On Sports Center yesterday, ESPN reported that both Mike Green and Donald Brashear of the Capitals had been suspended. Everyone in DC scrambled to confirm the story for the next hour, but ESPN suddenly retracted their original report by saying just Brashear had been suspended. However, that wasn't the end of it. From there, Sports Center aired two more retractions before finally saying that just Brashear would be heading to a hearing at 1pm. You can read about the whole day at the Capitals Outsider.

Crazy day for Sports Center but it's not necessarily their fault. They were prank called by someone posing as a Washington Post reporter, and went with the information provided by the prankster....

"I was on my way to the rink this morning and my buddy called me and was a little upset I was missing Game 7," said Capitals defenseman Mike Green, a finalist for the Norris Trophy given to the NHL's top defenseman.

"I had no idea what for. It kind of caught me off guard."

ESPN SportsCenter hosts Josh Elliot and Hannah Storm relayed that Green and teammate Donald Brashear were suspended under a "Breaking News" banner Monday at 9:52 a.m.

Within a half hour, ESPN retracted the story.

"Our news desk received the call from someone representing themselves as a Washington Post reporter," ESPN spokesman Dan Quinn said.

"We didn't follow our own fact-checking procedures and mistakenly reported the story.

"We apologize for the error."

That's just so random. In the pantheon of prank calls, that's probably the worst one ever. Why someone would pose as a Washington Post reporter for kicks is beyond me, but whatever makes you happy.

Prankster dupes ESPN with bogus report on NHL suspension (USA Today)

How's this for random? The morning Sports center crew, of Hannah Storm and Josh Elliott will appear on an episode of the ABC sitcom "Scrubs" this Wednesday. The back story is that Turk (Donald Faison) comes up with an idea on a crazy surgery by watching Sports Center, and of course....hilarity ensues! Here's the clip....

Hey, it could happen right? Well probably not, but at least Hannah and Josh can now apply for their SAG cards!

Everyone has been looking far and wide for someone other than Erin Andrews that will draw page view to their website, and the only person that has come close in recent years is Hannah Storm. About three or four times a week, I get a "did you see what Storm was wearing this morning?!" email, and now someone has taken the time to compile an extensive collection of her wardrobe choices on Flickr. Here are a few of my personal favorites....


Snazzy huh? I like to call that last one "The Aniston from Friends" look. Sure there is a following for Fox's Charissa Thompson, but you know you've hit the big time when someone starts keeping a day by day screenshot account of your outfits. I'm sort of over the "hot female reporter" thing, but anything that will bump Erin Andrews news off Sports Blogs, is all right in my book. And yes, I know I'm a huge part of that EA problem, but dammit....I'm trying to change!

Notasportsblog's Photostream (Flickr)
Hannah Storm’s Extensive Wardrobe Collection is Burning Up the Internet (The Big Lead)

I think this might be a first! Sports Center has certainly credited blogs before, including this one, but I don't think Deadspin has ever been mentioned on the flagship show for ESPN. This morning Josh Elliott credited Deadspin with a quote from Jay McGwire, Mark McGwire's younger brother, who says in his new book that he was the one who supplied the slugger with steroids. Here's the clip....

Congrats to my former employer (*tear*), AJ and the rest of the crew over there, and good on ESPN for recognizing who found the item first. The best part about this, is that it's ESPN's lead story on Sports Center, so they're going to be mentioning the website all day. Just another small step towards acceptance!

Mark McGwire's One-Eyed Baby Brother Reveals The Not-So-Startling Truth (Deadspin)

So the newest Jordans were unveiled yesterday, and shoe addicts everywhere swooned. Well for some reason, ESPN decided to put a glorified commercial for the product before Top Plays, and SC's Josh Elliott took umbrage with the nonsensical spot. Here's the clip...

$230 dollars?!?! Good lord that's a lot of money! How about I give you ten and you just let me tie the tongue around the top of my foot with some twine?

Good on you, Josh Elliott. However, I will say that the new Jordans do look a little badass.

I can't remember the last time I caught the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, but ESPN thinks it's important enough to send their two morning Sports Center hosts to cover the event. Hannah Storm and Josh Elliott will be your hosts for the pomp and circumstance starting at 11am on New Year's Day. Via ESPN PR....

On Thursday, Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. ET, ABC will ring in the New Year with live coverage of the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade. The Rose Parade will once again feature the beautiful pageantry and tradition of magnificent floral floats, high-stepping equestrians and spirited marching bands. SportsCenter anchors Hannah Storm and Josh Elliot will host.

Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Lisa Salters will work the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi on ABC (Jan. 1) at 4:30 p.m. ESPN Monday Night Football commentator Mike Tirico will call the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi on ESPN Radio with analyst David Norrie and reporter Erin Andrews.

I'm thinking it will be like the Macy's Day Parade coverage, only with less floating cartoon characters and more chessy jokes. Should be fun!

A few emails came in right around 10:30 this morning saying that either Josh Elliott or John Clayton ripped one during an NFL segment. Being your intrepid video reporter, and an expert of flatulence, I'm here to provide the clip and tell you that it certainly sounds like someone had too much broccoli last night. Listen closely around the :11 mark....

While it could be a mic mishap, I'm pretty sure that it wasn't. I'm putting my money on Clayton, but we should get a definitive word on it either way soon enough. Your thoughts and guesses in the comments.

Update: Via Deadspin....

ESPN's media relations machine "could not possibly comment about that", but Elliot did say that he asked the newsroom "What the F was that?" after the incident occurred, but denies having personally "dealt it."

John Clayton's A Little Gassy In The Morning (Deadspin)

Okay everyone, here's how it's going to go down. I've got some questions to ask Josh about how the show went today and then the chat is entirely yours. You sent in various questions over the weekend and we'll get him to answer those as well as the ones you post in the comments here. I think we have him for a good while so keep on submitting and we'll try to get through as many as we can before Josh has to head out.

Again, thanks to ESPN, Josh, and all of you for making it happen. The fun will get underway at 1:15pm or so....
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Okay everyone....Josh Elliott has logged into the complicated AA Chat System (email) and herrrrrrre.....we....GO!

JE: It's Josh Elliott here...and it's a pleasure to be asked here today. I'm a daily reader of this site, among many, and as someone who feels the blogosphere's impact on media has been diminished by folks who frankly don't know any better...it's a good place to be today. Even if it means I'm in the crosshairs....

AA: Let’s get right into it. What do you think went well and what do you think you need to work on? Both personally and as a team with Hannah....

JE: I think the show, overall, went well...given the way the news broke...the remarkable showing by Jason Lezak (former Gaucho)...it was a fairly standard approach to putting the show together today. There were some questions about where to have the PGA Championship...but overall, I think the show rolled fairly smoothly today. Hannah, in her debut, was tremendous. She's worked hard in her return, and I thought it showed today. As we get to know one another's styles more, it'll just get better. As for me...well, I can always get much, MUCH better. It's a tough thing to watch and critique myself, but I do it every day when I get home. Hopefully, down the line, it's passable...

AA: I know that you’ve gone through a ton of dress rehearsals, but what was different or new about going live for the first time?

JE: The rehearsals were good, for Hannah to get a feel for the show--which can, frankly, eat anchors alive. But also for all the technical things we'd like to employ, and did today (and I thought the look of the show was great; kudos to the control room, the director, Chris Rouskas and his merry band of brigands...and especially to the PAs, who did yeomen's work with the re-purposed highlights, etc.) As for us...well, the dress rehearsals had run their course. It was time to just...do it. And so we did.

AA: You guys were all over that studio. Is the process of moving around as tiring as it looks?

JE: It's crazy at times...very much a technical circus, dodging cameras and grips and moving sets, all the while, hoping you have what you need. Some of the rough spots today were for that reason: not having a paper or two, in the moment....

AA: So the only two radio guys you went to just happened to each be from one of the teams in the Monday Night Football contest. Do you see that this spot just serving as a promo for that night's games or will you expand on it?

JE: We'll very much expand on it. Tonight, it did play as a promo, and I'm well aware how hollow that can sometimes ring for an audience. Then again, all eyes will be on that game...or the circus leading up to it...and I think it's a more-than-legit story to tell. I will also be Olympics-heavy myself, if only for my Favre/Rodgers Fatigue.

AA: I mistakenly thought a lot of the new graphics (i.e.- Bengals and Packers logos) were actual on-air additions (great job by the Graphics Dept). How confusing is it to talk to a hovering Buster Olney who really isn't right in front of you? What do you focus on?

JE: That's a new graphic they've rolled out, that I'm told looks good/interesting (I've yet to see it, in the moment)...I'm actually looking at another monitor, though I know what it should look like. And honestly, I'm focusing on my questions, and Buster's answers...even when said answers take 11 minutes (I love you, Robert Olney...I kid....)

AA: You mentioned over at Fanhouse that this move was the "not-so-tacit acknowledgment that the blogosphere exists". Why now? Why at all?

JE: Because to do so has been long overdue. The blogosphere has grown so big, so fast...it wield so much influence, to the point where one could argue it IS the news cycle...that to be on tape through the morning was no longer journalistically defensible. And not just for breaking news, which is the best and most fundamental reason for being live. Also, we'll have the opportunity to go inside a highlight...see not just the home run that won the game, but the two at-bats prior that may have set it all up.

Big picture: People consume media all the time now. They know what's happened the night before...and with the blogosphere, what people are saying, from newspaper columnists to bloggers themselves. And to exist in that culture, one needs to be as nimble, and adaptive, and willing, as possible. Hopefully, this will be a show that resonates with the 'Sphere...that, ultimately, becomes part and parcel with it.

AA: Many people, myself included, think that ESPN often spends too much time promoting and crowing for athletes so they can get interviews and late breaking stories in the future (i.e.- Holdouts, Injuries, Trades). This usually works but in the case of Favre it didn't. Do you think ESPN even thinks about that angle or is that just what comes with territory when you try to be the largest Sports outlet in the World?

JE: It's a great question...the sporting landscape's chicken-or-egg. Does ESPN report the news...or, in exhaustively chasing it, BECOME the news? (Or..to your point...the non-news.) I'm not sure I know for sure, though it'd be disingenuous of us, at this point, to pretend that we didn't have the resources we do...that we didn't have the opportunity to flood the zone...that we couldn't produce any degree of analysis to any one story. We're left, then, to hope that the story merits our treatment. And with certain stories...and personally, I thought we beat the Favre stuff into the ground, to a mind-numbing degree (sorry, bosses)...that's not always the case.

(Alright....onto your questions folks. We'll start with the most important one first....)

AA:Why don’t you comb your damn hair? (Via Matt)

JE: Matt, There's nothing I can do...seriously...this is as combed as it will ever be. The stuff's got a mind, and spirit of its own. I try to stay on its good side...try to keep it happy, clean, etc...but there's only so much I can do. (And then the camera ops are left to try to squeeze my head into frame...ain't easy.)

AA: With the Live SC, aren't you rendering ESPNEWS and ESPN First Take meaningless? (Via Scott F.)

JE: No way...not at all. Each option provides a specific take on newsgathering, reporting, etc. I've been asked about First Take often, and I say this: First Take knows what it is, what it wants to be, as a show. It's very confident in delivering that thing, every day. We're not trying to cannibalize anybody. And I hope this doesn't feel like opening a Starbucks in a Starbucks bathroom. We will give you Sportscenter in the morning, with all the features, analysts, etc., you've come to expect. And First Take will be different. And ESPNEWS will give you the sportsworld in concentrated fashion. All things, to all people....

if nothing else, I like working at a place that's willing to try new things. And love ESPN...hate ESPN...avoid us like the plague, or celebrate us every day (and thanks, Mom, for that very thing)...we try new things. And there's something to be said for that, especially in a highly creative and stimulating place to work. (Or...really...not work....)

AA: Who were your favorite anchors on the show growing up? (Via Anon)

JE: Bob Ley was, and remains, at the top of my list. As for others...the Big Show was chemistry incarnate.

AA: Favorite Bands? Go! (Via Michelle)

JE: Radiohead
Band of Horses
Led Zeppelin
The Who
U2 (Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree)....

AA: What sort of topics are you going to focus on with your new blog? (Via Anon)

JE: I hope to blog about as much as I can...and hardly just from the world of sport. I'm a pop-culture junkie, so I'll have as much non-sports as I can. I just hope people read it, and want to come back...the hope of any nascent blogger, I suppose...(and not a little scary...)

AA: Do you think it's an obvious move to make friends with sites like Deadspin and AA? Or is this just a glorified PR move? (Via Anon)

JE: I can only speak for myself. I read Deadspin...AA...Fanhouse...The Big Lead...as well as Jossip and, frankly, dozens of other sites, multiple times a day. I'm on the Intrawebs a good 3-4 hours a day...it's just what I do. So...I very much like being here, right now...on this chat, and big-picture, at this point in media history. The news cycle will never be the same...for the good, I think. It's not PR...I'm willing to answer whatever's asked, within reason (I won't rip a colleague, for instance). But this is just me.

AA: You seemed to snap at Hannah when she jumped on one of your clips there. Did you guys hug and make up after the show? (Via Anon)

JE: No snapping, at all. Hannah has been a joy to work with throughout...we're talking on the phone every day (multiple times...especially when she gets lost on the way outta Bristol)...we're emailing rather constantly...we've become fast friends. It's a strange thing, to be out on that set, in the thick of it. You learn to trust...or at least, that you have to trust...that person next to you. We're all the other has, at times. And again: Hannah's debut today was off the charts.

AA: Josh, pink is hip, young, fresh and shows up well in HD. We get it. Now go buy a blue tie and give us something different. (Via Dan Levy)

JE: Dan...I hear you. I'll run roughshod all across the pallette...I promise. Though I did like today's choice.....

(Okay, we're approaching the hour mark so Josh is going to answer just a few more....)

AA: Any advice for someone gunning to be a big-time ESPN personality? (Via Adam)

JE: I'm hardly the authority. Work hard...and learn to chat fast...I feel like I'm lurching about in the tar pits, as I try to get to as much of this as possible.

And know that, sometimes, working here is like working in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant. You don't always want to know how they make the sausage.

But above all else: Love sports...'cause it's your life....

AA: ESPN received some criticism after the Brett Favre Fest last week. With almost ten different reporters in and around Green Bay, how do you think ESPN still got scooped by FOX Sports? (Via John T.)

JE: All it takes is one source. And Jay Glazer's got a bunch of 'em...he's top-notch, just like so many of my colleagues here. Of course, after a while, it was hard to decide what was "news broken" anymore...again, not for lack of zone-flooding on our part.

AA: Wilbon's lack of pants on summer editions of PTI: thoughts? (Via Justin Williams)

JE: Tragic.
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AA: Alrighty people. We've had the pleasure of Josh's company now for over an hour and that's waaaaay longer than I thought this was going to go. I also, think that with the last question being on Wilbon's pants that this is a good place to end things. JE gets the last word....

JE: Look...I know AA took tons (too much, really) grief in offering this chat, so know that he's in no way ceding his credibility here. Personally, I love doing this. It's the most rewarding thing about the job...a chance to ombudsman, on the fly, while also fielding questions from the enormous number of you who feel that we've grown too large, too stale, too...something. This is the blogosphere at its best: democratic, unrelenting, tough. And always, appreciated. I'd love to come back...take more questions...if AA wouldn't mind. Just an offer...and thanks again for watching and participating.....

And there you have it. Thanks a ton to both Josh and ESPN, as well as all of you that sent questions it. To all of those who's questions didn't get answered...we're going to try to find a way for Josh to get to all of them through email or in another chat. Good times and whether you thought it was good or bad for the site, I hope you at least found parts of the chat interesting. It was definitely fun to try something different.

So after what seems like a grand total of a thousand "Steve Is Live" spots the day is finally here. I'm going to try to give you a sense of the layout of the show this morning as well as some quotes and videos. Don't forget that we're having a live-chat this afternoon with Josh Elliott, so keep sending in those questions. You can do so in the comments here, or just send me an email.

I'm only going to be doing the first block today, and here's a reminder of what your new lineup will look like....

9 am-12 pm: Hannah Storm, Josh Elliott
12-3 pm: Chris McKendry, Robert Flores
6 pm: Jay Harris, Brian Kenny
11 pm: Stuart Scott, Scott Van Pelt, Neil Everett, Linda Cohn
1 am: John Anderson, Steve Levy

It's going to be a fun one today, so join in won't you?
__________________________________

8:42- The old format has been running all morning, but Steve (there he is again) tells us it's only 18 minutes until start time. He says he has one commercial left, so let's hope it's F-word free.

8:59- Aww, Steve looks sad. He also can't seem to put his words together. You did a good job Steven, but I'm glad to see you finally go.

"In 5..."

9pm- AND WE'RE LIVE! Oh god....so it begins. First story is about Brett Favre and the MNF game tonight between the Packers and Bengals. Oooh...new graphics. "The Morning Buzz" starts with the 4x100 relay and Olympic talk. Tim Legler is brought in to talk about the "Redeem Team" game, but I'm pretty sure that clip is a few days old.


"Clay Stanley with a kill after the block."- Josh Elliott

Probably not the best choice of a volleyball term after just talking about the Coach's Father in Law being murdered.

9:06- Onto Baseball highlights.

"Poor steve. He sounded like he was going to cry. I'll miss him."- Anon

I don't know if I'm going to miss him, but he really wasn't that bad at all.

9:11- Even more MNF talk now and they even brought Cris Carter and some giant movable team logos to the set. Very pretty.


I just now realized that three hours of live TV must seem like an eternity. We're just now getting to our first commercial break.

9:19- "Brand new web site? It doesn't look any different as far as I can see..." (Via Anon)

I know it's new, and presumably this will be where the blogs will go. A "news at this hour" graphic pops up and has info on Olympic Tennis, Byron Leftwich and UCLA losing their QB. Onto Golf highlights...

"Those aren't giant movable logos, they're CG." (Via Anon)

They sure did look real. If that's the case, great work by the graphics department. Also, outside of the Cris Carter segment the whole morning has just been highlights.

9:26- Onto NASCAR highlights and we get our first few tiny errors of the program. Elliott is about a clip and a half ahead while they're still showing highlights of the giant wreck.

Hey it's Sage! Hi Sage!!! Ooooh Sage with the first error. She says Kobe received the alley-oop from Wade during the first half when it was Lebron. Not the end of the world, but pretty bad.

9:38- Cris Carter back on live to answer email questions from you, the viewer. He and Hannah are sitting in cute little chairs to make it seem homely. Nice touch.

So it seems like the early plan is to just stretch out the Baseball highlights as much as possible. We're still getting clips at :40 minutes after the hour. Coming up....SC Right Now, Phelps, The Medal Count, and more Padraig Harrington (hopefully he's coming on live and we're not watching his press conference again).

"Run! He was running from Dinosaurs once."- Josh Elliott on Jamie Moyer running the bases.

9:45- Sage tells us that the U.S. Women beat China. Our first real live news of the day!

"Lebron James beat Yao Ming and the Chinese with ease."- Hannah Storm

Cute. Very cute with the rhyming there. Another commercial break and we're getting close to the end of the first hour.

9:48- SYNERGY! Cris Carter is now on Mike and Mike. They are running that guy ragged today. Hannah bring Jeremy Schapp on via satellite to talk about the swimming relay. They even throw in an interview with third legger Cullen Jones. Good stuff, except the time delay is throwing a few things off. Understandable.

Another thing I just noticed, but Storm and Elliott are wearing the same outfits they've been wearing in all of the promos leading up to today. Wonder if that was planned? Someone ask Josh that at 1:15pm.

As far as Storm goes, she's doing a splendid job if you ask me. She seems rushed at times but it's hard to tell if that is nerves or just the process of moving all around the studio.

9:54- Kimbo Slice in a new Madden commercial which features a rendition of "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes. My head just exploded.

Because when I think Madden, I think bagpipes playing Amazing Grace. (Via Anon)

Exactly. I keep switching over to Mike and Mike during the breaks and they now have another anchor (I'm not sure who) doing their Sports Center update. The juggling that's going on between two studios is off the charts right about now.

9:57- Hannah's first Top Ten! Lots of Soccer clips but generally a good job. They are even going to a live shot of the two standing and watching the clips.

"Wow. This is great. This is very meta right here. I'm kinda watching that, as I watch that watch that."- Josh Elliott

That's the end of the first hour! Not bad, so far. The live elements are there, and I don't know if I was really expecting more, but this is definitely something I could watch each morning. I'd love to get some live interviews from a few players in this spot. Maybe Jamie Moyer on running the bases or something.

10:01- Back to Olympic highlights and it looks like we're going back through the whole rundown again.

(Video #1- If you scroll back up to the top you can view the intro to the show.)

Clear something up for me. Live TV has been around for what? Decades? What's the BFD about SportsCenter going live? (Via Lozo)

Very good question and something I'm going to ask our guest this afternoon. I think the allure is that they've gone with replays for so long. The amount of resources they are throwing at this project alone are worth noting.

10:10- Your next guest today is Buster Olney. Buster is appearing on a giant screen in front of a sitting Elliott. Very odd element if you ask me....


Outside of the weird setup there, I enjoyed the Buster Olney appearance. He updated all of the Baseball injuries over the weekend and made a few predictions for the weeks to come. I think as we get into hour two and onto hour three, they'd be well served to add more of this to the mix.

10:17- We're into First Take on ESPN2 and Skip Bayless is matched up against only one of the "Live Stews". It's at this point in the morning that I'm thanking ESPN for this move.

That hanging monitor which Buster is on? Also CG. (Via Anon)

Man, I'm impressed and learning something new. I'm also not sure why I thought ESPN had developed the technology for a hovering monitor, but we'll just move past that. Okay? Good.

10:27- Josh gets his second shot at NASCAR highlights. Let's see how he does.

"Huge multi-car wreck and we're going to watch this again."- Josh Elliott

Perfect and he even got the finger counting part in this time. Bravo.

Did anyone see Tom Rinaldi's interview with Padrig Harrington last nite? At one point he made a face that would scare an infant back into the womb. Highest of high comedy. (Via BK)

Let's just hope we don't see that again today.

10:29- Another Sports Center right now and Sage has the stats from the USA-China Women's BBall game. Tina Thompson went for 27 and 6 if you care.

New Segment Alert: Hannah Scott brings on radio host Scott Wisnniewski from WRRD-AM 540 in Jackson, WI to talk Aaron Rodgers. I like the idea, but they really should have had someone on with just a tad bit more energy. Hannah Storm was trying, but that guy just wasn't ready for live TV this morning.


10:37- We come back from commercial with the "Wake Up Call" which I'm pretty sure is an existing segment already. Bob Uecker gives us the Gabe Kapler walkoff call and we're back into more Baseball highlights.

So, if that monitor's CG, does that mean Elliot is speaking directly to thin air? Must be weird for him. (Via Anon)

Agreed. That's another question for him. Keep them coming.

10:49- We head to a report on Team USA BBall heading to the Great Wall of China. Chris Bosh is impressed. I'm pretty sure this aired yesterday, but I could be wrong.

Oh I see how it is Josh! You have to do the ESPN.com chat before you come here!? I thought we were cool. I'll do my best to not ask the same questions.

10:56- Another "Wake Up Call" and we get Mikey Wilbon singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" at Wrigley! He was pretty darn good as well. I'll put that video up later today.

Back to the Top Ten again....still meta. And we've made it to hour number three! The second hour seemed to go by much quicker than the first and those few little gliches were cleaned up nicely. Hopefully we get some more guests this hour.

11:02- Elliott welcomes the new top of the hour audience in and says he'll be chatting later today. Hannah says she has some questions for him and throws him a wry smile. That was interesting.

11:10- Tim Tebow is on First Take right now and I'm pretty sure this is his 14th appearance on the show in the last two weeks. The season hasn't even started yet....good lord. I wonder if Sports Center is going to bring him on as well, or just focus on the highlights?

Back to ESPN1 and Cris Carter has reappeared with more (or the same) NFL talk.

Wait a minute, the greatest 4x100 relay in Olympic history, Phelps quest for 8 golds still on track and world records smashed and Sportscenter leads with Favre and Football? The more things change, they stay the same. (Via Anon)

The Word on the Street? Did Murray from Sesame Street host that, because they've been doing those podcasts for about a year now. Yes, having a young child teaches you these things. But that monster is hilarious. They could really use him to spice up the show. (Via Dan Levy)

I'll pass that along. Haven't SC anchors appeared on Sesame Street before?

11:18- Some new "Morning News"....Plaxico Burress doesn't think he's getting a new contract, Matt Jones pleads not guilty and Pinella tell Fukudome he might lose playing time.

11:29- Not much to update on, we're going through most of the same highlights from earlier on. Sage Steele is close to word for word her other updates. 30 minutes to go....

Oooh another Word on the Street. This time we've got C. Trent Rosecrans from 1530 ESPN in Cincinnati! He's of course talking Bengals and this spot is really just serving as a promo for the game tonight. I don't think it was coincidence that the only two radio guys each game from one of the two teams on Monday Night Football later today.

11:46- We're still going with much of the same now. Sage again, Wilbon sings and more Baseball highlights. Elliott makes fun of Wilbon's first pitch though, which I'm dying to see.

Little bit of a slip up as Hannah jumps the gun on Josh. Elliott says, "I'll be right with you." Ooooh testy! Not sure if he was kidding, but it didn't really come across that way.

11:51- Back into the Team USA's trip to the Great Wall. Looks like the rest of the show is finishing out like this....

Swimming, MNF Preview, MLB Preview, Top Plays again, Top Stoies and then Morning Buzz.

Ooooh some questions for the anchors! I guess they're more like comments....

"This race will go down as one of the most thrilling and exciting events in the history of sports."- htownfan4life

Nice save by Elliot for Storm as she didn't have the second question...er, comment...

"Swimming just garnered a lot of new fans, myself included. The relay was in a word, epic."- the_game_continues

That whole segment was perfect for a video version of Deadspin's ESPN Featured Comment of the Week.

11:56- One last break and we're on to the big finish!

"This game happened down the block! Flores and McKendry took it in over the weekend."- Josh Elliott on the Little League clip in the Top Ten.

More synergy! Good work Joshua. The transition over to Chris and Rob follows and that's it! Uh oh, a little hiccup there as McKendry tried to show the Olympic Swimming highlights for the thousandth time today....

Wow, the 12 o'clock block isn't off to a great start with the relay footage, she's well ahead of the clip it appears. (Via Anon)

That was a good bit of dead air, but it seems like they mixed up the clips on her. They showed Phelps celebrating when McKendry was trying to setup the race. That video will be up shortly friends. Sorry ESPN....I have to do it.

Wow even more problems. McKendry talks over a Jeremy Schapp via satellite but recovers from it nicely with this line....

"Sorry about that Jeremy. I don't know why I'm rushing you....I've got three hours here."- Chris McKendry

Damn....and again! You can hear talking to Robert as Flores reads over a highlight. Not sure if she was talking to her co-anchor or a producer, but you could hear her clearly over the clip. Not a good start for the 12-3pm crew.
_____________________________

Overall, I think it was a good show if we're comparing it to other live editions of Sports Center. Storm and Elliott worked very well with each other and the mistakes that were made were both irrelevant and small in number. They did their best to try and make the highlights seem fresh even though they had talked about them four or five times already.

As far as the format itself....Let's do this as a good and bad....

The Good: Having the option of updating news through the morning definitely took some of the stale elements of the old taped Sports Center showings away. Both Buster Olney and Cris Carter worked well on the program and the different looks around the studio were a welcome change.

The Bad: I'm not sure if I'm entirely sold yet. While Buster Olney and Cris Carter were entertaining, they seemed very rushed. And for what....to air another replay of Team USA Basketball beating China which happened over 24-hours ago? I would suggest that they stretch those segments out, especially when you throw in the viewer questions. There's really no point for Carter to answer two questions and move on.

Also, the two radio guys really just served as a promo for Monday Night Football. I liked the idea, but once the Football season gets going, and you add in the ESPN Baseball Games during the week, you're just going to have a week full of promos for ESPN games later that night. Hopefully they switch that up because you already have that element in the What2 Watch4 section and it just comes across as overkill.

Not bad at all though, and with some work, I think it could replace the cheese of First Take in the mornings for you Sports fans.

Late last night, MDS posted an interview with Josh Elliott and since you're currently doing your homework (and not waiting until the last minute) for the live-chat, I thought I'd link to it and share some the answers. Enjoy Elliot's take on blogs, the nixing of the 6-9am block, Peter King eating pizza and reading your comments....

Why is there a live morning SportsCenter? Don't people turning on the TV in the morning mostly want to see the highlights from the previous night's games? And isn't that what SportsCenter reruns already provide?
It is what the SportsCenter reruns already provide and provide well, but I also think it's perhaps ESPN's not-so-tacit acknowledgment that the blogosphere exists. People want to consume their media, they want more of it, they want it immediately, they want it to feel as new as it can.

We're still going to offer highlights. It's not like we're offering a SportsCenter no one knew existed, but we're going to give highlights hopefully with a little more nuance and a little more insight. We hope to go inside games as much as we can. We hope to have reactions via our analysts and via our local radio affiliates.

ESPN originally planned to do nine live hours but then scaled it back to six. Why?
I really think they just realized that the resources it takes to do nine hours of live television would have been extraordinary. They just reached a breaking point where they had stretched themselves too thin. We are -- I don't want to say stretched thin -- but if a flu bug hits Bristol we'd be impacted. And what we'd intended to do at 6 to 9 Eastern, 3 to 6 Pacific, there wouldn't be the opportunities to advance enough stories to outweigh the costs of going live.

It would have been great. Linda Cohn and Steve Berthiaume would have been great on it, but I really just think they figured out that it was a little too much.

Michael Silver once told a story about you, he and Peter King going out to eat, and it sounds as though Peter can eat an entire pizza in about a minute. Do you have any good stories about the journalists you've worked with?
Peter is just the sweetest guy, and he can just indulge his id at any point. ... So the food comes. And this is PK: He said, "I really need to talk to an African-American assistant coach. A guy who really should be a coach in this league, to talk about the percentage of black head coaches in the league. I need to talk to somebody like Ted Cottrell."

His phone rang 30 seconds later and it was Ted Cottrell, and he takes the phone call, and as he takes the phone call, the food arrives. And Flem had gone outside to talk to his wife on the phone, so Peter sees Flem's pizza, and you can see him thinking, "How do I ask the question so Ted will speak for a long time?" So he reaches over, and he grabs two whole pieces of Flem's pizza, eats them in two bites. It was the most staggering thing I had ever seen.

Are you aware that Awful Announcing and Deadspin will both be live blogging your debut on Monday?
Yes, because I read them all. I read the dispatches about this show, and I read the comments sections. ... You read the comments about yourself and you find out that people think you're a smug jerk and people question your mother's dating history -- to be as delicate as I can -- and it doesn't really impact me, it just sort of intrigues me.

The whole piece (the story, not the pizza) is pretty eye opening but I think those four parts summed up the interview nicely. Elliott also compares blogs the "West Coast Offense" (interesting analogy) and mentions that First Take is still going to be around. That choice still makes absolutely zero sense to me, and I think they'd triple that slot's ratings if they re-aired games, but hey....whatever they think will work (it won't).

Josh Elliott Calls Morning SportsCenter ESPN's Acknowledgment of the Blogosphere (Fanhouse)
AA Announcement: Live Chat With Sports Center's Josh Elliot (Monday, 1:15pm) (Awful Announcing)

P.S.- I've been getting some great early questions from people who won't be around on Monday, so don't be shy. Keep them coming.

With the new Sports Center Live format kicking off Monday, I decided to actually do some "real journalism" and actually speak with some of the parties involved. After much brainstorming we (yes ESPN and actually came up with this together) decided on having a live-chat with Josh Elliott following his first shift working as an anchor on the live show. So you'll not only get the live-blog during the day, you'll also get the chance to talk to someone who's just come off the set (well not just...but you know what I mean).

While the fact that this is actually happening is still a little bit surreal, it's going to be a fun time. Josh will be here at 1:15pm on Monday, August 11th and he promises that (most) everything is fair game. We'll try and touch on everything surrounding the launch of the live Sports Centers, but feel free to ask him why "Classic Now" got canceled or even what his favorite cartoon was growing up. I'll try and mix it up as much as possible. This is obviously going to be a huge success or one giant trainwreck, but either way it will be fun!

So your homework assignment over the weekend to think of the one thing you always wanted to know about a Sports Center anchor and be prepared to ask it on Monday. I'll be around all weekend posting on Olympic happenings and such, so if you think of something beforehand be sure to email it to me at AwfulAnnouncing@Gmail.com.

I'm sure those involved with this changeover have been in rehearsals and meeting for what seems like forever, so I'm sure this didn't take too long for them to come up with. It's still an interesting look at presumably what the new Sports Center format will look like come Monday.

Alternate Headline: "ESPN Sports Center: The Play"

Your players for this afternoon's production of the "July 31st MLB Trade Deadline" are: Anchors Josh Elliott and Hannah Storm, Jason Stark, Ed Werder, Trey Wingo, Wendi Nix, John Kruk and various reporters throughout the country.

9 AM:

- Elliott presents latest on the Ken Griffey, Jr. possible trade to the White Sox. -ESPN MLB Insider Jason Stark presents his insight into Girffey-to-White Sox, and updates the Manny Ramirez out-of-Boston possibility.
- Storm updates the Team USA basketball game being played during SportsCenter.
- Storm presents the latest on the Brett Favre/Packers situation.
- ESPN NFL Insider Ed Werder presents his insight into Favre’s possible reinstatement.
- Storm and Elliott voice-over re-packaged highlights from the previous night, and present analysis of the previous day's events and news.
- Storm and Elliott read e-mails sent to the SportsCenter inbox reacting to the Manny trade rumors.

10 AM:

- Elliott updates the Griffey trade possibility.
- Chicago Tribune White Sox beat writer provides insight and the Chicago take on the possible Griffey trade.
- Trey Wingo, hosting ESPN’s coverage of Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, reports live from Canton, Ohio.
- SportsCenter simulcasts Chicago’s ESPN 1000 (WMVP) to present live fan/listener reaction to the White Sox apparent acquisition of Griffey.
- Storm updates the Ramirez trade possibilities.
- SportsCenter.com poll: “Should the Red Sox Trade Manny” Yes/No
- Pirates reporter from ESPN Radio 1250 WEAE in Pittsburgh provides insight on the possible three-way trade involving the Pirates and gives Pittsburgh’s perspective.
- Elliott and Storm present news and analysis from the previous day, voice-over re-packaged highlights from the previous night, and preview the day’s key upcoming games.

11 AM:

- Storm updates Favre situation.
- ESPN reporter Wendi Nix, in Green Bay, presents latest Favre news and the city’s perspective. - Storm voices-over highlights from just concluded Team USA basketball game.
- Elliott updates Ramirez out-of-Boston possibility with news Los Angeles could be part of a three-way deal.
- Dodgers’ reporter from ESPN Radio 710 KSPN in Los Angeles provides insight on the possible three-way trade involving the Dodgers, and gives Los Angeles perspective.
- ESPN Baseball Tonight analysts provide insight into the swirling trade activity.
Elliott and Storm present the play-off implications of the afternoon’s MLB games.
- ESPN’s John Kruk gives his analysis on the afternoon’s big MLB games.
- Storm reports that Griffey has approved his trade to the White Sox.
- Storm interviews Cincinnati Enquirer Reds reporter who confirms the Reds will pay the $4 million remaining on Griffey’s 2008 contract.
- Piece on Griffey’s career and legacy is followed by debate by ESPN2’s First Take “First and 10” panelists.
- Elliott and Storm present news and analysis from the previous day, voice-over re-packaged highlights from the previous night, and preview the day’s key upcoming games.
- During the final break, Elliott makes a few notes preparing for his afternoon blog on SportsCenter.com.

Noon:

- Chris McKendry and Robert Flores enter the studio to co-anchor three all-new hours of SportsCenter (noon-3 p.m.).

I think I could do without the First and 10 segment, but the rest of the timeline looks pretty on target. The bullet point where they would be updating people on the current Team USA game is a perfect example of what will draw people in and it's also perfect for this Summer's Olympics and events like the World Cup. Also, whoever came up with the idea to add live fan commentary via an ESPN Radio simulcast is a damn genius. Loooooking good ESPN....there's still time to mess this up though (I kid, I kid)!

Oh and hey, lookie right there....last item at 11am....a Josh Elliott blog! Welcome to the 'Sphere my friend. Leave your journalistic credibility and grammar at the door on your way in!!!

(Via ESPN PR)

So apparently Sports Center actually went live today for an hour and I completely missed it. Thanks for the notice! Anyway, I know you're insanely sick of Steve at this point so I thought I'd give you a look at the Hannah Storm-Josh Elliott spot they just came out with. And hey...they mention blogs!

I've said from the very beginning that this plan seemed like a great idea and a move to counter the freshness of blogs, but for them to acknowledge the competition is kind of weird. I mean it's not direct competition but the one thing websites have/had over Sports Center was that in the 24-hour news cycle they had breaking news up during the day. I guess that's not the case anymore. I still don't know how they're going to find new stuff on a slow day over a six hour period, but it's still a good game plan.

FYI- I'm going to have an open thread the day it debuts so be sure to stop by.