Doing links today. For the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ll post the viewing picks. Links might not come until later in the afternoon. And on Friday, obviously you’ll get the viewing picks and megalinks. But posting will be sporadic on Thanksgiving as you might expect. Not many of you will be on your computers on Thanksgiving anyway, but there will be a fresh post or two.
Let’s get the links for this Thanksgiving Eve.
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand would like to see different Thanksgiving Day NFL sites than Detroit and Dallas. I discussed this with Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal on the Sports Media Weekly podcast today.
Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated looks at the increasing influence ESPN has on holiday college basketball tournaments and it has many in the college sports business hopping mad.
Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press writes about a Thanksgiving tradition that is gone this weekend. Do you know what it is? Take a few seconds to think about. It’s been played since 1983. It used to be a staple on NBC and then ABC. NBC once caused controversy when it cut off the ending for the NFL Live pregame show. It was once called by the great Vin Scully. Do you know? It’s the Skins Game, the golf exhibition that used to pit four of the best golfers in a two-day competition. It’s not being held this year due to the lack of a sponsor.
The great Ernie Harwell shares his thoughts with the Sporting News for the last time today. He talks about what he loves about baseball. One thing I’ve always loved about baseball is Ernie Harwell and I’ll miss him when he’s gone. Thanks to Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business for the link.
Also from the Sporting News, Dan Levy of On The DL looks at the NFL announcing assignments for Week 12 including tomorrow’s games.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell discusses the advance publicity for a new NBA D-League franchise in Portland, ME.
Here’s a way to get Neil Best of Newsday back on the blog. The Detroit Free Press picks up one of his articles from Newsday’s pay subscription website and posts it on its site. Neil writes about NFL Network’s Matt Millen understanding how Lions fans feel about his tenure as GM.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union writes that one local sports talk show takes a one week break for the holiday.
Pete says NBC has rejected a PETA Thanksgiving Day ad. If so, this would be the second time this year that NBC has turned down a PETA ad. Back in February, NBC supposedly rejected a PETA Super Bowl ad.
Laura Nachman has the Fox Sports announcing assignment for this Sunday’s Washington-Philadelphia game.
The Washington Post has devoted a special online section to the late Abe Pollin, a man who was a giant in DC Sports as owner of the Washington Bullets/Wizards and the Capitals as well as the person responsible for building two sports arenas, the Capital Centre in Landover, MD and the Verizon Center in downtown DC. Pollin died Tuesday at the age of 85. The impact Pollin had on the DC area as a sports owner, an entrepreneur and philanthropist simply cannot be measured in words.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News takes a look on the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the University of Miami football program which later had an indirect effect on the Cowboys.
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business says he’s thankful for NFL Network’s RedZone.
Phil Rosenthal has video of TNT’s Charles Barkley’s guest spot on last night’s Leno show during which he called columnists Skip Bayless and Jay Mariotti idiots. The shoe fits.
Bob Wolfley in the Milwaukee Jounal Sentinel looks at some various NFL TV news and notes (scroll down).
Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times broke the story that the Anaheim Angels dropped long time broadcasting team Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Toronto Globe and Mail writes that Sunday’s Grey Cup Final could be the highest rated CFL game of all-time.
James Hibberd from the Hollywood Reporter says thanks to the World Series and other factors, Fox will win the November ratings sweeps period for the first time.
Brendan Kelly of Variety tells us that thanks to Battle of the Blades and Hockey Night in Canada, CBC’s ratings were up in the fall.
Also from Variety, Brian Lowry says some less successful football athletes have hit it big in Hollywood.
Anthony Crupi of Mediaweek writes that Monday Night Football won the cable primetime ratings for ESPN.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News says MNF garnered 12.1 million viewers for Titans-Texans.
Multichannel says Speed set a ratings record for its coverage of the NASCAR Truck Series.
The Sports Media Watch says NASCAR’s season finale suffered a big ratings drop on Sunday.
SMW has some various ratings news and notes.
SMW also has the overnight weekend ratings.
The SMW says Monday Night Football got a decent ratings bump.
And SMW notes Sunday night’s Eagles-Bears game garnered the 3rd lowest rated SNF game of the season for NBC.
Matthew J. Darnell of Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner blog gives the 7 things he’s thankful for in the NFL including some TV and social networking tools.
The always lovely Amanda Bruno of Batter-up with Bruno reports that the Providence Journal has named a new sports editor to succeed Art Martone who left the paper to join Comcast SportsNet New England’s online venture.
NHL Network will be airing some of the best games of the first quarter of the 2009-10 season on Thanksgiving Day as voted upon by fans.
Christoper Byrne of Eye on Sports Media finds out what happened to the CBS broadcast crew that produced the landmark Boston College-Miami Doug Flutie Hail Mary game 25 years ago.
Joe Favorito looks at how colleges and universities get creative in their Heisman Trophy hype.
Steve Lepore of Puck The Media lists the best NHL team blogs.
As always, we conclude with The Five hosted by Kristine Leahy at WEEI.com.
That will do it for today. If I have time tonight, I’ll provide more links. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
