at Texas Tech — Fox Sports Southwest

3 p.m.
Women’s: North Dakota State at South Dakota State — Fox College Sports Central

4 p.m.
Alabama A&M at Mississippi State — CSS/Comcast SportsNet (Bay Area/Northwest)
Mississippi Valley State at TCU — Fox Sports Southwest/Fox Sports North Plus/Fox Sports West/Fox College Sports Atlantic

6 p.m.
Tulane at Alabama — ESPNU
Northern Iowa at Wichita State — Fox Sports Midwest/Comcast SportsNet Chicago/Fox College Sports Central

7 p.m.
Dayton at USC — Pac-12 Network

8 p.m.
Loyola (MD) at Memphis — CSS/Comcast SportsNet (Mid-Atlantic/Northwest/Philadelphia)

Friday’s Viewing Picks

Boxing
Boxing’s Best of 2012: DeMarco vs. Broner — HBO, 11 p.m
Boxing’s Best of 2012: Ward vs. Dawson — HBO, 11:40 p.m.

College Basketball
Men’s
Stony Brook at Seton Hall — Big East Network, 7 p.m.
Providence at Brown — NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m.
North Carolina A&T at Texas Tech — Fox Sports Southwest Plus/Fox Sports West/Fox Sports Wisconsin/Fox College Sports Central, 7 p.m.
Jacksonville at Indiana — Big Ten Network, 8 p.m
Oral Roberts at Memphis — CSS/Comcast SportsNet (California/Chicago/Houston)/The Comcast Network, 8 p.m.
Baylor at Gonzaga — ESPN2, 8 p.m.
Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at Saint Louis — Fox Sports Midwest/Fox College Sports Atlantic, 8 p.m.
College of Idaho at Utah — Pac-12 Network, 9:30 p.m.
Missouri at UCLA — ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.

College Football
Independence Bowl, Shreveport, LA
Louisiana-Monroe vs. Ohio — ESPN, 2 p.m.

Russell Athletic Bowl, Orlando, FL
Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.

Texas Bowl, Houston, TX
Texas Tech vs. Minnesota — ESPN, 9 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF World Junior Championships, Ufa, Russia
Preliminary Round
Slovakia vs. Canada — TSN/NHL Network (US), 4:30 a.m.
United States vs. Russia — TSN/NHL Network (US), 9 a.m.

MLB
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 5:30 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: 25 Most Unforgettable Ejections of 2012 — MLB Network, 9 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: Top 25 Batter-Pitcher Rivalries — MLB Network, 9:30 p.m.
MLB Network Countdown: Plays at the Plate — MLB Network, 10 p.m.

NBA
Denver at Dallas — NBA TV, 8:30 p.m.

NBA GameTime — NBA TV, 11:30 p.m.

NFL
NFL Fantasy Live — NFL Network, 2 p.m.
NFL Live — ESPN, 4 p.m.
NFL Films Presents — NFL Network, 4:30 p.m.
Around the League Live — NFL Network, 5 p.m.
Playbook NFC — NFL Network, 8 p.m.
Playbook AFC — NFL Network, 9 p.m.
NFL Top 10: Top 10 Collapses — NFL Network, 10 p.m.

Skiing
2012 FIS Alpine World Cup, Semmering, Austria
Women’s Giant Slalom — Universal Sports, 10 a.m. (same day coverage)

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
The ‘Lights — NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.
The Best of The Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN2, 3 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
CNBC Sports Biz: Game On! — NBC Sports Network, 9 p.m.
Nick & Artie — Audience Network (DirecTV), 10 p.m.
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight
UNITE — ESPNU, midnight

Tennis
ATP Tour: Mubadala World Championships — Tennis Channel, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.

Entertainment
HGTV Urban Oasis Giveaway 2012 — HGTV, 8 p.m.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day — AMC, 8 p.m.
Inside the Vietnam War — National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
Ninotchka — Turner Classic Movies, 8 p.m.
2012: A Year Out of Season — Weather Channel, 8 p.m.
Salvage Dawgs: Robert E. Lee Hotel — DIY Network, 9 p.m.
I Love the 1880′s: The Vice is Right — History Channel, 9 p.m.
Pretty Bad Girls: Sex, Party, Murder — Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.
Back to the Beginning with Christiane Amanpour — ABC, 9 p.m.
Dateline NBC — NBC, 9 p.m.
American Masters: Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance — PBS, 9 p.m.
My Ghost Story: Caught on Camera — Biography, 9 p.m.
Gold Rush-The Dirt: Bio Special — Discovery, 9 p.m.
Ghost Adventures: Do Not Disturb — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
Killer Karaoke — truTV, 9 p.m.
I Love the 1880′s: How the West Was Fun — History Channel, 9:30 p.m.
Pretty Bad Girls: Hungry Heart — Investigation Discovery, 9:30 p.m.
My Naked Secret: Laura — Discovery Fitness & Health, 10 p.m
Man Caves: Pilot’s Lounge Cave — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
I Love the 1880′s: The Nerds Who Built America — History Channel, 10 p.m.
Haunted Encounters: Face to Face: Houghton Mansion; St. Mark’s (season finale) — Biography, 10 p.m.
American Unearthed: Medieval Desert Mystery — H2, 10 p.m.
Wives with Knives: Lonely and Lethal — Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.
The Dead Files: Deadly Gift-Wichita, Kansas — Travel Channel, 10 p.m.
My Naked Secret: Gail — Discovery Fitness & Health, 10:30 p.m.
House Hunters International: St. Lucia — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
I Love the 1880′s: Forever Badasses — History Channel, 10:31 p.m.

ESPN College GameDay Prepares For The BCS National Championship

Starting on January 1, ESPN’s College GameDay will be live from four of the five BCS games including the Big One, the BCS National Championship game in South Florida on January 7.

College GameDay will begin its cross-country odyssey in Pasadena, CA by doing two shows on New Year’s Day live from the Rose Bowl. Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and charlatan Todd McShay will be in Pasadena for the festivities.

The following day, Fowler, Herbstreit and Howard fly to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl and they’ll be joined by David Pollack.

On January 3, the College Football Final crew of Rece Davis, Lou Holtz and Mark May will hold court at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ.

College GameDay will skip the Orange Bowl and studiop coverage of the game on New Year’s Night will be produced from ESPN’s World Headquarters in Bristol, CT.

And finally, College GameDay ends its season from the BCS National Championship Game from the Stadium Formerly Known as Joe Robbie. Former ESPN analyst and current Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin will be on the set to provide analysis of Alabama-Notre Dame.

Samantha Ponder (formerly Steele) will also be on hand for College GameDay.

Here’s the official ESPN press release.

College GameDay: A Look Ahead to BCS Bowl Coverage and Guest Analysts Urban Meyer and Kevin Sumlin

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 1, ESPN College GameDay will be live from the sites of the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. Coverage of the Orange Bowl will originate from ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn. GameDay will end the season live from Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Monday, Jan. 7, from the BCS National Championship for a two-hour show starting at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Throughout the week, a variety of ESPN analysts will sit on the GameDay set in the various cities. Host Chris Fowler and analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard will travel from Pasadena to New Orleans with a final stop in Miami Gardens, Fla., for the title game. Additional analyst appearances include Lee Corso, David Pollack, Todd McShay and Samantha (Steele) Ponder.

Rece Davis will take the hosting reins, along with his weekly ESPN studio partners, analysts Lou Holtz and Mark May, from the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.

The BCS National Championship will add guest analysts including former ESPN commentator and current Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin, whose team was the only program to top Alabama this season.

College GameDay BCS Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Network	Location/Analysts
Tue, Jan 1	11 a.m.	ESPNU	Fowler, Herbstreit, Corso, Howard & McShay (Pasadena, Calif.)
	noon	ESPN
Wed, Jan 2	7-8 p.m.	ESPN	Fowler, Herbstreit, Howard & Pollack (New Orleans)
Thu, Jan 3	7-8 p.m.	ESPN	Davis, Holtz & May (Glendale, Ariz.)
Mon, Jan 7	6-8 p.m.	ESPN	Fowler, Herbstreit, Corso, Howard, Pollack, Meyer & Sumlin (Miami Gardens, Fla.)

That does it.

NFL Games Are The Among 29 of the Top 30 Most-Watched Shows in The Fall TV Season

The NFL continues to show its ratings strength as Fox’s late national window that showcased mostly the New York Giants-Baltimore Ravens garnered an average of 24.2 million viewers and was the most watched show of the week.

In addition, all 30 of the NFL’s markets had football games top their local ratings for the fifth time this season. The top rated game locally was the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh game in the Steel City, reaching an astonishing 40.7 rating with a 70 share.

Milwaukee was next for the Tennessee-Green Bay game that saw a 40.4/71.

The entire NFL press release is below for your perusal.

NFL GAME TELECASTS 29 OF 30 MOST-WATCHED TV SHOWS THIS FALL

NFL Game Tops Ratings in All 30 Markets for Second Consecutive Week & Record Fifth Time in ‘12

An NFL game was the most-watched show on TV last week (Dec. 17-23) for the 16th time in 16 weeks of the NFL season with the FOX national telecast (mostly New York Giants-Baltimore Ravens) topping all sports and entertainment competition with 24.2 million viewers.

Locally, an NFL game was the highest-rated show in all 30 NFL markets last week, marking the second consecutive week and the record fifth time this season that NFL games topped local ratings in all NFL markets. Previously there were four “30 for 30” weeks in the full 2010 and 2011 seasons.  NFL games have topped local ratings 93 percent of the time this season (up from 90 percent at this point in ’11).

For the season, NFL games rank as 29 of the 30 most-watched TV shows since Labor Day. Following are the most-watched programs this fall:

Program	Viewers
1. FOX Thanksgiving Game (Redskins-Cowboys), 11/22	28.7 million
2. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Broncos), 9/9	27.6 million
3. CBS Thanksgiving Game (Texans-Lions), 11/22	27.3 million
4. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-Cowboys), 10/28	26.9 million
5. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Cowboys), 12/16	26.9 million
6. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Packers), 9/9	26.4 million
7. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Saints), 11/25	24.9 million
8. CBS Sunday National (mostly Broncos-Patriots), 10/7	24.5 million
9. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Giants), 12/9	24.5 million
10. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Eagles), 11/11	24.3 million
11. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-Ravens),12/23	24.2 million
12. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Giants), 11/4	24.2 million
13. CBS Sunday National (mostly Texans-Broncos), 9/23	24.0 million
14. NBC Wed. Night Kickoff Game (Cowboys-Giants), 9/5	23.9 million
15. CBS Sunday National (Indy-NE & SD-Den), 11/18	23.6 million
16. NBC Sunday Night Football (49ers-Patriots), 12/16	23.2 million
17. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Ravens), 12/2	23.0 million
18. CBS Sunday National (mostly Jets-Patriots), 10/21	23.0 million
19. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-49ers), 10/14	22.8 million
20. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Eagles), 9/30	22.8 million
21. NBC Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, 11/22	22.4 million
22. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Packers), 9/30	22.3 million
23. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Falcons), 11/4	21.8 million
24. FOX Sunday Single (mostly NYG-ATL & GB-Chi), 12/16	21.4 million
25. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-Packers), 12/9	21.4 million
26. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-49ers), 9/16	21.3 million
27. NBC Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens), 9/23	21.3 million
28. FOX Sunday Single (mostly Minn-GB & TB-Den), 12/2	20.9 million
29. NBC Sunday Night Football (Texans-Bears), 11/11	20.9 million
30. NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Giants), 11/25	20.9 million

Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company

Following is the list of all 30 NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Dec. 17-23:

Week of 12/17-23			HH	HH	RTG
Market	Game	Date	RTG	SHR	Rank
Pittsburgh	Bengals at Steelers	12/23/12	40.7	70	1
Milwaukee	Titans at Packers	12/23/12	40.4	71	1
New Orleans	Saints at Cowboys	12/23/12	40.1	66	1
Baltimore	Giants at Ravens	12/23/12	34.5	56	1
Denver	Browns at Broncos	12/23/12	34.4	66	1
Seattle	49ers at Seahawks	12/23/12	34.2	64	1
Minneapolis	Vikings at Texans	12/23/12	33.4	69	1
Cincinnati	Bengals at Steelers	12/23/12	33.0	59	1
Boston	Patriots at Jaguars	12/23/12	32.5	63	1
Indianapolis	Colts at Chiefs	12/23/12	31.0	56	1
Washington, DC	Redskins at Eagles	12/23/12	28.0	57	1
Chicago	Bears at Cardinals	12/23/12	27.8	53	1
Atlanta	Falcons at Lions	12/22/12	27.7	47	1
Dallas	Saints at Cowboys	12/23/12	27.2	57	1
Kansas City	Colts at Chiefs	12/23/12	25.6	52	1
Buffalo	Bills at Dolphins	12/23/12	23.7	44	1
San Fran-Oakland	49ers at Seahawks	12/23/12	23.7	48	1
Philadelphia	Redskins at Eagles	12/23/12	23.6	47	1
Houston	Vikings at Texans	12/23/12	23.3	49	1
Cleveland	Browns at Broncos	12/23/12	23.0	42	1
Detroit	Falcons at Lions	12/22/12	22.2	36	1
Charlotte	Raiders at Panthers	12/23/12	21.6	44	1
St. Louis	Rams at Buccaneers	12/23/12	19.7	41	1
Phoenix	Bears at Cardinals	12/23/12	19.6	41	1
Jacksonville	Patriots at Jaguars	12/23/12	17.2	34	1
New York	Giants at Ravens	12/23/12	16.9	31	1
Nashville	Titans at Packers	12/23/12	16.5	30	1
San Diego	Chargers at Jets	12/23/12	16.3	38	1
Miami	Bills at Dolphins	12/23/12	15.4	37	1
Tampa	Bengals at Steelers	12/23/12	13.4	30	1

Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company

That is all.

MLB Network Has The World Series Umpires Mic’d Up

I wish this documentary had come out sooner. Tonight, MLB Network premieres a new behind-the-scenes film produced by MLB Productions. This has all six World Series umpires miked and the film shows what each man is saying either behind the plate, on the field or inside their clubhouse.

This film is called “The Third Team: All-Access 2012 World Series” and culls hours of footage into a one-hour documentary.

I did not receive an advance copy so I don’t have a review of the film, but this certainly looks interesting. And if you need a baseball fix in this early winter, you can see some original programming from MLB Network tonight.

Here’s the preview from MLB Network.

MLB NETWORK GOES BEHIND-THE-SCENES WITH WORLD SERIES UMPIRES IN THE THIRD TEAM: ALL-ACCESS 2012 WORLD SERIES

Documentary Premieres Thursday, December 27 Featuring Never-Before-Heard Audio of Umpires’ Interactions with Players and Coaches

Secaucus, N.J., December 20, 2012 – From calling the balls and strikes to making a crucial call at home plate, MLB Network will bring viewers into the lives of the 2012 World Series umpires in The Third Team: All-Access 2012 World Series, a one hour special premiering Thursday, December 27 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The documentary features exclusive behind-the-scenes access and never-before-heard audio of Fieldin Culbreth, Gerry Davis, Brian Gorman, Dan Iassogna, Brian O’Nora and Joe West, as they worked this past year’s Fall Classic between the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers.

All six umpires wore microphones before, during and after each World Series game, as The Third Team captures the sights and sounds of the umpires’ pre- and postgame rituals, their interactions with players and coaches on the field, and their calls on the some of the series’ closest plays, including Iassogna’s crucial out call of Detroit’s Prince Fielder at home plate in Game Two and his subsequent conversation with Tigers Manager Jim Leyland about the play.

An exclusive interview with MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Joe Torre is featured, plus all six umpires discuss the bond they share as the “third team” on the field, the pressure of being an MLB umpire, the sacrifices they have made for their careers, and the feeling of having reached the pinnacle of their profession, which Fieldin Culbreth says, “You start off with 68 of us, and to be one of the six that’s chosen to work the World Series is an honor.”

The Third Team also features Iassogna and O’Nora discussing the emotion of working their first World Series, Gorman talking about following in his father Tom’s footsteps as an umpire, and Davis’ thoughts about setting the record for the most Postseason games worked by an umpire in Game One.

Highlightsfrom The Third Team: All-Access 2012 World Series include:

Brian O’Nora on the umpire profession:
This is the only job that you have to be perfect from the first day and get better at it.

Joe West on missing a call:
I can honestly say, that whenever any umpire makes a mistake, a little bit of him dies inside.

Brian Gorman on the World Series being the pinnacle of the profession:
When the players play in Little League, they think about playing in the World Series. As an umpire…you just can’t do any better.

West on being an umpire:
The average person doesn’t look at us as real human beings. They think we’re just robots that go out there and do what we do. They don’t look at you as having families, and that’s not true. They all have their own lives, their own mortgages, their own car payments. They have a real life, like everybody else.

Fieldin Culbreth on Pablo Sandoval’s three-home run game:
Even as an umpire whose kind of lost that fan look at the game and [is] just looking at it professionally, every now and then you see something [and] you just go, ‘Man, that is unbelievable. There’s not many people that can do what just took place right there.’

Culbreth on how much umpires care about their craft:
I can assure you that players don’t talk any more about hitting and fielding than we do about balls [and] strikes, safes and outs. We love our craft. We work hard at it.

West on the most important call for an umpire:
It doesn’t matter how many ones you had before that you got right. It’s the next one that’s the most important call of your life.

Iassogna on what it was like working home plate for Game Two:
If I tell you, I’ll start crying…I’ll just say I had a lot of people out there with me… [My wife] Denise and the girls, my parents, everybody I ever worked with, they were all with me.

O’Nora on his perspective towards the job:
The way I look at this job is I leave my wife and my kids for seven months. I would be cheating them, I would be cheating the ballplayers and cheating myself if I don’t give them everything I have. So every night, I leave everything on the table. [It] doesn’t matter if it’s a playoff game or a regular season game.

Gorman on following in his father’s footsteps as an umpire:
My dad was already in the big leagues when I was born, so I kind of knew growing up what the lifestyle’s like [and] what the baseball family’s all about. Now that I’m going through it, I have much more admiration for what he went through because he wasn’t really making that much money and things like that. The travel was tough on him. My mom died when I was real little, so he was doing it by himself.

Culbreth on the crew’s performance in the World Series:
As far as I’m concerned, it looks like we came out unscathed. Everything was correct. When this thing’s all said and done, you just want to blend in and let these two teams battle it out. As far as I’m concerned, that’s what happened.

Davis on the “third team”:
One of the things that we, as umpires, think about is there’s really a third team on the field. A lot of people don’t pay attention to that; those that know us do. But from an umpire perspective, everything was great. We had two new guys on the crew. They both did great jobs and that’s fun to see.

The documentary airs at 9 p.m. ET.

Sports Media Weekly No. 131 — 2012 Sports Media Year in Review

This was a project that was quite close to my heart and it worked out quite well. Just about everyone I called was very receptive to providing their sports media stories of 2012 and their sports media predictions for 2013. I couldn’t ask for anything better.

We have a multitude of sports media writers and bloggers who have provided their top stories for this year and what they think will happen next year. The writers in order of appearance are as follows:

Barry Horn, Dallas Morning News
Chad Finn, Boston Globe
Dan Levy, The Bleacher Report
Ed Sherman, The Sherman ReportJim Williams, Washington Examiner
John Daly, The Daly Planet
John Ourand, Sports Business Journal/Sports Business Daily
Neil Best, Newsday
Richard Deitsch, Sports Illustrated
Ken Schott, Schenectady Gazette
Matt Yoder, Awful Announcing
Joe Flint, Los Angeles Times

Thanks to all for their contributions. You can head over to iTunes and search for “Sports Media Journal” for the podcast or

Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks

Boxing
Boxing’s Best of 2012: Guerrero vs. Berto — HBO, 11 p.m.

College Basketball
Men’s
Northern Arizona at BYU — BYU TV, 9 p.m.
New Mexico at Cincinnati — ESPN2, 9 p.m.

College Football
Military Bowl, Washington, DC
Bowling Green vs. San Jose State — ESPN, 3 p.m.

Belk Bowl, Charlotte, NC
Cincinnati vs. Duke — ESPN, 6:30 p.m.

Holiday Bowl, San Diego, CA
UCLA vs. Baylor — ESPN, 9:45 p.m.

Chik-Fil-A Bowl Preview — ESPNU, 4 p.m.
2013 Outback Bowl Preview — ESPNU, 6:30 p.m.

Hockey
2013 IIHF World Junior Championships, Ufa, Russia
Preliminary Round
United States vs. Germany — TSN/NHL Network (US), 9 a.m.

MLB
MLB Tonight — MLB Network, 5:30 p.m.
The Third Team: All-Access 2012 World Series — MLB Network, 9 p.m.

NBA
Dallas at Oklahoma City — TNT, 8 p.m.
Boston at Los Angeles Clippers — TNT, 10:30 p.m.

Inside the NBA — TNT, 1 a.m.

NFL
NFL Fantasy Live — NFL Network, 2 p.m.
NFL Live — ESPN2, 4 p.m.
Around the League Live — NFL Network, 5 p.m.

Sports Talk
NFL AM — NFL Network, 6 a.m.
The ‘Lights — NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.
The Best of the Dan Patrick Show — Audience Network (DirecTV)/NBC Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Tim Brando Show — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
SVP & Russillo — ESPNews, 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines — ESPN2, 3 p.m.
ROME — CBS Sports Network, 6 a.m.
Jesse Owens Award Show — NBC Sports Network, 7 p.m.
Lead Off — CBS Sports Network, midnight
UNITE — ESPNU, midnight

Tennis
Mubadala World Tennis Championships — Tennis Channel, 1 p.m. (same day coverage)

Entertainment
Hook, Line & Dinner: Oklahoma — Cooking Channel, 8 p.m.
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown — ABC, 8 p.m.
Apollo Live (season finale) — BET, 8 p.m.
Bound — IFC, 8 p.m.
Wicked Tuna: Hooked Up : Battle at Sea — National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.
Raising House: Slaughter Beach — Cooking Channel, 9 p.m.
Beginners — HBO Signature, 9 p.m.
Extreme Homes: Pod House, Shell, Nomad Cube — HGTV, 9 p.m.
Mysteries at the Museum: Buried Alive, Mauve, Crash at Crush — Travel Channel, 9 p.m.
Raising House: Alexandria — DIY Network, 9:30 p.m.
Beyond Scared Straight: Oneida County, NY — A&E, 10 p.m.
Behind the Build: HGTV Dream Home 2013 — DIY Network, 10 p.m.
Shocking Family Secrets: Anything for Love — Discovery Fitness & Health, 10 p.m.
Drain the Great Lakes — National Geographic Channel, 10 p.m.
House Hunters International: Grand Cayman Island — HGTV, 10:30 p.m.
Dave’s Old Porn (season finale) — Showtime, 11 p.m.
Home Strange Home — HGTV, 11 p.m.