So details about the first episode of Joe Buck Live airs this Monday, and I know the excitement is palpable. The topics appear to be almost exactly the same as the infamous Buzz Bissinger HBO dust-up, but with more witty commentary (courtesy of Buck, obviously). Oh and get this, you might even be able to attend! Via Deadspin....

The first edition of Joe Buck Live focuses on "Sports and Celebrity." Combine the 24-hour news cycle with internet reporting, bloggers, gossip columns, sports talk radio, commercial endorsements and the glare of continuous television coverage, and today's superstar athlete is constantly in play.

Utilizing a live studio audience in New York City, the hour-long show will include live interviews, panel discussions, pre-recorded features and a few surprises. We are keeping the great guests a secret and waiting for the big reveal on June 15th when Joe Buck Live will be filmed in front of our exclusive audience. You won't want to miss what promises to be an engaging, informative and entertaining evening of TV.

To attend this exclusive JOE BUCK LIVE show on MONDAY, JUNE 15th YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE BETWEEN 7:30PM and 10:30PM. It will be shown live on HBO simultaneously with repeat broadcasts at later dates. RSVP quickly as there are limited tickets for this event. YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO ATTEND THE SHOW AND YOU MUST LIVE IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TICKETS OR BE IN NYC DURING THE TAPING WEEK. TICKETS ARE COMPLIMENTARY.

If you are interested in being part of the JOE BUCK LIVE SHOW, please email us at joebucklive@broadwayvideo.com with the following information in both the subject line and body of your email:

1. Your full name
2. Your email address (one which will not put our reply to you in your garbage folder and one which you check frequently.)
PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR GARBAGE FOLDER JUST IN CASE!
3. Your phone number(s)
4. Your age range (35-40, 18-25, 50-55 etc.)
5. 2 tickets is the maximum number we can allow per request.
(SINCE THIS IS A LIVE EVENT WE EXPECT THAT IF YOU ASK FOR TICKETS YOU WILL BE USING THEM. Thanks)
6. Do you consider yourself a big sports fan — which sports (you can put this in the body of the email)

You can't just show up at the Joe Buck Show! No way, no how! You have to write an essay on why you are a Sports fan, email it in triplicate and then wait by the mother f**king phone, if you want to get into this rodeo!!!

Joe Buck Will Slay You (Deadspin)

I got wind of this ahead of time but I figured that Leitch wanted it to be a surprise. In case you missed Bob Costas' Town Hall Meeting on Baseball last night, he had Will and Buzz Bissinger in the crowd and introduced them before the event began....

So sweet....they look like old friends and there's even some background on the idea....

Whose idea was this?
Costas'. He called me late last week and asked if I'd be down with it. I said sure, why not. This came 30 seconds before Bob crowed about how much he had helped my career, a claim I found specious, and said so. I'm not sure he listened. Anyway. Bob just said, "You should sit next to Buzz during the show, and drink beer together, and I'll make a joke about how baseball can bring anyone together." I happen to agree with this sentiment 100 percent, and, whatever, free beer.

The odd thing about all of this isn't that the two of them showed up together but that it was Costas' idea. The host spent most of yesterday giving interviews trying convince people not to watch if they wanted a recreation like the Leitch-Bissinger event, but hey...whatever works right?

The show itself wasn't anything special but it was somewhat entertaining. The group really only briefly touched on steroids and ticket prices and really seemed to serve as a forum to praise the players and Hall of Famers in the crowd. There's nothing wrong with that approach, and the stories are amazing, but that's not what I was expecting coming in. It's good to see everyone is getting along though. See that wasn't so hard was it?

Buzz And Me: An FAQ (Deadspin)

The day after the MLB All Star is a dreaded day for mainstream media and bloggers alike. There is not a damn thing going on and I think last year I did an entire day of create the captions (not true, but not a bad idea).

Well this year on that day we get a special treat. On the heels of his "State of Sports Media" town hall success, Bob Costas will host a "State of Baseball" one on Wednesday, July 16th on HBO. Via the Orlando Sentinel....

HBO's Costas Now will address the state of baseball in a 1 1/2 -hour show live from New York University at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Coming off April's successful town hall meeting on the state of the media, there's great buzz surrounding this show.

HBO Sports spokesman Kevin Flaherty said host Bob Costas will be joined by former major-leaguers such as Dave Winfield, Jim Palmer and Frank Robinson as well as journalists and historians to discuss four issues.

Those four issues will be: the criteria to get into the Hall of Fame, the 2008 season, the "Greatest Generation" and the state of the game in general. It probably won't have the same fervor as the Sports Media one, but I really enjoyed the format last go around, and on the slowest news day of the year....it's probably a must watch.

Bob Costas turns focus to state of MLB (Orlando Sentinel)