May 17, 2012

Notes from TNT’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coverage from New Hampshire

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Notes from TNT’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coverage from New Hampshire presented by Captain Morgan live from Loudon, N.H. – Sunday, June 27, 2010

TNT’s coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues on Saturday, July 3 with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona powered by Coca-Cola, presented in the network’s Wide Open format. Countdown to Green begins at 6:30 (ET) and the green flag will drop on the race at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

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Countdown to Green

Lindsay Czarniak (host), Kyle Petty (analyst) and Larry McReynolds (analyst)

McReynolds on whether No. 56 Martin Truex, Jr. will retaliate against No. 24 Jeff Gordon after Gordon wrecked Truex and eliminated him from the race: “Here’s the question, did Martin Truex, Jr. mean Loudon in June or did he mean Loudon in September when the Chase actually starts? I honestly believe that we will not see retaliation from Infineon this week, there’s too much on the line. You think about Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, those guys need to be focused on winning a race. You think about Martin Truex, Jr. he’s trying to get to the top 12. I saw David Ragen and Elliott Sadler, those guys are fighting for their ride. They need to focus on performance, not retaliation.”

Petty on the race dictating whether No. 56 Martin Truex, Jr. will retaliate against No. 24 Jeff Gordon: “A driver never forgets, you’ll ride a guy a little high, you won’t give him any room. You won’t see retaliation here today. If (Martin) Truex (Jr.) is running good, Jeff Gordon is the farthest thing from his mind. If Truex gets into an accident, Jeff Gordon had better be leery every time he laps his butt on the racetrack because he’s going to be laying for him.”

Dallenbach on how No. 24 Jeff Gordon’s on track demeanor against No. 56 Martin Truex, Jr. will determine how Truex responds: “That’s why Larry (McReynolds) is not a driver and I’m not a crew chief. Larry said you’ve got to focus on driving, but when you’re a race car driver you focus on getting the guy back. I think a lot of it has to do with how (Jeff) Gordon is going to race Martin (Truex, Jr.) today. If Martin gets in the back of the No. 24, I’m sure the No. 24 is going to get out of his way to give him a lot of room. If that happens you pretty much just wipe it out, you don’t think about it anymore. But if you have a problem with a guy and you come back to the racetrack and he’s jacking with you, you’re not going to wait, you’re going get it done.”

Petty on No. 47 Marcos Ambrose’s recovery from losing the Toyota/Save Mart 350 last week: “I’m going to tell you something, I was impressed with Marcos (Ambrose) this week. The interviews he gave, his line, the way he talked, the way he held himself, the way the team carried itself, they come right back here and go back out on the racetrack. Once you’re back out on the racetrack, that’s your comfortable place. So being in New Hampshire back in the car, it’s behind him now.”

No. 11 Denny Hamlin joined the TNT rig during Countdown to Green.

Hamlin on using negative press as motivation to succeed: “It’s amazing, whenever anything negative in the media is put out about us, we’ll poster it, we’ll put it up in the hauler and use it as motivation. We usually use the beginning of the year predictions when it says, ‘who will miss it,’ and our names is mentioned as going to miss it. We post it right up and use it as motivation. The knee stuff is no different. I’ve really relied on my team to pick me up over those few weeks right after that and since then our team has been on fire.”

Hamlin on having a great competitor in teammate No. 18 Kyle Busch to push him to be better: “It’s no different than the No. 24 (Jeff Gordon) and the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson). When you have a competitor like myself and Kyle (Busch) on the same team, it’s motivation. We knew right from the very first test, when he was still with Hendrick Motorsports and they let him come over and test Atlanta with the Gibbs cars, he got in his race car, (and ran) top of the chart. I was top of the chart until he got there. He showed up fastest. I went back out and topped that, and we kept going back and forth, and that’s what it takes to keep the fire in your stomach.”

McReynolds on legendary crew chief Dale Inman who was the focus of this week’s Pride of NASCAR feature: “We can talk about Richard Petty’s seven championships, we can talk about Dale Earnhardt, not to dilute their championships, but that man (Dale Inman) has eight championships. I know this year we put Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr., and three very notable drivers in the Hall of Fame, and rightfully so, but when we start putting crew chiefs and great mechanics into the Hall of Fame, that’s the man that needs to go into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, no question.”

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing: LENOX Industrial Tools 301

Announcers: Adam Alexander (play-by-play), Wally Dallenbach (analyst) and Kyle Petty (analyst); Larry McReynolds (analyst) contributes from the in-field with the TNT Offtrack Robotic Car (TORC) with Lindsay Czarniak (host)

Pit reporters: Marty Snider, Ralph Sheheen, Phil Parsons and Matt Yocum

Alexander on No. 31 Jeff Burton clearing the way for No. 24 Jeff Gordon: “It almost looked like a running back with an offensive lineman in front of him. (Jeff) Burton cleared the way and (Jeff) Gordon said I’m following you through.”

Dallenbach: “It’s good if you can follow someone who will do that. It will definitely open the door up for you if you can follow a guy like that, and Jeff Burton knows how to get through traffic, especially at this racetrack.”

Snider on his conversation with No. 47 Marcos Ambrose regarding his penalty at the end of the race in Sonoma which caused him to lose the race: “I talked to Marcos Ambrose this morning and he said, ‘listen, we had to come here with a different attitude. We had a team meeting on Tuesday and told everyone to put it behind them.’ He said, ‘it was absolutely the most devastating moment of my career, but we had to come here, relax and believe in ourselves, knowing we could run. That meant more than anything, it could have devastated us, but we weren’t going to let it.’ They came here with the right attitude and are running well here so far.”

Dallenbach on No. 47 Marcos Ambrose’s positive attitude: “(Marcos Ambrose) is one of the guys who has the best attitude in the sport right now, I don’t know if I could put it away like he put it away after what happened last week. I’d still be thinking about it.”

Petty: “After last week, I’d be staying in a hotel here (in Loudon) because I would have ripped the door off my bus when I got back to my motor coach. I could not have put it behind me.”

Petty on No. 29 Kevin Harvick: “That’s a team (No. 29) that has the big picture in mind. When you can take nothing and make something out of it, they do it week in and week out. They’ve done it this year better than any other team. There have been times I thought they were going to get lapped in the first 50 laps of the race, but you see (him at Pocono) and they finished fourth.”

Dallenbach on No. 31 Jeff Burton returning to his past form of racing well in New Hampshire: “(Jeff Burton) gets a hold of this racetrack and he is a tough guy to beat at this place. He hasn’t been a threat like he used to be, you used to come here and you had to beat Jeff Burton on this racetrack. But he looks it used to be here when he was winning all these races up here.”

Petty on bubble drivers No. 39 Ryan Newman, No. 99 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and No. 33 Clint Boyer trying to gain points: “If you’re racing against each other, trying to gain ground on each other, you don’t gain anything. Here you are 13th, 14th and 15th and here you are racing at the racetrack eighth, ninth and tenth, so you don’t really gain anything. That’s the tough part about Cup racing, it’s hard to make up those points because they are so competitive week in and week out they run the same. ”

Alexander on No. 48 Jimmie Johnson winning the race: “For all those naysayers who wondered what was wrong with Johnson, I think driver No. 48 is back.”

Dallenbach: “I never listened to what those people said anyway.”

Petty: “Back from what, seventh place in points?”

Dallenbach: “Back from the big slump.”

Petty on the Chase starting in Loudon: “This is where the Chase starts. If these guys come here now and run like they ran (today), you’ve got to take that into account and say, ‘hey, they won here in the first race, they can win here when we start the Chase.”

No. 29 Kevin Harvick, the Chase leader, on how he will approach the final few weeks before the Chase starts: “You definitely want to be solid for the next few weeks, then you can start doing some things that you normally wouldn’t do, trying some things that you normally wouldn’t try. Even now, we can be a little bit more aggressive because you do have a little bit of a cushion. But we do want to win a race or two before the Chase starts and hopefully get our winnings streak in the last 10 weeks, that’s when it all counts.”

LENOX Industrial Tools 301 Unofficial Results:

  1. No. 48 Jimmie Johnson
  2. No. 14 Tony Stewart
  3. No. 2 Kurt Busch
  4. No. 24 Jeff Gordon
  5. No. 29 Kevin Harvick
  6. No. 39 Ryan Newman
  7. No. 33 Clint Bowyer
  8. No. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
  9. No. 20 Joey Logano
  10. No. 43 A.J. Allmendinger

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Filed Under: NASCAR, TNT

“Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction” June 29-July 11: Mike & Mike from a Listener’s Home Sweepstakes & Ability to Text Donations

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

“Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction” June 29-July 11: Mike & Mike from a Listener’s Home Sweepstakes & Ability to Text Donations

Online Auction June 29-July 9; Day Long ESPN Radio On-Air Auction July 9

The sixth annual “Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction” – which will continue to feature hundreds of items and experiences for bid from Tuesday, June 29 to Friday, July 9 – will be highlighted by the debut of a sweepstakes opportunity for Mike & Mike in the Morning to originate from a fan’s home. Also, listeners will be able to donate by text messaging for the first time. Mike & Mike in the Morning is hosted by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. ET on ESPN Radio, ESPN2 HD and www.espnradio.com. Details of the auction and online items and experiences are available on espnradio.com. Net proceeds from the auction benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Mike & Mike will Broadcast from Your Home Sweepstakes

Every minimum $50 donation from June 29 to July 9 via www.espnradio.com will qualify as a single entry into the Mike & Mike will Broadcast from Your Home Sweepstakes, Presented by Coors Light with the show originating from the winner’s home or property. Fans may enter multiple times with every minimum $50 donation counting as a single entry.

Auction Cause, an independent facilitator of non-profit auctions, will oversee and manage the sweepstakes. The company will print each entry on to an individual card, place all of them into a container and draw one card on Monday, July 12. The winner will be announced on Mike & Mike in the Morning July 12 at 9 a.m.

More information on how to donate for the sweepstakes rules, including how to submit an entry without a purchase or contribution, is available at www.espnradio.com.

The past two “Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auctions” featured Mike & Mike in the Morning broadcasting from a fan’s home as an auction item with the highest bidder winning the experience. The experience raised more than $50,000 in each year.

Texting Campaign

For the first time, people wishing to contribute in the fight against cancer as part of the “Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction” can make a donation via text messages from June 29 to July 11. To participate, people will text ESPNV, a space and the dollar amount they wish to contribute to the number 27138. Following the text, the person will receive a call with a recording from Mike Greenberg providing directions on how to complete the donation via their credit card. Standard text rates will apply.

“Don’t Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction”

The majority of the more than 340 experiences and items in the auction will be available online via www.espnradio.com or www.ebay.com (June 29 to July 9) while 38 fan “experiences” will be auctioned in an 18-hour radiothon across ESPN Radio’s six national shows on Friday, July 9 beginning at 6 a.m. ET. Listeners call 1-800-4JimmyV to make bids on an item in the radiothon with the highest bidder at 59 minutes past each hour winning the experience.

The opening bid for every online auction item and experience will begin at a $1.99. Items available online include autographed jerseys, footballs, basketballs, baseballs, hats, shoes, helmets, boxing gloves and photos.

ESPN Radio and online experiences available for auction include:

  • Special access ticket packages to sporting events involving top professional and college teams as well as the Breeders’ Cup, US Open, a Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Baseball telecast, Little League World Series, and more;
  • A trip to College GameDay where the winner will hand Lee Corso a mascot head from behind the set;
  • Trips to ESPN’s headquarters to visit various shows – including Mike & Mike in the Morning, The Herd with Colin Cowherd; SportsNation, Baseball Tonight, ESPN’s college football and basketball studio coverage – or other on-campus experiences such as golfing with ESPN commentators, being a highlight producer for a day and having a child’s birthday party;
  • VIP passes to Jimmy Kimmel Live;
  • Having the headshot of a winning bidder placed on a stick positioned with the athletes and celebrities on the set of Pardon the Interruption or created into a bobblehead to be placed on the Mike & Mike in the Morning set.

Last year’s ESPN Radio “Don’t Give Up” ESPYs V Foundation Auction raised $1,035,512 for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a 415 percent increase from the inaugural event’s total of $201,000 in 2005. The event has raised more than $3,650,000 in its five years.

The event is one of Team ESPN’s corporate outreach initiatives which will coincide with the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic on July 13 and the ESPYs July 14, live on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET.

ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio is the country’s largest sports radio network, providing more than 9,000 hours of talk and event content annually to more than 750 stations, including owned stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Pittsburgh, and more than 350 full-time affiliates. ESPN Radio event programming features the NBA (and The Finals), MLB (and the World Series) and college football’s BCS (and regular-season schedule) as well as the Kentucky Derby, the USGA’s U.S. Open, and this year’s 2010 FIFA World Cup. Weekday studio programming includes: Mike and Mike in the Morning (Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic), 6-10 a.m. ET; The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; The Scott Van Pelt Show (1-4 p.m.); and The Doug Gottlieb Show (4-7 p.m.). Additionally, ESPNRadio.com is the most-listened-to sports radio destination online and most-listened-to digital audio stream in the world, with an average of more than 420,000 monthly listeners and nearly 1.9 million total sessions per month. ESPN Radio content is also available via ESPN’s more than 100 podcasts on iTunes and ESPN’s PodCenter, which are downloaded an average of more than 9.2 million times per month.

The V Foundation

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $95 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received seven consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Board. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.

Team ESPN

Team ESPN encompasses ESPN’s multi-faceted corporate outreach programs including volunteerism, corporate giving and cause marketing, while utilizing its diverse media assets. Through Team ESPN, ESPN, its employees, and its fans work together to make a difference in our world and the communities in which we work. Team ESPN… Fans Helping Fans ® www.teamespn.com.

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Filed Under: ESPN

July 4th Weekend Features ‘Hard Knocks’ Marathon On NFL Network

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

JULY 4TH WEEKEND FEATURES HARD KNOCKS MARATHON ON NFL NETWORK

NFL Network Debut of 2009 Emmy Award-Winning ‘Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals’ Sunday at 8:00 PM ET

Independence Day Marathon Features More Than 45 Hours of

NFL Films-Produced Programming

Escape the heat this 4th of July and spend some time at training camp with your favorite teams, players and coaches from the past ten years.  As part of NFL Network’s programming for the holiday weekend, the network will air a special marathon of the NFL Films-produced series Hard Knocks.  Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens from 2001 kicks off the marathon Sunday at 3:00 AM ET, followed by the 2007 Kansas City Chiefs at 9:00 AM ET and the Dallas Cowboys from 2002 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

The Emmy-award winning Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals makes its NFL Network debut Sunday, July 4th at 8:00 PM ET with episode #1 of the fifth season.  The remaining four episodes from season five will debut chronologically, with one episode per night Monday, July 5th through Thursday, July 8th, also at 8:00 PM ET.  An encore of the entire fifth season airs Sunday, July 11th beginning at 8:00 PM ET.

Hard Knocks documents the daily challenges and interactions that come with a career in professional football.  Each season focuses on a specific team, giving viewers a unique and candid glance into the lives of their favorite players and coaches.  Episodes offer a captivating behind-the-scenes look into the highs and lows of preseason training, all while displaying the superior film quality and sound of an NFL Films product.

The show has been praised as the first sports-based reality series and boasts one of the fastest turnaround times of any show of its type, with seasons premiering just weeks after training camp finishes.  Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals was the recent recipient of a Sports Emmy in 2009 for Outstanding Edited Sports Series, and two past seasons—2007 Kansas City Chiefs and 2008 Dallas Cowboys—have won Sports Emmys for their industry-leading production and composition.  Set in late summer and focused on America’s favorite sport, Hard Knocks is the perfect addition to any fan’s 4th of July weekend.

Sunday, July 4

3:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens – 2001, Episode 1

4:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens – 2001, Episode 2

5:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens – 2001, Episode 3

6:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens – 2001, Episode 4

7:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens – 2001, Episode 5

8:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens – 2001, Episode 6

9:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 1 (HD)

10:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 2 (HD)

11:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 3 (HD)

12:00 NOON ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 4 (HD)

1:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Ep. 5 (HD)

2:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2002, Episode 1

3:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2002, Episode 2

4:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2002, Episode 3

5:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2002, Episode 4

6:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2002, Episode 5

7:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2002, Episode 6

8:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 1 (HD) – NFL Network debut

9:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 1

10:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 2

11:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 3

12 MIDNIGHT ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 4

1:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 5

Monday, July 5

2:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars – 2004, Episode 1

3:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars – 2004, Episode 2

4:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars – 2004, Episode 3

5:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars – 2004, Episode 4

6:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars – 2004, Episode 5

7:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars – 2004, Episode 6

8:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 1 (HD)

9:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 2 (HD)

10:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 3 (HD)

11:00 AM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 4 (HD)

12:00 NOON ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs – 2007, Episode 5 (HD)

1:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 1

2:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 2

3:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 3

4:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 4

5:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys – 2008, Episode 5

6:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 1 (HD)

7:00 PM ET – NFL Total Access (HD)

8:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 2 (HD) – NFL Network debut

Tuesday, July 6

8:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 3 (HD) – NFL Network debut

Wednesday, July 7

8:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 4 (HD) – NFL Network debut

Thursday, July 8

8:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 5 (HD) – NFL Network debut

Sunday, July 11

8:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 1 (HD)

9:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 2 (HD)

10:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 3 (HD)

11:00 PM ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 4 (HD)

12:00 MIDNIGHT ET – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals – 2009, Episode 5 (HD)

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only network dedicated entirely to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the most popular sports league website and the exclusive internet home of NFL Network. The website has a new, enhanced video player and has recently added community features.

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Filed Under: NFL, NFLN

U.S.-Ghana: Most-Watched FIFA World Cup Game: 8.2 Rating, 14.9 Million Viewers

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

U.S.-Ghana: Most-Watched FIFA World Cup Game

8.2 Rating, 14.9 Million Viewers for Team USA’s Round of 16 Match

Saturday’s United States-Ghana match on ABC – a 2-1 U.S. loss in extra time, which eliminated the Americans from the tournament – is the most-watched FIFA World Cup game among households and viewers. The 2.5 hour match window (2:30-5:12 p.m. ET) averaged an 8.2 rating, 9,455,000 households, and 14,863,000 viewers, based on fast nationals.

The U.S.-Ghana game ranks as the most-watched Men’s World Cup game ever, with only the 1999 Women’s Final (U.S.-China) averaging more households and viewers for a soccer game (11,307,000 households and 17,975,000 viewers).  Additionally, the match ranks as the third highest-rated Men’s World Cup game on record, behind two matches in 1994 – 9.3 rating (U.S.-Brazil, Quarterfinal, 7/4/94) and 9.5 rating (Italy-Brazil, Final, 7/17/94). The 1999 Women’s World Cup Final (U.S.-China) also delivered an 11.4 rating.

The U.S.-Ghana match represents increases of 11% in ratings (vs. 7.4) and 13% in viewership (vs. 13,130,000) from ABC’s highly-anticipated U.S.-England World Cup game on June 12, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The entire three-hour telecast (2-5:12 p.m.) — including 30 minutes of pre-match coverage – delivered a 7.5 household rating, 8,649,000 households, and 13,505,000 viewers.

San Diego was the top market for yesterday’s Team USA game, delivering a 15.4 rating. San Diego was the top market for all three previous U.S. matches – vs. England (11.5, ABC), vs. Slovenia (8.5, ESPN) and vs. Algeria (8.9, ESPN).  Rounding out the top 10 for Saturday’s match were Washington, D.C. (13.8), San Francisco (13.3), Cincinnati (12.9), Las Vegas (11.7), Austin (11.4), Columbus, Ohio (10.6), Norfolk, Va. (10.6), Seattle-Tacoma (10.6) and West Palm Beach (10.5).

Also, ESPN’s Uruguay-South Korea Round of 16 match on Saturday morning delivered a 2.5 coverage rating (2.2 U.S. rating), 2,513,000 households, and 3,246,000 viewers.

Through 50 games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the ESPN networks (ESPN/ESPN2/ABC) are averaging a 1.8 U.S. rating, 2,081,000 households, and 2,781,000 viewers.  The rating is up 48% from 2006 (1.2), while household impressions are up 54% (from 1,349,000) and viewers are up 60% (from 1,740,000). (Note: Ratings and viewership numbers are based on the specific match windows, not including pre-match studio coverage.)

The 2010 FIFA World Cup continues with Round of 16 elimination matches through Tuesday, June 29, followed by quarterfinal games starting Friday, July 2, on ESPN and ABC. Coverage is also available on ESPN3.com, ESPN Radio, ESPN 3D, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN Deportes.

ESPN Inc.’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Coverage in the United States

South Africa 2010 is ESPN’s seventh 2010 FIFA World Cup and coverage of the event is the most comprehensive in company history. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will air all 64 matches live and in high definition. ESPN3.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network available in more than 50 million homes, will feature live English-language simulcasts of matches on ESPN and ESPN2. ESPN 3D will feature 25 matches.  ESPN Mobile TV will show all matches. ESPN Deportes, the Spanish-language all sports network, will air more than 50 matches in Portuguese live in the U.S., and ESPN Radio will broadcast all 64 matches. Additionally, ESPN will present television studio programming from site in South Africa, offering U.S. sports fans the most comprehensive news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase.

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Filed Under: ABC, ESPN, FIFA, Ratings, Soccer

HBO Sports documentary “Lombardi” debuts in December

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

HBO SPORTS® AND NFL FILMS EXAMINE THE LIFE OF FOOTBALL’S

GREATEST COACH IN LOMBARDI, DEBUTING DEC. 11, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

NEW YORK, June 28, 2010 – The Emmy®-winning combination of HBO Sports and NFL Films will explore the fascinating career and life of football’s most revered coach in LOMBARDI, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports.  The documentary debuts SATURDAY, DEC. 11 in prime time, exclusively on HBO.

“Vince Lombardi lived a remarkable life,” said Greenburg.  “There isn’t a football fan alive who has not heard of Vince or does not know his famous line, ‘Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,’ but how much do people really know about this complicated genius?  We plan to peel back the layers for a biography that will serve as the definitive account of an NFL icon.”

“A philosopher once defined a great man as someone who never reminds us of anyone else.  Few men can match that criteria – Lombardi is one of them,” says NFL Films president Steve Sabol.  “He is the patron saint of pro football, and we are thrilled to once again partner with HBO in telling such a significant story.”

Born in Brooklyn in 1913, Vince Lombardi received a football scholarship to the Bronx’s nationally ranked Fordham University in 1933.  An undersized guard, his notorious grit and determination enabled him to play a key role as one of Fordham’s “Seven Blocks of Granite.”

Following his college football career, Lombardi became an assistant at the football powerhouse U.S. Military Academy.  After five years at West Point under legendary head coach Col. Earl “Red” Blaik, he broke into the NFL with the New York Giants in a position similar to today’s offensive coordinator role.  In his third year with the team, Lombardi, along with defensive coordinator Tom Landry, contributed to the Giants’ 1956 league championship run.

In a move that would alter the NFL landscape, Lombardi became head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers in 1959, inheriting a team that had just compiled the worst record in Packers history (1-10-1).  Employing an incredibly effective combination of grueling conditioning regimens and motivational philosophy, he earned the respect of his team and won the 1959 Coach of the Year Award.  Lombardi led the Packers to NFL championships in 1961 and 1962, followed by an unprecedented three consecutive NFL championships from 1965 to 1967, and won the first two Super Bowls, against Kansas City and Oakland, in 1966 and 1967.

On his way to becoming a coaching legend, Lombardi stamped the game with his famous “Packer power sweep,” a strategy that dominated pro football for a decade.  More than any other football figure, he came to define athletic excellence and a single-minded dedication that made his name synonymous with winning at all costs, often at the price of personal relationships.

Featured interviews in LOMBARDI include:  Lombardi’s son, Vince Lombardi Jr.; daughter Susan Lombardi; brother Harold Lombardi; former players, including New York Giants Sam Huff and Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, Green Bay Packers Willie Davis, Jerry Kramer and Hall of Famer Bart Starr, and Washington Redskins Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen; broadcaster John Madden; biographer David Maraniss; and writer Jerry Izenberg.

While with the Washington Redskins organization, Lombardi died of cancer at age 57 on Sept. 3, 1970.  He is buried next to his parents and wife Marie in Middletown Township, NJ.

HBO Sports and NFL Films have a long history of acclaimed co-productions, including 2004’s “The Wild Ride to Super Bowl I” and the groundbreaking Emmy®-winning NFL training camp reality series “Hard Knocks,” which launches its sixth season Aug. 11 on HBO.

The executive producers of LOMBARDI are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein for HBO Sports and Steve Sabol for NFL Films; produced by Joseph M. Lavine for HBO Sports and Keith Cossrow for NFL Films; Liev Schreiber will narrate; music composed by Dave Robidoux of NFL Films; editor, Bill McCullough.

Filed Under: HBO, NFL

ESPN / ESPN Radio FIFA World Cup Commentator Assignments for Round of 16

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ESPN and ESPN Radio FIFA World Cup Commentator Assignments for Round of 16

ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa continues Saturday, June 26, through Tuesday, June 29 with the Round of 16 matches. The second phase of the tournament begins daily on ESPN at 9:30 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. – with Saturday and Sunday afternoon matches on ABC. Commentator assignments:

2nd Stage – Round of 16

Date Time (ET) Network Matchup Site
Sat., June 26 9:30 a.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com

ESPN Radio

 Uruguay (A1) vs. South Korea (B2)

Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe

Glenn Davis and Kyle Martino

 Port Elizabeth
2 p.m. ABC

ESPN Radio

 United States (C1) vs. Ghana (D2)

Ian Darke and John Harkes

Studio (on-site):

Mike Tirico, Alexi Lalas, and Jeremy Schaap

JP Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth

 Rustenburg
Sun., June 27 9:30 a.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com

ESPN Radio

 Germany (D1) vs. England (C2)

Martin Tyler and Efan Ekoku

Dellacamera and Smyth

 Bloemfontein
2 p.m. ABC/ESPN 3D

ESPN Radio

 Argentina (B1) vs. Mexico (A2)

Darke and Harkes

Ross Dyer and Shep Messing

 Johannesburg
Mon., June 28 9:30 a.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D

ESPN Radio

 Netherlands (E1) vs. Slovakia (F2)

Derek Rae and Ally McCoist

Davis and Martino

 Durban
2 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D

ESPN Radio

 Brazil (G1) vs. Chile (H2)

Tyler and Ekoku

Dellacamera and Smyth

 Johannesburg
Tues.,  June 29 9:30 a.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com

ESPN Radio

 Paraguay (F1) vs. Japan (E2)

Darke and Harkes

Davis and Martino

 Pretoria
2 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com

ESPN Radio

 Spain (H1) vs. Portugal (G2)

Tyler and Ekoku

Dellacamera and Smyth

 Cape Town

Quarterfinals

Fri.,

July 2

 9:30 a.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio Netherlands-Slovakia Winner vs. Brazil-Chile Winner A Port Elizabeth
2 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio Uruguay-South Korea Winner vs. U.S.-Ghana Winner B Johannesburg
Sat.,

July 3

 9:30 a.m. ABC/ESPN 3D/

ESPN Radio

 Argentina-Mexico Winner vs. Germany-England Winner C Cape Town
2 p.m. ABC/ESPN 3D/

ESPN Radio

 Paraguay-Japan Winner vs. Spain-Portugal Winner D Johannesburg

Semifinals

Tues.,

July 6

 2 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio Winners A vs. C E Cape Town
Wed.,

July 7

 2 p.m. ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio Winners B vs. D F Durban

Third Place Match

Sat.,

July 10

 2 p.m. ABC/ESPN 3D/

ESPN Radio

 Losers – E vs. F Port Elizabeth

2010 FIFA World Cup Title Match

Sun., July 11 1:30 p.m. ABC/ESPN 3D/

ESPN Radio

 Winners – E vs. F Johannesburg

ESPN at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

South Africa 2010 will be ESPN’s seventh FIFA World Cup and coverage of the event promises to be the most comprehensive in company history.  ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will air all 64 matches live and in high definition, and more than 50 matches will be televised live in Portuguese on ESPN Deportes. Additionally,  ESPN3.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network, will offer simulcasts of all matches on ESPN and ESPN2; ESPN 3D, which launches June 11, will televise 25 matches; ESPN Radio will broadcast all 64 matches in English and provide additional multi-language match coverage; and ESPN’s mobile platforms will provide coverage of all 64 matches. ESPN will present 2010 FIFA World Cup television studio programming from site in South Africa, offering U.S. sports fans the most comprehensive news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase.  Studio coverage will include SportsCenter segments, a nightly World Cup Live program, and pre, halftime and post-match shows, with additional studio programming and World Cup-branded segments, totaling more than 65 hours of coverage, originating from two sets in and around Johannesburg. ESPN International is also a FIFA World Cup rights-holder in Brazil and in the Indian Sub-continent and will provide extensive news and information coverage around the world.

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Filed Under: ESPN, FIFA, Soccer

AL Central First-Place Twins Take on Rays on Thursday Night Baseball on MLB Network

June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

AL Central First-Place Minnesota Twins Take on Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday Night Baseball During MLB Network’s Game Schedule for June 28 – July 3

Schedule features AL East first-place New York Yankees against Seattle Mariners on

MLB Matinee and surging Chicago White Sox at AL West first-place Texas Rangers on Saturday Night Baseball

Secaucus, N.J., June 28, 2010 – The AL Central first-place Minnesota Twins host the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday Night Baseball on July 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET, part of MLB Network’s live game schedule for June 28 – July 3. MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian and Joe Magrane will call the game live from Target Field, the new home of the Twins, for MLB Network’s first game telecast from the ballpark.

MLB Network will feature two editions of MLB Matinee during the week, starting with the Philadelphia Phillies with their ace pitcher Roy Halladay scheduled to pitch against the NL Central first-place Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, June 30 at 12:30 p.m. ET.  The game, which will be a simulcast of CSN Philadelphia’s telecast, will be available on MLB Network in the Reds’ home television territory. The AL East first-place New York Yankees, with a 25-10 home record, match up against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday July 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Yankees ace CC Sabathia, going for his sixth straight win, is scheduled to pitch opposite the Mariners’ Ryan Rowland Smith.

Rounding out the week, the St. Louis Cardinals face the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, July 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Viewers in select markets will see the San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies at 8:00 p.m. ET with Tim Lincecum scheduled to take the mound for the Giants against the Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin. Saturday Night Baseball features the Chicago White Sox visiting the AL West first-place Texas Rangers, who are 28-12 at home, on July 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Select markets will see the third game of the San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies series at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Today at 1:00 p.m. ET, MLB Network features Minor League Baseball with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Triple-A – Philadelphia Phillies) taking on the Durham Bulls (Triple-A – Tampa Bay Rays), featuring Bulls’ All-Star outfielder Desmond Jennings. The Minor League action continues when the Bakersfield Blaze (Single-A Advanced – Oakland Athletics) match up against the Stockton Ports (Single-A Advanced – Texas Rangers) on June 29 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

MLB Tonight, MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning signature nightly studio show with look-ins at live games, will air live at 5:30 p.m. ET on June 28, 29 and July 2 as well as after the MLB Matinee games on June 30 and July 1. MLB Tonight will also air on Sunday, July 4 at 5:00 p.m. ET, followed by Quick Pitch at 7:00 p.m. ET and Plays of the Month at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Game telecasts other than Thursday Night Baseball will be carriage of local telecasts, including local announcers, and games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts in most markets will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.

MLB Network’s June 28 – July 3 live game schedule:

All times ET and subject to change, check MLBNetwork.com for updates

Unless otherwise announced, games will be blacked out in each club’s home television territory

Date               Time               Game

June 28         1:00 p.m.      Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Durham Bulls (MiLB)

June 29         2:00 p.m.      Bakersfield Blaze at Stockton Ports (MiLB)

June 30         12:30 p.m.    Philadelphia at Cincinnati (available in Reds market)

July 1           1:00 p.m.       Seattle at New York Yankees

8:00 p.m.*     Thursday Night Baseball: Tampa Bay at Minnesota

8:30 p.m.      San Francisco at Colorado (only in Rays and Twins markets)

July 2            8:00 p.m.      Milwaukee at St. Louis

8:00 p.m.      San Francisco at Colorado (in select markets)

July 3            8:00 p.m.      Chicago White Sox at Texas

8:00 p.m.      San Francisco at Colorado (in select markets)

MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 as the largest debut in cable television history and is currently available in approximately 55 million cable, telco TV and satellite homes. In its inaugural year, MLB Network was honored with four Sports Emmy Awards and 12 nominations by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. With live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to www.MLBNetwork.com. www.Facebook.com/MLBNetwork www.Twitter.com/MLBNetwork

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Filed Under: MLB, MLBN

Mike Pereira Joins FOX Sports as NFL Rules Analyst

June 29, 2010 By 3 Comments

MIKE PEREIRA JOINS FOX SPORTS AS NFL RULES ANALYST

NFL’s Former VP of Officiating to Contribute On-Air, Online and on Radio

NEW YORK – It’s official!

Already in position to boast the world’s best NFL game broadcasts, studio analysis and Internet coverage, FOX Sports now goes deep to add the sharpest mind available on NFL officiating. Mike Pereira, the NFL’s former vice president of officiating, today becomes the newest member of the FOX Sports team serving as a multi-platform NFL rules analyst.

Each Sunday, Pereira, who retired after the 2009 NFL season, will be situated in his own control room at the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles, giving him visual access to all games played.  If circumstances warrant a rules interpretation or explanation, he’ll be available to interact with FOX NFL SUNDAY studio personalities, or communicate with NFL on FOX game crews at stadiums across the country, either on- or off-camera.  Additionally, NFL fans will have the opportunity to ask Pereira questions via live chat on FOXSports.com.  Assisting him to monitor all Sunday game action will be a team of Los Angeles-area football referees, each assigned to a different game.

“We feel that we have the strongest lineup of NFL studio analysts, game analysts and Internet coverage and today that lineup gets even stronger with the addition of Mike,” said FOX Sports President Eric Shanks.  “His tremendous experience and knowledge of the NFL’s rules are second-to-none and we are thrilled to add him as an incredible resource to our coverage.”

“I always appreciated the fact that FOX Sports made a tremendous effort to know the rules and incorporate that into their broadcasts,” said Pereira.  “To now join the network is a tremendous honor and my goal is to help fans learn the rules and understand the philosophies behind them.   I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

In addition to his responsibilities on Sundays, Pereira will be a regular guest on FOX Sports Radio’s national lineup and pen a weekly column titled “Under Review” for FOXSports.com. “Under Review” will debut after week one and will rank the 10 most impactful calls made during the previous week’s games.

“Adding an expert of Mike Pereira’s stature reflects our mission to acquire the best talent possible,” said Stephen Miller, Managing Editor for FOXSports.com.  “Fans will constantly question the calls made on the field by NFL officials. But to truly question the authority, fans need to know the authority. Mike will help them do that.”

Pereira has been involved with the game of football dating back to 1982 when he was an NCAA Division 1 official.  Pereira spent 14 years officiating college football beginning with nine years in the Big West Conference (1982-91) followed by five years in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) (1992-96).  During that time, Pereira officiated eight post season Bowl Games including the Aloha Bowl and Cotton Bowl twice each, Citrus Bowl, Gator Bowl, Holiday Bowl and Freedom Bowl.  Pereira made the jump to the NFL as a sideline judge in 1996 while also holding the title of supervisor of officials for the WAC. After two years patrolling the sidelines in the NFL and overseeing WAC officiating, Pereira was promoted to NFL supervisor of officiating in 1998. In 2001 Pereira became director of officiating for the NFL and then was promoted to vice president of NFL officiating in 2004. He spent a total of 14 years with the NFL.

Pereira was born and raised in Stockton, Calif. and graduated from Santa Clara University in 1972 with a B.A. in Finance. Pereira now lives in Sacramento with his wife Gail.

– FOX SPORTS –

Filed Under: FOX, NFL

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Continues with an Interleague Match-up Featuring the Detroit Tigers @ Atlanta Braves

June 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Continues with an Interleague Match-up Featuring the Detroit Tigers @ Atlanta Braves

Justin Verlander of the Tigers scheduled to face Tommy Hanson of the Braves

“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues on June 27 with an interleague match-up when Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers visit Jason Heyward and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field at 1:30 p.m. (ET).  Justin Verlander is scheduled to pitch for the Tigers against the Braves’ probable starter Tommy Hanson.  Steve Physioc (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and David Wells (analyst) will call the action.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” includes match-ups on TBS every Sunday afternoon throughout the regular season.  The network will also exclusively televise the MLB All-Star Selection Show on Sunday, July 4 at 12 p.m. (ET).  Additionally, beginning in October TBS will once again provide exclusive coverage of the Division Series and the American League Championship Series (ALCS).

TBS has broadcast MLB coverage for more than 30 years serving as the exclusive home of the MLB Division Series (DS) and one League Championship Series (LCS) since 2007 and home of Atlanta Braves coverage from 1977 to 2007.

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS SCHEDULE:

DAY/DATE

TIME (ET)             EVENT

Sun., June 27

1:30 p.m.                     Detroit Tigers @ Atlanta Braves

Announcers: Steve Physioc (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and David Wells (analyst)

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Sun., July 4

12 p.m.                        MLB All-Star Selection Show Presented by Taco Bell

Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley (analyst), Cal Ripken (analyst) and David Wells (analyst)

1 p.m.                      Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankees

Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst)

Sun., July 11

1 p.m.                          Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets

Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst)

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Filed Under: MLB, TBS

ESPN 2010 FIFA World Cup Conference Call Replay with Executive Producer Jed Drake and Studio Analysts Steve McManaman and Alexi Lalas

June 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ESPN 2010 FIFA World Cup Conference Call Replay with Executive Producer Jed Drake and Studio Analysts Steve McManaman and Alexi Lalas

On Thursday, June 24, ESPN conducted a media conference call with executive producer Jed Drake and studio analysts Steve McManaman and Alexi Lalas to discuss its coverage of the tournament (June 11 – July 11), U.S. Team’s advancement to Saturday’s round of 16 match against Ghana (ABC at 2 p.m. ET) and other 2010 FIFA World Cup storylines from South Africa.  Select comments:

On what ESPN would do differently if given full production control (vs. world feed)…

Drake: “I’m not sure that I would do anything differently. I think the world feed coverage that HBS has provided us here has been arguably the best world feed that I’ve ever seen.  This is the same group that did 2006 and they brought in people who really understand the sport, that being their camera people and directors…Their primary responsibility is to document the event and that means that the special shots and storylines that are more towards individual styles has to be wiped off the slate.  These guys do have to document the event and I really do believe they’ve done an exceptional job.”

On the U.S. performance in the World Cup and how the drama on the field has captured the American audience…

Drake: “As Ian Darke (play-by-play announcer) said at the conclusion of yesterday’s (U.S.) game, you wouldn’t dare write this script.  It’s remarkable the level of drama in each match. The calls that have been made by officials have obviously heightened that…It’s the ultimate trail ride these guys are giving us. There hasn’t been an easy match, obviously.  Yesterday I said, wouldn’t it be nice if we got out to a three goal lead in the first half and coast into this thing, but in hindsight, if you can stomach the drama it is the ultimate thrill ride.”

On the importance of US team winning their group…

McManaman: “It’s a huge deal that they won their group. As much as the World Cup is a very difficult tournament, they’ve avoided Germany and they’ve got an inexperienced team with Ghana. If they go on to beat Ghana, they are going to play either Uruguay or South Korea, avoiding Argentina…It’s vitally important that they top the group…In the world, I think American team is highly respected.  They’re fit, they’re strong, and they’re well-organized. Even though they’ve let in some early goals, the fact that they’ve fought back shows that they (U.S.) are a team to be reckoned with.”

On the U.S. vs. Ghana match Saturday (ABC at 2 p.m. ET)…

McManaman: “It is a very young Ghanaian team. Physically very strong and quick, but slightly inexperienced…I certainly think there are reasons and ways to exploit their defense and no doubt Bob Bradley and the team is sitting down analyzing last night’s (Ghana) game saying, look, this is what they do, this is where they come out.  Equally defensively, the U.S. have to be organized.  The Ghanaians will make chances and they will make more chances and they will make more chances than the Algerians did yesterday.”

Lalas: “I think if the U.S. gets into a physical battle with Ghana they will come out on the losing end.  This is a game where the compactness and the tactical part of the U.S. and that experience that they have in terms of the individuals and the team is going to win the day.  As far as defense is concerned, when you change your back four, it takes time to understand how to work together…it will be interesting to see what Bob does defensively to cope with that.  When you talk about tactics it all starts with your back four …This is a wonderful opportunity for the U.S. to combine all those things I talked about and ultimately to win the game in terms of their tactical proficiency.”

On how luck and team resolve factor into winning a match…

McManaman: “I think it’s a bit of both.  Certainly last night’s (U.S.) game, you could see the effort they were putting in and you knew they would play to the final whistle.  They’ve got a very good record of scoring goals late in the game, so you always knew they would try and try. Likewise, I think the way they got a little bit of luck at the end of the game because Algeria needed to win the game as well, they needed to score.  If you see the goal, the Landon Donovan goal, the Algerian team attacked in numbers.  You can see they took a chance, they gambled.  They put too many people forward, trying to score the winning goal; therefore they were outnumbered in the back, 4-2.  A lot of credit goes to Tim Howard’s quick thinking.  His save from the goal…As much as the Americans have certainly earned their right to go through and qualify and be top of the group, I certainly think with every team, if you’re going to win this competition, if you’re going to go far in this competition, you certainly need a tiny bit of luck.”

Lalas: “Every team needs a little bit of luck whether you’re Brazil or the United States…Mentally, this (U.S.) team believes they can beat anybody and win under any circumstances.  A uniquely American type of trait in all of our sports and I think that’s been there many, many years, they’ve just been able to couple that now with experienced individuals…Physical fitness of US players – it’s all fine and well to talk about what you want to do but to have the tools to do it.  Ultimately the tools are your mind and your body…This is a very physically fit team. To have four guys bomb up the field for 70 yards and finish that off is a testament to Bob Bradley and his staff…This is a game that requires physical stamina.  Their ability to come back, some of it is in part, because they have the physical capabilities and capacity to get better and get stronger as other teams fade as the game goes on.  I don’t think it’s a surprise to the team themselves or the coaching staff.”

On the most compelling storylines from the World Cup…

McManaman: “The fact that France is knocked out and Italy quickly followed.  Four years ago these were the finalists.  These were the best teams in the world. Yet four years later, they are effectively one of the poorest nations certainly futbol wise.  Likewise, when you look at the teams like New Zealand – minnows in this competition – Australia – have all done themselves proud…The futbol nations are all getting a little bit closer and that’s fantastic to see.  We’ve got wonderful players out there who are always going to be the best, but put them against a well organized, well-constructed team and they can get results.  That’s a credit to the smaller nations.

Lalas: “Dominance of South America – in terms of what they’ve done here and how it relates often to the incredibly arduous qualification process they have…At a time when we’re questioning what it means to players and big players to play for their national team, South American teams have shown that not only have stars but represent country and play well…Literally the only European power that’s cruised is the Netherlands.  All of the big boys have had trouble through the group phase including Spain, and we just saw what happened to Italy.  Before the World Cup began we pointed out the possibility with European teams coming down with climate and doing really well, so that’s been a story, and to a certain extent, a surprise.”

On the selection of play-by-play announcers and analyst for each game…

Drake: Martin (Tyler) is calling the final.  We look at the matches that now become actual matches on the schedule as opposed to hypotheticals.  As it relates to this weekend, when Germany qualified to the knockout round last night and ultimately then would play England, Martin and I had a chat about it and he really wanted to do the England game and we wanted him to do it.  Ian (Darke) has done a tremendous job on the U.S. games, the two that he has done. Don’t forget Martin did a fantastic job on the first game…I’m going to lack humility for a second, our strategy with these announcers has really paid off and America has really warmed up to them.”

On a moment of pride as ESPN’s executive producer for the World Cup…
Drake: “I’m very proud of the entire team…I am really proud of the camaraderie and spirit.  It’s an amazing group of people with different backgrounds, countries and cultures, by design.  As a result, we’ve really bonded together as a team…I always say, the mark of a really great production is that you feel really empty when it is over.  More and more now, I’m quite certain that I’m going to feel empty when this one is over. We are really enjoying what we’re doing and committed to it.”

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Filed Under: ESPN, FIFA, Soccer
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