Archives for February 2011

ESPN’s New Sunday Night Baseball Team to Debut March 3

February 28, 2011 By admin

ESPN’s New Sunday Night Baseball Team to Debut March 3

New Monday & Wednesday Night Baseball & ESPN Radio Squads Also to Debut During Spring Training

ESPN’s new Sunday Night Baseball team, comprised of play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman and analysts Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine, will debut Thursday, March 3, at 1 p.m. ET, when the Atlanta Braves host the Detroit Tigers in a Spring Training game at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. Shulman, Hershiser and Valentine will also provide commentary for a contest between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox on Monday, March 14, at 7 p.m. from Ft. Myers, Fla.

ESPN’s new Monday Night Baseball team – Sean McDonough and analysts Rick Sutcliffe and Aaron Boone – will provide commentary for Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs on Thursday, March 24, at 5 p.m. from Mesa, Ariz.; the Cubs vs. Texas Rangers on Saturday, March 26, at 4 p.m. from Surprise, Ariz.; and the Tigers vs. Yankees on Tuesday, March 29, at 1 p.m. from Tampa, Fla.

Dave O’Brien and analyst Nomar Garciaparra, ESPN’s new Wednesday Night Baseball duo, will call two matchups: Red Sox vs. Braves on Wednesday, March 16, at 1 p.m. from Orlando, Fla.; New York Mets at St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, March 23, at 1 p.m. from Jupiter, Fla.

ESPN Radio’s new Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team – Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton – will call the Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, March 24, at 1 p.m. from Clearwater, Fla.

Additionally, Baseball Tonight’s Karl Ravech and analyst John Kruk will provide commentary for a pair of games – Red Sox vs. Phillies on Monday, March 21, at 1 p.m. from Clearwater, Fla., and Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, March 22, at 1 p.m. from Sarasota, Fla.

ESPN’s Spring Training telecasts will also be available on ESPN3.com. ESPN’s Spring Training schedule with commentator assignments:

Date	Time (ET)	Teams	Network
Thu, March 3	1 p.m.	Detroit vs. Atlanta Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Bobby Valentine, Buster Olney	ESPN
Mon, March 14	7 p.m.	N.Y. Yankees vs. Boston Shulman, Hershiser, Valentine, Olney	ESPN2
Wed, March 16	1 p.m.	Boston vs. Atlanta Dave O’Brien, Nomar Garciaparra, Olney	ESPN
Mon, March 21	1 p.m.	Boston vs. Philadelphia Karl Ravech, John Kruk, Wendi Nix	ESPN
Tue, March 22	1 p.m.	N.Y. Yankees vs. Baltimore Ravech, Kruk, Nix	ESPN
Wed, March 23	1 p.m.	N.Y. Mets vs. St. Louis O’Brien, Garciaparra, Tim Kurkjian	ESPN
Thu, March 24	5 p.m.	Chicago White Sox vs. Cubs Sean McDonough, Rick Sutcliffe, Aaron Boone, Pedro Gomez	ESPN2
Fri, March 25	1 p.m.	Atlanta vs. Philadelphia Jon Sciambi, Chris Singleton, Kurkjian	ESPN
Sat, March 26	4 p.m.	Chicago Cubs vs. Texas McDonough, Sutcliffe, Boone, Gomez	ESPN2
Tue, March 29	1 p.m.	Detroit vs. N.Y. Yankees McDonough, Sutcliffe, Boone, Olney	ESPN

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Fans Select New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic for NBA TV’s Fan Night on Tuesday, Mar. 1

February 25, 2011 By admin

Fans Select New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic for NBA TV’s Fan Night on Tuesday, Mar. 1

NBA TV to televise first NBA regular-season games to be played in Europe Friday Mar. 4 and Saturday, Mar. 5

The fans have spoken with a resounding 85-percent of the fan vote on NBA.com and have chosen recently acquired forward Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks taking on Eastern Conference rivals and Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic for NBA TV’s Tuesday Fan Night. The game will air on Tues., Mar. 1 at 7:00 p.m. (ET) with host Matt Winer and analysts Kevin McHale and Steve Smith on-hand for studio coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. (ET).

Fan Night voting will continue on nba.com/nbatv/fannight from Tues., Mar.1 (8 a.m. ET) – Mar. 3 (Midnight ET) as fans select the match-up for Tues., Mar. 8 between:

· Golden State Warriors @ Cleveland Cavaliers
· Philadelphia 76ers @ Indiana Pacers
· Milwaukee Bucks @ Washington Wizards
· Portland TrailBlazers @ Miami Heat
· Houston Rockets @ Phoenix Suns

This week, NBA TV will televise the first NBA regular-season games to be played in Europe at The 02 arena in London on Friday, Mar. 4 and Saturday, Mar. 5 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) as part of NBA Games – London 2011. NBA.com’s Sekou Smith will provide pre and post game updates via Skype from the games.

Fans can stay connected to the latest NBA action every Tuesday with The Jump, a live, interactive show designed for the ultimate NBA fan. Fans can submit questions and comments via NBA.com, Facebook or Twitter. Host Kyle Montgomery, analyst Dennis Scott, Kevin McHale and ‘chat-master’ Sekou Smith will respond and give their comments and analysis on everything happening around the league. The show will stream live on Mar. 1 at 1 p.m. (ET) on NBA.com and air at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on NBA TV.

The Beat returns this week to prep fans for the upcoming trade deadline with news and storylines across the league with host Marc Fein, regular contributors David Aldridge, SLAM’s Lang Whitaker as well as reporters from across the country. The Beat airs Mar. 1 at 6:00 p.m. (ET).

NBA TV GAMES OF THE WEEK:

FEBRUARY 28– MARCH 5

NBA TV SCHEDULE (all times ET: FEB. 28 – MAR. 6
MONDAY, FEB. 28
9:00 – 11:00 p.m.	NBA Regular Season: Boston Celtics @ Utah Jazz	Local Announcers
TUESDAY, MAR. 1 Fan Night
7:00 – 9:30 p.m.	NBA Regular Season: New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic	Matt Winer, Kevin McHale and Steve Smith
WEDNESDAY, MAR. 2
7:00 – 9:30 p.m.	NBA Regular Season: New Orleans Hornets @ New York Knicks	Local Announcers
10:30 p.m – 1:00 a.m	NBA Regular Season: Houston Rockets @ LA Clippers	Local Announcers
FRIDAY, MAR. 4
3:00 – 5:00 p.m	NBA Regular Season: Toronto Raptors vs. New Jersey (London, England)	Local Announcers
SATURDAY, MAR. 5
3:00 – 5:00 p.m	NBA Regular Season: Toronto Raptors vs. New Jersey (London, England)	Local Announcers

NBA Digital is the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly managed by the NBA and Turner Sports. This robust offering includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised and online sports programming. With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, the NBA, Major League Baseball, professional golf, PGATOUR.COM and PGA.com. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA League Pass, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com

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Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Engages Fans Across All Platforms – Third Successful Big Event For League In 51 Days

February 25, 2011 By admin

TIM HORTONS NHL HERITAGE CLASSIC ENGAGES FANS ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS –
THIRD SUCCESSFUL BIG EVENT FOR LEAGUE IN 51 DAYS

Outdoor Game in Calgary Attracts More Than 2 Million Viewers to CBC; RDS Audience Peaks at 1.6 Million

NHL Heritage Classic Hands VERSUS its 4th-Largest NHL Telecast Ever

Event Drives Record Sponsorship Revenue Plus Substantial Merchandise Sales

“Hockey Day in America” Earns Best Viewership for NBC in Five Years

“Sunday’s Heritage Classic proved that, until further notice, you can’t get enough of a good thing.” – ESPN.com

NEW YORK (February 25, 2011) – The Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™, one of the cornerstones of the NHL’s big event strategy, continued the League’s business momentum while driving substantial growth and fan engagement on North American television, via digital platforms such as NHL.com, through social media platforms like Twitter, at retail outlets and at a sold-out McMahon Stadium in Calgary. The NHL Heritage Classic also set an NHL event record for both total sponsorship revenue and activation, surpassing the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®.

Other highlights included the event delivering the fourth-largest audience ever for an NHL game on VERSUS in the U.S. at that time and big audiences for CBC and RDS. The NHL Heritage Classic led NHL.com to its best Sunday performance of the season and was the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter in Canada. Additionally, merchandise sales for the outdoor game were the third-largest in history for an NHL event.

“The Heritage Classic was a tremendous triumph for the NHL and it was gratifying to see our fans and the business community embrace the event so enthusiastically,” said NHL COO John Collins. “Our big event strategy is activating our fan base like never before, while helping the League achieve five straight years of revenue growth. Delivering our third successful major event in just 51 days is a great way to lead into the stretch run of the season and our ultimate event, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. ”

CBC, RDS ENJOY STRONG BROADCAST IN CANADA
The CBC broadcast of the NHL Heritage Classic averaged 2.078 million viewers, up 7 percent over its season average of 1.936 million for HNIC early telecasts. Viewership for this year’s NHL Heritage Classic game on CBC peaked at 2.9 million viewers, while French language RDS peaked at 1.6 million viewers.

U.S. VIEWERS DEMONSTRATE DEMAND FOR OUTDOOR NHL HOCKEY
Capping off a full day of televised hockey with “Hockey Day in America” on NBC, the
NHL Heritage Classic on VERSUS Sunday night averaged 608,000 viewers, which at that time made it the fourth-most-watched regular-season game in the network’s history. The game, which peaked at more than 700,000 viewers between 7-7:15 p.m. ET, was the most-watched regular-season game between two Canadian teams on U.S. cable since NHL viewership became available by Nielsen in the 1993-94 season. The 608,000 viewers also marks a 95 percent increase from the 2010-11 NHL regular-season average on VERSUS (311,000 viewers).

MOST WATCHED NHL REGULAR-SEASON GAMES IN VERSUS HISTORY AS OF FEB. 20 (average viewers)
1. 12/14/2010 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 750,000
2. 10/7/2010 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 730,000
3. 3/22/2010 Pittsburgh at Detroit 622,000
4. 2/20/2011 2011 NHL Heritage Classic: Montreal at Calgary 608,000

HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA SCORES FOR NBC
With regional doubleheaders and the national Game of the Week, Hockey Day in America on NBC recorded its highest overnight ratings of the season for indoor hockey coverage with a 1.2. This marks an 83 percent increase when compared to the same weekend in 2009 when the Washington Capitals hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins (NBC was airing the Olympics in 2010 during the same week).

NBC Sports’ coverage of the Penguins-Blackhawks, the second game of Hockey Day in America which went head-to-head with the Daytona 500, was watched by 1.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched non-Winter Classic NHL regular-season game in five years.

OUTDOOR GAME DRIVES STRONG WORLDWIDE DEMAND ON NHL.COM
• The 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ drove this season’s top Sunday in terms of unique visitors and visits from Canada
• Web traffic was up significantly in Canada, the U.S. and internationally over a typical regular-season Sunday
• It was the top Sunday this season for international page views on NHL.com

ASSORTMENT AND DEMAND DRIVE MERCHANDISE SALES
The substantial merchandise sales for the NHL Heritage Classic helped it rank third overall in sales for an NHL event. Sales also were 180 percent higher than the NHL Winter Classic in Buffalo and up 18 percent over the NHL Winter Classic in Chicago.

The top selling items were Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff jerseys; the Reebok cold weather knit hat; and the official puck, event scarf, game programs and the Reebok hooded sweatshirt.

SPONSOR ACTIVATION SETS NHL RECORD
The NHL aggressively and creatively promoted the 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ as one of the League’s major tentpole events and corporate sponsors responded in a big way. Sponsor revenue and activation exceeded the recent NHL Winter Classic® becoming the highest revenue-generating event in NHL history.

Among the Canadian institutions partnering with the League for the event were Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire, BlackBerry and Scotiabank.

NHL FANS AGAIN PROVE SOCIALLY-SAVVY
As an indication of the interest in the event in Canada, #HeritageClassic was the top organic trend on Twitter in Canada throughout the entire game and #HeritageClassic peaked at the No. 3 trending topic worldwide.

THIRD SUCCESSFUL EVENT IN JUST 51 DAYS
The success of the NHL Heritage Classic comes on the heels of the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, which saw all sponsorship opportunities sold out and a 22 percent increase in viewership for the U.S. broadcast on NBC. The recent NHL All-Star Game was also a huge success for the League, earning significant increases in viewership in Canada and the United States, a 42 percent increase in sponsorship revenue over the last All-Star Game in the U.S., an all-time record for video starts on NHL.com and the best retail performance for a U.S.-based All-Star Game in seven years.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Sunday’s Heritage Classic proved that, until further notice, you can’t get enough of a good thing.” – ESPN.com

“As an event, it was a massive success.” – Calgary Sun

“If there was ever a compelling case for the NHL outdoor format to be expanded, it was made by yesterday’s Heritage Classic game in Calgary…for the 40,000 people on site, and probably the millions who watched in Canada, it was special enough. And that’s why we need more of them.” – SI.com

“The NHL ended its outdoor adventure for another year with a successful return to Canada.” — Reuters

“The idea to bring NHL games outdoors has been the best and most innovative idea a major sports league has had.” — NESN

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark NHL Winter Classic are registered trademarks and NHL Heritage Classic name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. All Rights Reserved.

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Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA – Thursday, February 24, 2011

February 25, 2011 By admin

Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA – Thursday, February 24, 2011

TNT’s NBA Thursday coverage continues Thursday, March 3 at 8 p.m. ET with an exclusive doubleheader featuring the Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat followed by the Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz.

CLIP OF THE DAY

(click on link below to watch)

Kenny Smith heads to ‘Kenny’s Court’ to demonstrate the impact of the new players added to the Knicks roster.

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Game 1: Miami Heat (89) @ Chicago Bulls (93)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller with Craig Sager reporting

Miller on Bulls center Joakim Noah: “When it comes to effort, hustle and toughness, what better guy to have as one of the anchors to your defense than Joakim Noah?”

Miller on Heat point guards Carlos Arroyo and Mario Chalmers: “(Arroyo’s) tempo and pace probably fits better with LeBron (James) and Dwyane (Wade) when he’s out there, but Chalmers does more overall especially defensively being able to guard bigger point guards like Derrick Rose.”

Wade on the Heat getting better for the playoffs: “It’s just about winning and getting better. We feel we are taking steps beyond where we are now so that is all we can worry about. If we go to the playoffs now at one, two or three (seed), it doesn’t matter to us. It just matters that we’re getting better and when we get to the playoffs, we’ll be tested, healthy and ready to play.”

Miller on Dwyane Wade’s comments that it doesn’t matter to the Heat if they get the number one seed in the Eastern Conference: “I think (the Heat) have enough to secure the number one seed. I love Dwyane Wade, he is a fabulous player, but stop whining to America by saying that is doesn’t matter that you don’t get the number one seed. It does (matter) because when you get that number one seed, you let Chicago and Boston battle it out in the second round while you get the road less traveled and you’re in the catbird seat.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley, McHale and Smith

Barkley on Bulls center Joakim Noah: “(Noah is) my favorite player. I just love his energy level. He’s a great passer and his energy level on the offensive and defensive boards…I just love his explosiveness. When (the Bulls) get together for two or three weeks, I want to see how good they can be.”

Smith on the Heat players challenging the Bulls in the paint: “There’s no resistance to the rim for Chicago. No matter how talented they are, the only shot blocker that they have is (Joakim) Noah. So that doesn’t deter Dwyane Wade or LeBron James from getting to the rim. They are going to the rim no matter if you have a (true) shot blocker.”

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Miller on Bulls forward Luol Deng: “When (Deng is) going well, knocking down shots and when he’s engaged (the Bulls are) a different ballclub.”

Miller on the importance of players changing their speeds: “There are so many quick point guards and shooting guards in this league. If you can have a change of pace and not go one hundred miles an hour, you can keep the defenses off-balance because of your changing speed. It makes you that much tougher to guard.”

Miller on Heat reserve Joel Anthony: “I love the activity of Joel Anthony. Those long arms, he moves his feet and plays good position defensively for the Heat.”

Heat guard Dwyane Wade on the Heat’s bench: “You need guys to come in and contribute. When they get in the game, you need them to bring a positive aspect to the game whether it’s energy, defense or rebounding. We’ve had games this year when our bench has led us to victory and we’ve had a lot of games when we’ve been top-heavy with our ‘Big Three.’ We are going to continue to give our bench the confidence and let them know that we can’t win without them. Just like they know they can’t win without us.”

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Game 2: Boston Celtics (75) @ Denver Nuggets (89)

Announcers: Marv Albert and Steve Kerr with Cheryl Miller reporting

Kerr on the Celtics acquiring forward Jeff Green from the Thunder: “If you’re (Celtics GM) Danny Ainge and you’re trying to sustain this run that Boston is on, your core group of (Kevin) Garnett, (Paul) Pierce and (Ray) Allen are an older group. They aren’t going to be able to play forever. Jeff Green will be able to team with Rajon Rondo to be cornerstones in the future.”

Kerr on dealing with trades as a professional athlete: “It’s so difficult as a teammate to see guys get traded. These are guys you’re really close with and you spend every day with them. You become so close with them and then that’s it and they’re gone. It’s really shocking.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Celtics head coach Doc Rivers during the second quarter

Rivers on how the Celtics are dealing with playing shorthanded: “They are a professional team and once the game starts, our guys are pretty much focused.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Nuggets head coach George Karl on his team’s commitment to defense: “Defense is commitment. I’ve got young guys and if they don’t give me the commitment, I’ve got other guys who will give me the commitment. The system sometimes ties you up from getting the commitment. You have to handle what ‘Melo (Carmelo Anthony) gives you. I’m not knocking ‘Melo, he is a great offensive player. ‘Melo is the best offensive player I’ve ever coached, but his defensive focus, his demand of himself is what frustrated us more than anything.”

Kerr on Celtics center Glenn Davis: “I think I can jump higher than ‘Big Baby’ Davis. His ability to finish without having any lift is remarkable. He’s got a great touch, he uses his body and he can finish with either hand. He’s just a remarkable player.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley, McHale and Smith

Barkley on the Nuggets after trading Carmelo Anthony: “This is a great trade for the Denver Nuggets. I think they are deep at every position and they’ve got a bunch of draft picks. They did as well as they could and you have to take your hat off (to them). They’ve got a great coach in George Karl. I really like this trade from a Denver perspective.”

Smith on guard J.R. Smith stepping up for the Nuggets: “(The Nuggets) remind me of Portland about three years ago. They have a lot of long, athletic guys without a great player yet and then Brandon Roy became a great player. Maybe (J.R. Smith) can become a great player. We all know that he has the physical skills but we don’t know if he has the mental skills. He can get more shots now in the flow of the offense.”

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TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri during the third quarter

Ujiri on the players brought in from the Carmelo Anthony trade: “I think it’s exciting. We got some good young players that play hard. It’s brought a little excitement. We lost two superstars and it was hard to lose Carmelo (Anthony) and Chauncey (Billups). We’re trying to build a new era here. These guys are showing that they’ll do something and I have confidence in the young guys we have.”

Ujiri on trading Chauncey Billups to the Knicks: “Chauncey might be the reason why the trade took so long (to be completed). It was hard for us to put Chauncey in the trade but at the end of the day, we had to make it bigger. It’s very difficult with his family and what he’s brought to this organization. We wish him good luck and Chauncey has a home in Denver forever.”

Kerr on Nuggets guard J.R. Smith: “(Smith) scores so easily. I know he takes bad shots and makes some wild decisions but when he’s right, he can score with so much ease.”

Kerr on the hectic trade deadline: “At one point, I heard that (Marv Albert) was on the (trade) block, possibly going to ESPN for Mike Breen and a studio host to be named later.”

Albert: “A two-for-one?”

Kerr: “I think they thought TNT was asking for too much.”

Albert: “Plus maybe a microphone…some extra equipment.”

Kerr on the Nuggets having trouble replacing Carmelo Anthony’s clutch scoring: “For the last seven years, every game that Denver was involved in that was close in the final minutes, (the defense) would just isolate Carmelo Anthony. That’s where they are really going to miss him. They can make up for his scoring during the meat of the game by running, shooting threes and spacing the floor. When the game comes down to the final minutes and you’re playing a great defensive team, there’s no way you can match what Carmelo Anthony gives you.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler following the game

Chandler on his first game with the Nuggets: “I just wanted to get out and get a feel for the team and the way they play. With the trades going on, I knew I couldn’t come in and replace ‘Melo (Anthony), he’s an All-Star. So just come in and play team basketball and get my game going.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley, McHale and Smith

Barkley on the Nuggets after the Carmelo Anthony trade: “That team is dangerous. They’re too deep at every position. Kenyon Martin is playing for a contract, Nene is playing for a contract and they always have an edge anyway. But those guys they brought over there (in the trade), they’re good players. They’ve got a great coach in George Karl who always has a chip on his shoulder.”

McHale on Nuggets head coach George Karl changing his approach to the game after the trade: “(Coach Karl) has reinvented (the Nuggets) already. I never heard George Karl say, ‘we’re gonna win this game with defense,’ when he had Carmelo Anthony on the floor. He said, ‘we’re just gonna score more than they do.’ Now he’s talking about defense. They have two guys at each position that can really play. If you’re not bringing it, he’ll just bring the next guy in. There’s a lot of pressure deep to perform every single night. Not only to perform, but defend, sprint back and do all of the little things.”

Smith on the success of the Nuggets two games following the trade: “It’s hard to give that (trade) credit in the first two games. I think that yes, those are some young talented guys and they’re going to play. But sometimes you’re just not as good as other people. (The Nuggets) don’t have those one or two guys that can take them over the hump and that’s where they might miss some things. After two games, I’m gonna just hold my thoughts.”

McHale on Carmelo Anthony’s impact defensively: “It wasn’t that (Carmelo Anthony) was such a bad individual defender, he was a terrible team defender. He wasn’t coming over, he wasn’t chucking cutters and he wasn’t doing all the little things you need to do to be a good defensive team. He wasn’t bad one-on-one, he just didn’t give the help. He didn’t do a lot of things team-wise and I think that really irritated the coach.”

Smith on the Celtics’ defense after losing center Kendrick Perkins: “Now you go into Boston and the defensive prowess isn’t there because it wasn’t Kendrick (Perkins) by himself and it wasn’t Kevin Garnett. It was a combination of those two guys that made you say, ‘beware of dog.’ And so when you went to that gate, you were like, ‘let me see what’s going on’ and now that sign isn’t there anymore.”

Barkley on the Celtics trading Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic from Oklahoma City: “Kendrick Perkins was a good solid defender, but with Jeff Green and (Nenad) Krstic, I like this team better now in the playoffs. Dwight Howard is the only big man they’re going to have to meet until they get to the Finals, if they get to the Finals. Jeff Green is a stud and Krstic is a good, solid player. You get two good players for one and one of these guys will probably get a contract too.”

Barkley on Oklahoma City’s standing in the Western Conference: “(The Thunder) knew they were not a legit contender because they didn’t play defense and didn’t play ball. Now, I said before the day started that there are four teams in the East that could win and there were three teams in the West – Dallas, San Antonio and the Lakers. Oklahoma has to come fourth.”

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ESPN Announces 14 BIG EAST College Football Telecasts for 2011

February 25, 2011 By admin

ESPN Announces 14 BIG EAST College Football Telecasts for 2011

ESPN announced 14 of its BIG EAST Conference college football selections for the 2011 season, including three Thursday and four Friday night telecasts, two non-conference Saturday showdowns, two Championship Saturday matchups, two games on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and a Wednesday prime-time contest. Additional games will be announced in the coming months. Highlights:

Every conference team will be featured in at least one of the 14 games, highlighted by five Pittsburgh appearances, four of West Virginia, and three each of defending BIG EAST champion Connecticut, Louisville and West Virginia.

Two Saturday non-conference telecasts on ESPN, ABC or ESPN2 will feature BIG EAST teams against teams ranked in an ESPN.com early pre-season poll for 2011: West Virginia against No. 4 LSU from the SEC and Pittsburgh against No. 14 Notre Dame.

ESPN’s popular Thursday night ESPN College Football Primetime series will include three telecasts involving BIG EAST teams, all at 8 p.m. ET, highlighted by South Florida twice: at Pittsburgh on Sept. 29 and against West Virginia on Dec. 1.

ESPN will showcase Connecticut at Pittsburgh Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. Connecticut defeated Pittsburgh 30-28 last year.

Two BIG EAST games will be featured the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 25 including Pittsburgh at West Virginia in the 104th Backyard Brawl and Louisville at South Florida.

ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise four Friday BIG EAST showdowns in prime time, including Connecticut against Big 12 conference member Iowa State (Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2) and South Florida at Syracuse (Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2).

2011 BIG EAST Schedule as of Feb. 25 (additional selections will be announced):

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Network
Fri, Sep 9	7 p.m.	Florida International at Louisville	ESPN
Fri, Sep 16	8 p.m.	Iowa State at Connecticut	ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Sep 22	8 p.m.	NC State at Cincinnati *	ESPN
Sat, Sep 24	TBA	No. 14 Notre Dame at Pittsburgh	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
	TBA	No. 4 LSU at West Virginia	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Sep 29	8 p.m.	South Florida at Pittsburgh	ESPN
Fri, Oct 21	8 p.m.	Rutgers at Louisville	ESPN
Wed, Oct 26	8 p.m.	Connecticut at Pittsburgh	ESPN
Fri, Nov 11	8 p.m.	South Florida at Syracuse	ESPN2
Fri, Nov 25	TBD	Pittsburgh at West Virginia	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
	TBD	Louisville at South Florida	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Dec 1	8 p.m.	West Virginia at South Florida	ESPN
Sat, Dec 3	TBD	Connecticut at Cincinnati	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
	TBD	Syracuse at Pittsburgh	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

* Previously announced

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SiriusXM Embarks on MLB Spring Training Tour Feb. 27

February 25, 2011 By admin

SiriusXM Embarks on MLB Spring Training Tour Feb. 27

MLB Network Radio visits 30 MLB Spring Training sites in 30 days Feb. 27-Mar. 28

Mad Dog Radio’s Chris Russo will host from Cactus League ballparks Mar. 7-11, Grapefruit League locations Mar. 21-25

NEW YORK – February 25, 2011 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) will embark on its 2011 Spring Training Tour on Sunday, February 27, giving fans nationwide an in-depth and comprehensive look at all 30 Major League Baseball clubs as they prepare for the coming season.

SiriusXM’s 24-hour baseball talk channel, MLB Network Radio, and its all-sports talk channel, Mad Dog Radio, will broadcast live from ballparks in Arizona and Florida where they will present one-on-one interviews with managers, players and team executives from every MLB team.

MLB Network Radio (XM channel 175, Sirius channel 210 with the “Best of XM”), will visit 30 spring training sites in 30 days from February 27 to March 28. Former Mets and Orioles general manager Jim Duquette and co-host Mike Ferrin will cover the west coast sites of Florida’s Grapefruit League from Feb. 27 – Mar. 6. Former Reds and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden and Casey Stern will broadcast from Arizona’s Cactus League ballparks from Mar. 7 – 14. Former Rangers and Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy will team up with Duquette to broadcast from seven Arizona sites from Mar. 15 -21. Then Bowden will join co-host Jim Memolo to cover Florida’s east coast parks from Mar. 22-28.

On Mad Dog Radio (Sirius channel 123, XM channel 144), Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo will host his daily show, Mad Dog Unleashed, from five Arizona locations from March 7-11 and from five Florida parks from March 21-25. Mad Dog Unleashed airs every weekday (2:00–7:00 pm ET).

2011 SiriusXM Spring Training Tour Schedule: (All times ET)

Sunday, Feb. 27

Ø Yankees @ Phillies – Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater, FL

10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Monday, Feb. 28

Ø Phillies @ Blue Jays – Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, Dunedin, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Tuesday, Mar. 1

Ø Yankees @ Pirates – McKechnie Field, Bradenton, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Wednesday, Mar. 2

Ø Braves @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Thursday, Mar. 3

Ø Twins @ Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Friday, Mar. 4

Ø Red Sox @ Yankees – George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL

2-6pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Saturday, Mar. 5

Ø Twins @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL

10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Sunday, Mar. 6

Ø Orioles @ Twins – Hammond Stadium, Lee County, FL

10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Mike Ferrin (MLBNR)

Monday, Mar. 7

Ø Brewers @ Reds – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Ø Dodgers @ Rockies – Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale, AZ

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Tuesday, Mar. 8

Ø Diamondbacks @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Ø Rangers @ Angels – Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Wednesday, Mar. 9

Ø Brewers @ Diamondbacks – Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale, AZ

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Ø Padres @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Thursday, Mar. 10

Ø Indians @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Ø Giants @ Reds – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Friday, Mar. 11

Ø Royals @ Rockies – Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale, AZ

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Ø A’s @ Brewers – Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix, AZ

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Saturday, Mar. 12

Ø A’s @ Mariners – Peoria Stadium, Peoria, AZ

1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Sunday, Mar. 13

Ø Indians @ Padres – Peoria Stadium, Peoria, AZ

1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Monday, Mar. 14

Ø Brewers @ Giants – Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, AZ

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden & Casey Stern (MLBNR)

Tuesday, Mar. 15

Ø Rangers @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ

2-6pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Wednesday, Mar. 16

Ø Giants @ White Sox – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ

2-6pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Thursday, Mar. 17

Ø Cubs @ A’s – Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Phoenix, AZ

2-6pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Friday, Mar. 18

Ø Padres @ Angels – Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ

2-6pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Saturday, Mar. 19

Ø Mariners @ Rangers – Surprise Stadium, Surprise, AZ

1-4pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Sunday, Mar. 20

Ø Rangers @ Royals – Surprise Stadium, Surprise, AZ

1-4pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Monday, Mar. 21

Ø Rangers @ Brewers – Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix, AZ

2-6pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy (MLBNR)

Ø Yankees @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Tuesday, Mar. 22

Ø Twins @ Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL

10am-2p ET: Power Alley with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

Ø Mets @ Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, FL

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Wednesday, Mar. 23

Ø Mets @ Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

Ø Marlins @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Lake Buena Vista, FL

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Thursday, Mar. 24

Ø Cardinals @ Mets – Digital Domain Park, Port St. Lucie, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

Ø Twins @ Phillies – Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater, FL

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Friday, Mar. 25

Ø Cardinals @ Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera, FL

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

Ø Blue Jays @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL

2-7pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (MDR)

Saturday, Mar. 26

Ø Phillies @ Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

Sunday, Mar. 27

Ø Tigers @ Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, FL

10am-2pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

Monday, Mar. 28

Ø Nationals @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Lake Buena Vista, FL

2-6pm ET: Inside Pitch with Jim Bowden and Jim Memolo (MLBNR)

MLB Network Radio is available to listeners nationwide on XM channel 175 and Sirius channel 210 with the “Best of XM.” Visit www.siriusxm.com/mlbnetworkradio for programming info.

Mad Dog Radio airs nationwide on Sirius channel 123 and XM channel 144. Visit www.siriusxm.com/maddogradio for programming info.

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NHL Network, NHL Radio and NHL.com Provide Extensive Coverage of 2011 NHL Trade Deadline on Monday, Feb. 28

February 25, 2011 By admin

NHL NETWORK, NHL RADIO AND NHL.COM PROVIDE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF 2011 NHL TRADE DEADLINE ON MONDAY, FEB. 28
“NHL Network 2011 Trade Deadline Day Presented by Honda” Drops the Puck at 6:00 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (February 25, 2011) – The countdown is on to the NHL’s 2011 Trade Deadline and after a flurry of activity over the past two weeks, a number of players already have new NHL® addresses. As teams stock up for their push to the playoffs, NHL Network™, NHL.com and NHL Radio™ will provide special programming throughout the day on Monday, Feb. 28, to report and analyze all of the deals that beat the 3:00 p.m. ET trade deadline.

On Monday, NHL Network will produce hours of original Trade Deadline programming across its U.S. and Canada Network. The puck will drop on 18 hours of live coverage on NHL Network beginning at 8 a.m. ET, with a simulcast of TSN’s TRADECENTRE ’11 broadcast for U.S. viewers. TSN host James Duthie leads TSN’s TRADECENTRE ’11 team of hockey analysts, insiders, former NHL players, coaches and general managers, reporters and correspondents – providing breaking news and instant analysis of each transaction.

The NHL’s daily signature radio show, NHL Live!, will be hosting a special four-hour Trade Show from noon – 4 p.m. ET. The show will be broadcast on Sirius XM radio, simulcast on NHL Network in Canada and streamed live on NHL.com. Hosts Don LaGreca, EJ Hradek and Rob Simpson will bring views up-to-speed on all the day’s trade action and will be speaking with players, Club management and insiders who can offer their breakdowns.

Beginning at 6 p.m., fans across North America will be offered unique access and information on NHL Network 2011 Trade Deadline Day Presented by Honda™, a two-hour show that will discuss and analyze all of the major transactions and how they impact the playoff races. OTF hosts David Amber and Brian Duff will be joined by a panel of analysts — Kevin Weekes, Jeremy Roenick, Craig Button, Mike Johnson — and NHL Insiders and TSN’s own Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie for a breakdown of all the latest news.

NHL Network’s daily flagship show, On the Fly™ begins their special Trade Deadline coverage at 8 p.m. The show will run through the end of the Detroit at Los Angeles game including live intermission reports. This season, all in HD, NHL Network broadcasts over 75 live games in the U.S. and 35 in Canada featuring the best productions in the NHL with games throughout the regular season.

Also for NHL Network viewers in the United States, hourly update reports will begin at 9 a.m. and run through 2 p.m. from the NHL Live!™ radio studio in New York City. Further, NHL Network will provide hourly reports from the On The Fly team from 2 p.m. – 4p.m. from its studio in Toronto.

NHL.com will provide extensive coverage throughout the weekend and on trade day with reporting by top writers and correspondents on the scene where the action is taking place in various NHL markets. Fans can follow NHL.com’s up-to-the-minute trade tracker by linking on http://www.nhl.com/tradetracker. NHL.com’s video player already is loaded with in-depth stories and videos from the players traded in the past days and writers will have running commentary and an in-depth look at the impact of trades once the deadline has passed.

The Blackberry All-Access Show, the NHL’s daily video newscast, will have special Trade Deadline features and programming on Monday. John Giannone and Billy Jaffe will tell viewers who the buyers and sellers are while updating fans throughout the day with live reports.

Monday, February 28, 2011 – NHL Network Schedule

NHL Network U.S. (all times ET)
TradeCentre ‘11 (simulcast from TSN) 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
NHL Network 2011 Trade Deadline Day Presented by Honda 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
NHL On The Fly 8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
NHL Hockey: Detroit at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
NHL On The Fly following the game

NHL Network Canada (all times ET)
NHL Live! Noon – 4 p.m.
NHL Power Play 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
NHL Network 2011 Trade Deadline Day Presented by Honda 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
NHL On The Fly 8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
NHL Hockey: Detroit at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
NHL On The Fly following the game

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The NBA on TNT Crew Recap the Trade Deadline – February 24, 2011

February 25, 2011 By admin

The NBA on TNT Crew Recap the Trade Deadline – February 24, 2011

**** **** **** ****

TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kevin McHale and Kenny Smith with David Aldridge

Barkley on the Boston Celtics trading center Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder: “I was very surprised but it’s a good trade for the Celtics considering they weren’t going to be able to re-sign (Perkins). They only need Perkins against the Lakers if they get to the Finals. They are going to have a tougher time getting through Chicago (Bulls) and Miami (Heat). Perkins wouldn’t have been a big factor in (a Miami) series. They got the best deal they could out of their circumstances.”

Smith on the Celtics losing the mystique of being a tough team: “(Perkins) doesn’t help you get to a championship but he helps you win it. What the Boston Celtics had over everyone else was the mystique of toughness…They don’t have that anymore. That’s what the cache was that they were a great defensive team and you couldn’t get layups or get to the basket. They have just traded that (mystique) in and said, ‘we are a new team.’ To me, that is the difference and I don’t know if that’s great if you’re trying to win a championship.”

Barkley on the Thunder getting tougher at the trade deadline: “I love the toughness that (the Thunder) have now. I love the fact that they’ll be able to hit some guys in the head when they come down the lane. (Russell) Westbrook and (Kevin) Durant are going to score. Those guys will score in church but they never get rebounds. Now they have some rebounding (ability) and some defensive toughness. This (trade) makes them a contender.”

Smith on the New York Knicks acquiring Chauncey Billups from the Denver Nuggets: “Chauncey Billups is underrated in the trade but he is possibly the best fit for this trade. He doesn’t turn the basketball over and he will make sure that (Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire) get shots. He is deadly from three-point range and he’ll have license to shoot at any time.”

Barkley on the Knicks: “I’ll take my chances that (the Knicks) won’t win a playoff series (this season).”

Smith on the New Jersey Nets trading for point guard Deron Williams: “It was a great trade for the New Jersey Nets. (Williams) is what Amar’e Stoudemire is for the Knicks. If they start getting a style of play together than guys can say, ‘I can play with him.’ If they don’t create a style of play, they’ll still be in a hardship and Deron will leave (as a free agent).”

McHale on Deron Williams putting pressure on the Nets to win: “I think the best player in all of these trades is (Deron) Williams. I think that Williams is a better overall player than Carmelo Anthony. (Williams) did not commit to staying in New Jersey….so he’s putting pressure on them to bring in more pieces so they can win.”

Barkley on Mo Williams and Jamario Moon being traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers: “I’ve heard people say that Oklahoma City and the Knicks were the big winners (at the deadline)…the big winners are Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.”

McHale on how point guard Kirk Hinrich makes the Atlanta Hawks a better team: “Sometimes you just have to try to make your team better. (Kirk) Hinrich can defend point guards and can play some two (guard). He helps Atlanta get better because (Mike) Bibby had lost any ability to guard on the perimeter. It’s not like Kirk Hinrich is going to make them better than the Celtics but at least it gives them a chance…They are just trying to get better.”

Aldridge on Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose: “(Rose) is a young guy who still has great humility and people like playing with him. He was the most popular guy on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. People like playing with a star and he’s a superstar without a superstar ego.”

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade on the Knicks acquiring Carmelo Anthony: “I love it. The Eastern Conference is getting very competitive. We play this game because we’re competitors. What New York has done by bringing in ‘Melo (Anthony) is great for the game of basketball and the city of New York. As a friend, I’m happy for ‘Melo. I’m sure he’s happy and his family is happy. (The Knicks) are better for the future so for a long time to come, they are going to be a rival for us and we look forward to that.”

Aldridge on the Thunder trading for Kendrick Perkins: “If you go back in time, (the Kendrick Perkins) trade is like Larry Nance going to Cleveland or Dennis Johnson going to Boston. Those ‘cement’ trades that make a good team a great team. I think Kendrick Perkins does that for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were already good and they could’ve won a playoff series. What (Perkins) gives them in terms of defensive presence, toughness and championship experience; I think Oklahoma City is going to remember this day as the day they took a step up to be a true contender in the NBA.”

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Chicago Blackhawks At Washington Capitals Flexed As NBC Sports’ “NHL Game Of The Week” On Sunday, March 13

February 25, 2011 By admin

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AT WASHINGTON CAPITALS FLEXED AS
NBC SPORTS’ “NHL GAME OF THE WEEK” ON SUNDAY, MARCH 13

Six 2011 NHL All-Stars Take To The Ice For Inter-Conference Clash

NEW YORK (February 24, 2011) –The Sunday, March 13, Chicago Blackhawks at Washington Capitals game has been flexed as NBC Sports’ “Game of the Week” and will be played at Verizon Center at 12:30 p.m. ET, the National Hockey League and NBC Sports announced today.

The only meeting between these marquee clubs this season, the ice will be filled with NHL All-Stars on both sides: Chicago Captain Jonathan Toews leads Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, 2011 All-Star Game MVP Patrick Sharp and the rest of the Blackhawks (31-23-6) into Washington for the first time since Oct. 11, 2008, to face Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green and the Capitals (32-19-10).

In the only meeting of the teams last season, the Capitals erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring three third-period goals in the span of two minutes and 16 seconds, eventually winning on an overtime goal from Nicklas Backstrom. In that game, played in Chicago and televised by NBC Sports, Ovechkin received a game misconduct and a subsequent two-game suspension for a first-period hit on Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell.

As the NHL approaches the final quarter of the 2010-11 regular season, both the Blackhawks and Capitals need every point they can earn. Currently tied for 9^th place in the Western Conference with 68 points, the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks are two points out of a playoff spot. In what is shaping up to be a historic Western Conference playoff race, Chicago currently sits within two points of seven other clubs. Washington is fifth in the Eastern Conference, but only three points behind Tampa Bay for the Southeast Division lead and one of the top three seeds in the conference. The game against Chicago will be the final home game for the Caps before heading on a critical six-game road trip.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

At least 13 days prior to the scheduled game, one game is selected for broadcast on NBC. All NBC games will be broadcast on Sundays and all games will be presented in HD. Games not flexed to NBC will be available to the teams’ regional carriers and remain at the originally announced start time. The Mar. 13 match-up was first announced on the Thursday, Feb. 24, edition of “NHL Hour With Commissioner Gary Bettman” on NHL.com and SIRIUS XM Radio airing from 6-7 p.m. ET. All subsequent flexed games will be announced on NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Upcoming 2011 NBC Game of the Week Regular-Season Flexible Schedule

Mar. 6	PHILADELPHIA AT NY RANGERS	12:30 p.m. ET
Mar. 13	CHICAGO AT WASHINGTON	12:30 p.m. ET
Mar. 20	NY Rangers at Pittsburgh OR New Jersey at Columbus	TBD
Apr. 3	NY Rangers at Philadelphia OR Minnesota at Detroit OR Tampa Bay at Chicago	TBD
Apr. 10	Boston at New Jersey OR Pittsburgh at Atlanta OR Detroit at Chicago OR Dallas at Minnesota	TBD

#### (2/24/11)

The Poynter Review Project to Launch With ESPN

February 24, 2011 By admin

The Poynter Review Project to Launch With ESPN

ESPN and The Poynter Institute today announced a new step in media transparency—The Poynter Review Project—in which a panel of Poynter faculty will review ESPN content across all platforms and publicly comment on ESPN’s efforts. This will include monthly essays and additional timely responses as issues arise. The group also will address fan concerns during its 18-month tenure. The commentaries will be posted on ESPN.com, beginning with an introductory column in March.

“The Poynter Institute’s reputation in the field of journalism is unmatched and we welcome the panel’s scrutiny in this new format,” said John A. Walsh, ESPN executive vice president and executive editor. “Our goal is to improve our content through increased accountability, transparency and timeliness. We believe The Review will take the traditional ombudsman role and advance it for the 21st century media world. ”

Poynter President Karen B. Dunlap, said, “This project with ESPN allows us to join with a major multi-media organization interested in the connection between values and quality news and information. For more than 35 years, Poynter has taught the skills and values on which journalism excellence is based. As media evolve we have new opportunities to promote and learn from best practices—across all platforms.”

The Institute’s role expands the tradition of ESPN ombudsman, most recently held by television producer Don Ohlmeyer. His 18-month term was preceded Le Anne Schreiber, a former New York Times sports editor-turned author, and George Solomon, former sports editor of The Washington Post.

Among Poynter contributors are Kelly McBride, a writer, teacher and one of the country’s leading voices on media ethics. She has been on the faculty of The Poynter Institute for eight years. She leads Poynter’s Sense-Making Project, a Ford Foundation initiative which examines the transformation of journalism and the effects on democracy. Regina McCombs, Poynter’s faculty for multimedia and mobile, teaches digital skills in on-site and distance-learning programs. She was the senior producer for multimedia at StarTribune.com in Minneapolis-St. Paul prior to joining Poynter in 2008. Butch Ward is both managing director and a member of the Poynter faculty. A journalist for 27 years at The Philadelphia Inquirer and Baltimore News-American, Ward held jobs throughout the newsroom, including managing editor at both newspapers. For Poynter, he coordinates the Institute’s business departments and teaches leadership, management, editing, reporting and writing.

About The Poynter Institute

Founded in 1975 in St. Petersburg, Fla., The Poynter Institute one of the nation’s top schools for professional journalists and news media leaders, as well as future journalists and journalism teachers. Poynter offers training throughout the year in the areas of online and multimedia, leadership and management, reporting, writing and editing, TV and radio, ethics and diversity, journalism education and visual journalism. Poynter’s News University (www.newsu.org) offers journalism training to the public through more than 200 interactive modules and other forms of e-learning. It has more than 170,000 registered users in 225 countries. Poynter’s Web site, (www.poynter.org) is the dominant provider of journalism news, with a focus on business analysis and the opportunities and implications of technology.

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