Archives for August 2013

“Sunday MLB on TBS” to Feature the Orioles vs. Yankees at 1 p.m. ET

August 30, 2013 By admin

“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues September 1 when the Baltimore Orioles and Chris Davis visit the New York Yankees and Derek Jeter at 1 p.m. ET. Baltimore’s Wei-Yin Chen (7-7) is scheduled to take the mound against New York’s probable starting pitcher Phil Hughes (4-13). In the TBS broadcast booth, Brian Anderson will call the action alongside analyst Dennis Eckersley.

TBS’ regular season MLB coverage features a 26-game schedule. In October, TBS will exclusively televise the American League and National League Wild Card games and will once again provide coverage of all four MLB Division Series and exclusive coverage of the National League Championship Series.

TBS has broadcast MLB for more than 30 years, televising the MLB Division Series and one League Championship Series since 2007, and was the home of the Atlanta Braves from 1977 to 2007.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Schedule:

September 1	Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees
1 p.m. ET	Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Dennis Eckersley (analyst)

Upcoming Schedule:

September 8	Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees
1 p.m.	Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts)

September 15	Kansas City Royals @ Detroit Tigers
1 p.m.	Anderson (play-by-play), Ripken and John Smoltz (analysts)

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NBC Sports Group Surrounds Week 1 Of 2013 NFL Season With NFL Kickoff 2013 And Sunday Night Football

August 30, 2013 By admin

Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens Take On Denver
Broncos on Thursday, September 5. Coverage of NFL Kickoff
2013 Begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC

New York Giants Host Dallas Cowboys on Debut of Sunday
Night Football on September 8. Coverage Begins with
Football Night In America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC

Debut of Carrie Underwood’s “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night”

NBC Sports Live Extra to Live Stream All Sunday Night Football Games

NFL Turning Point Season Premiere on Wednesday,
September 11 at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Pro Football Talk with Mike Florio
Airs Weeknights at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Stamford, Conn. – August 29, 2013 – NBC Sports Group will surround the 2013 NFL season, which kicks off one week from today on NBC, with multi-platform coverage across its unprecedented portfolio of assets. NFL coverage will include live game presentation on NBC with Sunday Night Football, the No. 1 show in primetime TV; pre-game coverage on NBC with Football Night in America, the most watched pre-game show in sports; live streaming of Sunday Night Football for desktops and tablets on NBC Sports Live Extra; daily studio coverage on NBCSN with Pro Football Talk; weekly programming on NBCSN with Emmy Award-nominated NFL Turning Point; daily radio coverage on 339 NBC Sports Radio affiliates across the United States; local team coverage on 11 NBC Sports Regional Networks; comprehensive fantasy football coverage on NBCSN with Fantasy Football Live—Thursday Night!, and online through Rotoworld.com; and additional digital and social media content.

NFL KICKOFF 2013 AND SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

The NFL opens the regular season on Thursday, Sept. 5, with NFL Kickoff 2013 on NBC. Joe Flacco and the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens travel to Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., to face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a rematch of the 2012 AFC Divisional Playoff game. A pre-game concert will feature performances by Grammy Award-winning artist Keith Urban, from a specially constructed stage floating in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Coverage begins on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday Night Football, the No. 1 primetime show on television, kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 8, when Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys host Eli Manning and the New York Giants from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, the most-watched pre-game show in sports.

Calling both games is seven-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 28th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 14-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his four seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya.

NBC’s coverage of NFL Kickoff 2013 and Sunday Night Football is led by Emmy Award-winning producer Fred Gaudelli and Emmy Award-winning director Drew Esocoff. Sunday Night Football has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series for five consecutive years.

Country music superstar Carrie Underwood, will perform “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night”, the opening theme for Sunday Night Football, on Sunday, Sept. 8 on NBC’s first SNF broadcast of the 2013 NFL season. The opening theme will continue each week kicking off Sunday Night Football throughout the NFL season on NBC.

Football Night in America, the most-watched pre-game show in sports, is hosted by 25-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from Sports Authority Field at Mile High, on Thursday, and AT&T Stadium, on Sunday. Costas will be joined on site by Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and two-time Super Bowl winner Hines Ward.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Thursday night, and from NBC’s famed Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday night. Patrick will be joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBCSN and NBCSports.com, and longtime NFL front office veteran and former NFL Executive of the Year Scott Pioli.

Michelle Beadle will host the concert portion of NFL Kickoff 2013 on NBC. As part of the NFL’s Kickoff 2013 celebration, Big Machine Records recording artist and winner of Season 4 of NBC’s The Voice Danielle Bradberry will sing the National Anthem live from Denver.

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

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

For the sixth consecutive season, the entire Sunday Night Football schedule will be streamed live online. NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops and tablets, will stream all SNF games televised on NBC. The video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcast of SNF, and will include additional camera angles and interactive features.

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

In addition, online coverage features in-game analysis from the Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America teams as well as fantasy tips from Rotoworld fantasy experts.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for tablets is available at the App Store for iPad and iPod touch, and on select tablet devices within Google Play.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL DIGITAL COVERAGE

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

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

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA:

SNF ON FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/SNFonNBC – Over 1 million LIKES strong, The Sunday Night Football Facebook page provides links, photos and videos exclusive to behind-the-scenes at SNF every week. The page aggregates all SNF-related content found within the NBC Sports digital network, including NBCSports.com, SNF All Access, ProFootballTalk.com, and Rotoworld.com.

SNF ON TWITTER: twitter.com/SNFonNBC – For the second year in a row, Michele Tafoya will be sharing both Twitter updates and live video tweets from @SNFonNBC on the sideline exclusively for the SNF social media platforms, providing fans extended real-time content from Michele’s unique sideline perspective. Using tweets, pictures, vine videos and twidvids @SNFonNBC provides unique content with SNF talent, production crew and NFL players.In addition, each week @SNFonNBC will promote a guest player who will live tweet during the Sunday Night Football broadcast. On Thursday, Sept. 5, former Ravens C Matt Birk (@BirkMatt) will be the guest player. Birk was the starting Center for Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII winning team. On Sunday, September 8, former Cowboys WR Drew Pearson (@DrewPearsonShow) will be the guest player. Pearson went into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2011. The tweets from the guest player will automatically be pulled into the SNF Extra Player.

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

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS

Beginning with the Sunday Night Football opener on Sept. 8, the Sunday Night Football bus will travel to all 17 SNF games, arriving in each city two or three days prior to each game. The bus will make stops at local landmarks and events in each market before making its way to the game site for a full Sunday at the stadium, giving fans the opportunity to interact with America’s most-watched primetime television show.

The Sunday Night Football bus will incorporate exclusive activities and social media both inside and out. SNF‘s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts along with the #SNF hashtag will be displayed on the exterior. Once on the bus, fans and visitors can tweet and post photos of themselves in the broadcast positions occupied by Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth from a mock SNF studio.

Also, along for the ride will be four SNF “Fans of the Week” chosen based on their social media activity, team pride and SNF fandom. In each home market, the SNF “Fans of the Week” will be given a VIP experience that includes a trip on the bus and game tickets.

Fans who can’t visit in person can “Follow The Bus” when it hits the road at NBCSports.com/FollowSNF, which will include an interactive map, a behind-the-scenes look at the Sunday Night Football crew and talent, plus content from the bus itself. Fans can also contribute to the map by uploading their own photos sharing and showing their SNF and team pride.

THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

For the second consecutive season NBC Sports will present The Sunday Night Football, a custom made football from Wilson, which will travel with the SNF crew all season long. Fans of SNF on Facebook and Twitter will be able to keep up with The Sunday Night Football on the SNF Facebook page, follow its path through each city and recommend where it should visit while in town. In addition, fans can visit NBCSports.com/FollowSNF.

At the end of each SNF game, “The Sunday Night Football” will be signed by the player of the game. Photos, video and stories around The Sunday Night Football and its travels will live on Facebook, Twitter, and SNF All-Access.

NFL TURNING POINT SEASON PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11,
10 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The third season of Emmy-nominated NFL Turning Point, NBCSN’s weekly show co-produced by NFL Films, will debut Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 10 p.m. ET and will be hosted by Football Night in America’s Dan Patrick. The hour-long program will air throughout the NFL regular season and will focus on the crucial ‘turning point’ moment in several games for football fans each week by utilizing NFL Films’ unmatched cinematography and sideline and on-field audio.

PRO FOOTBALL TALK ON NBCSN
WEEKNIGHTS, 5:30 P.M. ET

Pro Football Talk, NBCSN’s daily NFL studio show co-hosted by Mike Florio and Erik Kuselias, airs at 5:30 p.m. ET every Monday through Friday. The show regularly features a roster of NBC Sports football commentators, including Rodney Harrison, Hines Ward, Doug Flutie, Ross Tucker, Peter King, and Scott Pioli.

In addition to deep diving on the most topical NFL stories of the day, Pro Football Talk provides all-encompassing coverage of the NFL, including the most current news and analysis, engaging features, thought-provoking debates, and interviews with a wide variety of NFL newsmakers.

FANTASY FOOTBALL LIVE ON NBCSN
THURSDAY NIGHTS, 6:30 P.M. ET

Building off of Yahoo! Sports’ popular Sunday live streaming show Fantasy Football Live, Fantasy Football Live on NBCSN is a live and on-demand, multi-platform, fantasy football program that airs at 6:30 p.m. ET on Thursday nights.

Fantasy Football Live on NBCSN combines the best fantasy football expertise from Yahoo! Sports and NBC Sports, including unique metrics from Yahoo! Sports’ leading fantasy football platform, and full integration with NBC Sports’ premier fantasy sports information site, Rotoworld.com.

A subsequent, digital-only version of Fantasy Football Live is available live from 7-7:30 p.m. ET, as well as through video-on-demand across web and through mobile devices on both Yahoo! Sports and NBCSports.com.

Hosted by NBC Sports’ Erik Kuselias, Fantasy Football Live features a mix of Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and Rotoworld fantasy experts, including NBC Sports’ Shaun King, and Yahoo! Sports’ Brad Evans and Brandon Funston. Yahoo! Sports’ Melanie Collins will host the digital show. Rotoworld’s Kay Adams will be a regular contributor for the show across both platforms.

NBC SPORTS RADIO

NBC Sports Radio will surround the 2013 NFL season with daily coverage on 339 radio affiliates, highlighted by McNabb and Malone; an all-sports show that leverages the unique perspective of two former NFL quarterbacks, and Safety Blitz with Rodney Harrison; featuring three-time All Pro and two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison.

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL AFFILIATES

NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NFL markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and San Francisco, will surround the 2013 NFL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most in more than 50 million U.S. households.

NEW “FreeD” TECHNOLOGY

NBC Sports and the Dallas Cowboys have partnered with Replay Technologies Inc. to provide a unique, new 360-degree “FreeD” look at red-zone plays for viewers watching NBC football telecasts and fans at each SNF game played at AT&T Stadium in 2013.

“FreeD” (free dimensional video) will debut during the Sept. 8 Sunday Night Football New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys opener. In addition, NBC Sports will use the system for the Oct. 5 Notre Dame-Arizona State game, and the Oct. 13 Redskins-Cowboys SNF game (in addition to any Cowboys home games flexed into primetime) at AT&T Stadium. Fans in the stadium will also see “FreeD” replays on the scoreboard at all home games, as well as on Cowboys local programming during the season.

The “FreeD” system will utilize 24 high-speed cameras mounted in the stadium — 12 in each red zone placed on both sides of the field from the 20-yard line to the goal line and in the back of each end zone — to provide replays of key red-zone plays from a 360-degree perspective, enabling fans to see the action seamlessly.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

NBC selected six-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist, Carrie Underwood, to perform “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” the opening theme for primetime television’s No. 1 program, Sunday Night Football on NBC. Country music superstar Underwood, the season-four winner of American Idol, makes her Sunday Night Football debut on Sunday, September 8 on NBC’s first SNF broadcast of the 2013 NFL season. The opening theme will continue each week kicking off Sunday Night Football every Sunday night throughout the NFL season on NBC.

Thirteen NFL players, who have accounted for 55 Pro Bowl selections, six Super Bowl rings and four Super Bowl MVP trophies, will participate in the open with Underwood. Players include Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald, New Orleans TE Jimmy Graham, Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson, Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck, New York Giants QB Eli Manning, Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning, Green Bay Packers LB Clay Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy, Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, Baltimore Ravens LB Terrell Suggs, Dallas Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware, Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt, San Francisco 49ers LB Patrick Willis.

Since winning American Idol and releasing her debut album in 2005, Underwood has sold over 15 million albums, and placed 18 No. 1 singles on the charts. “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” is set to the original Joan Jett song, “I Hate Myself for Loving You” and marks Underwood’s first production with NBC Sports. From 2007-2012, the song was performed by music superstar Faith Hill and in 2006, the inaugural season of Sunday Night Football, Pink performed the open.

AL MICHAELS HONORED BY PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
AND SPORTS BROADCASTING HALL OF FAME

Seven-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels was honored Aug. 2 by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with the prestigious Pete Rozelle Radio & Television Award. Presented annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the award recognizes long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.

Michaels received the award during the annual Enshrinees Gold Jacket Dinner in Canton, Ohio.

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame recently recognized Michaels for his “excellence and lifetime achievement”, and announced that he will be a member of their 2013 Hall of Fame Class. Michaels will be inducted during a ceremony in New York in December.

For a full bio on Michaels, click here: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/bio/al-michaels-2/

SNF NO. 1 PRIMETIME PROGRAM ON TELEVISION FOR TWO YEARS RUNNING:

In 2012-13 Sunday Night Football on NBC finished the regular television season as the No. 1 show in primetime (Viewers 2+ and all key adult and male demos), based on Nielsen live + same day data and all 19 SNF telecasts. 2012-13 was the second straight television season, and only the second time on record, that a sports series has been the most-watched show of the primetime TV season. (2011-12, SNF on NBC)

For the 2012-2013 primetime television season, Sunday Night Football ranked as the most-watched show (21.5 million, viewers 2+), and the No. 1 program across the key demographics of Adults 18-49, 18-34, 25-54 as well as Men 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54.

The 21.5 million average viewers for Sunday Night Football (all 19 telecasts) topped second place NCIS (21.3 million);
In the advertiser-coveted Adult 18-49 demographic, SNF topped the second place show by two full ratings points (8.2 vs. 6.2 for Big Bang Theory);
In the Adult 18-34 demographic, Sunday Night Football’s margin over the second place show was 60% (7.2 vs. 4.5 for Big Bang Theory).
The 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons of Sunday Night Football are the first three seasons that an NFL primetime package drew more than 21 million viewers since the 1994-1996 seasons of Monday Night Football on ABC.

The critically acclaimed Football Night in America, which precedes Sunday Night Football, each week at 7 p.m. ET, averaged 7.8 million viewers in 2012, making it the most watched pre-game show in sports.

Sunday Night Football has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series in each of the last five years.

2013 SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NBC will broadcast 19 primetime NFL games during the 2013 season, highlighted by: Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos hosting the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens on NFL Kickoff 2013 on Thursday, Sept. 5; a classic NFC East rivalry as the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants in the opening Sunday Night Football game on Sept. 8; Manning returning home to Indianapolis to take on Andrew Luck and the Colts; and NBC’s annual Thanksgiving night game, featuring the heated AFC North rivalry Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens.

*2013 SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL* SCHEDULE**
Thurs. Sept. 5	NFL Kickoff	Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos
Sun. Sept. 8	Week 1	New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
Sun. Sept. 15	Week 2	San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
Sun. Sept. 22	Week 3	Chicago Bears at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sun. Sept. 29	Week 4	New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons
Sun. Oct. 6	Week 5	Houston Texans at San Francisco 49ers
Sun. Oct. 13	Week 6	Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys
Sun. Oct. 20	Week 7	Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts
Sun. Oct. 27	Week 8	Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Sun. Nov. 3	Week 9	Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Sun. Nov. 10	Week 10	Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints
*Sun. Nov. 17	Week 11	Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
*Sun. Nov. 24	Week 12	Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
**Thurs. Nov. 28	Week 13	Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
*Sun. Dec. 1	Week 13	New York Giants at Washington Redskins
*Sun. Dec. 8	Week 14	Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers
*Sun. Dec. 15	Week 15	Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
*Sun. Dec. 22	Week 16	New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens
*Sun. Dec. 29	Week 17	TBA

*Flex Week

**Thanksgiving Night Game

NBC SPORTS GROUP NFL WEEK 1 AND 2 COVERAGE
Date	Time	Coverage	Network
Tues., Sept. 3	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Wed., Sept. 4	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Thurs., Sept. 5	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
	6:30 p.m.	Fantasy Football Live — Thursday Night!	NBCSN
	7:30 p.m.	NFL Kickoff 2013	NBC
	8:30 p.m.	*NFL Kickoff 2013:* Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos	NBC
Fri., Sept. 6	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 8	7 p.m.	Football Night in America	NBC
	8 p.m.	*SNF:* New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys	NBC
Mon., Sept. 9	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Tues., Sept. 10	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Wed. Sept. 11	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
	6:30 p.m.	Fantasy Football Live	NBCSN
	10 p.m.	NFL Turning Point	NBCSN
Thurs., Sept. 12	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Fri., Sept. 13	5:30 p.m.	Pro Football Talk	NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 15	7 p.m.	Football Night in America	NBC
	8 p.m.	*SNF:* San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks	NBC

*All times ET. Subject to change.

Follow NBC Sports PR on Twitter @NBCSportsPR

Follow “Sunday Night Football” on Twitter @SNFonNBC

Follow NBC SportsTalk on Twitter @NBCSportsTalk

Become a fan of “Sunday Night Football” on Facebook at:

Facebook.com/SNFonNBC

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

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

FOX Sports 1 Kicks Off College Football Season Thursday, August 29

August 30, 2013 By admin

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

FOX Sports 1 Kicks Off College Football Season Thursday, August 29,

With Utah State at Utah; No. 19 Boise State Takes on Washington Saturday, August 31

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: CONDIT VS. KAMPMANN 2 Airs Tonight

on FOX Sports 1 at 8:00 PM ET; Sonnen Previews Henderson vs. Pettis

The CROWD GOES WILD for In-Studio Guests Henrik Lundqvist,

Rob Riggle and Miesha Tate This Week

FOX Sports 1 & FOX Sports 2 Programming Schedules 8/28 – 9/4

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

COLLEGE FOOTBALL KICKS OFF ON FOX SPORTS – College football has a new home this season, as FOX Sports presents expanded coverage featuring top teams from around the country. New this season is a two-hour Saturday morning pregame show, double or tripleheaders on Saturdays and a Thursday night Game of the Week on FOX Sports 1.

Coverage begins Thursday, Aug. 29, (7:00 PM ET) with a special one-hour edition of FOX COLLEGE THURSDAY leading in to FOX Sports 1’s first college football game, Utah State at Utah. This week, FOX COLLEGE THURSDAY is hosted by Erin Andrews with analysts Joel Klatt, Eddie George, Mike Pereira and Clay Travis, while play-by-play announcer Justin Kutcher, analyst Petros Papadakis and sideline reporter Kristina Pink have the call from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Action continues on Friday, Aug. 30, as defending Big 12 Champion K-State welcomes North Dakota State to Manhattan, Kan., for an 8:30 PM ET kickoff on FOX Sports 1. Craig Bolerjack handles play-by-play from Bill Snyder Family Stadium with Joey Harrington providing analysis and Ryan Nece on the sidelines.

College football is in full swing on Saturday, Aug. 31, and FOX Sports 1 has the action covered from pregame to the final whistle. Coverage begins at 10:00 AM ET with the season premiere of FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY featuring Andrews, Klatt, George, Papadakis, Pereira and Travis in studio. Play gets underway at 12:00 PM ET with William & Mary at West Virginia, followed by the beginning of the Mark Helfrich era, as No. 3 Oregon hosts Nicholls State at 4:00 PM ET. Action concludes under the lights in Seattle as Washington hosts No. 19 Boise State at 10:00 PM ET. Broadcast teams for this week’s games can be found below.

DATE	TIME (ET)	GAME	NETWORK	Play by Play	Analyst	Sideline
Thursday, Aug. 29	8:00 PM	Utah State at Utah	FOX Sports 1	Justin Kutcher	Joel Klatt	Kristina Pink
Friday, Aug. 30	8:30 PM	North Dakota State at K-State	FOX Sports 1	Craig Bolerjack	Joey Harrington	Ryan Nece
Saturday, Aug. 31	12:00 PM	William & Mary at West Virginia	FOX Sports 1	Adam Alexander	Chris Simms
Saturday, Aug. 31	4:00 PM	Nicholls State at #3 Oregon	FOX Sports 1	Justin Kutcher	James Bates	Brady Poppinga
Saturday, Aug. 31	4:00 PM	Nicholls State at #3 Oregon	FOX Deportes	John Laguna	Pablo Alsina
Saturday, Aug. 31	7:00 PM	Louisiana-Monroe at #16 Oklahoma	FSN (PPV)	Ron Thulin	Dave Lapham	Chad McKee
Saturday, Aug. 31	7:00 PM	Old Dominion at East Carolina	FCS	Brendan Burke	Ben Leber	Lesley McCaslin
Saturday, Aug. 31	7:30 PM	Wofford at Baylor	FSN	Mark Followill	Brian Baldinger	JC Pearson
Saturday, Aug. 31	10:00 PM	#19 Boise State at Washington	FOX Sports 1	Gus Johnson	Charles Davis	Kristina Pink

DAVIS HAS HIS EYE ON TCU, ALABAMA, WASHINGTON & BOISE STATE PLAYERS IN WEEK 1 – FOX Sports lead college football analyst Charles Davis previews the first week of the season with his three players to watch, plus a bonus, including players on both sides of the ball in Saturday’s game between Washington and No. 19 Boise State at 10:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

“Last year was a down year for [Washington quarterback Keith Price]. A down year meant 19 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. Most people would take that and run with it, but he set such a high standard as a sophomore with 32 touchdown passes, so Keith Price rebounds big time this year and looks more like his sophomore season rather than last year. He’s one of the better players that many people in the country don’t know about. Keith Price – keep an eye on him in Washington this year.

“For Boise State, the guy who will be chasing Price, the defensive end Demarcus Lawrence – he had 9 ½ sacks last year. He’s the preseason Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. It’s going to be fun watching him try and chase down the Washington quarterback; Keith Price. Demarcus Lawrence is ready to play.”

For more from Davis, including his other two players to watch this week, TCU quarterback Casey Pachall and Alabama running back TJ Yeldon, click here: http://msn.foxsports.com/video/college-football?vid=31b3c09d-f0a7-4927-8c88-d5179aa560d8

TAFT JOINS FOX SPORT LIVE UPDATE TEAM – FOX Sports today announced the addition of Jenny Taft to FOX Sports 1’s news and highlights update team, joining Don Bell, Julie Stewart-Binks, Ryan Field and Molly McGrath. She is scheduled make her first appearance in Los Angeles on Sept. 22. Taft became a member of the FOX Sports family two years ago, working as sideline reporter for Minnesota Lynx WNBA telecasts and as a regular social media contributor in Minnesota Twins, Timberwolves and Wild programming for FOX Sports North, FOX Sports’ regional sports network in the Twin Cities. She also served as in-stadium/arena host at Minnesota Twins and Wild games and has filed special reports for Yardbarker.com. In addition to her on-camera work, Taft broke in as a FOX Sports Girl, a role that required her to maintain a constant connection between fans and the regional sports network via on-air promos, at events and as a consistent presence on social media. A native of Edina, Minn., Taft earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University, where she also played Division 1 lacrosse.

UFC

PETTIS HAS HENDERSON’S NUMBER AT UFC 164, SAYS SONNEN — The UFC lightweight championship is on the line in Milwaukee on Saturday, Aug. 31, when “Smooth” Benson Henderson defends the belt for the fourth time in what promises to be an epic rematch against hometown hero Anthony Pettis at UFC 164. FOX Sports 1 opens the evening with the UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS: UFC 164: HENDERSON VS. PETTIS at 8:00 PM ET with fights taking place at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Preliminary bouts are called by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. UFC on FOX analyst Chael Sonnen believes that Pettis has Henderson’s number in this rematch.

“Benson Henderson is in the toughest weight class in the UFC and he’s one of the best overall in the UFC,” says Sonnen. “But sometimes fighters know who will win the fights. Pettis was the last guy to beat Henderson and he’s been asking for this rematch for a long time. He’s got a few things going for him. He took this fight on five weeks’ notice coming off an injury, it’s in his hometown, and he asked for it. I’m giving the edge to him. Henderson is as good as it gets, but Pettis has his number.”

On Friday, Aug. 30 (5:00 PM ET), FOX Sports 2 gets fans ready for UFC 164: HENDERSON VS. PETTIS with the UFC WEIGH-IN SHOW from BMO Harris Bradley Center. Host Karyn Bryant is joined by analysts Sonnen and Kenny Florian on-site in Milwaukee with Ariel Helwani reporting backstage. FOX Sports 2 wraps UFC 164 with a one-hour UFC FIGHT NIGHT: UFC 164 POSTFIGHT SHOW on Saturday, Aug. 31 (1:00 AM ET) live on-site with host Bryant, Sonnen, Florian and Helwani recapping the fights and interviewing the winners.

TUF COACH AND UFC WOMEN’S TITLE CHALLENGER TATE DISCUSSES RIVARLY WITH ROUSEY ON UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER — One of the pioneers of women’s MMA, Miesha Tate sits down with host Jon Anik to discuss her rivalry with champion Ronda Rousey and her place in UFC history on UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Sept. 1 (8:30 PM ET). Plus, go behind the scenes at the open casting call for Season 18 of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER as a group of men and women attempt to fight their way into the UFC.

FIRST-EVER UFC WOMEN’S CHAMP ROUSEY PROFILED — On the eve of her historic role coaching on THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is profiled on FOX Sports 1 on Monday, Sept. 2 (8:00 PM ET) in UFC PRESENTS: BREAKING GROUND, RONDA ROUSEY. The one-hour show examines the remarkable rise of the first female champion in UFC history, detailing her childhood trauma and the complicated relationship with her mother that fueled her athletic endeavors. Featuring interviews with Rousey, her mother, friends, coaches and UFC President Dana White, it is the first comprehensive analysis of one of professional sports’ true pioneers.

BADER IS BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET FOR TEIXEIRA, SAYS SONNEN – The UFC returns to Brazil on Wednesday, Sept. 4 (7:00 PM ET) for UFC FIGHT NIGHT: TEIXEIRA VS. BADER on FOX Sports 1 with a stacked card featuring the country’s finest mixed martial artists in pivotal showdowns. In the main event, No. 3 ranked Glover Teixeira attempts to extend his 19-fight win streak against fellow light heavyweight contender Ryan Bader. Plus, No. 3 ranked middleweight Yushin Okami faces former Strikeforce middleweight champion and No. 5 ranked Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and top flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez battles local hero and No. 5 ranked Jussier Formiga. Jon Anik and Kenny Florian call the fights from the Mineirinho Gymnasium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

UFC on FOX analyst Chael Sonnen doesn’t think Teixeira can overcome the challenge that Bader poses. “Glover is a great fighter and has a great win steak, but he’s never fought a top-10 fighter,” says Sonnen. “This is his first time. Bader has the skills to beat him. Both fighters are very good. The real challenge for Bader is he has to travel to Brazil, which can put him at a real disadvantage. He should win this, as he’s the biggest challenge yet for Glover.”

Coverage of UFC FIGHT NIGHT: TEIXEIRA VS. BADER begins on Tuesday, Sept. 3 (3:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 2 with the live UFC WEIGH-IN, hosted by Karyn Bryant, with Sonnen and heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier providing analysis. Heidi Androl interviews fighters on site in Brazil.

Fight day kicks off on FOX Sports 1 with UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT SHOW on Wednesday Sept. 4 (4:00 PM ET) with Bryant, Sonnen, and Cormier previewing all the bouts from the FOX Sports studios in Los Angeles. The live UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS begin at 5:00 PM ET. And action wraps up later that evening with the UFC POSTFIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE on FOX Sports 2 at 12:00 AM ET.

HISTORIC SEASON OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER PREMIERES SEPT. 4 – Don’t miss the exciting two-hour premiere of Season 18 of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s hit reality series THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER on FOX Sports 1 on Wednesday, Sept. 4 (10:00 PM ET) featuring, for the first time ever, women coaches. The series, featuring UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and challenger Miesha Tate as coaches, kicks off with the elimination rounds where 16 men and, for the first time ever, 16 women get a chance to fight their way into the series and on a team.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND ENDS WITH A BANG — To cap off the final days of summer, FOX Sports 1 and 2 delivers big bouts for boxing fans. On Monday, Sept. 2 (2:30 PM ET), FOX Sports 2 premieres with MAYWEATHER-CANELO: COUNTDOWN TO THE ONE. “The One” Mayweather vs. Canelo is an exclusive look at the unique and individual personalities of Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as they prepare for the biggest pay-per-view event in Boxing history. Following this boxing special, Golden Boy Promotions and Leija-Battah Promotions head to Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio, Texas, for the latest edition of the new Golden Boy Live! Series on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes with an exciting night of fights from the Lone Star State. The action kicks off Monday, Sept. 2 (9:00 PM ET) as former World Champion Luis Collazo takes on surging 22-year-old prospect Alan Sanchez in a 10-round WBA International Welterweight title bout. Earlier in the evening, Raul “The Cobra” Martinez battles Daniel “Cuate” Quevedo in the super bantamweight division while three-time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee Warren fights San Antonio’s Omar Gonzalez in the bantamweight undercard.

GUEST LINEUPS FOR CROWD GOES WILD, FOX SPORTS LIVE & FOX FOOTBALL DAILY

CROWD GOES WILD FOR BILL COSBY & OTHER SUPERSTAR GUESTS – FOX Sports 1’s original show CROWD GOES WILD approaches the day’s biggest, craziest and most unique sports stories in a way only its cast can, featuring some of the most prominent names in sports and entertainment. The cast of Regis Philbin, Georgie Thompson, Jason Gay, Michael Kosta, Trevor Pryce and Katie Nolan welcome into the studio legendary actor/comedian Bill Cosby, who also played football for Temple University, on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Also joining the group Wednesday via satellite is Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist pays the panel a visit on Thursday, Aug. 29, and Charlotte Bobcats player Ben Gordon stops by Friday, Aug. 30. Upcoming guests also include actor and comedian Rob Riggle on Monday, Sept. 2, and UFC fighter Miesha Tate on Tuesday, Sept. 3. CROWD GOES WILD airs weekdays at 5:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

CROWD GOES WILD scheduled guests:

Wednesday, Aug. 28 – Bill Cosby and Peyton Manning (via satellite); Thursday, Aug. 29 — Henrik Lundqvist; Friday, Aug. 30 – Ben Gordon; Monday, Sept. 2 – Rob Riggle; Tuesday, Sept. 3 – Miesha Tate

PROMINENT NFL QUARTERBACKS & DR. J HIGHLIGHT FOX SPORTS LIVE GUEST LIST – FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s nightly news, opinion and highlights show, presents the day’s news and highlights with a panel of expert analysts and big-name guests from the sports world. FOX Sports’ Mike Garafolo sits down with Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets on Wednesday, Aug. 28, while FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez catches up with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck on Thursday, Aug. 29. On Friday, Aug. 30, Garafolo talks to San Francisco 49ers signal caller Colin Kaepernick, and NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving pays the group a visit on Tuesday, Sept. 3. FOX SPORTS LIVE airs nightly on FOX Sports 1 at 11:00 PM ET.

FOX SPORTS LIVE scheduled interviews:

Wednesday, Aug. 28 – Mark Sanchez; Thursday, Aug. 29 – Andrew Luck; Friday, Aug. 30 – Colin Kaepernick; Tuesday, Sept. 3 – Julius Erving (in-studio)

FOX FOOTBALL DAILY KICKS OFF NFL SEASON WITH SPECIAL LABOR DAY WEEKEND SEASON PREVIEW SHOW – FOX Sports 1’s signature daily football show, FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, ushers in the new NFL season with a special, hour-long Season Preview on Sunday, Sept. 1 (10:00 PM ET). Curt Menefee, Jay Glazer, Mike Pereira, John Lynch, Scott Fujita, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher highlight the biggest news from the off-season, training camp and opening week and share analysis on who to watch this season. Additionally, FOX FOOTBALL DAILY features appearances from some of football’s biggest stars this week, highlighted by a taped 1-on-1 interview between JJ Watt of the Houston Texans and FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager on Wednesday, Aug. 28. On Thursday, Aug. 29, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals sit down with FOX Sports’ Laura Okmin. FOX FOOTBALL DAILY airs Monday through Friday at 6:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

FOX FOOTBALL DAILY scheduled interviews:

Wednesday, Aug. 28 – JJ Watt; Thursday, Aug. 29 – Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson

SOCCER

FOX SOCCER DAILY, FOX Sports 1’s live soccer news, highlights and analysis program, keeps soccer fans abreast of the flurry of action this week surrounding the UEFA, National Women’s Soccer League Final and Women’s International Friendly (USA vs. Mexico), all carried on FOX Sports 2. On Thursday, Aug. 29, host Julie Stewart-Binks and analysts Eric Wynalda, Warren Barton and Brian McBride chat with Tom Sermanni, head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team on FOX SOCCER DAILY, which airs weekdays at 4:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

FOX SOCCER DAILY scheduled interview:

Thursday, Aug. 29 – Tom Sermanni (in-studio)

With the UEFA Champions League playoff matches wrapping up this week, the teams are all set for the group stage draw this Thursday, Aug. 29 (11:30 AM ET) on FOX Soccer Plus. The action in Europe doesn’t stop, as the UEFA Super Cup kicks off between the reigning champions of the two most prestigious club competitions with UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich and UEFA Europa League victors Chelsea live Friday, Aug. 30 (2:30 PM ET) on FOX Sports 2.

Starting this Saturday, Aug. 31 (8:00 PM ET) women’s soccer takes center stage with the National Women’s Soccer League Championship match, as FIFA World Player of the Year Abby Wambach and Western New York Flash battle US teammate Alex Morgan and Portland Thorns FC. The final is live on FOX Sports 2, from Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y.

Just three days later on Tuesday, Sept. 3 (8:00 PM ET), FOX Sports 1 broadcasts its first live international soccer match. Many of the NWSL’s players, including Wambach and Morgan, travel to Washington D.C. as the U.S. women’s national team face rival Mexico at RFK Stadium.

U.S. women’s head coach Tom Sermanni will be in the FOX Soccer Daily studio to discuss the crucial encounter as well as the end of the inaugural NWSL season, live Thursday, Aug. 29 (4:00 PM ET).

NASCAR

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES HEADS NORTH OF THE BORDER – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Canada this weekend for its first-ever international race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, on Sunday, Sept. 1 (1:30 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1. The Labor Day Weekend race marks the series’ 17^th road-course race, but its first since 2000. Rick Allen calls the 14^th race of the 22-race season alongside analysts Phil Parsons and Michael Waltrip, with reporting by Ray Dunlap and Hermie Sadler. With an extremely tight points race being waged among the top-10 drivers, the break-from-the-norm road course could wreak havoc on the championship contenders, many of whom have no such experience.

NCWTS SETUP, which precedes Sunday’s Camping World Truck Series race, is hosted by Danielle Trotta with reporting by Dunlap and Sadler, as they set the tone for the with comprehensive live race coverage from Canada at 1:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

TOO-CLOSE-TO-CALL SCRAMBLE TO MAKE THE CHASE HIGHLIGHTS NASCAR RACEDAY FROM ATLANTA – With two races remaining to qualify for the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR RACEDAY hits the air on Sunday, Sept. 1 (5:30 PM ET) to set the scene for who stands to lose and gain the most in the championship picture that night. FOX Sports 1’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pre-race show is hosted by John Roberts with analysts Larry McReynolds and Kyle Petty. Wendy Venturini and Rutledge Wood deliver inside stories and exclusive driver interviews from the garage and pit road. Joey Logano climbed into a Chase spot last weekend at Bristol, while reigning champion, Brad Keselowski, who remains winless this season, fell out. The panel examines the ever-changing title scenario, in addition to the week’s biggest stories, such as the announcement former champion Kurt Busch, who is mounting a valiant effort to make the Chase with a single-car team this year, will pilot a fourth entry at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Additionally, the crew provides updates on who replaces Juan Pablo Montoya next year at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing; what four-time champion Jeff Gordon must do to make the Chase; and who holds the current wild card positions as several drivers clamor for a last-minute win to secure a spot.

NASCAR RACE HUB ROLLS OUT NEWS DURING THE WEEK – NASCAR RACE HUB, FOX Sports 1’s daily NASCAR news and highlights show, prepares race fans for all the Labor Day Weekend racing action, beginning Thursday, Aug. 29 (4:30 PM ET) with co-hosts Steve Byrnes and Danielle Trotta and analyst Jimmy Spencer previewing the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races from Atlanta Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Canada. A special Friday edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airs Friday, Aug. 30 (4:30 PM ET) with analysis from Matt Clark, who teams with Byrnes to recap the day’s practice sessions and offer insight into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying session that follows. On Monday, Sept. 2 (4:30 PM ET), Byrnes and Trotta recap the weekend’s races, news and fallout with assistance from Larry McReynolds, while USA Today reporter Nate Ryan joins the crew on Wednesday, Sept. 4 (2:30 PM ET). NASCAR RACE HUB typically airs Monday through Thursday at 4:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

JONES AND MOSELEY SHOW

BULLRIDES & BULLSEYES ON THE JONES AND MOSELEY SHOW – THE JONES AND MOSELEY SHOW takes the FOX Sports 1 audience around the globe to find the most intense and insane sports on the planet. On the Sunday, Sept. 1 (6:30 PM ET) episode, hosts Dhani Jones and Jonny Moseley highlight Championship Bull Riding from Texas, the eye-popping AAU Junior Olympics Sport Stacking Championships in Detroit and a packed house greets the Premier League Dart Championships from Dublin, Ireland. The interactive Global Greatness segment goes surfing on Wyoming’s Snake River, while Mount Everest hosts a record-breaking Wingsuit flight attempt.

MOTOGP/MOTOCROSS

FOX SPORTS 1 IS LIVE FROM ONE OF MOTOGP’S MOST HISTORIC VENUES – History abounds Sunday, Sept. 1 (8:00 AM ET) as FOX Sports 1 heads to storied Silverstone for live coverage of the British Grand Prix, round 12 of the 18-race MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Hosting pre-race is long-time motorcycle voice Ralph Sheheen, with Gavin Emmett and Nick Harris handling lap-by-lap coverage. Emmett and Harris can also be heard during FOX Sports 1’s MOTOGP Moto 2 race coverage on Sunday, Sept. 1 (12:00 PM ET) and FOX Sports 2’s Moto 3 broadcast on Wednesday, Sept. 4 (8:00 PM ET).

LUCAS OIL DRAG BOATS DEBUT ON FOX SPORTS 1 – The world’s fastest boats debut on FOX Sports 1 with the popular ‘Showdown in San Angelo’ (Texas) on Sunday, Sept. 1 (10:00 AM ET). Round four of the LUCAS OIL DRAG BOAT SERIES is anchored by veteran announcers Ken Stout and Alan Reinhart, with Terry Boyd and Kenny Sargent patrolling the pits. Last year’s Top Fuel Hydro champion Daryl Ehrlich and his ‘Problem Child’ race boat hope to capitalize on winning the first two races of the season, as title battles begin to take shape in both Pro Modified and Top Alcohol Flat Bottom.

AUSTRALIAN V8 SUPERCARS HIT THE HOME STRETCH ON FOX SPORTS 2 – With six races remaining in the 2013 AUSTRALIAN V8 SUPERCAR season, title hopes are on the line as FOX Sports 2 captures all the action from the Winton 360 on Saturday, Aug. 31 (1:00 PM ET). NASCAR driver and former series champion Marcos Ambrose provides commentary and analysis, handing over lap-by-lap duties to the broadcast booth of Matt White, Neil Crompton and Mark Skaife. The twisty Winton Motor Raceway located in a rural part of Victoria is considered one of the most dangerous on the circuit, and could play a big role in who lifts the season-ending trophy as Jamie Whincup seeks a fifth overall title.

FOX SPORTS LIVE EVENT AND STUDIO SCHEDULE (8/28 – 9/4)

FOX SPORTS (BROADCAST) – BLUE; FOX SPORTS 1 – BLACK; FOX SPORTS 2 – GREEN

All Times Eastern/Subject to Change

WEDNESDAY 8/28/13
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	CROWD GOES WILD: Bill Cosby & Peyton Manning (Satellite)	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT, CONDIT VS. KAMPMANN 2	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY: JJ Watt Interview	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS, CONDIT VS. KAMPMANN 2	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT, CONDIT VS KAMPMANN 2	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	SOCCER	UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, CELTIC FC VS. SHAKHTER KARAGANDY	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE: Mark Sanchez Interview	11:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT POSTFIGHT, CONDIT VS KAMPMANN 2	12:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	SOCCER	UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS	12:30 AM

THURSDAY 8/29/13
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	SOCCER	UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, NK MARIBOR VS. VIKTORIA PLZEN	8:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	SOCCER	UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, FC ZENIT ST. PETERSBURG VS. FC PACOS DE FERREIRA	10:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	SOCCER	FOX SOCCER DAILY: Tom Sermanni, US Women’s National Team HC	4:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR RACE HUB	4:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	CROWD GOES WILD	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY: Tyrann Mathieu & Patrick Peterson Interviews	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE THURSDAY	7:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL, UTAH STATE @ UTAH	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE: Andrew Luck Interview	11:30 PM

FRIDAY 8/30/13
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	SOCCER	UEFA CHMPIONS LEAGUE MAGAZINE	2:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	SOCCER	UEFA SUPER CUP, BAYERN MUNCHEN VS. CHELSEA FC	2:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR SPRINT CUP PRACTICE, ATLANTA	3:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR RACE HUB	4:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC WEIGH-IN UFC 164, HENDERSON VS. PETTIS	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	CROWD GOES WILD: Ben Gordon	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	NASCAR	NASCAR SPRINT CUP QUALIFYING, ATLANTA	7:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL, NORTH DAKOTA STATE @ KANSAS STATE	8:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	NASCAR	NASCAR NATIONWIDE PRACTICE, ATLANTA	9:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	FOOTBALL	AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL LEAGUE, KILDA VS. FREEMANTLE	11:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE: Colin Kaepernick	12:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC POSTFIGHT UFC 164, HENDERSON VS. PETTIS	1:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	RUGBY	NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, BULLDOGS VS. PANTHERS	3:30 AM

SATURDAY 8/31/13
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY	10:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR NATIONWIDE PRACTICE, ATLANTA	10:30 AM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL, WILLIAM & MARY @ WEST VIRGINIA	12:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	MOTOCROSS	AUSTRALIAN V8 SUPERCARS	1:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR SPRINT CUP PRACTICE, ATLANTA	3:00 PM
FOX SPORTS	PREMIERE	MLB	MLB PLAYER POLL	3:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR NATIONWIDE QUALIFYING, ATLANTA	4:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL, NICHOLLS STATE @ OREGON	4:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR LIVE, ATLANTA	5:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR SPRINT CUP FINAL PRACTICE, ATLANTA	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS: UFC 164, HENDERSON VS PETTIS	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	SOCCER	NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	COLLEGE FB	FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL, BOISE STATE @ WASHINGTON	10:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT: UFC 164 POSTFIGHT, HENDERSON VS. PETTIS	1:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE	1:30 AM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	FOOTBALL	AUTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL LEAGUE, WESTERN VS. MELBOURNE	2:30 AM

SUNDAY 9/1/13
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	MOTOCROSS	MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, BRITISH GRAND PRIX	8:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	MOTOCROSS	LUCAS OIL DRAG BOATS, SAN ANGELO, TX	10:00 AM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	MOTOCROSS	MOTOGP MOTO2, BRITISH GRAND PRIX	12:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	UFC	UFC RELOADED, UFC 149: FABER VS. BARAO	1:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NCWTS SETUP, MOSPORT	1:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NCWTS RACING, MOSPORT	1:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR RACEDAY, ATLANTA	5:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	STUDIO	THE JONES AND MOSELEY SHOW	6:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	UFC	UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER	8:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, SEASON PREVIEW	10:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE	11:00 PM

MONDAY 9/2/13
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	BOXING	MAYWEATHER-CANELO, COUNTDOWN TO THE ONE	2:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	SOCCER	FOX SOCCER DAILY	4:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR RACE HUB	4:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	CROWD GOES WILD: Rob Riggle	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	MLB	MISSION OCTOBER: LA DODGERS	7:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	UFC	UFC PRESENTS: BREAKING GROUND, RONDA ROUSEY	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	BOXING	MONDAY NIGHT FIGHTS	9:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE	11:00 PM

TUESDAY 9/3/13
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC WEIGH-IN, TEIXEIRA VS. BADER	3:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	SOCCER	FOX SOCCER DAILY	4:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR RACE HUB	4:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	CROWD GOES WILD: Miesha Tate	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY	6:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	SOCCER	WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY, USA VS. MEXICO	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE: Julius Erving	11:00 PM

WEDNESDAY 9/4/13
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	SOCCER	FOX SOCCER DAILY	2:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	NASCAR	NASCAR RACE HUB	2:30 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	FOOTBALL	FOX FOOTBALL DAILY	3:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT, TEIXEIRA VS. BADER	4:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS, TEIXEIRA VS. BADER	5:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	UFC	UFC FIGHT NIGHT, TEIXEIRA VS. BADER	7:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	PREMIERE	MOTOCROSS	MOTOGP MOTO3, BRITISH GRAND PRIX	8:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	PREMIERE	UFC	THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, TEAM ROUSEY VS. TEAM TATE	10:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 1	LIVE	STUDIO	FOX SPORTS LIVE	12:00 PM
FOX SPORTS 2	LIVE	UFC	UFC POST FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE	12:00 AM

— FOX SPORTS —

ESPN Monday Night Football Conference Call Transcript

August 30, 2013 By admin

Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters and Producer Jay Rothman Discuss 2013 MNF Season

ESPN conducted a media conference call today with Monday Night Football producer Jay Rothman and commentators Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters to discuss the 2013 NFL season. ESPN kicks off the 44^th year of MNF on September 9 with a doubleheader: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins (7 p.m. ET) and Houston Texans vs. San Diego Chargers (10:15 p.m.). Full audio replay; MNF TV schedule and photos). Transcript:

JAY ROTHMAN: Hello, everybody. We’re extremely excited to kick off the 44th season of Monday Night Football. Also, (we’re) very excited to kick off our second year of the team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters. They had a terrific first year together, and we’re only looking to improve on our success from last year. It’s a group that works extremely hard, extremely passionate, love what we do, and we work hard to be the best NFL watch every week.

We don’t get to play in the postseason, so every week is the Super Bowl for us regardless of the match‑up on paper. This group gives it all we have until the end of the fourth quarter, and (we’re) really proud of what we did last year, and as I said, looking to get better this year.

A couple of new exciting things for us: Producing MNF will be in brand new state‑of‑the‑art mobile units, so any of you that might be coming to a MNF game, please let Bill or myself know. We’d be happy to give you a tour. They are unbelievable, state‑of‑the‑art. The country’s largest mobile unit, technically advanced like no other, and just tremendous working conditions for us to do our jobs in and bring MNF to fans each and every Monday night, so we’re excited about that.

We also have a new open this year. We’ve been working for seven months with Hollywood director Peter Berg, who has directed Friday Night Lights among other films, a terrific talent, and have collaborated with him to present a new open for Monday night, which we’re excited about. It’s a departure from any musical videos that we’ve done or any other networks have done for that matter, and it’s really a celebration of the 44‑year history of Monday night with pop culture and all of the legendary broadcasters that have brought you the game. We’re excited about that to open up our coverage.

We have a handful of dynamic innovations in our game coverage this year, which I won’t bore everybody with. You’ll get to see it. It’s a big toolbox that we have that we’re excited about. Maybe one of the things I’m most excited about in the spirit of doing the right thing is we have a little segment we kicked off last year called the Gruden Grinder. It’s a lot of fun we have with Jon in terms of the off‑the‑field player of the game. It’s a segment that gained a lot of traction last year with fans.

One in particular who we met along the way happened to be on Veterans Day last year in Pittsburgh when we did a game, we met a 23‑year‑old Marine sergeant who was blown up in Afghanistan, spent a year in Walter Reed and almost lost his life, and we had him speak to our team the morning of the game on Veterans Day to help us deliver some meaning to Veterans Day, and it wasn’t just another check‑the‑box initiative, if you will. Zach (Stinson) touched us like no one has. In speaking with our group at the same time, one of the things that he shared with us was what a fan of the Gruden Grinder he was and how passionate he was, so one of the things we’re doing this year is we’ve recruited Zach to help us each and every week with our candidates. He’s a great young man, a 23‑year‑old man, married with a small child, and as I said, disabled. He’s from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, so he’s going to be our little behind‑the‑scenes guy to help us out each and every week.

We have, as I said, a handful of innovations we’re excited about along with solid, great coverage, and a great talent in Mike, Jon and Lisa, and we’re fired up to kick off the season with the Eagles and Redskins.

MIKE TIRICO: Good morning, everybody. I’ll be brief so you can get to Jon and any of us with any questions you all might have. It’s hard to believe this is year eight for me and for us on this project. There is still nothing like it. There is still a special chill that you get when you hear that Monday Night Football music as you’re waiting to go on the air. I have been lucky enough to see that open that Jay was talking about that Peter Berg directed, and it really is a timeline of the lives of a lot of us who are in our 30s or 40s or even 50s who have grown up with MNF. It’s exciting to be a part of something in a day and age where it’s a microwave generation and things seem to change every five minutes. It’s so nice to be a part of a place a lot of American sports fans have come to week in, week out in the fall for four and a half decades.

Year five with Jon; we talk all the time; I’ve said it before, I’m blessed to work with some of the best people as analysts in the business, and there is no one the equal of Jon in terms of preparing the rest of our group, and I don’t just mean announcers. I mean everyone from the people in the tape room to our camera operators, to our production assistants, and it helps make us better. It’s a privilege to be on a team that Jon has coached now for his fifth season along with Lisa who’s been a great friend and worked NBA with me for many years, as well. We’re all excited to be with Jay and Chip and everybody else and look forward to the schedule and look forward to helping you out with any questions along the way, whether it’s today or somewhere down the line this year.

JON GRUDEN: I’d like to echo a lot of the same things that Mike said. I appreciate the nice comments. Mike is the all‑time Gruden Grinder. I’m really glad it’s football season. I’m proud to be with this MNF team, Lisa and Mike, two real pros that obviously help me tremendously. I think we have some interesting match‑ups we’re excited to get to. Thank you very much for being on the phone with us today.

LISA SALTERS: This will be my second season of MNF, and I can honestly say that I have never missed an assignment and a group of colleagues as much as I did in the off‑season. Like Jay said, we don’t have postseason, and it was eight months before we got to see each other again, and I just couldn’t wait to be with Jon, who’s a great teacher. I tell everybody all the time when we’re sitting in a room and going over highlights, it’s like we’re on his team; we’re getting ready for a game week. And Mike, I’ve been working with Mike for many years, and I still think he’s the best announcer in the business. Jay and Chip, the best production team, producer/director out there, and I can’t wait to get it going for year two.

Q. For Jon, the opener, Redskins‑Eagles figures to feature two of the more intriguing offenses this year, and offenses that are probably pretty reflective of what’s going on in college football. I wonder if the trickle‑off that we’re seeing where college football is influencing the NFL is something you think is here to stay, or is it a faddish thing, because it seems like the river is flowing the other way now and college football is influencing the pros.

GRUDEN: That’s the million‑dollar question. I don’t think college football is penetrating the NFL, I think college football is in the NFL, and I think it’s here to stay. I see a lot of high school football. The game of high school football is different. Players are playing it differently, wide open, no huddle, spread systems, and that’s what’s in college football. That’s how we’re training coaches and players. It’s a big part of the National Football League.

When you watch RG3 and the Washington Redskins, you’re going to see some similarities to what RG3 did at Baylor, and when you watch Michael Vick play with Chip Kelly, you’re going to see a lot of things we saw at Oregon in the last four or five years. But I think it’s here to stay. I’m not saying it really excites me as maybe it does some other people because I like the conventional way of moving the football, throwing it in a traditional style of offense, but some of these quarterbacks can really make it happen, and it’ll be fun to watch.

Q. Jon, as you look at what Chip was able to do at Oregon, Chip Kelly with the Eagles, looking forward to that Monday night match‑up with the Redskins, how much do you think he’s going to be able to translate and adapt that to the NFL game, and more specifically what about the pace of the game and how far do you think the officials are going to let them push that without giving the defense an honest chance to rearrange themselves?

GRUDEN: Well, you know, let’s just start with this isn’t going to be the first no‑huddle offense the NFL has ever seen. Chip Kelly is a great coach, and he’s a no‑huddle guru, spread system master. But this isn’t the first time that an offense has gone with a no‑huddle offense. He’s going to mix his tempos and certainly put his spin on things for the entire length of football games.

I don’t know how the officials are going to do it any differently than they’ve done it for the New England Patriots or any other teams that feature the no‑huddle offense. I think what’s going to be interesting is if you go no‑huddle and play up tempo the whole game, what’s the conditioning level of your players? You’re only allowed to have 47 men play on Sunday, and some of these are kickers and punters and some of these guys play defense, so I’d like to see how it works with just 23 or 24 offensive players for potentially 85 and 90 snaps a game. I think conditioning and what it’s going to look like in week 9 or 10 or 13 when players can’t practice because they’re injured, I’m just anxious to see how the preparation works with the length of an NFL season with all these plays and tempo.

Q. For Jon: for yourself and other coaches who have gone into broadcasting and stayed in broadcasting even though there may be opportunities to return to coaching, what are some of the big reasons that keep you and other guys in broadcasting?

GRUDEN: Well, first of all, you’re very close to the game. It’s not like you put football away. You have access to things you’ve never seen before, seeing teams practice, seeing their facilities. You still get to study the tape. You see the game from a different angle. So that helps. You don’t miss the game like some people think because you’re so very close to it. And I’ll be honest with you; this is a fun profession. I really enjoy studying two teams and being with the people that I’m with. The lifestyle obviously is a little bit different, which is a great change for me. But those are the primary reasons, I think.

Q. What are some of the things that maybe you never even knew were part of broadcasting or that you never even knew existed?

GRUDEN: I never knew there were this many people on a crew. I never knew we had this many camera angles. I’m not kidding you. I am so intrigued with the video I have access to, I can’t even begin to tell you, this high definition isolation camera, the spidercam that’s shot behind the quarterbacks, I spend most of my days in here looking at network video, and my wife thinks I’ve lost my mind, but it’s probably the most excitement that I’ve had in a long time watching these tapes that I have access to now.

Q. I’m curious what you think about the whole RG3 progression of news here with the process of going about who’s clearing him, whether he should be cleared, whether this has been sort of a distraction for the team and whether this has gone in a manner that you did not expect? And for Lisa, you reported a couple weeks ago on MNF that Dan Snyder told you that James Andrews was going to have the final say on this. Dan Snyder then said he didn’t recall telling you that and then Adam Schefter reported yesterday that he basically had already been cleared, and I guess I’m curious what’s happened to that conversation between you and Dan Snyder?

SALTERS: Well, just to clarify, I never reported that Dan Snyder told me; I said he told us, and by us that means ESPN. So Dan Snyder had had a conversation with a member of our crew, and I was told about the conversation and that I should be able to use that information for the broadcast, which is a normal ‑‑ it happens a lot. We all are a team, just like the teams out there on the field. We all work together. We share information. Same way Adam Schefter shares information with us, I would share information with Adam or Jon or Mike or anybody else.

ROTHMAN: I’ll jump in here real quick because it was me who approached Dan on the field flat out before the game to say, Dan, this is a huge topic of conversation in this preseason game that we’re doing. I would like to accurately report if Robert feels 100 percent, and if Coach Shanahan feels that Robert is 100 percent and you feel Robert is 100 percent but Dr. James Andrews feels he’s not 100 percent, who has the final say because I would like us to accurately report on the air what the situation is, and Dan Snyder said to me, flat out, that it’s Dr. James Andrews who has the ultimate call whether Robert plays or not. And I asked Dan if that was good for me to use on the air, and he said absolutely.

And I shared that with Lisa in pregame because I thought that was big news, given all that we’ve read, all that we’ve heard, and it’s still feeling a little gray, and we wanted to be crystal clear in our reporting.

Q. That’s interesting because obviously he said that he’s going to see James Andrews today and that he has not been cleared yet, and Adam reported yesterday that he has been cleared, I guess.

ROTHMAN: Yeah, I can’t speak to Adam, I just know what I asked Dan straight up.

Q. I am curious what you think about this whole process, if you think this could have been done in a more straightforward simple manner or is this the way things happen?

GRUDEN: Robert Griffin is such a popular figure, everybody wants to know if he’s playing, when he’s playing. Personally I know Robert Griffin and I’ve anticipated him being the opening‑day starter for quite some time. So I really don’t pay attention; no disrespect to a lot of the reports, whether it be Twitter or texts or TV reports or radio. Just knowing Robert Griffin and the work he’s put in, I expected him all along to be the opening‑day starter. I’d be surprised if he isn’t. Fortunately for the Redskins, they have a contingency plan ready to roll in Kirk Cousins. But I try not to get overwhelmed with all this reporting on when or if he’s going to play. I have a confidence that he will.

Q. Mike, I’m just kind of curious just as you’re a guy who follows the sports landscape and you’re seeing what’s going on with everyone doing four‑, five‑, six‑hour pregame shows and so much programming going on during the week with the NFL, I just wonder is it even possible to reach such a critical mass with this coverage of the NFL? Is there kind of no end as far as where this thing is going?

TIRICO: You know, I think the fact that fans are so emotionally involved in their team, plus they’re involved in their fantasy football teams, which I think really adds a significant part, and then there’s the third extent of, legal or otherwise, people who wager on games. I think that keeps this thing going.

I’ve said before, perhaps on this call over the years, that I think football fits the lifestyle of the fan because if you have five or six hours a week to devote to it, which is the equivalent of two Major League Baseball games, those six hours can have you as a pseudo‑expert on your team. You watch them play for three hours, watch a couple hours of pregame, listen to some talk during the week, get online and read whatever you need to get your fantasy team ready. So when people want to access the information it’s available to them and in a variety of methods of delivery, with personalities and approaches on all those pregame shows.

I would assume at this point if we added up all the hours of pregame programming with so many people doing daily shows, it might equal the hours of actual football played during the week in the NFL.

But at some point, as with everything, the fans will speak. If people stop watching these shows and the ratings erode, then people will have to find an alternative of something that they’ll watch more than pregame or postgame NFL conversation. I think while that appetite is still there, and that shows in the business world in terms of advertisers, but the fans ‑‑ I’m walking around the US Open and people are asking me, hey, I’ve got my fantasy draft tomorrow, who do you think I should draft as my second quarterback. People are hungry for it, the anticipation for the college season I don’t remember ever being this high.

Football has become America’s sport, and much like when you’re over in England covering any event and you’re talking about the English Premier League, the Barclays Premier League in soccer, there’s saturation and constant talk about a two‑hour game, and we are just mirroring that here in the U.S. Until people say, you know what, I don’t want to hear about it anymore, we’re going to get more pregame shows. It’s good because the competition, I think, raises the level of discussion and the information available to fans as they watch.

Q. Jon, can I get your opinion on what’s going on with the Bears and how they’ll be with (Marc) Trestman, and do you have any concerns about this Brandon Marshall situation, what’s going on with him?

GRUDEN: Well, first of all, I have a lot of confidence that Marc Trestman will do an excellent job because I have worked with him in the past and I know how meticulous he is. I really like the coaching staff that he hired. I think that’s a real challenge for any first‑year head coach is acquiring the right staff. Very impressed with (Jon) Bostic, the young linebacker they drafted out of Florida. I was always wondering who would replace the great Brian Urlacher, but it looks like they have some options with DJ Williams and Bostic.

But I think Mark Trestman will do an excellent job with Jay Cutler, and they desperately need Brandon Marshall to not only play but be healthy when he plays because he’s the most targeted wide receiver, I think, in football, and he’s Jay Cutler’s favorite go‑to guy. That’ll be critical in how healthy he is. It’s going to have a lot to say with how good this offense is.

Q. Jon and Mike, the Bengals kind of seem to be the dark horse pick for the Super Bowl this year, just observing them in the preseason opener, and with [offensive coordinator] Jay (Gruden), do you think this offense can take that next step? And for Mike, how eager are you guys for that week two match‑up and how much do you think James Harrison facing his former team will be part of the story line?

GRUDEN: I think the Bengals are a legitimate dark horse. James Harrison obviously has to prove that he can play a different position, and they have to prove that he can function in a different role in their nickel package. He’s been a right defensive end rushing the passer and doing it extremely well, but Michael Johnson played right defensive end, and he’s a franchise player, so how they utilize Harrison will be interesting, who the safeties are going to be, who plays opposite Reggie Nelson. That will be, I think, an interesting subject.

And also I think they have a chance to be better. They’re just very young. It’s easy to say Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard are going to come in and make a lot of plays, but they haven’t done it yet in an NFL game. They have to prove they can do that for 16 weeks, and is (Andrew) Whitworth healthy? I haven’t seen Whitworth play in the preseason. And is Andre Smith healthy? He was inactive at the start of training camp. I saw him get hurt the other night in the Dallas Cowboys game, so what kind of tackle player are they going to have? What are the health of their two tackles? You’ve got to have those men to win big in the NFL.

TIRICO: And on the Cincinnati side, it has been a while since we’ve been there, so it’s nice to go back. I think when teams are anticipated of having a good season, it’s always fun to be able to go visit. The city seems to turn out. And if my memory serves me right, November of 2010 was the last time we had a Monday night game there, and it was Pittsburgh, as well. So that’ll be interesting.

I also like the buzz around the franchise and how this franchise has really turned around. It’s not just the off‑field and the incidents. You look at the decisions made in the front office and the drastic talent that has been brought in, and Jon’s brother Jay has done such a good job with the offensive talent here over the last couple years, getting to the playoffs these first two seasons. The entirety of what Cincinnati is doing has a good vibe to it. So I’m excited to get into Cincinnati week two, division game.

The Harrison story line will set itself up because of his long history with the Steelers, what happens in game one, how James looks in that game, and more importantly James Harrison has feasted on other quarterbacks for a decade and tried to get the ball back to Ben Roethlisberger. Now if both are healthy, he’ll be trying to get to Ben Roethlisberger and get the ball back to Andy Dalton, so that’ll be interesting bi‑play to watch between the two of them as the night goes on.

Q. Jon, you’re entering your fifth season. How has calling games the past couple years changed for you at all, be it because of the rise of social media, or as you were referencing earlier some of these new camera angles. I’m wondering how has calling games changed for you if at all the past few years?

GRUDEN: Well, calling games has changed because the game itself has changed; the no‑huddle offenses, the option football becoming prevalent in pro football. You’re not studying pass rushers, you’re studying the read and the mesh of the quarterback. You’re looking at different things, you’re anticipating different situations now because of the nature of the game.

And very importantly with the rule changes in regards to player safety, you’ve got to really be careful that you see the video before you comment because it is a very controversial matter right now, players and how they tackle, et cetera.

I think those are the big changes. I’ve tried to get a little bit better as a listener, tried to take some tips from my friend Mike Tirico and the people that I work for, the director, the producer of the show to try to take the preparation to the broadcast a little bit better, but I still have plenty of improving to do.

Q. In terms of player safety, how do you view the question of whether concussions and head injuries in general are getting enough in‑game attention by analysts such as yourself today?

GRUDEN: Well, that’s a good question. Try not to turn the football game into a player safety matter. I think when you have a live football game, let’s report the game itself. We try to cover as many different players in the game that we can. It’s a great honor to be in this league and play on MNF. It’s the only game going, so we try to stick to the game as much as possible, and I think that’s the best approach to have.

Q. Jon, just looking at this batch of young quarterbacks, Andrew Luck, RG3, Russell Wilson and also including Colin Kaepernick in that group because he broke out at basically the same time they did, what is your outlook for those guys? Do you think the league is going to catch up to them at all, or do you think they’re going to continue an upward trajectory?

GRUDEN: You know, I think if they can stay healthy, they can have dominant careers. Now, the style in which they play concerns me because I’m not accustomed to seeing quarterbacks take the kind of hits and as many hits as these men take. The quarterbacks that just got paid a lot of money, if you just look at the contracts of Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Tony Romo, they just got $100 million deals. Yes, they’re talented but they’re healthy.

We already have seen Robert Griffin get injured, unfortunately, and I’m concerned with any quarterback that runs the ball and plays the position recklessly because as far as I know, the quarterback is the only guy that can’t play on Sunday if he has a sore passing shoulder. That’s my only concern. I love watching them play. I love the style of offense that they play. The combination of drop‑back passing and option football is just downright nasty to a defense to defend, but can they sustain that style of play deep into their careers and eventually become $100 million quarterbacks, as well?

Q. My other question is kind of a follow‑up to something Jon said about being careful about commenting on a hit before you see the video. There was that play involving Jon Bostic on the Thursday night game that you guys had where it was a huge hit on (Mike) Willie and everybody celebrated it, not just you guys but across Twitter and the internet, and it turned out that it was a fineable offense. I’m wondering from Mike and Jay if the rule changes have altered or will alter your approach at all to hits like that.

TIRICO: I can’t speak to the Bostic hit. That was the one preseason game that our group didn’t do. Jay didn’t produce that game, Jon and I weren’t calling it, so I can’t speak directly to what was said at that moment in that play. But I know in general and I can tell you, and Jay and Jon and Lisa are witnesses of this every week, and we have Gerry Austin, who was the referee in two Super Bowls, if you were in our meetings, there is at least 20 to 30 minutes of conversation about rules, implications of rules, what a team does as Jon or I watch during the week in preparation, or Jay and Lisa, as well, that may be a rules impact to the game. And as these things change, we’re staying as up to date as possible on them.

It’s not our responsibility to say this is going to be fined by the league office; it’s to explain what the rule is so you understand the application at that moment, as best as we can interpret how the officials have called it on the field. And we are not going to be perfect, just like the players are going to throw incompletions and the league office will say there was a flag thrown that shouldn’t have been thrown in a certain instance. We do our best; we’re very cognizant of the larger issue.

If you watched the preseason games, I thought Jon did a couple of brilliant things to educate fans on football and where it’s going right now: The quarterback things he’s talking about and when they can be hit and not be hit; he called it playing with fire; modern‑day decision making for what safeties do when a ball is lofted over the middle compared to what was done five or six years ago.

We’re very conscious of it, very aware of it. We can’t let it dominate the telecast because the next play happens, you want to keep moving on, but we certainly know the climate that we’re in, certainly know that player safety is priority one from the National Football League office level, and try to explain to folks at home who don’t have all week to understand why this is being flagged or what they’re looking for, here’s why the flag was thrown, here’s the likely explanation, and often times I’ll say here’s the definition, you decide. Did he lead with the crown of his helmet, did he do these things.

To be honest, sometimes you’ll look at a replay and say that’s a clean hit, and the league office will come back with a fine. We’ll do our best to get it as close to possible ‑‑ correct as possible I should say, but the ultimate answer lies on Park Avenue with the league office every week.

ROTHMAN: Yeah, I think it’s a case‑by‑case basis in terms of coverage. In the case of the Chicago game, I think the player that was hit bounced right back up. I was in the truck observing the hit, and I actually thought it was a clean hit at the time, and I think we just need to be careful. Obviously if there’s a hit that is a head‑to‑head kind of thing and a player is down and not moving, we’re certainly sensitive to that. We’re not looking to celebrate injury. Document, yes, but not celebrate injury. So I really think it’s a case‑by‑case basis. That’s really it.

Q. Lisa, did you want to add anything to that in terms of your reporting?

SALTERS: No, I mean, the one thing I remember, I watched on the sidelines for that game, and the one thing I do recall is doing a sideline interview with one of Bostic’s teammates. I think it was ‑‑ I’m trying to remember who it was with, but he was just saying that the hit looked good, that it looked good for Bostic, it set a tone, and that the player that he hit kind of got up out of pride. I think that was the one thing that resonated with me, like Jay said. The player got right back up. It’s not like he was hurt on the field. So as far as we knew at the time, it was a legal hit. I take my cue from the guys, from Jay, Jon and Mike.

Q. My question is about the Bucs. Jon, are they one of those teams that can go 10‑6 or 6‑10, depending on the breaks? How do you see this playing out with Tampa this year?

GRUDEN: I think this is the year for Tampa to win the division and return to the playoffs. They have a quarterback that has played well in this system. They have two great receivers, Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson. Their offensive line appears to be getting healthy; if (Carl) Nicks returns with Davin Joseph, I think that combination is as good as there is in football. And the left tackle is a Pro Bowler in Donald Penn. They have a running back that no one talks enough about. What a phenomenal rookie year he had. Defensively, I think we were signing defensive backs at the Pepin distributorship when I was coaching the Bucs. When you bring in Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson, you immediately become formidable in the secondary. So I have a lot of confidence that Tampa is going to be a very good football team this year.

Q. There’s a lot of scrutiny on guys down here about No. 5, Josh Freeman. He’s taking his lumps. Fran Tarkenton weighed in last week that the guy has proven in talking to him that he can’t play in this league. He’s in his last year of his contract. How do you think this is all going to end for Josh Freeman here?

GRUDEN: I’ve got a lot of respect for Fran Tarkenton, but I don’t necessarily agree with his comment on Josh Freeman. I live in Tampa. I’ve lived here for 13 years and I have studied Tampa carefully for a lot of reasons. If you don’t think Josh Freeman can play, I think you’re making a huge mistake. He broke franchise records for passing. I’ve seen him do it at a high level. And if I’ve seen him do it at a high level, that means I know he can do it again. You know, look, not everybody agrees. I’m accused of being too positive and liking everybody, but I do like Freeman. I wish I had Josh Freeman, I’ll just say it like that.

Q. Jon, the last two seasons Green Bay has won the division in the NFC North. I wondered coming into this season between Detroit and Minnesota and Chicago, which one of those teams do you consider the strongest to unseat Green Bay from the division title?

GRUDEN: Boy, that’s a good question. I think the Lions are a lot better football team than 4‑12. I never saw that coming. The addition of Reggie Bush is going to take a lot of pressure, I think, off of that passing game, and if they can improve a bit in the secondary, they’ll be a better football team. I think that division is up for grabs. I still have Green Bay as the favorite.

If there was one team I would be leery of, it would be the Chicago Bears because they won 10 games last year. I think they’re going to be much improved offensively with Marc Trestman there, and they can still generate turnovers. Can Green Bay overcome the loss of (Donald) Driver, Greg Jennings, (Bryan) Bulaga? We’ll see. Their defense has to play better.

Q. Jon, what kind of expectations do you think are realistic for RG3, not only considering he’s coming off of the knee but everybody has game film on him now after last season, and then secondly what do you think of the job that Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen have done in constructing that roster?

GRUDEN: Well, in regards to the Shanahans, I think they’ve done an excellent job adjusting their system to Robert Griffin, as a rookie allowing him to do some things that he was familiar with, and continuing to develop him as a drop‑back passer. I still think Robert Griffin is going to have some Steve Young‑like qualities as a pocket passer and as a guy that can really explode out of there if you take some of these routes away.

But I give the Shanahans a lot of credit. I like their drafts. Trent Williams is a Pro Bowl left tackle; Griffin was the Rookie of the Year; who thought Alfred Morris was going to run for 1,600 yards. I didn’t. They did a nice job assembling a receiver corps that is very good despite the lack of numbers. I love (Leonard) Hankerson, I like the way they’ve gone out and got Pierre Garçon in free agency. It’s a well‑constructed roster. (Ryan) Kerrigan has really come through, and if (Brian) Orakpo comes back they have an outstanding 1‑2 combination rushing the passer.

As far as Robert Griffin’s expectations, I think they’re very, very high. Everybody expects more. The better you play, the more that’s expected of you, and to be a great football player you have to deliver. That’s what Brady did, that’s what the great quarterbacks do. Aaron Rodgers does it every year, sees Peyton Manning continues to do it, and if Robert Griffin is clear and ready to roll like I think he is, I expect more of the same from him.

Q. Jon, I know you guys were in Baltimore last week to see the Panthers, got the Offensive Rookie of the Year from two years ago and then Kuechly in last year’s defensive group. How unusual is that and how critical is it for roster growth, and any tandems like that in recent history come to mind, young guys that you can kind of build around?

GRUDEN: Well, I think you made a great point. I don’t ever remember that happening. To have Cam Newton, he’s just a kid, he’s still just getting started, and the performance that Luke Kuechly laid down on our national broadcast was phenomenal. I can only imagine having two young leaders at critical positions and what that does for the Carolina fan base. It’s an exceptional job by their organization, there’s no question, and a little bit of good luck, good fortune, too. It’s nice when you have the No. 1 pick and there’s a great quarterback in the draft.

Q. Jon, two quickies: opening day is not a glamorous game, but Kansas City and Jacksonville is the No. 1 overall pick and the No. 2 overall pick will be on the field, both playing right tackle. Can you talk about what can be expected of two rookie offensive tackles, and how long did it take those guys to become worthy of that pick?

GRUDEN: Well, you never hear of tackles getting drafted 1 and 2 in the draft, and let alone playing right tackle. And if you look at Lane Johnson, Philadelphia’s tackle who was picked in the top five, as well, all these men are picked high, you would think they’d be opening day starters at left tackle, but they’re playing right tackle, which is really an amazing sidebar to this game. But both young, excellent prospects. I think their home is going to be on the left side in the future, but it looked like in the preseason they both have had some growing pains, yet you can still see the upside and the athleticism that they possess.

Q. Does that worry you as a head coach, to have a rookie tackle?

GRUDEN: Well, I’ve been a lot more worried because I never really had prospects at tackles that had this type of ability. You don’t want to start a whole lot of rookies, but you do not have as much of a problem sending guys out there like these two. (Luke) Joeckel and (Eric) Fisher are tremendous athletes, they can recover, they’re smart, and I think they’ve picked up their system and improved throughout the preseason, so I don’t think there’s much concern there.

Q. And Alex Smith, is he a product of Jim Harbaugh, or is he the real deal?

GRUDEN: Alex Smith is a product of about 10 different coordinators. I think no one really knows much about Alex Smith. He’s been in some horrific situations from the standpoint that he’s never had a chance to settle in and really flourish in any system for an extended period of time, so by hooking up with Andy Reid, who does an excellent job with quarterbacks and being in a West Coast system, a progression passing offense, I think we’ll see the best of Alex Smith, and I know Andy Reid will have a few tricks up his sleeve to utilize Smith’s athletic ability. But I think he’s in the right spot now, and I think a lot of people are going to look at the Chiefs curiously to see how good Alex Smith really is.

Q. Jon, Chip Kelly’s offense is going to be very tight end centric. He could end up keeping as many as four tight ends on his roster, and he’s regularly played two and even three tight end sets most of the preseason. What kind of match‑up problems is that going to present for a defense?

GRUDEN: Well, it depends on if the tight ends are any good.

Q. Well, just assume they are.

GRUDEN: Well, you can use them as a jokers, really. They’re good in any type of formation because you can create ‑‑ you can use a tight end as a classic, on the line of scrimmage tight end; you can put a tight end in the backfield and create a two‑back set, you can line up in a no‑back set, use them as wide receivers. You get tremendous pre‑snap looks when you put a tight end outside of wide receiver in terms of is it man or is it zone. You get bigger blockers on the perimeter when you throw these bubble screens and quick screens. You probably want to throw the quick screen to DeSean Jackson and have a tight end block. So you get size on the edge where Chip Kelly likes to get the ball, and you just have men that can do a lot of different things. We know (Zach) Ertz can catch. We know (Brent) Celek can catch. Clay Harbor has done some excellent things, and the guy that they signed from the Houston Texans is a jack‑of‑all‑trades. I’ve seen (James) Casey play fullback, I’ve seen him do it all. I’m with you; I’m excited to see how it pulls it off and utilizes these tight ends. With the absence of (Jeremy) Maclin I know they’ll have to lean on them.

Q. I wanted to get your take on the progression of Brandon Weeden, if you’ve seen him in the preseason, and also just your thoughts on Norv Turner as an offensive coordinator; can he help Weeden get to the next level.

GRUDEN: Well, Brandon Weeden is a guy that we had here for the quarterback camp. Look, he has a huge arm. He’s got a tremendous live arm, and I thought he made more tight‑window throws than almost any of the other college quarterbacks that came out that year. I think he’s on a football team that doesn’t have tremendous skill around him. I don’t think that his wide receiving corps is a polished group yet. But I do think he is developing. I like what he did against St. Louis, really like some of the things he did against Detroit. None of them played very well against Indianapolis. Weeden and the rest of the offense didn’t play very good. That was a setback and somewhat of a disappointment.

But Norv Turner as an offensive coach, you’d be lucky to have him running your offense if you ask me because he’s gotten it done wherever he’s been. He’s developed quarterbacks, and he just has a very good temperament, a vast amount of knowledge, creativity, and I think he has guts to call plays in certain situations on game day that most people don’t.

Q. Do you think this is a make‑or‑break season for Weeden as far as if he doesn’t have a good season that they will go a different direction next year?

GRUDEN: Well, that’s a tough one there. I don’t know what direction Cleveland would go. It’s easy to say it’s make or break, but who are you going with next year? I mean, they’ve changed quarterbacks more than any team in NFL history in the last 20 years since they’ve been back in Cleveland. What’s the alternative? I think they have to try to build around Weeden, maybe improving the receiving corps, let him work himself through this new offense. I’m confident he’s going to be a good pro quarterback. But if it doesn’t work out, coaches and quarterbacks don’t last long, I know that.

Q. Jon, I’m curious where you felt Robert Griffin needed to develop most as a passer, and going from year one to year two for quarterbacks, what are some of the things that they kind of take a big jump on as far as their ability in the pocket?

GRUDEN: Well, you know, a lot of the passes that Washington throws are play action bootlegs. Some of them are what I call one‑and‑done, where you fake the ball and you throw the ball behind the linebackers, and if the receiver isn’t open, the quarterback runs or throws it away. I think where Robert is going to grow tremendously is he’s going to be asked to execute more conventional drop‑back passing plays, different route concepts, three‑step, five‑step play action passes where he’s going to read a progression. Here’s the primary, here’s the secondary receiver, here’s your outlet, and use your legs only if you have to, but we would like to throw the ball to our tight end. He’s back, he’s not hurt this year. We want to get Garçon some more catches so he can impact the game more. We want to use maybe more three‑wide sets, more empty backfield sets like Shanahan used with (John) Elway in Denver. I think he’s got to continue to improve his protection awareness, who the hot receiver is, when and when not to audible, and continue to grow up as a conventional drop‑back passer.

Q. For week one is there a bigger challenge not having played any preseason games or really getting a ton of time in the off‑season?

GRUDEN: I think so, I really do. I know a lot of these quarterbacks don’t play extensively in the preseason, but he hasn’t taken a live snap since Seattle. I don’t believe a quarterback has done this since Tom Brady came back from his injury. I can’t be sure on that, but I can’t remember a quarterback opening day starter not taking one snap in a preseason game. It’ll be challenging for him, that’s for sure.

Q. Jon, you guys were obviously in Baltimore last week for that preseason game. I was curious as a whole your take on Baltimore and what you saw from them.

GRUDEN: Well, obviously the turnovers I was shocked by. They turned the ball over too many times in the preseason. I think they’re finding their way as a football team, not only inserting new players but adapting to a new culture without Ed Reed and Ray Lewis obviously and some of the leaders they’ve had there. But I think they’re going to really have to adapt to not having Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta working the middle of the field.

I felt Tandon Doss didn’t look for the ball against the blitz, interception for a touchdown. Some of these things can be corrected, but you don’t see these things happen very often to championship‑caliber teams. I’m really interested to see how Dallas Clark and (Brandon) Stokley come in and service the Ravens between the numbers as viable receivers because they have to replace two great players.

Q. Like you said, the Ravens are in the process of replacing Anquan Boldin and also in the process of replacing Dennis Pitta. I’m sure there’s an acclimation period that comes along with that as far as Joe Flacco and just building a rapport with some of these other weapons, but what have you seen from Joe throughout the course of this preseason?

GRUDEN: Well, look, he’s become not only the face of the franchise, but he is the leader of that football team. His personality isn’t like Ray Lewis’s obviously, but he’s still a very effective well‑respected leader in the clubhouse. Uncommon that a man has 11 touchdowns, no interceptions in the playoffs and throws four, maybe five interceptions in just a handful of snaps in the preseason. That was alarming and concerning to me, and I think he is struggling right now figuring out who his go‑to guys are because Pitta and Boldin weren’t good, they were great.

Q. Jon, we’re talking about Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher going into retirement, two guys with speed and athleticism that they brought to the middle linebacker position. Can you just speak to what today’s offenses with the spread and everything that RG3 and Kaepernick and these kind of guys bring to the quarterback position, how that’s going to affect the continuing evolution of the middle linebacker position? What do the middle linebackers have to look like and be like going forward?

GRUDEN: Well, middle linebackers, first of all, they’d better be in shape and they’d better be athletic, because these spread offenses, they can wear you out physically, running east and west, defending sideline to sideline potentially 80, 87, 92 snaps a game, and when you’re a 235‑ or 250‑pound man and you have to do that, that’s very difficult, so it’ll really tax these defenders, these linebackers physically, and mentally they get worn out because now these linebackers have to call defenses by themselves. The defensive coordinator doesn’t even have time to signal a play, these offenses are up and at you so often.

These linebackers have to be very aware. They’ve got to be sharp. They have to be great communicators, leaders, and they have to be able to play sideline to sideline and do a lot of different things. That’s why like Luke Kuechly in Carolina, everybody is looking for every‑down hybrid‑type linebackers that can do a lot of different things.

Q. Jon, the commissioner has talked a lot about changing the culture when it comes to some of the violent hits, the way we respond to head injuries, and the league is working with youth leagues on tackling techniques. I wonder how difficult it is to change the culture, and how urgent is it that that’s addressed?

GRUDEN: I think it’s always ‑‑ look, I think it’s always been the primary focus. I used to coach and I used to play, and my dad coached and my dad played. Player safety has always been a focus. I know that there’s a lot of lawsuits and some well‑documented cases that are very public right now, but I’ve always felt that teaching the proper fundamentals and playing the game with a specific etiquette is important.

You know, again, I used to coach in this league, and I believe our coaches felt the same way, and so did our players. I’m glad that we’re emphasizing proper tackling techniques, proper etiquette, but we all have to remember that football is live, full‑speed tackling. There’s concussions, there’s concussions in soccer, there’s concussions any time there’s a ball bouncing around. I’m just glad that it’s being emphasized. Anything we can do to improve safety I think is a good thing.

Q. And just a quick follow‑up, with the rule changes and de‑emphasizing some of the hard hits, any concern from you at all about the nature of the game being watered down on any level?

GRUDEN: You know, sometimes you wonder what you tell a defender. Mike talked about it a little bit earlier. To me sometimes the quarterback, if you’re going to fine somebody, you should fine the quarterback, because he telegraphed a throw, he threw it into a crowd and something bad is going to happen. But the more we throw the football, the more we throw the football, the more collisions and big collisions are potential. 700 passing attempts for some teams, there’s going to be 700 more opportunities for big collisions.

Look, I don’t know what else to say. It is frustrating to a degree. I don’t know what you tell a defender on certain occasions. But I do think that the NFL certainly has put a lot of time and thought into making this game safer and trying to eliminate some of the potential head injuries. It’s a tough process.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

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SiriusXM Adds The Dan Patrick Show to Mad Dog Sports Radio Channel

August 30, 2013 By admin

Acclaimed sports talk show joins “Evan & Phillips in the Morning,” “Schein on Sports” and “Mad Dog Unleashed” in weekday lineup

NEW YORK – August 29, 2013 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that it has added The Dan Patrick Show, hosted by popular sports commentator Dan Patrick, to the weekday lineup of shows on its all-sports talk channel, Mad Dog Sports Radio, SiriusXM channel 86.

Starting Tuesday, September 3, The Dan Patrick Show will begin airing weekdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm ET/6:00 am to 9:00 am PT on the channel, joining an existing lineup that features Evan & Phillips in the Morning (6:00-9:00 am ET) with Evan Cohen and former major league general manager Steve Phillips, Schein on Sports (12:00-3:00 pm ET) hosted by Adam Schein and Mad Dog Unleashed (3:00-6:00 pm ET) with Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo.

Patrick is an Emmy-winning sportscaster who has been one of sports media’s most recognizable personalities since coming to prominence as an anchor on ESPN’s SportsCenter in 1988. In 2012 he became the first sports broadcaster to win the prestigious Marconi Radio Award for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year. He has hosted The Dan Patrick Show on radio since 1999. He is also the co-host of Football Night in America on NBC and is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated.

“Dan is one of this country’s most prominent sports voices and his show has been engaging sports fans with entertaining and insightful commentary and newsmaking interviews for well over a decade,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer. “The Dan Patrick Show is an all-star addition to the Mad Dog Sports Radio lineup.”

The Dan Patrick Show is produced and syndicated by DIRECTV Entertainment/LABC Radio Group

Drag Racing’s Biggest Event Featured on ESPN This Weekend

August 30, 2013 By admin

With 11 hours of action on television, and even more available online, ESPN will blanket drag racing’s biggest event, the 59^th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, this Labor Day weekend.

Expanded qualifying and eliminations telecasts will culminate with six consecutive hours on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2, the final day of competition, on ESPN2. In addition, ESPN3, ESPN’s multi-screen live sports network, will air live coverage of qualifying on Friday, Aug. 30, as well as the full day of eliminations on Monday for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

“It’s The Big Go, the one race you just want to be a part of,” said Dave Rieff, ESPN’s NHRA anchor who will call the action with analyst Mike Dunn. “It’s one of those deals where you’re just part of something special.

“It’s the one that if you can’t win the championship, you want to say you’ve won Indy,” Rieff said. “Simply by winning the U.S. Nationals, that makes you a part of drag racing history immediately.”

Joining Rieff and Dunn on the telecasts will be pit reporters Gary Gerould, Jamie Howe and John Kernan. Longtime motorsports voice Paul Page returns to ESPN’s drag racing coverage with a historical essay on the U.S. Nationals through the years and four-time NHRA driving champion Gary Scelzi will be a guest analyst for the event.

Among the features that will air on ESPN platforms surrounding the U.S. Nationals:

· Alan Johnson, has won seven Indy races as a Top Fuel crew chief but why has he had so much success at this track? He also talks about the impact of losing his brother, Blaine Johnson, at the U.S. Nationals.

· Ron Capps has come close but has never won a championship or the U.S. Nationals. What would an Indy win mean?

· Antron Brown is the defending Top Fuel Champion and is the only driver to win Indy in a PS class and a nitro class. What else is there to accomplish?

· A look at the movie Snake and Mongoose, to be released the Friday after Indy.

· What would another Indy win mean to John Force, and does he have another championship run in him? What stories do his daughters Brittany and Ashley have about him at Indy?

· Tony Schumacher going for his 10th Indy win, trying to surpass Bob Glidden. Why has he enjoyed so much success at Indy and where does he rank as a driver especially if he wins his 10th U.S. Nationals?

All NHRA programming on ESPN2 and ESPN3 is available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox and Apple TV via WatchESPN, accessible to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliate provider including Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity TV, Midcontinent Communications, Cablevision, Cox, Charter Communications and AT&T U-verse (coming soon to NRTC members’ customers). The schedule:

Date	Time	Event	Network
Friday, Aug. 30	6 p.m.	Qualifying	ESPN3, WatchESPN
Sunday, Sept. 1	1 p.m.	Qualifying	ESPN2, WatchESPN
Monday, Sept. 2	11 a.m.	Eliminations	ESPN3, WatchESPN
Monday, Sept. 2	Noon	Eliminations	ESPN2, WatchESPN

Click HERE for the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule on ESPN.

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Season Finale of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals debuts Tuesda

August 30, 2013 By admin

Episode #5 (season finale)

Debut: TUESDAY, SEPT. 3 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: Sept. 4 (7:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 5 (3:00 p.m., 3:15 a.m.), 6 (10:30 a.m., 8:00 p.m., midnight), 7 (11:30 a.m., 10:00 p.m.), 8 (10:30 a.m.) and 9 (midnight)

HBO2 playdate: Sept. 9 (5:30 p.m.)

The pre-season nears a close as the Bengals get ready to face the visiting Indianapolis Colts; coaches evaluate player performances as they prepare for final roster cuts.

A 30-person NFL Films crew is shooting up to 1,500 hours of video over the course of the series. Camera and sound crews are given unrestricted access to the players’ and coaches’ meeting rooms, training facilities, living quarters and practice fields.

Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #HardKnocks and follow @HBO and @Bengals for updates. For more HARD KNOCKS video and coverage, go to HBO.com/HardKnocks.

NBA TV to Televise FIBA Americas and EuroBasket Championships

August 30, 2013 By admin

Coverage Tips Off with FIBA Americas Quarterfinals Thursday, Sept. 5

NBA TV will televise the quarterfinals, semifinals and gold medal game of both the FIBA Americas and EuroBasket championships. The network’s coverage of the FIBA Americas taking place in Caracas, Venezuela, will begin with a quarterfinals doubleheader Thursday, Sept. 5, at 5:20 p.m. ET and will conclude with the gold medal game televised Thursday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. NBA TV’s FIBA EuroBasket coverage from Slovenia will tip off with the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Sept. 18, beginning at 11:30 a.m. and will culminate with the gold medal game airing Monday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m.

The top four teams from the FIBA Americas Championship and the top six teams from the FIBA EuroBasket will advance to participate in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

NBA players slated to compete in the FIBA Americas include), Al Horford (Dominican Republic/Atlanta Hawks), rookie Kelly Olynyk (Canada/Boston Celtics) and Luis Scola (Argentina/Indiana Pacers). FIBA EuroBasket rosters are expected to include Nicolas Batum (France/Portland Trail Blazers), Jose Calderon (Spain/Dallas Mavericks), Goran Dragic (Slovenia/Phoenix Suns), Marc Gasol (Spain/Memphis Grizzlies), Marcin Gortat (Poland/Phoenix Suns), Tony Parker (France/San Antonio Spurs), Ricky Rubio (Spain/Minnesota Timberwolves) and Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania/Toronto Raptors).

NBA TV Telecast Schedule

(All Times Eastern)

FIBA Americas


Date	Time (ET)	Game
Thursday, September 5	5:20 p.m.	Quarterfinals
Thursday, September 5	7:50 p.m.	Quarterfinals
Tuesday, September 10	5:30 p.m.	Semifinals
Tuesday, September 10	8 p.m.	Semifinals
Thursday, September 12	6 p.m.	Gold Medal Game*

FIBA EuroBasket


Date	Time	Game
Wednesday, September 18	11:30 a.m.	Quarterfinals
	3 p.m.	Quarterfinals
Friday, September 20	11:45 a.m.	Semifinals
	3 p.m.	Semifinals
Monday, September 23	6 p.m.	Gold Medal Game*

*denotes tape-delayed telecast

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

Visit the Turner Sports online pressroom for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR. Follow NBA TV on Twitter at @NBATV.

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Chris “Mad Dog” Russo Inks New Multi-Year Deal with SiriusXM and Joins MLB Network as On-Air Talent

August 30, 2013 By admin

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo Inks New Multi-Year Deal with SiriusXM

and Joins MLB Network as On-Air Talent

Will continue to host daily show, “Mad Dog Unleashed,” exclusively on SiriusXM, every weekday afternoon

Starting in 2014, will host new daily show on MLB Network that will be simulcast on MLB Network Radio

Takes on an additional featured role as SiriusXM’s Baseball Ambassador to MLB Network Radio channel

NEW YORK – August 28, 2013 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that it has signed renowned sports talk personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo to a new three-year contract that will keep his daily all-sports radio show exclusively on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio channel. Russo’s on-air role will be expanded to include a significant presence on the MLB Network Radio channel on SiriusXM.

Russo will continue to host his daily show, Mad Dog Unleashed, weekday afternoons on Mad Dog Sports Radio, SiriusXM channel 86. Starting in September, with the beginning of NFL season, the show will air daily from 3:00-6:00pm ET/12:00-3:00pm PT. The show is also available to subscribers through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

MLB Network today also announced that Russo will join its roster of on-air talent to host a new weekday baseball show launching in the spring of 2014, in addition to appearing across its studio programming. The show will be produced by MLB Network and simulcast on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM. MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning studio show “MLB Tonight” is currently simulcast on MLB Network Radio on weekdays at 6:00 p.m. ET.

In addition to hosting Mad Dog Unleashed daily, Russo will take on an expanded role that will feature him prominently on the MLB Network Radio channel on SiriusXM (channel 89 on XM, channel 209 on Sirius Premier and on the SiriusXM App). He will serve as SiriusXM’s “baseball ambassador,” hosting shows and specials and appearing regularly on the channel to comment on MLB news and issues.

“I’ve always loved the on-air freedom that comes with being on SiriusXM,” said Russo. “I can do the kind of show here that I wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else and I’m fortunate to be able to continue to give my listeners my kind of sports talk radio each and every day on Mad Dog Unleashed. I’ll also get to emphasize my passion for baseball with my new role on MLB Network Radio and MLB Network, where I’ll be talking to dyed-in-the-wool baseball fans like me throughout the year. This is a terrific opportunity that allows me to do what I do best, while also reaching new audiences.”

“Chris is a one-of-a-kind sports radio talent, one of the best in the history of the medium, and we’re very pleased to keep him on SiriusXM for years to come,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer. “Our listeners will continue to get his unique style of sports talk – the biting commentary, the high profile interviews, the great rants – on a daily basis. And by expanding his role to the MLB Network Radio channel, we can better showcase his passion for baseball and his extraordinary knowledge of the sport. This will enhance our overall sports programming and increase his reach, and will be a benefit to both Chris and our listeners.”

“Chris Russo is one of the top sports voices in the country and he will be a terrific addition to our unparalleled roster of on-air talent,” said Tony Petitti, President and CEO of MLB Network. “Expanding MLB Network’s live programming has been a continued goal since our launch in 2009, and we look forward to bringing his refreshing take on baseball to MLB Network’s weekday lineup in 2014.”

Russo is widely credited for having helped popularize the sports talk format across the country and is known to sports fans everywhere for his feisty, unflinchingly candid approach to talking sports and unrestrained, rapid-fire delivery that earned him the nickname “Mad Dog.” He joined SiriusXM in 2008 after nearly 20 years in New York hosting the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show. In addition to hearing him on SiriusXM daily, fans can follow Russo on Twitter (@MadDogUnleashed).

Jerry Sandusky Abused “Dozens” More Back To The 1970s Say The Men Who Prosecuted The Pedophile Coach – “60 Minutes Sports” On SHOWTIME®

August 30, 2013 By admin

In Their First TV Interview about the Trial, Frank Fina and Joe McGettigan Say

Penn State Officials Obstructed Justice and Deserve Prosecution

PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4 AT 10 p.m. ET/PT

The two men who successfully prosecuted pedophile Jerry Sandusky in the notorious Penn State scandal say he abused dozens more than the 31 victims officials have dealt with so far. Frank Fina, Pennsylvania Chief Deputy Attorney General, and Joe McGettigan, the former federal prosecutor, also tell correspondent Armen Keteyian that former top university officials obstructed justice and deserve to be prosecuted for their crimes. The two men speak to Keteyian in their first television interview for the next edition of 60 MINUTES SPORTS, Wednesday, September 4, at 10 p.m. ET/PT only on SHOWTIME.

For the first time publicly, Fina and McGettigan describe how they built their case against Sandusky, exposing crimes that sullied the shining image of the Penn State University football program and ruined the reputation of its legendary coach, Joe Paterno. The men discuss their investigation, their strategy for prosecuting the serial pedophile and the way they handled the victims, whose testimony was crucial to the conviction.

Asked by Keteyian how many more individuals were abused by the former Penn State assistant football coach, McGettigan replies “There are dozens more.” Fina agrees with that assessment. The men say some of the claims of abuse date back to the 1970s, when Sandusky started “Second Mile,” a charity he began that was devoted to helping at-risk and underprivileged youth.

Charges from 10 of Sandusky’s victims figured in his prosecution in court; another 21 men, including Sandusky’s adopted son, Matt, have come forward.

In the course of their investigation, Fina and McGettigan soon realized that important university officials were not forthcoming about Sandusky, who regularly brought young boys from Second Mile to the university’s facilities. Fina tells Keteyian that top officials at Penn State were not “fully committed to disclosing what the reality is…We came to realize that they’re actively obstructing our investigation…and they had been for many years.”

Penn State University President Graham Spanier, Senior Vice President Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley, who no longer work for Penn State, have been charged with perjury and conspiracy to cover up Sandusky’s crimes. “I don’t think there’s any question that that’s what Spanier, Shultz and Curley did,” says Fina. “I investigated that case. They deserve to be charged and I hope justice is served there.”

One thing neither man ever got to do in court was question Sandusky, who chose not to take the witness stand. If Sandusky did, however, McGettigan tells Keteyian what he would have asked him. “Mr. Sandusky, when did it first occur to you that it might be a good idea to be naked in a shower with an eight-year-old boy who you met that day, to pick him up, to hug him, to cover him with soap, and not to say anything to anybody else in charge of that boy? When did you first think that was a great idea?”