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Archives for July 2011

ABC & ESPN 2011-12 NBA Schedule

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90-Game Flexible Schedule; 2011 NBA Finals Rematch Part of Christmas Day Tripleheader

ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of the 2011-12 NBA regular season will include 90 games, highlighted by 15 exclusive ABC broadcasts – the home of The Finals – and 75 ESPN telecasts.  Games airing on ABC and ESPN are subject to flexible scheduling, providing the best matchups throughout the season.  All games will be available in high definition, with all ESPN telecasts also available via ESPN3.com and nearly all on ESPN Mobile TV.  Additionally, fans who receive their cable TV video subscription from an affiliated provider will be able to tune in live via the WatchESPN app on iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

ESPN Radio will broadcast 30 games, while ESPN Deportes (ESPN’s Spanish-language U.S. sports network) will televise 19 games.

Opening Week on ESPN

ESPN’s coverage will tip off with a doubleheader Wednesday, Nov. 2 – the Miami Heat and their core of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh visiting the New York Knicks, featuring Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, at 8 p.m., followed by the Golden State Warriors, led by new head coach Mark Jackson, hosting the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant at 10:30 p.m.  ESPN Deportes will also televise the Nov. 2 doubleheader.

Opening week action will continue with a doubleheader Friday, Nov. 4 – the Boston Celtics and All-Stars Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo visiting the Atlanta Hawks and All-Stars Al Horford and Joe Johnson at 8 p.m., followed by the L.A. Clippers and 2011 Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin hosting the Portland Trail Blazers and Brandon Roy at 10:30 p.m.

Both doubleheaders will also be available via ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV.  NBA Countdown will precede the Wednesday and Friday doubleheaders with a preview show at 7:30 p.m.

Additionally, ESPN Radio will broadcast the Chicago Bulls and 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose visiting the defending champion Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. and the Heat hosting the Orlando Magic and 2011 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m.

ESPN & ABC Combine for Christmas Day Tripleheader

Collectively, ESPN and ABC will present three Christmas Day games highlighted by a marquee doubleheader on ABC featuring a rematch of the 2011 NBA Finals – Miami at the champion Mavericks and Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki – Sunday, Dec. 25, at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Los Angeles Lakers – back-to-back NBA champions in 2009 and 2010 – hosting the Bulls and Rose at 5 p.m.  ABC’s NBA Countdown pregame show will preview the action at 2 p.m.  ESPN Radio will broadcast the Heat/Mavericks matchup 2:30 p.m.  ESPN’s Christmas Day telecast will precede the ABC doubleheader, showcasing Eastern Conference rivals when the New York Knicks host the Boston Celtics at noon.

ABC & ESPN Schedule Highlights

ABC and ESPN will combine to showcase some of the top teams in the league, including 16 appearances by the Heat (the maximum allowed across both networks), 15 by the Lakers, 14 by the Celtics, Bulls and Knicks, 13 by the Mavericks, 11 by the Oklahoma City Thunder and 10 by the San Antonio Spurs.

ABC highlights

§  15 exclusive broadcasts;

§  flexible schedule allowing for the best possible matchups throughout the season;

§  a special Christmas Day doubleheader including a Finals rematch between the Heat and Mavericks at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Lakers hosting the Bulls at 5 p.m.;

§  five NBA Sunday doubleheaders – Feb. 19, March 4, April 1, 8 and 15;

§  six appearances by the Heat; five appearances by the Lakers and Bulls; four appearances by the Celtics and Knicks; and three appearances by the Mavericks;

§  Eastern Conference Finals rematch between the Bulls and Heat on Jan. 29 at 3:30 p.m.;

§  Blockbuster matchup with the Lakers hosting the Heat on March 4 at 3:30 p.m.;

§  a rematch of the 2008 and 2010 Finals with the Lakers hosting the Celtics on March 11 at 3:30 p.m.;

§  multiple appearances by the Thunder and Kevin Durant – hosting Chicago on April 1 at 1 p.m. and the Lakers on April 8 at 3:30 p.m.;

§  NBA Countdown will preview all games/doubleheaders 30 minutes prior to broadcast start times.

ESPN highlights

§  75-game flexible schedule allowing for the best possible games throughout the season;

§  31 doubleheaders;

§  10 appearances – the most permitted – by the Celtics, Heat, Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks and Spurs;

§  nine appearances by the Bulls, Nuggets, Thunder and Trail Blazers; eight appearances by the Clippers and Phoenix Suns; seven appearances by the Hawks; six appearances by the Warriors; and five appearances by the Magic;

§  opening week doubleheaders: Wed., Nov. 2 –  Miami at New York at 8 p.m., followed by the Warriors hosting the Lakers at 10:30 p.m. and Fri., Nov. 4 – Boston visiting the Hawks at 8 p.m., prior to the Trail Blazers visiting the Clippers at 10:30 p.m.;

§  the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony making his first return trip to Denver to face his former Nuggets team Wed., Nov. 16, at 10:30 p.m.;

§  LeBron James and the Heat visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Fri., Nov. 18, at 8 p.m.;

§  two of the most exciting teams in the league – Oklahoma City vs. Miami – on Fri., Dec. 23, at 8 p.m.;

§  the Celtics visiting the Knicks on Christmas Day at noon;

§  Los Angeles’ Lakers and Clippers meeting on Fri., Jan. 20, at 10:30 p.m.;

§  the Lakers and Bryant visiting Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks on Fri., Feb. 10, at 8 p.m.;

§  the Thunder and Kendrick Perkins hosting his former team, the Boston Celtics, Wed., Feb. 22, at 8 p.m.;

§  Eastern Conference Finals rematch – Miami at Chicago – Wed., March 14, at 10:30 p.m.

ESPN Radio
The NBA on ESPN Radio will tip off its 17th season Tuesday, Nov. 1, when the Mavericks and Nowitzki host the Bulls and Rose at 8 p.m. ESPN Radio’s 30-game regular-season schedule will include 12 appearances by the Heat, nine by the Lakers and eight by the Celtics and Mavericks. ESPN Radio will also exclusively broadcast The Finals and NBA All-Star events including the All-Star Game.

2011-12 ABC NBA Schedule

Date Time (ET) Teams
Sun, Dec 25 2:30 p.m. Miami at Dallas
5 p.m. Chicago at L.A. Lakers
Sun, Jan 29 3:30 p.m. Chicago at Miami
Sun, Feb 12 3:30 p.m. Chicago at Boston
Sun, Feb 19 1 p.m. Dallas at New York
3:30 p.m. Orlando at Miami
Sun, March 4 1 p.m. New York at Boston
3:30 p.m. Miami at L.A. Lakers
Sun, March 11 3:30 p.m. Boston at L.A. Lakers
Sun, April 1 1 p.m. Chicago at Oklahoma City
3:30 p.m. Miami at Boston
Sun, April 8 1 p.m. Chicago at New York
3:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City
Sun, April 15 1 p.m. Miami at New York
3:30 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Lakers

 

2011-12 ESPN NBA Schedule
* denotes ESPN and ESPN Deportes telecast

Date Time (ET) Teams
Wed, Nov 2 8 p.m. Miami at New York*
10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Golden State*
Fri, Nov 4 8 p.m. Boston at Atlanta
10:30 p.m. Portland at L.A. Clippers
Wed, Nov 9 8 p.m. Houston at Philadelphia
10:30 p.m. San Antonio at L.A. Lakers*
Fri, Nov 11 10:30 p.m. Denver at L.A. Lakers
Wed, Nov 16 8 p.m. Boston at Miami
10:30 p.m. New York at Denver
Fri, Nov 18 8 p.m. Miami at Cleveland
10:30 p.m. Chicago at Phoenix
Wed, Nov 23 7:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City
Fri, Nov 25 7 p.m. Houston at Minnesota
Fri, Dec 2 10:30 p.m. Indiana at Portland
Wed, Dec 7 7 p.m. San Antonio at New York*
9:30 p.m. Dallas at Chicago
Fri, Dec 9 8 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Dallas
10:30 p.m. Orlando at Phoenix
Tue, Dec 13 7 p.m. Denver at Memphis
9:30 p.m. Atlanta at Chicago
Wed, Dec 14 8 p.m. Orlando at Oklahoma City
10:30 p.m. Golden State at Utah
Fri, Dec 16 7 p.m. Atlanta at Philadelphia
9:30 p.m. San Antonio at Oklahoma City
Fri, Dec 23 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Miami
10:30 p.m. Phoenix at Portland
Sun, Dec 25 12 p.m. Boston at New York*
Fri, Jan 6 8 p.m. Chicago at Orlando
10:30 p.m. Memphis at Orlando
Wed, Jan 11 8 p.m. Dallas at Boston*
10:30 p.m. Miami at L.A. Clippers*
Fri, Jan 13 8 p.m. Portland at San Antonio
10:30 p.m. Miami at Denver
Mon, Jan 16 1 p.m. Chicago at Memphis
Wed, Jan 18 8 p.m. San Antonio at Atlanta
10:30 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Clippers*
Fri, Jan 20 8 p.m. Phoenix at Boston
10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers
Fri, Jan 27 8 p.m. New York at Miami
Wed, Feb 1 7 p.m. Oklahoma City at Dallas
9:30 p.m. Miami at San Antonio*
Fri, Feb 3 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Orlando
10:30 p.m. Utah at Denver
Fri, Feb 10 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at New York*
10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at Utah
Wed, Feb 15 9 p.m. Denver at Dallas
Fri, Feb 17 8 p.m. New Orleans at New York
10:30 p.m. Phoenix at L.A. Lakers*
Sun, Feb 19 8 p.m. Denver at Oklahoma City
Wed, Feb 22 8 p.m. Boston at Oklahoma City
10:30 p.m. Golden State at Phoenix
Wed, Feb 29 9 p.m. Portland at Denver
Fri, March 2 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Atlanta
10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Phoenix
Sun, March 4 8 p.m. Denver at San Antonio*
Sun, March 12 8 p.m. New York at Chicago*
10:30 p.m. Boston at Phoenix*
Wed, March 14 8 p.m. Miami at Chicago
10:30 p.m. Boston at Golden State
Wed, March 21 7 p.m. New York at Philadelphia
9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas*
Sun, March 25 8 p.m. Boston at San Antonio*
Wed, March 28 7 p.m. Chicago at Atlanta
Fri, March 30 8 p.m. Dallas at Orlando
10:30 p.m. Portland at L.A. Clippers
Wed, April 4 7 p.m. San Antonio at Boston
9:30 p.m. Memphis at Dallas
Tue, April 10 7 p.m. Atlanta at Miami*
9:30 p.m. New York at Chicago*
Wed, April 11 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at San Antonio
10:30 p.m. Golden State at Portland
Fri, April 13 8 p.m. Milwaukee at Detroit
10:30 p.m. Dallas at Portland
Wed, April 18 8 p.m. Toronto at Washington
10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Golden State*

2011-12 ESPN Radio NBA Schedule

Date Time (ET) Teams
Tue, Nov 1 8 p.m. Chicago at Dallas
Thu, Nov 3 8 p.m. Orlando at Miami
Wed, Nov 9 10:30 p.m. San Antonio at L.A. Lakers
Wed, Nov 16 8 p.m. Boston at Miami
Thu, Dec 1 8 p.m. Miami at Boston
Thu, Dec 8 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Miami
Thu, Dec 15 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas
Thu, Dec 22 8 p.m. New York at Boston
Sun, Dec 25 2:30 p.m. Miami at Dallas
Thu, Jan 12 8 p.m. New York at Memphis
Thu, Jan 19 10:30 p.m. Dallas at Utah
Thu, Jan 26 8 p.m. Miami at Orlando
Sun, Jan 29 3:30 p.m. Chicago at Miami
Thu, Feb 2 8 p.m. Chicago at New York
Thu, Feb 9 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Boston
Sun, Feb 12 3:30 p.m. Chicago at Boston
Thu, Feb 16 10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Portland
Sun, Feb 19 1 p.m. New York at Boston
3:30 p.m. Orlando at Miami
Thu, March 1 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Orlando
Sun, March 4 1 p.m. New York at Boston
3:30 p.m. Miami at L.A. Lakers
Sun, March 11 3:30 p.m. Boston at L.A. Lakers
Wed, March 14 8 p.m. Miami at Chicago
Wed, March 21 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas
Thu, March 29 8 p.m. Dallas at Miami
Sun, April 1 1 p.m. Chicago at Oklahoma City
3:30 p.m. Miami at Boston
Sun, April 8 3:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City
Sun, April 15 3:30 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Lakers

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2011 Women’s World Cup Finals: ESPN’s Most-Viewed and Highest-Rated Soccer Match

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2011 Women’s World Cup Finals: ESPN’s Most-Viewed and Highest-Rated Soccer Match
Sixth Most-Viewed Soccer Telecast in U.S.; Second Most-Watched Daytime Program in Cable History;
Record Audience for a Women’s Sports Event on ESPN3.com
Sunday’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals between the United States and Japan – which crowned Japan as tournament champion on a penalty shootout after the match ended in a 2-2 tie – was seen by an average 13.458 million viewers, based on a 7.4 U.S. household rating (8.58 million household impressions), making it the most-watched and highest-rated soccer telecast on an ESPN network, based on fast nationals by the Nielsen Company.
The USA-Japan thriller bests the USA-Algeria men’s match (June 23, 2010) from last summer’s FIFA World Cup, which set the previous ESPN records for both ratings and viewership – 6.16 million viewers, based on a 4.0 household U.S. rating (4.58 million households).
The match also ranks as the sixth most-viewed soccer telecast ever in the United States.
 
Most-Viewed Soccer Events in the United States:
Date Match Network U.S. Rating P2+ (Viewers)
Sat., July 10, 1999 USA vs. China – Final ABC 11.4 17,975,000
Sun., July 11, 2010 Netherlands vs. Spain – Final ABC 8.4 15,905,000
Sat., June 26, 2010 USA vs. Ghana – Round of 16 ABC 8.5 15,193,000
Sun., July 17, 1994 Italy vs. Brazil – Final ABC 9.5 14,510,000
Mon., July 4, 1994 Brazil vs. USA – Round of 16 ABC 9.3 13,694,000
Sun., July 17, 2011 USA vs. Japan – Final ESPN 7.4  13,458,000
Sun., July 9, 2006 Italy vs. France – Final ABC 7.0 11,961,000
Additional highlights from yesterday’s Finals:
  • The second most-watched daytime telecast (Monday – Sunday, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.) in cable history, behind the Rose Bowl on ESPN (20.557 million viewers on Jan. 1, 2011).
  • The sixth most-watched cable telecast of the year;
  • Excluding NFL games, the fifth most-watched sports telecast on ESPN, trailing only the 2011 BCS games.
Baltimore was the top market for yesterday’s Women’s World Cup Finals, delivering a 12.3 rating.  Rounding out the top five were: San Diego (11.8), West Palm Beach (11.7), Washington, D.C. (11.5), and Norfolk, Va. (11.1).
Digital – USA-Japan Delivers Record Audience for Women’s Sports on ESPN3.com:
The thrilling Women’s World Cup Finals delivered over 548,000 unique viewers on ESPN3.com, the most ever for a women’s sporting event, and the second largest audience for a non-2010 FIFA World Cup event on the broadband sports network.  Additionally, it ranks eighth overall among all events on ESPN3.com.
Across ESPN3.com, ESPNnetworks.com and the WatchESPN app, the game logged a total of 38.6 million minutes consumed, ranking third overall for all non-2010 FIFA World Cup events.  The iPad logged the highest average time spent viewing an event via the WatchESPN app at 38 minutes on ESPN3.
From June 26 to July 17, Women’s World Cup content across ESPN.com, ESPNsoccernet and espnW.com generated 16 million page views and 12 million visits.  On ESPN Mobile, fans followed the championship game live via Gamecast, which was visited 739,000 times yesterday.
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HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg Announces Decision To Leave Company

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RECIPIENT OF 51 SPORTS EMMY® AWARDS

 

New York, NY (July 18, 2011) – Ross Greenburg, President of HBO Sports since September of 2000 as well as an Executive Vice President of HBO, announced today that he will not renew his contract and, therefore, will resign from the company.

“This was a difficult decision that I have been contemplating for some time,” Greenburg said. “It has been a glorious 33 years at HBO, but it felt like the right moment for me to focus my time and energy on developing projects that are particularly interesting to me.

“I would like to thank the many dedicated and talented men and women who have been a part of HBO Sports over the years. Because of their hard work and creativity, HBO Sports has been recognized among the best programmers and producers in every form of sports television.”

“We believe that Ross’ track record speaks for itself,” said HBO Co-President Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo, President, HBO Programming.  “He has helped redefine the sports programming genre and set an extraordinary standard of excellence in the industry. We will miss his leadership, vision, creativity and passion for sports television.”

Greenburg joined HBO Sports in 1978 as an Assistant to the Producer.  He was named a Senior Vice President and the Executive Producer of HBO Sports in October of 1994.  For the past 11 years he has been at the helm of the sports division, overseeing boxing, documentaries and specials, magazine shows, and the most acclaimed reality series franchise in sports television.

To a large degree, Greenburg redefined and reinvigorated the genre of sports documentaries.  His unique storytelling work includes the 1991 and 1992 Peabody and Emmy Award®-winning documentaries “When It Was a Game” and “When It Was a Game II.”  HBO has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Documentary each of the past four years.  Earlier this year, the HBO presentation of “Lombardi” was awarded the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Documentary while “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals” was named a Peabody Award winner.  He also served as co-executive producer with Billy Crystal for the 2001 HBO Films presentation 61*.

Greenburg has won more than 85 major television sports awards including 51 Sports Emmy® Awards and eight George F. Peabody Awards.

In 1995, Greenburg created “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” which has established itself as the leading sports journalism program on television.

Early in his career, Greenburg produced more than 200 of the most celebrated prizefights in modern history.  In the 1980s, these fights included the classic matchups of Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns, Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler, and Hearns vs. Hagler; the meteoric rise of Mike Tyson and many others.  In the 1990s, Greenburg helmed the production of the memorable matchups between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe, and most of the fights that lifted the careers of Roy Jones Jr., Oscar de la Hoya and Lennox Lewis.

He revolutionized the way the sport was covered on television, and many of his innovations – such as overhead cameras, microphones in the corners and simultaneous translations of non-English-speaking trainers – are standards for boxing coverage today.

The highest performing pay-per-view event in history took place on Greenburg’s watch: the 2007 “superfight” between Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather that generated 2.44 million buys on HBO Pay-Per-View®.

In addition, Greenburg launched the all-access reality series franchise “24/7” in 2007 and it was Greenburg and his team that joined forces with NFL FILMS to produce “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens” in 2001.  The series reached new heights in 2010 with the New York Jets.

A graduate of Brown University, Greenburg also served as Executive Producer of the theatrical motion picture “Miracle” in 2004.  It was labeled by critics “as the first great movie of the year.”

Filed Under: HBO

Notes from Turner Sports Announcement – Shaquille O’Neal Joins Turner Sports

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Turner Sports announced Thursday a multi-year agreement with 15-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal, to serve as an analyst across its portfolio of NBA assets. Beginning with the 2011-12 season, O’Neal will join TNT as a full-time analyst on the network’s Emmy Award-winning studio show, alongside Ernie Johnson (host), Kenny Smith (analyst) and Charles Barkley (analyst), and will be a part of the network’s exclusive NBA All-Star weekend and NBA Playoffs coverage.  In addition, he will be a key contributor to NBA TV and NBA.com, providing analysis and commentary throughout the regular season, as well as for The Finals, All Star Weekend and the NBA Draft.                                                          

Participants:

  • David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
  • Shaquille O’Neal, Turner Sport NBA analyst

 Levy welcoming Shaquille O’Neal to Turner Sports: “On behalf of Turner Broadcasting, I’m excited to formally welcome Shaquille O’Neal to our Turner family. We are thrilled to have Shaquille join Turner Sports and our marquee roster of announcers and analysts. Whether it’s his athletic career, business accomplishments or even his success in the entertainment industry, Shaquille has always been one of the most accomplished people in every field he has ventured into. Certainly for the past 19 years, Shaquille has been one of the most dominant and charismatic players in the NBA. His larger-than-life personality will be the perfect complement to our award-winning ‘NBA on TNT’ studio team of Ernie, Kenny and Charles, as well as our programming on NBA TV and NBA.com. Our NBA studio show on TNT is one of the best in the business. The show resonates with players and fans alike because it’s authentic. We are confident Shaquille’s presence will only enhance the program.”

O’Neal on joining the Turner family:  “I want to thank Turner and TNT for inviting me into the family. It was pretty much an easy decision. I felt this was the place for me. You guys are very fun. As they say in the sports world, ‘Keep it real.’ So I thought it was the best fit for me.”

O’Neal on whether he and Charles Barkley will become the new ‘Kobe and Shaq’ duo of television: “I would say yes, Charles is a funny guy. He is a guy that says what’s on his mind. I’m just honored to sit up there with him, Kenny and Ernie. We are going to make it very fun. We are going to make it more exciting for the fans to watch.”

O’Neal on fitting in with an established group:  “I don’t think it will be hard for me. I’ve always been a people person. [The] good thing about this show, everyone has their own opinion. Kenny has his opinion from a guard’s point of view, Charles has his opinion from a forward’s point of view and I have my opinion from a center’s point of view. I know it will work out very well.”

O’Neal on being courted by other networks: “I was very blessed to have many people come after me. Out of my respect for everybody I didn’t want to make it a ‘this and that’-type of war. I made my decision very quickly and very professionally. I thought TNT and Turner was the place for me and I’m going to have fun doing it.”

O’Neal on concerns about having time to give his opinion during the time allotted: “It is not a concern for me. I’ve always been a team player. I know when to fit in or sit back and relax. I’m just honored that they invited me and chose me. I’m just going to make it more fun than it already is.”

O’Neal on the career legacy of Houston Rockets forward Yao Ming: “Yao Ming is a first ballot Hall of Famer. He was a great player, a dominated player. The way his career ended was similar to how my career ended – by injury. If he wasn’t injury-plagued those last three years he would have put up more numbers. He’s always been a class act – number one player to come out of China. I’m also glad to call him my friend. Every time I go to China, his parents feed me and bring me gifts. He’s a great guy and I wish him well.”

Levy on the response from the existing Inside the NBA analysts [Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley] on O’Neal joining Inside: “Charles was one of the biggest proponent of bringing Shaquille on board. We have always had four people sitting up there in any way shape or form. I think there will be enough to go around for everybody and certainly Shaquille’s insight will only enhance the overall show. We are always looking for ways to improve the show and we believe bringing Shaquille on will do that.”

O’Neal on what gave Turner the edge over other networks: “It was very tempting. I have a tremendous amount of respect for [the other networks]. I felt that Turner and TNT was the place for me. It has always been my favorite show. I thought that was just the best fit for me.”

O’Neal on committing to a multi-year agreement with Turner Sports: I’m blessed to have the opportunity to have [other networks] and TNT come after me. But it was a deal I couldn’t resist.”

O’Neal on Kenny Smith naming him “The Big Analytical”: “I like that one. Good job, Kenny. That’s pretty good.”

O’Neal on the transition to becoming an analyst and having to criticize players: “I don’ think it will be hard. Some people give unfair criticism.  Some people give fair criticism. I have the ability and backing to give fair criticism. The only time I have a problem with people giving criticism is when they haven’t walked that walk. I have walked many walks in my 19-year career. I think any criticism I give should be fair.”

O’Neal on continuing his law enforcement career: “I still have plans on running for sheriff, but not anytime soon.”

O’Neal on LeBron James and Heat in the Finals: “They just came up against a team and it was their turn. [Dallas Mavericks forward] Dirk [Nowitzki] played unbelievable. They [Dallas Mavericks] played together. I just think it was their turn.   Michael Jordan told me a long time ago that before you succeed you must first learn to fail. This was the Big Three’s first time together and they made it very far and they are going to be together for a long time.  I’m guaranteeing they will get back.”

O’Neal on deciding on the direction of his career after playing:  “Right away, right when I announced my retirement, I got a few calls. I didn’t want to put people in an unnecessary bidding war.  I chose TNT/Turner. I felt that was the best fit for me. I would love to sit up there with Kenny and Charles and have a great time.”

O’Neal on if he watched TNT’s Inside the NBA during his playing days: “I did watch the show. It was one of my favorite shows. As a matter of fact, I watched it after every game. The interaction between [Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley] was very entertaining and very fun, and I’m honored to be able to sit next to those guys.”

O’Neal on whether or not he’ll ever want to come out of retirement and get out there again: “No. One word answer: No.”

O’Neal on how he wants to be remembered as a player: “I want to be remembered as the most dominant player ever or one of the most dominant players ever. One of my goals was to win numerous amounts of championships and another one of my goals was to pass Wilt Chamberlain in points, because I felt like if I passed him in points then I would be alone by myself as the most dominant player. Because of injury, that didn’t happen. Hopefully, I’ll be touted as the most dominant or one of the most dominant players ever.”

O’Neal on the “state of the Big Man” in the NBA now that he and Yao Ming have retired: “The beasts are now gone. The goliaths are now gone. That leaves Dwight Howard out there by himself. If he doesn’t get two or three championships, I’ll be disappointed because he has no competition out there anymore. None. Zero.”

O’Neal on his planned “broadcast style”: “I’m just going to try to be charismatic, funny, and very professional. My favorite analytical guy is Bryant Gumbel. I love him. He’s so smooth and he’s intelligent. Hopefully, I can get to that level one day.”

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ESPN Classic is the new cable home for Friday Night Lights

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The Return of the Critically Acclaimed Series Kicks Off on ESPN July 12

Fans of Friday Night Lights will once again be able to recapture the excitement of the Dillon Panthers as ESPN will air the entire series with episodes set to premiere on July 12.  To celebrate the kick-off of the football-themed drama, episodes one and two from season one will air back-to-back in primetime on ESPN at 8pm and 9pm ET.

For those who may be new to the series, a crash course in Friday Night Lights will be offered via a “Season 1 FNL Marathon” on ESPN Classic airing on July 14 and 15.  Then, beginning July 21, ESPN Classic will become the new cable home for Friday Night Lights, airing each season in sequential order beginning with season one/episode one, with “new” episodes each Thursday night at 9pm and 10pm ET.

“At its core, Friday Night Lights captures the blend of drama, excitement and heartache that embodies what it means to be a sports fan, leading to its very loyal and passionate following among viewers,” said Connor Schell, vice president and executive producer, ESPN Films and ESPN Classic.  “We recently created a home on ESPN Classic for ESPN Films on the weekends and we believe Friday Night Lights further enhances our mix of long-form sports storytelling.  We see this as an opportunity to deliver the series to a whole new audience.”

Additionally, timed to the Friday Night Lights marathon on ESPN Classic, Bill Simmons’ new site Grantland.com will publish an oral history of the series through the words of the entire cast and crew on July 14.

Longhorn Network, the ESPN owned and operated 24-hour network dedicated to Texas athletics in partnership with UT and IMG College, will also air the entire five seasons of Friday Night Lights upon its August launch.

Inspired by the book and 2004 film of the same name, Friday Night Lights premiered in October 2006 and follows the lives of the players and coach of a competitive Texas high school football team. The Peabody- and Emmy-winning series wraps up its fifth and final season on NBC July 15.  Friday Night Lights is a production of Universal Media Studios, Imagine Television and Film 44 with executive producers Peter Berg (Hancock), Jason Katims (“Parenthood”), Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind), David Nevins (“Arrested Development”), Sarah Aubrey (“Prime Suspect”) and David Hudgins (“Parenthood”).

About ESPN Classic

ESPN Classic is a 24-hour sports network devoted to connecting today’s fans to the timeless elements of sports history, including the greatest games, moments, stories and personalities.  By telling classic sports stories through short-form programming as well as films, series and documentaries, ESPN Classic seeks to enhance and expand the sports viewership experience for all fans.

 

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Interview with Jets QB Mark Sanchez on ‘NFL Total Access’ Tonight at 7:00 PM ET — NFL Network & NFL.com Programming Notes (7/13 – 7/19)

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Plaxico Burress & Jim Mora, Sr. Featured Guests on ‘The Rich Eisen Podcast’ Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 PM ET

Entire Season of Emmy Award-Winning 2007 Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs Airs Sunday, July 17 Beginning at 7:00 PM ET

Cleveland Gladiators Host Pittsburgh Power with Playoff Berth on the Line on “Arena Football Friday” July 15 at 8:00 PM ET

CFL Doubleheader on Saturday, July 16 Features Saskatchewan-Hamilton & B.C.-Edmonton


Interview with Jets QB Mark Sanchez on NFL Total Access TONIGHT at 7:00 PM ET

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez appears via satellite on NFL Total Access tonight at 7:00 PM ET. The third-year quarterback who has led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game twice in his first two seasons in the NFL talks about his various offseason activities and preparing for the 2011 season.

NFL Network’s Albert Breer continues to report from New York City with the latest news on the NFL labor negotiations, providing daily recaps.

On Monday, Houston Texans All-Pro running back Arian Foster appeared live in-studio. Last season’s NFL rushing leader discussed his breakout season in 2010, where he ranks among the top running backs in the league and what the Texans need to accomplish in order to make the playoffs following a 6-10 season.

On Tuesday, safety Charlie Peprah, linebacker Desmond Bishop and defensive back Jarrett Bush from the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers appeared in-studio to talk about what it will take for the Packers to repeat as champions. Cleveland Browns tight end Benjamin Watson also appeared in-studio on Tuesday and talked about the team moving forward with quarterback Colt McCoy leading the offense.

Below are video links and quotes from Monday and Tuesday’s editions of NFL Total Access:

– Houston Texans running back Arian Foster appears in-studio to discuss his breakout season in 2010:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d820b895f/Arian-Foster-in-studio

– Charlie Peprah, Desmond Bishop and Jarrett Bush of the Super Bowl winning Green Bay Packers talk about what it will take to repeat in 2011:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d820bd19b/Will-the-Pack-make-it-back

– Cleveland Browns tight end Benjamin Watson discusses the current state of the franchise:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d820bd29f/Browns-2011-outlook

– “It’s just the combination of a couple of things: a lot of hard work combined with the opportunity. That’s all that we can do as men is answer the call whenever the opportunity knocks. I got the opportunity and I made the best of it.” – Arian Foster on rushing for a league-leading 1,616 yards in his first season as a starter

– “My responsibility and my job is to make sure the people in the front office don’t replace me, because every single day they’re looking to replace me. So I have to make sure I block with the best, run with the best and catch with the best. That’s my job.” – Arian Foster on where he ranks among the other running backs in the NFL

– “We just need to finish as a team. In all honesty, there were times when the offense didn’t finish drives at the end of the game, and there were times when the defense didn’t finish drives at the end of the game. We need to learn how to finish.” – Arian Foster on how the Houston Texans can make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history

 

– “All of the guys staying hungry. You get one [Super Bowl]; it’s good, but we know coming back this next year everybody is going to be hunting us down. So, if everybody stays hungry we could do it.” – Desmond Bishop on what it will take for the Packers to repeat as Super Bowl champions

 

– “He’s by far one of the most instinctive players I’ve ever had the chance to play with. Just his knowledge of the game, just the way he goes about preparing throughout the week, just the film study. He leads by example; he’s not really a rah-rah type of guy. … [He’s] a pro in all aspects.” – Charlie Peprah on Packers cornerback Charles Woodson

– “Not just me, but we’re all going to do our job. I think this team has made a commitment to improve; that’s what we want to do. That’s what we wanted to do last year [and] it didn’t turn out that well. But I really think this offseason a lot of guys on this team have made a personal commitment to [say] ‘We’re not going to be 5-11 next year.’” – Benjamin Watson on how the Cleveland Browns will bounce back from last season

 

 

Plaxico Burress & Former Head Coach Jim Mora, Sr. Featured Guests on ‘The Rich Eisen Podcast’ Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 PM ET

The latest edition of ‘The Rich Eisen Podcast’ premieres Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network, and is available for download on NFL.com and iTunes following the network debut.

This week, former Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Plaxico Burress appears in-studio to discuss his return to the NFL after two years, what he can bring to a team and his recent partnerships with the National Urban League and the Brady Center.

With the summer movie schedule in full-swing, former head coach of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, Jim Mora, Sr. joins Eisen for his second movie review session. In February, Mora reviewed all of the Oscar-nominated film and now returns to discuss his favorite and least favorite recent movies.

Also joining the podcast in-studio is ESPN’s Michelle Beadle.

Last week Eisen hosted a special Curb Your Enthusiasm edition of the podcast, featuring a one-on-one interview with the show’s creator, executive producer and star Larry David, and a roundtable discussion with David, executive producer/actor Jeff Garlin, and actors J.B. Smoove and Bob Einstein. During the nearly two hour edition, the crew looked back on the first 11 years of the Emmy Award-winning show on HBO and previewed what is to come in the eighth season, which premiered last Sunday.

To listen to the entire Curb edition of the podcast, visit:

http://richeisen.nfl.com/2011/07/07/curb-your-enthusiasm-podcast-larry-david-jeff-garlin-jb-smoove-bob-einstein-jeff-schaffer-alec-berg-and-david-mandel/

Below are video links to bonus segments from the Curb edition of the podcast:

– Larry David discusses upcoming episodes from the eighth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d820a7fc7/REP-Bonus-LD-talks-upcoming-Curb-episodes

– J.B. Smoove offers his thoughts on the other cast members:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d820a8580/REP-Bonus-JB-Smoove-dishes-on-the-Curb-crew

– The cast talk about outtakes and which one could play a professional sport:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d820a877e/REP-Bonus-Curb-cast-talks-outtakes-athleticism

Entire Season of 2007 Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs Airs Sunday, July 17 at 7:00 PM ET

The entire season of the Emmy Award-winning 2007 Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs airs Sunday, July 17 at 7:00 PM ET.

The five episode season covers the contract holdouts of running back Larry Johnson and rookie wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, running back Priest Holmes’ attempted comeback and the battle between Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle for the starting quarterback position following the trade of Trent Green.

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs earned NFL Films a 2007 Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics category.

Cleveland Gladiators Host Pittsburgh Power with East Division Title on the Line on “Arena Football Friday” on Friday, July 15 at 8:00 PM ET

With two games remaining in the regular season, the top two teams in the East Division of the American Conference face off on NFL Network’s “Arena Football Friday” on Friday, July 15 at 8:00 PM ET. The first-place Cleveland Gladiators (9-7) look to bounce back from a loss last week and claim the East Division title against the second-place Pittsburgh Power (8-8). Mike Adamle provides the play-by-play, while Anthony Herron serves as game analyst. Former quarterback for the Philadelphia Soul and Los Angeles Avengers Tony Graziani provides reports from the sidelines of Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Pittsburgh enters the game on a two-game losing streak, and has dropped four of its last five games. Most recently, the Power fell at home to the Arizona Rattlers, 68-34, on July 10. Pittsburgh currently sits a game behind Cleveland in the East Division, and a game behind the Georgia Force and Orlando Predators for the final two playoff spots in the American Conference.

The Gladiators will look rebound from a 49-21 loss on the road to the Philadelphia Soul last week and clinch the East Division title. With a win, Cleveland would claim the No. 2 seed and host a first-round playoff game.

This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. In the first game on June 4, the Power defeated the Gladiators 35-32 on the strength of three touchdown passes from quarterback Bernard Morris. Cleveland quarterback Kurt Rocco threw four touchdown passes in the loss.

Cleveland is making its second consecutive appearance on NFL Network; last week, the Gladiators lost to the Philadelphia Soul, 49-21. Pittsburgh is making its final of three appearances on NFL Network. In the two previous games, the Power lost to the Philadelphia Soul 58-52 in the opening game of the season (March 11) and to the Orlando Predators 62-54 on July 1.

Last week on “Arena Football Friday,” the Soul defeated the Gladiators 49-21 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Soul quarterback Ryan Vena threw three touchdowns – all to wide receiver Larry Brackins – and rushed for two more. Rocco threw two touchdowns, both to wide receiver Troy Bergeron.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats Host Saskatchewan Roughriders & B.C. Lions Travel to Face Edmonton Eskimos on NFL Network’s Coverage of the Canadian Football League Saturday, July 16 at 4:00 PM ET

NFL Network’s coverage of the Canadian Football League continues this week with two games on Saturday, July 16, beginning with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-2) at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-2) at 4:00 PM ET. In the second game, the B.C. Lions (0-2) travel to face the Edmonton Eskimos (2-0) at 7:00 PM ET.

In the first game, both the Roughriders and Tiger-Cats will be looking for their first victories of the season. Last week Saskatchewan fell to the Montreal Aloutettes at home 39-25, while Hamilton fell 28-10 to Edmonton on the road, both of which aired on NFL Network.

The second game features a matchup of West Division foes. First-place Edmonton is coming off a victory over Hamilton last week, while the B.C. Lions will look to crack the win column after losses to Montreal and Calgary in the first two weeks of the season.

2004 New England Patriots, 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers & 2006 Indianapolis Colts Editions of America’s Game Monday, July 18 at 8:00 PM ET

On Monday, July 18, relive the championship seasons of three recent Super Bowl winners with America’s Game. At 8:00 PM ET, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, linebacker Tedy Bruschi and wide receiver Troy Brown recap the 2004 season, which ended with a 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.

At 9:00 PM ET, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, running back Jerome Bettis and linebacker Joey Porter discuss the 2005 season in which the Steelers won the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl.

At 10:00 PM ET, Indianapolis Colts quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning, head coach Tony Dungy and center Jeff Saturday talk about the 2006 season and defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

Below are video links to segments from these episodes of America’s Game:

– New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gives his team a reminder prior to the start of the season:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-americas-game/09000d5d8009a890/America-s-Game-2004-Patriots

– New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and linebacker Tedy Bruschi look back on the playoffs:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-americas-game/09000d5d8009a83b/America-s-Game-2004-Patriots

– Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher talks about incorporating gadget plays into the game plan:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-americas-game/09000d5d8009a857/America-s-Game-2005-Steelers

– Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis discusses his final home game at Heinz Field:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-americas-game/09000d5d8009a816/America-s-Game-2005-Steelers-Bettis-last-home-game

– Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning takes advice from tight end Bryan Fletcher in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-americas-game/09000d5d801fb160/America-s-Game-2006-Colts

– Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy talks about his first seasons with the Colts:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-americas-game/09000d5d801fb0b8/America-s-Game-2006-Colts

Super Bowl XIII & 1983 NFC Championship Game Featured on NFL’s Greatest Games Tuesday, July 19 at 8:00 PM ET

On Tuesday, July 19, NFL’s Greatest Games celebrates Super Bowl XIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys at 8:00 PM ET, and the 1983 NFC Championship Game between the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers at 9:30 PM ET.

In Super Bowl XIII, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw four touchdown passes and was named the game’s MVP as the Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The game was a rematch of Super Bowl X and was Pittsburgh’s third Super Bowl title.

In the 1983 NFC Championship Game, the Redskins defeated the 49ers 24-21 on a game-winning field goal by Mark Moseley at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The Redskins would fall to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII, 38-9.

THIS WEEK ON NFL.COM

 

Thursday, July 14

  • CHAT: Steve Wyche (12 NOON ET)

 

Friday, July 15

  • CHAT: Bucky Brooks (12 NOON ET)

 

 

DAY-BY-DAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (all times listed are ET)

 

Wednesday, July 13

4:00 PM – 1993 Green Bay Packers

4:30 PM – NFL’s Greatest Games: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions – 1993 NFC Wild Card Game

6:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Draft Busts

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – Game of the Week: Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 2004 NFC Championship Game

9:00 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – 2004 AFC Championship Game

10:00 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl XXXIX

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

Thursday, July 14

12 NOON – Game of the Week: Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 2004 NFC Championship Game

1:00 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl XXXIX

2:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: Chew on This

2:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: It’s Not Gonna Be Pretty

3:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: Jerry Wolman

3:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: Picture Perfect

4:00 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – 2004 AFC Championship Game

5:00 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl XXXIX

6:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Draft Trades

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – The Rich Eisen Podcast

8:30 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Biggest Upsets

9:30 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Uniforms

10:30 PM – Sound FX: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts – Super Bowl XLIV

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

 

Friday, July 15

12 NOON – NFL’s Top 10: Uniforms

1:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Biggest Upsets

2:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: A Hairy Proposition

2:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: Back to School

3:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: Going Deep

3:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: USA Football, Episode #1

4:00 PM – The Rich Eisen Podcast

4:30 PM – Sound FX: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts – Super Bowl XLIV

5:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Power Backs

6:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Biggest Upsets

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – Arena Football Friday: Pittsburgh Power vs. Cleveland Gladiators

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

 

Saturday, July 16

9:00 AM – The Rich Eisen Podcast

9:30 AM – Sound FX: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts – Super Bowl XLIV

10:00 AM – Game of the Week: Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 2004 NFC Championship Game

11:00 AM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – 2004 AFC Championship Game

12 NOON – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl XXXIX

1:00 PM – 1997 Denver Broncos

1:30 PM – NFL’s Greatest Games: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers – Super Bowl XXXII

3:00 PM – America’s Game: 1970 Baltimore Colts

4:00 PM – Canadian Football League: Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

7:00 PM – Canadian Football League: B.C. Lions vs. Edmonton Eskimos

10:00 PM – Fans’ Choice

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

Sunday, July 17

8:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Defenses

9:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Games With Names

10:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Uniforms

11:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Power Backs

12 NOON – Sound FX: Bill Belichick

12:30 PM – Sound FX: Wild Card, 2010

1:00 PM – NFL Replay Real-Time: Week 17, 2010

2:00 PM – 2000 Baltimore Ravens

2:30 PM – 2001 New England Patriots

3:00 PM – 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3:30 PM – 2003 New England Patriots

4:00 PM – 2004 New England Patriots

4:30 PM – 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

5:00 PM – 2006 Indianapolis Colts

5:30 PM – Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants vs. New England Patriots

6:00 PM – 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers

6:30 PM – 2009 New Orleans Saints

7:00 PM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #1

8:00 PM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #2

9:00 PM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #3

10:00 PM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #4

11:00 PM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #5

Monday, July 18

6:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Uniforms

7:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Power Backs

8:00 AM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #1

9:00 AM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #2

10:00 AM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #3

11:00 AM – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #4

12 NOON – Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs: Episode #5

1:00 PM – Sound FX: Best of Green Bay, Chicago, New York Jets and Pittsburgh – 2010

1:30 PM – NFL Replay: New York Jets vs. New England Patriots – Divisional Game, 2010

2:45 PM – NFL Replay: Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons – Divisional Game, 2010

4:00 PM – NFL Replay: Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears – Divisional Game, 2010

5:15 PM – NFL Replay: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Divisional Game, 2010

6:30 PM – Sound FX: Divisional Weekend, 2010

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – America’s Game: 2004 New England Patriots

9:00 PM – America’s Game: 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

10:00 PM – America’s Game: 2006 Indianapolis Colts

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

 

Tuesday, July 19

12 NOON – America’s Game: 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

1:00 PM – America’s Game: 2006 Indianapolis Colts

2:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: USA Football, Episode #2

2:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: USA Football, Episode #3

3:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: The Doctors Are In

3:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: Sounds of the Season, 2010

4:00 PM – America’s Game: 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

5:00 PM – America’s Game: 2006 Indianapolis Colts

6:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Backfield Tandems

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – NFL’s Greatest Games: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys – Super Bowl XIII

9:30 PM – NFL’s Greatest Games: Washington Redskins vs. San Francisco 49ers – 1983 NFC Championship Game

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

82nd MLB All-Star Game Draws Almost 26 Million Viewers

By

Mid-Summer Classic Once Again Delivers as One of Summer’s Top Television Events

& Dominates All Prime Time Competition

Phoenix, AZ – The 82nd MLB ALL-STAR GAME delivered FOX a total audience of 25.9 million viewers and its best night in prime time since the American Idol finale in May.

According to figures released today by Nielsen Media Research, the All-Star Game remains one of the most powerful forces in prime time. Last night’s game delivered FOX a dominating win for the night among all Households, across every major male demographic and among Adults 18-34.

The game registered a 6.9/12, with an average audience of 11.0 million viewers, -8% versus last year’s 7.5/13 and -9% in viewership decline compared to last year’s 12.1 million.

The All-Star Game remains one of the most prominent sports events of the spring and summer. Last night’s 6.9/12 beats the most recent ratings for the Kentucky Derby (6.7), the entire NCAA Tournament (6.4), Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals (4.8) and the final round of the U.S. Open (4.5).

Host city Phoenix, due to its size, contributed fewer homes than last year’s far larger host city of Los Angeles.  Phoenix averaged a 10.6/19, and although that’s +23% better than the 8.6/17 LA posted last year, the huge difference in size between the two markets equates to a difference of 288,000 homes.

St. Louis topped all markets last night with a 17.8/28, marking the fourth straight year that St. Louis has been the top-rated city for the All-Star Game. Since 2003, St. Louis has been out-rated for the All-Star Game only once, by host city Pittsburgh in 2006. Philadelphia was the second highest-rated market at a 14.7/23, an +11% gain over last year’s 13.3/21. Markets with the biggest increases included host city Phoenix, +45% (10.6 vs. 7.3); Cleveland, +42% (9.5 vs. 6.7); Knoxville, +42% (4.7 vs. 3.3); San Francisco, +28% (11.1 vs. 8.7); Richmond, +23% (7.5 vs. 6.1); Pittsburgh, +21% (8.6 vs. 7.1); Greenville, +16% (8.6 vs. 7.4); Austin, +16% (5.7 vs. 4.9); Greensboro, +14% (8.3 vs. 7.3); and Philadelphia (see above).

— FOX SPORTS —

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: New edition July 19

By

REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL

PRESENTS AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE HARBAUGH FOOTBALL FAMILY;

TELLS THE STORY OF INJURED WAR VETS PLAYING COMPETITIVE SOFTBALL;

TAKES A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS; AND

RECONNECTS WITH GUINNESS WORLD RECORD HOLDER ASHRITA FURMAN

WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS JULY 19, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 172nd edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, JULY 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates:  July 19 (3:20 a.m.), 21 (5:00 p.m., midnight), 24 (9:00 a.m.), 26 (10:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m.), 28 (1:00 p.m., 1:45 a.m.) and 30 (10:30 a.m.), and Aug. 4 (8:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  July 23 (6:30 p.m.), 25 (1:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.), 29 (5:00 p.m.), and 31 (12:30 p.m.), and Aug. 2 (11:00 p.m.) and 5 (11:30 a.m.)

HBO On Demand availability:  July 25-Aug. 15

Segments include:

All in the Family.  Manning.  Griffey.  Ripken.  These are some of the multi-generational families in sports that are household names.  But a new family is set to make history, not as players, but in coaching.  The Harbaugh boys, John and Jim, have followed in their father’s footsteps and are the first brother act to serve simultaneously as head coaches in the NFL.  Jack Harbaugh coached college football for 45 years and taught his only sons the ins-and-outs of the game from an early age.  His eldest son, John, is the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach and has led the team to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons at the helm.  Jim, after a successful NFL career as a quarterback, reenergized the Stanford University football program and was hired in January to take over the underachieving San Francisco 49ers.  And later this year, when most families will be gathered around the TV watching Thanksgiving Day football, the brothers are set to face-off at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.  In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated report, correspondent Andrea Kremer joins the family on vacation to find out what makes them tick and why they have so much to be thankful for.

Producers:  Joe Perskie, Josh Fine.

Wounded Warriors.  Often the hardest part of an athlete’s career is battling back from injury, but nothing can compare to challenges faced by members of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team.  All of these men have endured near-fatal injuries and excruciating rehabilitation to return to the ball field from the battlefield.  The current team is made up of 15 Army and Marine vets who suffered leg, foot or arm amputations while heroically serving their country.  Despite their individual handicaps, they face able-bodied teams and have a .500 record.  In this feelgood comeback story, REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford goes on location with the Wounded Warriors Softball Team to show that they are the same focused, physically capable men they have always been.

Producer:  Nick Dolin.

The Original Extreme Sport.  Hundreds of years before skateboarding, BMX biking and water skiing, the original extreme sport was the running of the bulls, wherein people test their bravado by racing bulls through barricaded streets to a corral at the end of the course.  According to Spanish lore, the custom originated in Spain around the 14th century, and it was made world-famous by American author Ernest Hemingway’s first novel, “The Sun Also Rises.”  With extreme sports comes extreme danger, however, and since record-keeping began in the early 1900s, 15 people have died, while scores are injured every year.  REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo travels to the Fiesta de San Fermin in Pamplona to meet some of the top runners and provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse at one of the most dangerous events on earth.

Producer:  Tim Walker.

Record Breaker.  In Oct. 2009, REAL SPORTS profiled Ashrita Furman of Queens, NY, who held the Guinness World Record for holding the most world records, with 245 records overall and more than 100 simultaneously.  He finds spiritual fulfillment through the constant pursuit of physical challenges and world records, which is why he continues to hold on to his title.  Furman has set 355 world records since 1979 and currently holds 130.  REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg reconnects with Ashrita Furman, who has set exactly 100 new records since the last time they got together.

Producers:  Zehra Mamdani, Tim Walker.

REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism.  On May 2, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for last August’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS.  Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.

The executive producers of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.

Filed Under: HBO

Notes from TNT NASCAR Summer Series Quaker State 400 from Kentucky Speedway – July 9, 2011

By

Quote of the Day:

 

TNT “Countdown to Green” host Lindsay Czarniak explained the population of Sparta, KY is 231 compared to the two biggest cities in Kentucky (Louisville pop. 741,096, Lexington pop. 295,803). During the weekend Sparta swells to more than 126,200 people and becomes the third most-populated city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky: “Tonight as fans pack into the stands, Sparta becomes the third most populous city in the [Commonwealth].”                                                         

TNT NASCAR: Countdown to Green delivered by Pizza Hut

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

TNT analyst Larry McReynolds on the inaugural Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway: “We go to eight mile-and-a-half race tracks. This one [Kentucky Speedway] has more character than any of them. It’s rough. It’s bumpy. Yet the speeds are fast with the least amount of banks in the turns.”

TNT analyst Kyle Petty on Kentucky Speedway: “Larry calls it character, I call it bumpy. It’s just a rough old race track.”

TNT “Countdown to Green” host Lindsay Czarniak explaining the audio-enhanced coverage: “We are using special affect sound by bringing you something we call “Inside Trax Enhanced Audio.” We’ve added 40 microphones all along the track walls, through the turns and down in pit road to get you closer to the action on the race track.”

Pit Reporter Marty Snider on what it will take at Kentucky as told to him by Denny Hamlin: “The leaders will probably choose the outside to avoid the bumps.”

Pit Reporter Chris Neville on his thoughts about Kentucky: “Once you figure out the race track, don’t forget about pit lane.”

 Petty on the Cup Series standings and who might be desperate: “If you’re outside the top 10, you’re close to desperate with nine races to go.”

McReynolds on the standings: “When you think about the wild card positions…we have four drivers that are outside the top 10 and they each have a win. Denny Hamlin and David Ragan would be the wild cards right now with nine races to go. Brad Keselowski will be good tonight,. Regan Smith, they have the win but they’re outside the top 20.”

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart in pre-race interview on his season so far: “We’ve had one odd year where anything that could go wrong has gone wrong. To be 12th in points for as bad a season as we’ve had so far, I think we’re sitting pretty good considering the circumstances.  If we get the bad luck out of our system I think we’ll be fine.”

Stewart on the Kentucky Speedway: “It’s definitely the roughest mile-and-a-half we’ve got. It’s a different challenge to the crew chiefs. It’s [the track] got some age to it and a welcome challenge for us as drivers and crews.”  

Stewart commenting on blocking after Petty addressed it: “For some reason we’re seeing more and more of it and it’s kinda time to get the etiquette squared away again. The drivers have always been able to figure out how to set the boundaries. The competition is so tight that it’s forced guys to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do. We’re not going to let them keep doing it.”

PRIDE OF NASCAR feature: Terry Labonte

Terry Labonte on his career as a driver: “To be able to that [winning the championship] driving with two different teams and 12 years apart, I was lucky being in the right place at the right time.”

Rick Hendrick on Terry Labonte: “If you had to pick a guy to be in the foxhole with, and you only had one choice, Terry Labonte would be that type of person. He is just one tough customer. He’s really the John Wayne of our sport.”

Petty commenting on Terry Labonte: “Terry drove a race car because he loved to drive a race car.”

Czarniak explained the population of Sparta, KY is 231 compared to the two biggest cities in Kentucky (Louisville pop. 741,096, Lexington pop. 295,803). During the weekend Sparta swells to more than 126,200 people and becomes the third most-populated city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky: “Tonight as fans pack into the stands tonight, Sparta becomes the third most populous city in the [Commonwealth].”

Petty on whether Dale Earnhardt Jr. will win again this season: “He’s knocking on the door. Remember, we’ve got 19 races left in the season. There’s plenty of time to knock that win out.”

NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon who has won three inaugural races (1994 Brickyard, 1997 California, 2001 Kansas) and how he has mastered that and what it might take to win at Kentucky: “When you come to a track for the first time it’s a total team effort and diagnosing the bumps and different challenges that new track presents like here in Kentucky. The best team knows how to sort through that information and communicate…and we’ve got some great guys who know how to go through that data.”

NASCAR driver David Ragan on continuing momentum from last week: “Now more than ever our UPS team has to buckle down and try to go out and get another win.”

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards on being second in the points standings: “The race at Daytona was a reality check for us. If the chase were today we wouldn’t be leading the points. This is an opportunity to show ‘em what we’ve got.”

McReynolds on first-time winners this season: “We knew coming into 2011 that drivers that had not been to victory lane was a top core of drivers and they have not let us down – Trevor Bayne at Daytona, Regan Smith in the Southern 500 and David Ragan last week in the Coke Zero 400. Don’t close that file because don’t rule out that Paul Menard, Marcos Ambrose or A.J. Allmendinger cannot win a race this year. It may start out right here at this inaugural event.”

TNT NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing: Quaker State 400 from Kentucky Speedway

Adam Alexander (host), Kyle Petty (analyst), Wally Dallenbach (analyst)

Pit Reporters: Chris Neville, Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider, Matt Yocum

Petty on the way the drivers have chosen to drive the new track at Kentucky in the first few laps of the race and racing in daylight moving into night: “The middle of the race track seems to be the bumpiest part of the race track. It’s going to start out as one race track and finish as another.”

TNT NASCAR Summer Series – Post-race remarks

Top 5 Finishers:

18 Kyle Busch: “This is cool [winning the inaugural race at Kentucky]. I can’t put it into words. It was a fun night, a good night.”

00 David Reutimann: “[It was a] total team effort, just a little short at the end.”

48 Jimmie Johnson: “We had a solid race. We had a shot with new tires.”

39 Ryan Newman: “It was a good last restart. I was proud of the last restart. I did what I had to do.”

99 Carl Edwards: “It felt insane [at the end]. It was a spectacular finish. It was a great finish. I haven’t had that much fun racing in quite a while.”

SiriusXM Offers Live Coverage of British Open Championship

By


SiriusXM listeners get more than 48 hours of live on-course coverage

from Royal St. George’s GC in England July 14-17

 

NEW YORK – July 11, 2011 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that it will air the 2011 The Open Championship live nationwide this Thursday, July 14, through Sunday, July 17.

SiriusXM will provide listeners with live hole-by-hole coverage from Royal St. George’s Golf Club in England on channel 93 on XM and channel 208 on Sirius Premier (formerly known as “The Best of XM”).

Live coverage will start Thursday and Friday at 2:30 am ET and Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 am ET and will continue until the conclusion of each day’s play. Each evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm ET, former PGA TOUR pro John Maginnes will host his nightly show, Maginnes on Tap, offering listeners a wrap-up of the day’s action with highlights and analysis.  On Saturday and Sunday, Alex Miceli and Bob Bubka will host a one-hour post-round show, The Grill Room, immediately following the conclusion of play.

In all, listeners will have access to more than 48 hours of live on-course coverage from Thursday through Sunday plus post-round shows that will cover all the day’s highlights and the performances of the tournament leaders.

Royal St. George’s Golf Club, which in 1894 became the first course outside Scotland to host The Open Championship, will be hosting the event for the 14th time this week.  The Open Championship field features the world’s best golfers, including 2011 U.S. Open Champion Rory McIlroy, World #1 Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter, defending Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and many others.  American Ben Curtis won the famed Claret Jug the last time the event was played at Royal St. George’s, in 2003.

 

In the days leading up to the tournament SiriusXM’s hosts will provide golf fans with daily talk and analysis of this year’s championship field.  Fairways of Life with Matt Adams will air live Monday through Wednesday (7:00-9:00 am ET), followed by Teed Off with Brian Katrek (9:00 am – 11:00 am ET), then Making the Turn with Peter Kessler (11:00 am- Noon ET).  All shows air on channel 93 on XM and channel 208 on Sirius Premier.

For more information on SiriusXM’s extensive professional golf programming, visit www.siriusxm.com/pgatournetwork.

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