Return of Friday Megalinks

Work has been crazy the last few weeks which is why you haven’t seen the megalinks since the beginning of the New Year. I’m hoping next week will be easier. You have your Weekend Viewing Picks , of course.  National Starting with the Sports Business Daily, we have the full roster of spots for Super Bowl XLIV on CBS. Also from Sports Business Daily, the final ratings from last weekend including the Pro Bowl which was the highest rated sporting event. Wayne Friedman of MediaPost discusses how CBS is trying to sell even more spots for the Super Bowl. SportsbyBrooks explores ESPN Radio firing Michael Irvin from his Dallas radio show after three year old rape allegations surfaced this week. And apparently, Irvin is firing back filing a countersuit against the accuser. Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi is critical of Lindsey Vonn’s pose on this week’s Sports Illustrated cover. Erin Whiteside at the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State University says women lose when sports stars become authority figures. Michael Hiestand of USA Today says the NCAA’s expansion of its men’s tournament is a money grab . Dave Kindred writing for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center says Super Bowl week can be the best week and the worst week for a sportswriter. East and Mid-Atlantic Chad Finn of the Boston Globe says the ratings for Super Bowl XLIV actually might match the media hype . Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram writes that CBS’ Jim Nantz has an affinity for the New Orleans Saints. The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman writes a regular New York sports radio caller was saved thanks to football. Phil Mushnick of the New York Post mourns the late Tom Brookshier . Pete Dougherty in the Albany Times Union says even the broadcast team has pregame jitters . Laura Nachman says the Philadelphia CBS affiliate will have a Super Bowl special this weekend. Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post talks with former CBS Sports producer Frank Chirkinian about the early days of the NFL. Jim Williams in the Washington Examiner writes that producing the Super Bowl for TV is a team effort . Tim Lemke looks at Bloomberg Sports’ fantasy baseball package. South Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes that his CBS Sports colleagues are surprised that Bill Cowher is still on television. Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the furor over the Tim Tebow Super Bowl advocacy ad shows why athletes rarely take controversial stands. Tom Jones from the St. Petersburg Times talks with ESPN’s Dick Vitale about South Florida’s basketball program. Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News looks at the Michael Irvin firing from ESPN Radio in the Metroplex. Barry has more on the firing. Ray Buck in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram also delves into the Irvin dismissal. David Barron in

the Houston Chronicle says watching the Super Bowl in Canada is definitely a different experience . In the Daily Oklahoman, Mel Bracht writes that CBS’ analysts are leaning towards the Indianapolis Colts. Mel has the Super Bowl Sunday viewing lineup . And in his media notebook, Mel writes that the Oklahoma City Thunder are setting ratings records. Midwest In the Cincinnati Enquirer, John Kiesewetter says Pete Rose will be Andy Furman’s first guest on Monday.  Bob Wolfley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel feels the Super Bowl could surpass 100 million viewers for the first time. Ed Sherman has this week’s winners and losers . Jim O’Donnell of the Chicago Tribune writes that the success of “The Blind Side” came unexpectedly to Memphis Grizzlies TV analyst Sean Tuohy. Paul Christian of the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin says CBS is expecting monster viewership if Super Bowl XLIV is close. Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch also notes that CBS could reach record numbers on Sunday. West Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret News says last Saturday’s BYU-Utah game had one of the most surreal moments caught on camera. Jay Posner in the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the NFL is riding a big momentum wave heading into the Super Bowl. John Maffei from the North County Times says CBS is bringing back sideline reporters for the Super Bowl. Jim Carlisle of the Ventura County Star tells us that there’s plenty of other sports to watch on Sunday other than the Super Bowl. Jim writes as CBS’ Jim Nantz prepares to call the New Orleans Saints’ penultimate game on Sunday, he recalls seeing their first . Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times says ESPN is all over the Super Bowl and it doesn’t even have the game. Tom Hoffarth in the Los Angeles Daily News speaks with former ESPN’er Larry Burnett who has made a name for himself in SoCal as a play-by-play man. Tom has more with Larry in his blog. Tom also has everything you need to know about Super Bowl Sunday. Canada Bruce Dowbiggin in the Toronto Globe and Mail writes that Canadians won’t be able to watch the US Super Bowl ads. Chris Zelkovich of the Toronto Star says the Super Bowl might match the hype . Gary Mason of the Canadian Press says despite heavy financial losses, NBC expects record ratings for the Winter Olympics. William Houston of Truth & Rumours writes that after a four year absence, CTV’s Brian Williams looks forward to hosting the Olympics once again. William notes that one of Canada’s greatest Olympians was snubbed for the Olympic Torch Relay. And William has one more post on the snub. And that will do it. Enjoy your Super Bowl Weekend. Return of Friday Megalinks is a post from: Boston Sports Media Watch

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Return of Friday Megalinks