Francona & Buck in Booth for ALCS Games 1 & 2

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

ALCS Begins Saturday Night on FOX

Francona & Buck in Booth for Games 1 & 2; Pierzynski Joins Pregame

FOX NFL SUNDAY Analyst Jimmy Johnson: Romo’s Developed Bad Habits

2011 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ON FOX BROADCAST SCHEDULE

ALCS Broadcasters: Play-by-Play – Joe Buck, Analyst – Terry Francona

Analyst – Tim McCarver (Games 3 – duration)

Field Reporter – Ken Rosenthal

Pregame Show: Host – Chris Rose, Analysts – Eric Karros, AJ Pierzynski

Schedule Subject to Change/All Times Eastern

 

 

DATE                            GAME                                       LOCATION                                       COVERAGE BEGINS

Saturday, Oct. 8            Game 1                                     TBD                                                                 7:30 PM ET

Sunday, Oct. 9              Game 2                                     TBD                                                                7:00 PM ET

Tuesday, Oct. 11           Game 3                                     TBD                                                                 7:30 PM ET

Wednesday, Oct. 12      Game 4                                     TBD                                                                 4:00 PM ET

*Thursday, Oct. 13         Game 5                                     TBD                                                                 4:00 PM ET

*Saturday, Oct. 15         Game 6                                     TBD                                                                 7:30 PM ET

*Sunday, Oct. 16           Game 7                                     TBD                                                                 8:00 PM ET

 

*If Necessary

FOX Sports’ coverage of Major League Baseball’s American League Championship Series begins this Saturday, Oct. 8 (7:30 PM ET) with the Texas Rangers hosting the Detroit Tigers OR the New York Yankees hosting the Texas Rangers.

FRANCONA PINCH HITS FOR McCARVER; CALLS ALCS GAMES 1 & 2 WITH BUCK – MLB ON FOX lead analyst Tim McCarver will be unable to work ALCS Games 1 and 2 this weekend due what is expected to be a short-term medical issue.  McCarver is having a minor heart-related procedure performed late this week and is expected to return to the booth in time for ALCS Game 3 next Tuesday.  Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who guided that team to World Championships in 2004 and 2007, will take McCarver’s place alongside MLB on FOX lead play-by play announcer Joe Buck.

NO CLIFF LEE = BIG PAYOFF FOR RANGERS WITH BELTRE – “Thank you, Cliff Lee, for signing somewhere else.”  That is the thought FOX Sports National MLB Writer Jon Paul Morosi says crossed the minds of Rangers fans after the team clinched its second straight American League Championship Series berth.  “After Lee chose Philadelphia over Texas and New York last December, the Rangers found themselves with some leftover cash. They used $80 million of it to sign Adrian Beltre to a five-year contract. Their payoff came Tuesday afternoon, in one of the greatest home-run hitting feats in postseason history,” writes Morosi.  “Beltre would be firmly in the AL MVP discussion if he hadn’t missed 37 games in July and August because of a strained left hamstring. Despite his stay on the disabled list, Beltre finished among the league’s top 10 in OPS, home runs, and slugging percentage.  And while Lee’s left arm can’t save runs for Texas anymore, Beltre’s Gold Glove defense at third base can.  Not to be overlooked: The arrivals of Beltre and Mike Napoli shifted the role of perennial All-Star and captain Michael Young, who went from third baseman to a hybrid DH/utility role. The change could have torpedoed the team’s chemistry. It didn’t. Mutual respect and professionalism made it work.  And now an entire organization can sip champagne and celebrate that Adrian Beltre signed a contract where Cliff Lee would not.

To read Morosi’s full analysis, visit: http://on-msn.com/rnvEih

CAN THE EAGLES RIGHT THE SHIP DURING NFL ON FOX’S WEEK 5 ACTION? – Week 5 of the 2011 NFL on FOX season kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 9 as FOX Sports presents singleheader coverage of five games—each presented in true HD. The 1:00 PM ET window opens when two teams that couldn’t have started the season any differently meet up in Buffalo as Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and the Bills host Michael Vick and the Eagles. In Carolina, Cam Newton and the Panthers continue to put up a lot of points but not many wins. This week, they host the equally high-scoring Saints in an NFC South showdown. The Giants could say they were both good and lucky in last week’s win in Arizona. Eli Manning looks to lead the G-Men to an easier victory in a home date with the Seahawks. Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver call all the action from MetLife Stadium. In Minneapolis, the Vikings host the Cardinals. The 4:00 PM ET window features a pair of 3-1 teams as Josh Freeman and the Bucs visit Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers. Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa call the action from Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s most-watched Sunday afternoon pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson.  NFL Insider Jay Glazer presents the latest league news and scoops from the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio while comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo contributes his weekly “Frank’s Picks” segment.  FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira is also on hand to go over any impactful officiating issues. This week’s edition of “The Journey,” which opens the show, is narrated by actor James Caan. The crew discusses New York’s comeback and controversial win last Sunday in Arizona and what the 1-3 Eagles are doing wrong.

For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX. Follow the NFL on FOX on-air personalities @Jay_Glazer, @JimmyJohnson, @CurtMenefee, @MikePereira, @MichaelStrahan, @TroyAikman, @KennyAlbert, @CoachBillick, @TimBrewster, @CFD22 (Charles Davis), @DarylJohnston, @The_ChrisMyers, @LauraOkmin, @ChadPennington, @TimRyan99 & @TonySiragusa on Twitter as they provide insight and analysis all weekend. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.

 

GAME                                                                                     PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST/SIDELINE                COV.                       TIME 

Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills                               Sam Rosen, Brian Billick                                   29%                       1:00PM 

                                                                                                & Laura Okmin

Ralph Wilson Stadium – Buffalo, NY

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Providence, San Antonio, San Diego, Tulsa, Washington

 

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers                   Dick Stockton, John Lynch                              26%                       1:00PM 

                                                                                                Jennifer Hale

Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC

MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Greensboro, Greenville, Knoxville, Louisville, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Raleigh, St. Louis

 

Seattle Seahawks at New York Giants                         Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman                    20%                        1:00PM

                                                                                                & Pam Oliver

MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, NJ

MARKETS INCLUDE: Dallas, Hartford, Memphis, New York, Portland, Richmond, Seattle, West Palm Beach

 

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings                      Chris Myers, Tim Ryan                                       7%                         1:00PM 

                                                                                                & Drea Avent

Mall of America Field – Minneapolis, MN

MARKETS INCLUDE: Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix

 

Tampa Bay Bucs at San Francisco 49ers                    Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston                          17%                       4:05PM

                                                                                                & Tony Siragusa

Candlestick Park – San Francisco, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Cincinnati, Fort Myers, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Tampa

JOHNSON: ROMO DOESN’T’ PLAY SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL; CALVIN JOHNSON IS BEST WR IN LEAGUE – On Fox Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick show this morning, FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Jimmy Johnson was asked about the issues Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo faces at his position.  Johnson also chose his top receiver in the league.

ON ROMO – “The problem with Tony is how he came up,” said Johnson.  “Tony wasn’t drafted so he was on the taxi squad.  I used to holler at our scout team quarterbacks during practice to throw the football because I’d be working on our defense.  I wouldn’t care if they were covered, I’d want them to throw it into coverage during practice and that’s how Tony plays.  Sometimes it works out great and he makes spectacular plays but he doesn’t play situational football.  Whenever you’ve got a strong lead, you’ve got to have the ability to run the ball, protect the lead, play defense and take time off the clock.”

JOHNSON’S BEST WIDE RECEIVER IN THE LEAGUE – “The best wide receiver in the league is Calvin Johnson because he scores touchdowns,” said Johnson.  Johnson still thinks highly of wide receiver Andre Johnson but concludes that Calvin is a bigger mismatch for defenses.  “Now I love Andre Johnson from the University of Miami and consistently over the last few years, Andre has been the best.  However right now, Calvin Johnson is such a mismatch.  You can’t take him away with double coverage.  The defensive backs can’t cover him; the linebackers can’t run with him.  He is basically a much more talented, faster tight-end.”

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

*All Times Eastern

 

 

BTN HOSTS COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF LIVE FROM NORTHWESTERN – BTN produces a special live on-site pregame show at a Big Ten stadium for the first time this Saturday.  Live from Ryan Field at Northwestern, before BTN’s primetime game that night, Dave Revsine hosts BTN Countdown to Kickoff with analysts Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith at 6:00 PM ET. The show airs one hour ahead of No. 11 Michigan at Northwestern. The crew hosts BTN’s normal pregame show at the network’s Chicago studios at 11:00 AM ET on Saturday morning before traveling 15 miles north to Evanston for the BTN Countdown to Kickoff. BTN airs the game at 7:00 PM ET with Tom Hart and Derek Rackley on the call and Lisa Byington roaming the sidelines. The network also airs the Illinois at Indiana game at 2:30 PM ET with Eric Collins and Chris Martin calling the action and Dionne Miller reporting from the sidelines.

FUEL TV NAMES EXPERT PANELISTS FOR NEW NEWS SHOW:  FUEL TV has named four industry experts to its new news show “Action Sports Plus” which airs every Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET. The panel consists of TransWorld Surf Magazine Editor-In-Chief Chris Cote, skate company owner/pro skater/artist and industry veteran Chris Pastras, four-time motocross champion Jeff Emig and two-time world Superpipe snowboard champion Keir Dillon. The group discusses different topics each week, reviewing the latest contests and premieres, and providing commentary on upcoming events in the surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, motocross, BMX, wakeboarding and MMA worlds.

— FOX SPORTS —