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Some Thursday Linkage

Let me try to squeeze some linkage into the site today. It’s been crazy the last few days here.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch has your 2012-13 college basketball viewing guide.

Michael Hiestand from USA Today talks with former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl who will work for the ESPN family this season.

Sports Business Daily recaps one of the sessions at its Sports Media & Technology Conference in New York. This included ESPN Junta Chief John Skipper.

From the ESPN Ombudsman, the lovely Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute explores how ESPN handles rumors and how it reports them.

At The Sherman Report, Ed Sherman notes TNT’s Charles Barkley’s comments on sideline reporters.

John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable says the NFL is marketing a $60 USB computer plug-in.

Media Life Magazine has CBS crowing about being close to selling out Super Bowl XLVII.

Timothy Burke at Deadspin goes over why NBA League Pass is a massive ripoff.

Dylan Murphy of SportsGrid notes that Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has for all intents and purposes, lost the women’s vote. Good job, Mike.

Dylan has a frightening story on the man stalking Michelle Beadle.

Speaking of Pro Football Talk, Josh Alper from PFT has the sensitive Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers unhappy about his puff 60 Minutes profile.

ESPN’s Darren Rovell says the Los Angeles Dodgers are finding plenty of suitors for their TV rights.

Jerry Barmash of Fishbowl NY talks with Marv Albert about Brooklyn’s return to professional sports.

Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette notes an area native getting a promotion at ESPN.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says the NFL won’t flex in Week 12.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call talks with a local radio personality who used to pick high school football games.

Erik Spanberg from the Charlotte Business Journal has former NFL GM Bill Polian smiling about his ESPN NFL gig.

Michael Casagrande at the Orlando Sentinel talks with ESPN’s Samantha Steele.

David Barron from the Houston Chronicle says the viewing for the late ESPN on NBA Radio voice Jim Durham is this Sunday.

The Oklahoman’s Mel Bracht talks with TNT’s Reggie Miller.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Time Warner Cable will air Marquette basketball games this season.

Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune tells us that we’re paying more and more to watch sports on television.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at the entries for this year’s All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival.

Sports Media Watch has some on-air personnel news.

Snap, Crackle Pop has some edgy MSG Network New York Knicks ads that had to be taken down.

Cork Gaines at the Business Insider’s Sports Page has screengrabs of some funny ESPN mustaches.

We have this week’s column from Dave Kohl at The Broadcast Booth.

Stephen Douglas at The Big Lead notes that ESPN has transformed NFL insider John Clayton into a cartoon metalhead.

Matt Yoder from Awful Announcing has video of former San Francisco Giants whiner Jeff Kent angry at everything after being booted from Survivor.

And that’s it for now.

NBC’s Football Night in America Quotage For Week 8 of the 2012 NFL Season

Let’s now complete the Sunday NFL pregame quotage with NBC’s Football Night in America. Check it out.

“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES – WEEK 8

“I’ve been a Sanchez supporter and have said that you need to stay with your quarterback, but it’s time to make the change.” – Tony Dungy on the Jets
“Tebow will give you leadership. He will give you passion. It’s contagious throughout that locker room. I look at how unselfish this young man is. He’s playing on special teams. He’s playing running back. He’s playing tight-end. You have to give him a chance. Nothing else is working. As a coach, that is your duty.” – Rodney Harrison on the Jets
“They have no identity. This offense has no identity. They don’t know if they want to be a big play offense that passes the ball down the field or if they want to be a running offense.” – Rodney Harrison on the Chargers
“Football is always a chess game, but you are up against a chess master when you play Peyton Manning.” – Bob Costas

NEW YORK – October 28, 2012 – Following are highlights for Football Night in America. Bob Costas opened the show live from inside Sports Authority Field in Denver, Colo. where the Broncos are hosting the New Orleans Saints. Costas was joined on-site by Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst), and Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Super Bowl MVP and newest addition to NBC Sports’ NFL team.

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. Alex Flanagan reported from Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on the Giants-Cowboys game.

Following are highlights from Football Night in America:

ON SAINTS

Collinsworth on how much “Bountygate” affected the team’s performance this season: “You do have to say a little of it was self-imposed because they didn’t get the contract done with Drew Brees. You have to wonder, with all those people and all the controversy, if he (Brees) had just been in the building. We know this guy is a dynamic leader of that football team. They didn’t get the job done and that hurt them.

“Greg Williams, the former defensive coordinator, is sort of hyperbole run amuck. It sounds horrible and I agree that he should have been punished. The issue is, were the players trying to hurt somebody? That’s the threshold as far as I’m concerned, and there really hasn’t been any evidence of that. I think that’s where this hearing is going to be interesting.”
Costas: “The league is convinced it has a very strong case.”

ON PEYTON MANNING

Ward on playing against Manning: “It’s very frustrating. It seems like he thrives in situations to try and bring his team back. Having Peyton Manning on the field is always a threat, because he always has the chance to bring his team back and win the ballgame.”

Ward: “Tennessee recruited me at the same time they were recruiting Peyton Manning. They said that if I signed with Tennessee, they would stop recruiting Peyton Manning.”
Collinsworth: “What?”
Ward: “It’s true. I don’t know if they lied to me or what.”
Collinsworth: “Let me just tell you, yes, they lied to you. That is exactly what happened. That has to go down as one of the biggest lies in recruiting history.”

Dungy on Manning: “It’s not what he does in the clutch. It’s the preparation for the clutch. And knowing what’s going on. That’s where he really stands out.”

Costas: “Football is always a chess game, but you are up against a chess master when you play Peyton Manning.”

ON JETS

Dungy: “I’ve been a Sanchez supporter and have said that you need to stay with your quarterback, but it’s time to make the change.”
Harrison: “Tebow will give you leadership. He will give you passion. It’s contagious throughout that locker room. I look at how unselfish this young man is. He’s playing on special teams. He’s playing running back. He’s playing tight-end. You have to give him a chance. Nothing else is working. As a coach, that is your duty.”

Dungy on the Jets making Tebow their starting QB: “This is absolutely the right time to do it. If you are going to make the change, you have to change the offense totally and do the things Tim can do well.”

ON GIANTS

Alex Flanagan reporting from Cowboys stadium in Dallas: “The Giants are scrambling as fast as they can out of Cowboys Stadium. They cut some interviews short. They are trying to get home in time before their plane is cancelled by Hurricane Sandy.”

ON COWBOYS

Patrick on Tony Romo: “How do you throw the last play out of bounds?”
Dungy: “Everybody is going to be talking about the last part of the game and the time management.”
Rodney: “Once it becomes third-down-and-one, you have to run the ball. They are giving you the run. You have to get the first down.”

Dungy on Tony Romo’s pass to Dez Bryant with seconds left in the game: “You know Dez Bryant is going to get the ball. How did they let him run free?”

Harrison on Jason Garrett: “I can see if it happened once in a while, but it is happening every single week. The turnovers, the time management and the penalties. We see it each and every week. This is not a well prepared team.” *(Comments made during halftime of the Saints-Broncos game)

ON EAGLES

Mike Florio on Vick: “The Mike Vick era in Philadelphia could be ending. After today’s loss Vick told reporters that coach Andy Reed is considering making a change to rookie Nick Foles. And Vick actually said he would support it. But I’m told that privately Vick is upset. Vick doesn’t believe that it’s his fault that the team lost today. Vick didn’t make any mistakes and he thinks it was more of a defensive collapse.”

Video clip of Florio on Vick: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49591244#49591244

Dungy: “They are in desperate times in Philadelphia, but I don’t know that changing quarterbacks helps this offense.”
Harrison: “You have to give them a spark. You have to change and try something different. You also have to figure out what your future is with Michael Vick. Play the young rookie now. Let him come in. See if he can play. If not, then you go back to Vick.”
Dungy: “I don’t think Andy Reid is worried about the future. How can we win some games? How can we get back in this race? Unless they can protect better, I don’t know if going to Foles is going to help.”

Dungy: I think you have to stay with him (Vick). There is a lot of desperation in Philadelphia right now, but Andy Reid is coaching for his job. He has to make the playoffs to keep his job. Michael Vick gives him a better chance than a rookie quarterback who has never played. *(Comments made during halftime of the Saints-Broncos game.)

ON STEELERS AND EAGLES

Dungy: “My headline is football in Pennsylvania. In Western PA, we are getting good football from the Steelers. They look like they are going to make a run in the AFC North. In the Eastern side of the state, bad football from the Eagles. They change defensive coordinators, but they are now worse on defense.”

ON STEELERS

Dungy on Ben Roethlisberger: “All the talk was about RG III, but Ben Roethlisberger controlled the game.”

ON CHARGERS

Harrison: “I look at Ryan Mathews. He was brought in to replace LaDainian Tomlinson, but he has been a huge disappointment. You look at the injuries and the fumbles. He has not been consistent.”

Harrison: “They have no identity. This offense has no identity. They don’t know if they want to be a big play offense that passes the ball down the field or if they want to be a running offense.”
Dungy: “You have to be able to score on a game-winning drive against Cleveland.”

ON DOLPHINS

Harrison: “The Dolphins are 4-3. They are playing good football and if the playoffs started today, they would be in.”

ON LIONS

Dungy: “They have a chance now with a two-game winning streak. They are still not playing great offense, but they did just enough to hang in there.

ON FALCONS

Dungy on Matt Ryan: “He was unbelievable in the first half. He used all of his weapons. He was on fire and was the most valuable performer today.”

ON CHIEFS

Patrick: “Kansas City is a dead man walking here.”

ON NFL TRADE DEADLINE

King: “If anybody is going to go, I believe it will be one of two guys. Either Dwayne Bowe, the receiver for Kansas City, or Steven Jackson the running back for the St. Louis Rams. But do not call either one of those teams unless you are going to offer at least a third round pick for one of those guys.”

Video clip King on trade deadline: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49591322#49591322

And that concludes the posts for the day.

NBC’s Sure-Fire Ratings Hit, The NFL Returns on Wednesday

NBC can certainly crow about its ratings over the Olympics, but they happened during the dead month of August when network fare is as original as a Jason Blair article. It took me ten minutes to think of that. Anyway, the top-rated primetime series of 2011-12, Sunday Night Football returns to NBC this week and it all begins on Wednesday with the NFL Kickoff game between the defending Super Bowl Champions the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys live from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

It begins with NFL Kickoff 2012 at 7:30 p.m. ET live from 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York with Michelle Beadle hosting the concert portion of the program. Musical acts include Mariah Carey and No Doubt.

Then on Sunday, it’s the season premiere of Sunday Night Football with the Denver Broncos taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers live from the Mile High City.

Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya will be at both games. Bob Costas will recite inane commentary from high above the field at MetLife Stadium and at the new Mile High.

The Football Night in America crew of Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison will be live at MetLife, then return to its normal digs at 30 Rock on Sunday.

NBC also announces the return of NFL Turning Point and the premiere of Pro Football Talk to be co-hosted by Mr. Know It All, Erik Kuselias and ultimate multi-tasker Mike Florio.

Here’s the NBC press release.

NBC SPORTS GETS “BACK TO FOOTBALL”

New York Giants Host Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, September 5. Coverage of NFL Kickoff 2012 Begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Denver Broncos Host Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 9. Coverage Begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC
Michele Tafoya to Provide Live Video Tweets During Each SNF Game
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream NBC NFL Games for Fifth Consecutive Year on NBCSports.com
NFL Turning Point Season Premiere on Wednesday, September 12 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network
Pro Football Talk with Mike Florio Airs Weeknights at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network

NEW YORK – September 4, 2012 – The NFL will open the regular season tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 5, with NFL Kickoff 2012 on NBC. The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants will host their division rival Dallas Cowboys from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. A pre-game concert will feature performances by Grammy Award-winning artists Mariah Carey and No Doubt, from a specially constructed stage in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Coverage begins on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday Night Football, the No. 1 primetime show on television, kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 9, with Peyton Manning making his first regular-season appearance as the quarterback for the Denver Broncos as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers from Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET

Calling both games 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 23-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from MetLife Stadium on Wednesday and Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday. Costas is joined on site by Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and two-time Super Bowl winner Hines Ward.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from MetLife Stadium on Wednesday night, and from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday night. 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.

Michelle Beadle will host the concert portion of NFL Kickoff 2012 on NBC, featuring performances by Mariah Carey and No Doubt, from a specially constructed stage in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

In addition to the weekly Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America broadcasts, NBC Sports Group’s NFL coverage also includes digital content and social media extensions that are available online, as well as NFL-related shoulder programming available on NBC Sports Network.

PREVIEW VIDEO: Michaels and Collinsworth on Cowboys vs. Giants.
http://www.tinyb.it/503CF0128C287

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL EXTRA

SNF EXTRA: For the fifth consecutive season, the entire Sunday Night Football schedule will be streamed live on NBCSports.com. The video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcast of SNF, and will include additional camera angles and interactive features.

Sunday Night Football Extra employs a full HD-quality player, which includes a draggable picture-in-picture feature for any of the online-only cameras, plus full DVR functionality allowing the user to pause, scroll back-and-forth, and review plays in slo-motion.

SNF Extra includes expert analysis, including fantasy tips from Rotoworld fantasy experts as well as in-game chats and analysis from Mike Florio. Additionally SNF Extra employs online-only in-game analysis from the Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America teams.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL EXPANDS DIGITAL COVERAGE

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ALL-ACCESS. ALL SEASON LONG: For the third straight season, NBCSports.com is providing a destination for fans dedicated to behind-the-scenes content of Sunday Night Football. SNF All-Access includes exclusive photos of the Sunday Night Football production, look-ins on SNF production meetings, Michele Tafoya interviews with key NFL players and a weekly notebook and conversations with SNF talent.

Visit SNF All-Access at: http://snfallaccess.nbcsports.com/

“THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”: This season NBC Sports will introduce “The Sunday Night Football”, a custom made football from Wilson, which will travel with the SNF crew all season long. Fans of SNF on Facebook and Twitter will be able to keep up with “The Sunday Night Football” on the SNF Facebook page, follow its path through each city and recommend where it should visit while in town. At the end of each SNF game, “The Sunday Night Football” will be signed by the player of the game. Photos, video and stories around “The Sunday Night Football” and its travels will live on Facebook, Twitter and SNFAllAccess.com all season long.

SNF ON FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/SNFonNBC – The Sunday Night Football Facebook page provides links, photos and videos exclusive to behind-the-scenes at SNF every week. The page aggregates all SNF-related content found within the NBC Sports digital network, including NBCSports.com, SNF Extra, ProFootballTalk.com, and Rotoworld.com.

SNF ON TWITTER: twitter.com/SNFonNBC – For the first time ever, Michele Tafoya will be doing live video tweets from @SNFonNBC on the sideline exclusively for the SNF social media platforms, providing fans extended real-time content from Michele’s unique sideline perspective. Using tweets, twitpics and twitvids @SNFonNBC provides unique content with SNF talent, production crew and NFL players.

Each week @SNFonNBC will promote a guest player who will live tweet during the Sunday Night Football broadcast. On Wednesday, September 5, Super Bowl winner and retired New York Giant David Tyree will be the guest player. On Sunday, September 9, Super Bowl winner and retired Pittsburgh Steeler Willie Parker will be the guest player. The tweets from the guest player will automatically be pulled into the SNF Extra Player.

SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Going into its second season, Sunday Night Football gives the SNF fan a look at photos through the filters of Instagram. Fans get a look inside the production trucks, the locker rooms, on the field and around the city. Fans also have the opportunity to submit photos through Instagram using #SNF that will automatically be curated into a special Instagram tab on the Sunday Night Football Facebook page..

SNF ON GETGLUE: For the second season in a row, fans can check into each SNF game on GetGlue. Fans watching Sunday Night Football at home have the opportunity to win weekly SNF themed stickers and chances at real-world prizes by checking into SNF on GetGlue every Sunday night.

NFL TURNING POINT SEASON PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12, 10 p.m. ET on NBC SPORTS NETWORK

The second season of Emmy-nominated NFL Turning Point, NBC Sports Network’s weekly show co-produced by NFL Films, will premiere Wednesday, Sept. 12^th at 10 p.m. ET and will be hosted by Football Night in America’s Dan Patrick. The hour-long program will air throughout the NFL regular season and will focus on the crucial ‘turning point’ moment in several games for football fans each week by utilizing NFL Films’ unmatched cinematography and sideline and on-field audio.

Click here for more details on this week’s show: http://www.nbcuniversal.presscentre.com

PRO FOOTBALL TALK ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK WEEKNIGHTS, 5 p.m. ET

Mike Florio, who created the innovative, NFL-focused web destination ProFootballTalk.com, hosts the new NBC Sports Network television program Pro Football Talk. The one-hour show airs at 5 p.m. ET every Monday through Friday. Pro Football Talk will be co-hosted by Erik Kuselias.

Pro Football Talk features concentrated NFL insight from Florio and other experts from around the league. Florio and Kuselias will regularly welcome a roster of NBC Sports football commentators, including Rodney Harrison, Hines Ward, Doug Flutie, Ross Tucker, Amani Toomer, and Peter King, among others. In addition to deep diving on the most topical NFL stories of the day, Pro Football Talk will also touch on injuries, fantasy football and officiating.

There you go. Good night.

Quotage From Latest Edition of “Costas Tonight”

Since this month’s “Costas Tonight” program was taped in advance for airing this evening, NBC Sports Network has provided us with the quotage from the program. This includes some quotes from NBC tennis analyst John McEnroe, HBO’s Bill Maher, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio who appeared in place of the originally scheduled Jonathan Quick of the Stanley Cup Champions Los Angeles Kings.

Always nice to tap someone in the NBC Sports family to make an emergency appearance in case of a last-minute cancellation.

Here’s the quotage from tonight’s “Costas Tonight” on NBC Sports Network. It’ll air at 9 p.m. ET following the 2012 NHL Awards.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM “COSTAS TONIGHT” AIRING TONIGHT 9 P.M. ET ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK

Tonight’s Show Includes Interviews with John McEnroe, Bill Maher and Mike Florio, Costas’ Essay on the Roger Clemens Case
60-Minute Interview Show Taped Last Night from Studio 8G at 30 Rock
“I was told by inside people, and I am going to mention names, my old friends, Linda Rambis and Jeanie Buss, who have an in with Phil (Jackson), that he supposedly wanted the job. Now, why didn’t they ask?” – John McEnroe to Costas on Phil Jackson coaching the Knicks
“I’m watching the playoffs and it’s a little North Korean, Bob, you know that everyone in the crowd is wearing the same color jersey.” – Bill Maher to Costas on watching the NBA Finals

NEW YORK – June 20, 2012 – Tennis legend John McEnroe, Bill Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio joined Bob Costas, a 23-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and one of America’s preeminent interviewers, on the latest edition of Costas Tonight, a 60-minute interview program taped last night that premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

• McEnroe discusses his relationship with Jimmy Connors, his love of the Knicks and how today’s players are unlike when he played the game.

• Maher talks about the color-coordinated fans at the NBA Finals, his minority stake in the Mets and his childhood love of baseball cards.

• Florio gives his take on the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.

• Costas ends the show with an essay on the Roger Clemens case.

Below are highlights from the taping of last night’s Costas Tonight:

MCENROE ON PHIL JACKSON AND KNICKS SITUATION:

McEnroe: “I sort of went into a depression because Phil Jackson, apparently, wasn’t even asked (to coach the Knicks). I was like, how could he not be asked?”

Costas: “But then he said that even if he was asked he would have said no because he thinks that the Knicks are too disjointed and clumsy.”
McEnroe: “Well, that’s what he has said apparently, but I still would have like to have him asked. I was told by inside people, and I am going to mention names, my old friends, Linda Rambis and Jeanie Buss, who have an in with Phil, that he supposedly wanted the job. Now, why didn’t they ask?”

Costas: “If that’s the case, he was probably offended that he wasn’t asked by the team that he is connected to, the team for which he played.”
McEnroe: “I mean, isn’t it the ultimate no brainer, I mean, to ask?”

MCENROE ON JIMMY CONNORS:

McEnroe: “We really didn’t like each other for the most part, and I think people liked that in a way. I mean the Yankees and the Red Sox, they hate each other, and that’s wonderful to the fan…it brought out the best and the worst in us when we played against each other, particularly me.”

Costas: “If you disliked, truly disliked, some of your main rivals, you reconciled with most of them, right, but not with Connors?”
McEnroe: “No, we respect each other. We may not like each other a whole lot. I doubt we will be having a lot of dinners, but certainly we respect. I respect Jimmy Connors. I am not going to speak for him, but he made me a better player. He made me try a lot harder. I think his twin is Pete Rose. He was the same guy.”

Costas: “Same haircut.”
McEnroe: Same haircut. Same just annoying, in your face type of style that actually drove you so insane that it was like I am going to do anything, I am going to go 120 percent instead of 100 percent just so I am going to beat this guy. But, he fed off that, so we both loved it ultimately. I know that we respect each other.”

* * *

MAHER ON COLOR-COORDINATED SHIRTS AT THE NBA FINALS:

Costas: “We’re going to let you write some new rules here for sports, as you do in one way or another each Friday night on HBO. I know, if you could, you would ban the wearing of color-coordinated t-shirts by every fan at NBA games.”
Maher: “I’ve noticed this trend. You see it now because, I mean, I’m watching the playoffs and it’s a little North Korean, Bob, you know that everyone in the crowd is wearing the same color jersey. And now I noticed they do it in two-tone and in one section you’re wearing blue and in the next section they’re all wearing white. Can’t we just come and watch the game? Do we really have to leave our individuality at the door when we’re just going to a sporting event? It’s ridiculous.”

MAHER ON HIS OWNERSHIP STAKE IN THE METS:

Costas: “Now I know you’re not discussing exactly how large a piece you have, but obviously it’s not a controlling interest. So you get a nice parking space, probably clubhouse privileges, free food, but you don’t get to sit in the room when Sandy Alderson decides how much he’s going to pay David Wright, have I got that correct?”
Maher: “I put a call into him the other day, I said, ‘start the runners.’ And I think you’ll see that happening.”

Costas: “Regardless of the situation, just start the runners?”
Maher: “Absolutely. I’m the opposite of Billy Beane. I’m playing big ball.”

* * *

FLORIO WITH COSTAS ON EVIDENCE FOR MORE SUSPENSIONS:

Costas: “Isn’t it entirely possible that the league has even more damning evidence that might implicate other players, maybe not to the extent that they feel Vilma and the rest whom they’ve already suspended are implicated, but enough to bring their names in? And the Players Association ought to be concerned about that. If they force the league’s hand here, it will get worse for the players rather than better?”
Florio: “That’s a great point because, when this initially came up, the league said there were 22-27 players who participated in the alleged bounty program. And even now we’ve seen more names get dragged into this who previously weren’t part of it.”

That’s all.

NBC SportsTalk Premieres on Versus Tonight

This in from the NBC Sports Group, the premiere of the new NBC SportsTalk shows will premiere tonight at 6 Eastern time on Versus. As previously mentioned, Mondays will be hosted by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, then Tuesday through Thursday will utilize NBC’s other SportsTalk brands then Friday reverts to football again and we’ll see Darren Rovell’s sports business show on Fridays as well.

Tonight’s premiere will bring in the aforementioned Florio where he will join host Russ Thaler in-studio. They’ll be joined by the NBC Sports’ NFL crew live from Green Bay.

Let’s get the skinny on the premiere from NBC Sports Group and Versus.

NBC SPORTSTALK PREMIERES ON VERSUS LIVE TONIGHT AT 6 ET

First New Nightly Show Will Feature Mike Florio In-Studio and NBC Sports NFL Talent Reporting Live From Green Bay Prior to NFL Kickoff on NBC

NEW YORK (September 7, 2011) – VERSUS’ new live weeknight studio show, NBC SportsTalk, debuts tonight at 6 ET with the inaugural show focusing on the biggest news of the day – NFL Kickoff between the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints from historic Lambeau Field (NBC at 8:30 p.m. ET).

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com will join host Russ Thaler in-studio and the pair will be joined via satellite from Green Bay by Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth and Football Night in America analysts Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Peter King (also from Sports Illustrated). The show will cover not only the first game of the season, but also all the news in and around the NFL.

The NBC Sports Group last week announced the block of new live studio shows for VERSUS airing on weeknights from 6-7 p.m. ET under the banner of NBC SportsTalk, NBC’s successful digital franchise on NBCSports.com that includes ProFootballTalk, HardballTalk, ProBasketballTalk, ProHockeyTalk, CollegeFootballTalk, InsidetheIrish and ProGolfTalk.

In addition to the new 6 p.m. shows, VERSUS, which will be re-branded the NBC Sports Network on January 2, will also launch a sports-business show with CNBC’s Darren Rovell, titled CNBC Sports Biz: Game On, on Friday nights at 7 p.m. ET, beginning on September 9.

The live block of shows will focus on the sports world’s most relevant topics each night and will include NBC Sports Group talent who will not only report on sports news, but will break down the significance of that news for viewers. Mondays (ProFootballTalk with Mike Florio) and Fridays (Peter King and Mike Florio) at 6 p.m. will be devoted to football, while the rest of the shows during the week will focus on the most topical sports stories.

And that will do it.

Versus To Air New Original Programming With Liam McHugh, Russ Thaler, Mike Florio and Darren Rovell As Hosts

This just in from the NBC Sports Group and I thank the fine people at its PR department for sending this press release to me. We’ve been hearing drips and drabs about Versus’ new original programming that will premiere in September. We heard about Liam McHugh hosting a college football studio show on Monday afternoons, a show headed by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and a Sports Business show to be helmed by CNBC’s Darren Rovell, plus last week, it was announced the first NFL Films-produced show, NFL Turning Point would premiere after Week 1 of the regular season.

Now, we have the official announcement of the lineups and the daily schedules of the programming. This is a huge upgrade from Versus’ other attempts to get a signature show. Under the “SportsTalk” banner, Versus will have College Football Talk and Pro Football Talk, hosted by Liam McHugh and Mike Florio, respectively, airing back to back Mondays starting at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Then from Tuesday through Thursday at 6 p.m. Eastern, you’ll have NBC SportsTalk hosted by Russ Thaler, formerly of Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, discussing various topics utilizing the men and women working under the NBC Sports Group. Wednesdays will be devoted to hockey in the second half of the NHL season.

Friday’s edition of NBC SportsTalk will be devoted to football and Florio and Sports Illustrated’s Peter King will join Thaler to talk about all things NFL.

And following NBC SportsTalk on Friday evenings will be the Darren Rovell-hosted show, CNBC SportsBiz: Game On. You got all that? Don’t worry, I have everything listed below.

NBC SPORTS GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW NIGHTLY STUDIO SHOWS FOR VERSUS

NBC SportsTalk Airs Weeknights Live at 6 p.m. ET
CNBC Sports Biz: Game On with Darren Rovell Airs Fridays at 7 p.m.
Friday Night’s Live Football Show Features Peter King and Mike Florio
NBC SportsTalk to be Hosted by Comcast SportsNet’s Russ Thaler and Include Talent from all NBC Sports Group Platforms

NEW YORK (August 31, 2011) — The NBC Sports Group today announced a block of new live studio shows for VERSUS airing on weeknights from 6-7 p.m. ET under the banner of NBC SportsTalk, NBC’s successful digital franchise on NBCSports.com that includes ProFootballTalk, HardballTalk, ProBasketballTalk, ProHockeyTalk, CollegeFootballTalk, InsidetheIrish and ProGolfTalk.

In addition to the new 6 p.m. shows, VERSUS, which will be re-branded the NBC Sports Network on January 2, will also launch a sports-business show with CNBC’s Darren Rovell, titled CNBC Sports Biz: Game On, on Friday nights at 7 p.m. ET. VERSUS’ weeknight studio block launches on Thursday, September 8, leading into NBC’s NFL Kickoff coverage, featuring the first NFL game of the season between the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers.

“NBC SportsTalk is the type of nightly, relevant programming that viewers can expect to see as we continue the re-branding process from VERSUS to the NBC Sports Network,” said Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports and VERSUS. “The live nightly shows also give us the opportunity to tap into our stable of top talent across all of our platforms to provide a unique perspective for sports fans.”

The live block of shows will focus on the sports world’s most relevant topics each night and will include NBC Sports Group talent who will not only report on sports news, but will break down the significance of that news for viewers. Mondays (ProFootballTalk with Mike Florio) and Fridays at 6 p.m. will be devoted to football, while the rest of the shows during the week will focus on the most topical sports stories.

NBC SportsTalk will be hosted by former Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic anchor Russ Thaler. He will be joined by talent from across all NBC Sports Group platforms, including Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Football Night in America and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com for the special NFL-themed show on Friday nights.

CNBC Sports Biz: Game On – Rovell’s sports business show on Friday nights will focus on the $200 billion business of professional sports, including ownership, labor, media, sponsorship, marketing, merchandise, facilities and executives.  The 30-minute show will feature segments such as: “Power Player,” where Rovell interviews sports business newsmakers; “The Scoreboard,” in which Rovell and his sideline reporter, Erin Sharoni, review the sports business winners and losers of the week; “Heavy Hitters,” in which Rovell calls up insiders to break down how one aspect of the business works.  Rovell’s more than 115,000 Twitter followers will also play an active role in the show. 

NBC SportsTalk – The 6 p.m. nightly shows will focus on various topics throughout the week with certain nights and times devoted to a single sport:

• MONDAY: Immediately following VERSUS’ newly announced College Football Talk show from 5-6 p.m. ET, the network begins the week with ProFootballTalk with Mike Florio. One of the NFL’s most influential voices, Florio will join Thaler in the studio for the hour to break down all the football news from the weekend. Once the NHL season begins, NBC SportsTalk will air from 6-6:30 p.m. ET, making way for NHL Live, the new half-hour pre-game show which begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.

• TUESDAY-THURSDAY: On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, NBC SportsTalk will break down the topics that are dominating the sports world and will enlist talent from all NBC Sports Group platforms to join Thaler, including commentators and reporters from NBC Sports, NBCSports.com, VERSUS, Golf Channel and NBC Sports Group’s 11 regional sports networks. On select Wednesday nights throughout the NHL season, the second half of the show will be dedicated solely to hockey.

• FRIDAY: NBC SportsTalk will wrap up the week with in-depth coverage of NFL news and will welcome one of sports’ most knowledgeable and respected NFL insiders, Peter King of Sports Illustrated and “Football Night in America,” to join Florio and Thaler. Additionally, Gregg Rosenthal of Rotoworld and ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com will contribute a fantasy segment each Friday.

NEW VERSUS ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING THIS FALL (all times ET):

Monday, 5-6 p.m.: College Football Talk hosted by Liam McHugh with Ross Tucker and Roland Williams
Monday, 6-7 p.m.: NBC SportsTalk/ProFootballTalk with Mike Florio (6-6:30 p.m. beginning October 10)
Monday, 6:30-7 p.m.: NHL Live (beginning October 10)
Tuesday, 6-7 p.m.: NBC SportsTalk hosted by Russ Thaler
Wednesday, 6-7 p.m.: NBC SportsTalk hosted by Russ Thaler
Thursday, 6-7 p.m.: NBC SportsTalk hosted by Russ Thaler
Thursday, 10-11 p.m.: NFL Turning Point
Friday, 6-7 p.m.: NBC SportsTalk hosted by Russ Thaler with Mike Florio and Peter King
Friday, 7-7:30 p.m.: CNBC Sports Biz: Game On hosted by Darren Rovell

There you have it.

NBC Announces Partnership with Pro Football Talk

I have a lot of links today and I have to figure out how to organize them. I have plenty of links about Blogs With Balls and various sports media links, plus you have the announcement of Matt Millen joining NFL Network for Thursday Night Football. Lots of stuff today.

Before I do any links, I’ll give you this release from NBC Sports announcing the partnership with Mike Florio’s Pro Football Talk website.

PROFOOTBALLTALK.COM MOVES TO NBCSPORTS.COM

NEW YORK – June 15, 2009 - ProFootballTalk.com (PFT) and its founder Mike Florio are joining NBCSports.com as part of a wide-ranging partnership. Mike Florio, who created the innovative, NFL-focused football blog, and Rick Cordella, General Manager, NBC Sports Digital, made the announcement today about the creation of "ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com."

The cornerstone of this multi-media alliance shifts ProFootballTalk.com to NBCSports.com, which will now be charged with PFT's hosting, sales and promotion. And NBCSports.com and NBC Sports will utilize and rely on PFT's ground breaking, 365-day/year-round coverage of the NFL.

Generally regarded as the best and most popular, independent NFL news and information site, PFT consists of 30-50, daily "News and Rumors" blog items written largely by Florio and dealing with the issues surrounding the NFL players, coaches, owners & general managers. PFT's innovative coverage summarizes news from around the NFL but it is Florio's opinionated, provocative and often humorous accounts drawn from a wide network of NFL sources that are the driving force of the blog's popularity. As part of the NBC Sports alliance, NBCSports.com's Tom Curran and Gregg Rosenthal will make editorial contributions to "PFT on NBCSports.com."

"Frequent, succinct, and immediate news and analysis, driven by rich personalities is the editorial strategy of NBCSports.com and ProFootballtalk.com is the cornerstone of that plan," said Cordella, who recently added a popular "Circling The Bases" blog on NBCSports.com that focuses on Major League Baseball.  "PFT will receive significant promotion from various NBC Sports broadcast properties and also on NBCSports.com, the sports section of MSNBC.com, and NBC's Rotoworld.com, the largest pure-play fantasy sports site on the Internet."

"We have had other opportunities over the years to partner with established businesses but the fit was never perfect," said Florio. "With NBC Sports, it is. A strong sense of unity flows from everyone we've encountered there.  Rick Cordella rolled out the welcome mat for us, and Dick Ebersol opened the front door. We hope our shoes are clean."

ProFootballTalk.com, which last year was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 50 Best Websites, has an unusual background and an unlikely career path for its founder and chief writer, Mike Florio. After earning two engineering degrees from Carnegie Mellon and later graduating from the West Virginia University School of Law, Florio founded PFT in 2001 and operates the site from his office in Clarksburg, West Virginia, his home in Bridgeport, West Virginia, and anywhere else that he can get an Internet connection.

NBC Sports is expected to utilize PFT to help supplement its NFL news and information surrounding its "NBC Sunday Night Football" coverage including "Football Night in America" pre-game show, the NBC Sports Update and Notre Dame halftime reports.

If you head over to PFT, you’ll notice two small ads one for NBC Sports in the left hand side and another for Sprint to signify the partnership. Florio explains that his site is not being bought by NBC, it’s obtained the rights to exclusive content. But Mike can now give up his law practice.

BREAKING NEWS: Pro Football Talk Bought by NBC

Developing story. The Pro Football Talk site headed up by Mike Florio has been purchased by NBC. Yes, that NBC.

Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times says terms of the deal have not been announced.

No official word from either party. When they do, I’ll have it for you.

UPDATE, 8:15 p.m. – NBCSports.com has the official word saying PFT will become part of NBC’s site on July 1.

According to the story, an official announcement will be made on Monday. In addition, NBCSports.com NFL insiders Tom Curran (formerly of the Providence Journal) and Gregg Rosenthal will make occasional contributions to Pro Football Talk.

Also, expect to see Pro Football Talk on Football Night in America. One could say Mike Florio has hit the lottery.