He's a very athletic individual, and judging how he swung the badminton racket in that Vitamin Water commercial he might be able to make the transition, but I think this was a slight mistake by ESPN's Graphics Team at the start of NFL Live today......


That's one way to deal with a star wanting a new contract (even though Urlacher deserves it). Just send him to another league.

(Thanks to SP for the heads up.)

I really have to thank ESPN for alerting me and the rest of the world to Red Sox first baseman Sean Casey's injury that will leave him on the bench in Tokyo. I mean what would have happened if I didn't change my fantasy lineup in time?!? That really does need to be one of your top stories of the day (click for larger).....



What's that? He's a backup and probably wasn't going to care anyway??? Who the hell cares! A Red Sock is injured!!! What's that? It's because he slept wrong on the plane and hurt his neck??? Umm......

(Thanks to JS for the screencaps)

I guess I might be at fault for overhyping this today as well when I first posted about it, but I never thought I'd see the highlight spill over into ESPN's College Basketball coverage. Bobby Knight is in the midst of his first night on ESPN, and doing rather well (more on this tomorrow), when Rece Davis has this to say....

Oh really?! Nice segue Rece....good to know I can change the channel now. Look I'm all for clips of fights and if you want to do a Sports Center update to show it feel free (I'll change the channel). But it is downright maddening when you show a weak Baseball fight from SPRING TRAINING (!) during Championship Week. Please let me just enjoy Basketball before the 10 months of nothing but Baseball. Thank you.

The Yankees are like cranberry and they're getting in all my juices (if you get that reference +10)!

P.S.- I love the ESPN sweater Bobby Knight.

Trying to capitalize on the last year of Yankee Stadium's ESPN plans to air a bunch of "vignettes" on the history of the park according to Newsday's Neil Best. Here are the details....

The series, called "Remembering the House that Ruth Built,'' will feature 10 episodes (one each day) starting March 22 and leading up to Opening Day, another 10 before the All-Star Game and another 10 before the regular-season finale.

Here are the first 10 subjects:

April 18, 1923 – first game at Stadium; Babe homers, Bosox lose
Sept. 30, 1927 – Babe hits his record 60th home run of the season
Nov. 10, 1928 – Knute Rockne urges a win for Gipper; Irish respond
June 19, 1936/June 22, 1938 – Schmeling upsets Louis; Louis KOs Schmeling
July 4, 1939 – Lou Gehrig considers himself lucky
Nov. 9, 1946 – Army and Notre Dame play to a scoreless tie
June 13, 1948 – Babe Ruth makes his final public appearance in a Yankees uniform
Aug. 17, 1948 – Ruth lays in state for two days
June 25, 1952 – Sugar Ray Robinson loses to Joe Maxim
Oct. 4, 1955 – Johnny Podres tosses a shutout; Dodgers win Series

Not that ESPN cares, but Yankee Stadium isn't the only park in NYC that's shutting down. There are actually TWO teams in the city. Crazy I know.

ESPN vignettes to celebrate Stadium in Bronx (Watchdog)

I don't know how you could ever get mad at a machine that is basically your own PR hub, but alas this is the case.

According to and article by Newsday's Neil Best, The Yanks' Media Relations Director is pissed at "The Leader" for acting "above the law".

The conference call yesterday during which Yankees executives announced the end of the Joe Torre era was surprisingly matter-of-fact and unemotional.

The fact that a national television audience was able to hear it live, though, produced a reaction from the team that was anything but calm.

Media relations director Jason Zillo reacted angrily to the fact that ESPN2 carried the call live in violation of rules the team set beforehand. Other media outlets that abided by the policy also were upset.

"It's disconcerting that ESPN thinks they're above the law," Zillo said. "Their explanation to me was, basically, 'We took it upon ourselves.' If that is how they need to get their competitive advantage, then you certainly have to question it."

At any and all costs Mr. Zillo...that's how all media is these days. While it is shocking that ESPN did this without approval...How can you be THAT shocked that they did it in the first place? This is the same company that takes other reported items and claims them as their own, and buries harassment under the carpet (allegedly). Now not EVERY person at ESPN does this, but it seems those that do don't really receive any repercussions for their actions.

ESPN's official response about the situation....."The most important thing to our fans was for us to provide this major sports news as it was breaking."

Riiiight.

Yankees not happy with ESPN's handling of coverage (Newsday)