The Curt Gowdy Award is given to one reporter, from both the electronic and print media, annually and is considered one of the highest honors in Basketball media. Former winners include Bob Ryan, Marv Albert, Dick Enberg, Dick Vitale and Bob Costas, and while the past few winners have featured people you may not heard of, this year's two recipients are definitely a pair of NBA regulars. Doug Collins and Peter Vescey will be the honorees this September....

Doug Collins, the highly respected player and coach who is now the lead commentator for Turner Sports (TNT) and for NBC Sports’ coverage of basketball at the Olympic Games and Peter Vecsey, the longtime pro basketball writer for the New York Post have been selected to receive the 2009 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement festivities scheduled for September 10-11, 2009 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the legendary sports broadcaster and former Basketball Hall of Fame President, the late Curt Gowdy. This prestigious award is presented annually to members of the print and electronic media whose longtime efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.

“The Gowdy Media Award is an honor that is very proudly presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in memory of the late Curt Gowdy, one of the legendary figures of sports media,” said John L. Doleva, Hall of Fame President & CEO. “Doug Collins and Peter Vecsey have dedicated much of their professional careers to report on the game of basketball while they entertain and educate millions of fans, readers and television viewers around the world. The Basketball Hall of Fame is very proud to recognize their extraordinary efforts.”

While I'm not really a fan of Collins' as an analyst, he has certainly done a lot for the game of Basketball. In fact both have. But over the years, Vecsey and Collins have both settled into a bit of a lazy reporting mode. Collins continually falls back on Michael Jordan stories, and Vecsey got about four or five reports wrong last year. This isn't to say they don't deserve the award, especially Vecsey who defined the role of NBA Insider, but rather that they definitely have been off their game the last few years. Hopefully the award(s) will inspire them to return to form.

Well I was thinking for a few moments that this 3-D thing was just a fad, but after glowing reviews from the Thursday Night Football game last week, it appears networks are going all-in on the technology. So much so that Turner Sports is planning on providing the NBA All Star Game in 3-D to approximately 35 states, 80 theaters in those states, and on 160 screens, this February. Via Turner PR....

Turner Sports, The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. today announced that they will team up to broadcast TNT’s coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night in Live 3D to 80 digitally-equipped theaters across the United States. The announcement represents the first-ever fully marketed deal to deliver an NBA sporting event to the public in Live 3D. The Live 3D HD event will be shown on a nationwide basis and continues to expand the league’s groundbreaking efforts in 3D HD.

Overall, the live 3D HD event will be shown on up to 160 screens in Carmike Cinemas, Celebration Cinemas, Cinema West, Emagine, Galaxy Theatres, Marquee Cinemas, MJR, NCG, Rave Motion Pictures, Showcase and UltraStar Cinema locations, and will serve fans in 35 states across the country

The 24th annual NBA All-Star Saturday Night broadcast, expected to be one of the year’s most watched sporting events, is scheduled to air on Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at 8 pm ET on TNT. NBA All-Star Saturday Night on TNT last year was the most watched in the event’s 23 year history, enjoying increases in households and significant growth in all key demographics.

The first I heard about the technology was following an extremely limited screening at last year's ASG, and the reviews then were tremendous as well. Something on this scale though could end up blowing up in Turner's collective face. I think the idea on a whole is a good one, but with not many people knowing about 3-D Sports (or where the heck a Cinedigm Digital Cinema is), there could be a good bit of empty seats come February 14th.

Overall, the first broadcast of the new season was a good one for TNT (I could do without some of the new graphics and sounds), but there was one thing I forgot to consider. TNT is part of Turner Sports, which also has TBS, which MEANS....more f'ing Frank TV spots and commercials.

Being a glutton for punishment, I decided to tune in for a brief second during the show last night, and I came across the most unbelievable minute in television history. After a skit on Frank TV, Frank Caliendo threw it to a commercial which was for Frank TV. Not only that, but the very next commercial was a Caliendo-Dish TV spot! I know it has nothing to do with announcing, but it blew my mind so much, that I just had to share it with you....

Again, I know this has nothing to do with Sports, and I KNOW that I'm just giving the show more press, but Turner's insistence on hanging its hat on Caliendo continues to amaze me. God bless the guy for making as much money as he can with his schtick, but I just can't take anymore. With that said, you have my word that this is officially the last post ever on Caliendo or Frank TV on this site. I also apologize for stealing a minute of your life with that clip.

I love simple commercials when it comes to Sports. Just showing old clips, or action on the field/court, is usually enough to give me goosebumps. Even more though, I actually pay attention. Well ten days ago, I told you that Turner Sports was going to create a campaign around that premise for NBA TV, League Pass and NBA.com, and it definitely doesn't disappoint. Here's the first one with Kevin Garnett....

Less is always more, and if you add in a piano slowly playing in the background, I'm sold. Good work Turner, and I can't wait to see the next one.

Turner To Heavily Promote NBA Product, Relaunch NBA TV (Awful Announcing)

It's getting ever-so-close to Basketball season (crazy I know) and Turner Sports had just unveiled a new ad campaign to raise awareness of their Basketball offerings. They recently added "Fan Nights", in which fans get to vote on which games they want to see on Tuesdays, but they're also planning a relaunching of the channel and a general NBA campaign. Via Sports Business Journal....

The centerpiece of Turner’s “The Game Happens Here” message is that the NBA’s digital assets cover every aspect of the NBA, from training camp through the playoffs. This message is embodied in a 60-second TV commercial that shows the highs and lows of last season for Kevin Garnett. The spot weaves Garnett’s on-camera quotes, beginning with training camp and continuing to after his Celtics team won a championship.

The commercial fades to black, then brings up the tag line: “The Game Happens Here.” Then, one-by-one, logos from NBA TV, League Pass and NBA.com appear on the screen.

“It’s important for us to give distinct and unique positioning and branding for our NBA Digital services,” Storms said. “We provide access inside these places. We can take fans on a journey like no one else.” Turner Sports used the Minneapolis-based agency Mono to help develop this campaign.

A "central part of the effort will be the relaunch of NBA TV" on the first night of the regular season, October 28, at 5:00pm ET. The net will unveil a "new on-screen look, featuring new sets and graphics, and its new schedule will devote much more time to live studio programming, which will use" TNT talent including Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.

Interesting. I always love when commercials go deep into the game like that, or delve into the past like the ad above. Turner's delivery of the game of Basketball has always been stellar, but they still need viewers other than hardcore Basketball fans. Something like this might do the trick, and more importantly....won't alienate their core audience of NBA heads.

I'll try to get a hold of the commercial and put it up when I do.

Turner promotes NBA digital menu (Sports Business Journal - $)

Fan voting has been around forever, but it has only just now started to matter during certain Sports. We saw it become relevant during last year's NBA Playoffs when Turner Sports decided to let fans vote on who they wanted a camera to follow during certain games. Our Ronny Turiaf movement failed, but I think we got our point across.

Well today, Turner Sports released the schedule for NBA TV, but that's not what ultimately caught my eye. Every Tuesday during the 2008-2009 NBA Season is being dubbed Fan Night and votes on NBA.com will decided which game goes in the Tuesday night slot. Obviously games in your local market will be blocked out but if you're a diehard fan, you can vote for teams and players you haven't seen all year. Even more, if you're a serious Fantasy Basketball freak you can opt for picking the teams that feature players in your lineup.

Seems like a great idea to me, but I'm hoping that they at least limit some of the options, so we don't get the Celtics or Lakers every single Tuesday. During the Playoffs, every star player (i.e.- Kobe Bryant) won the camera vote for each team and by the third game the idea was stale. I need me some variety! Other than that....I say that that's a great move to spice up NBA TV coverage.

Their season tips off with the Wizards and Pistons on Saturday, November 1st, and here's the first two months of the schedule if you want to mark down a few dates....

NOVEMBER:

November 1st- Washington at Detroit (7:30pm) and Portland at Phoenix (10pm), November 2nd- Milwaukee at New York (6pm), November 3rd- Cleveland at Dallas (8:30pm), November 4th- Fan Night, November 8th- Miami at New Orleans (8pm), November 9th- Boston at Detroit (6pm), November 10th- Portland at Orlando (7pm), November 11th- Fan Night, November 15th- New Orleans at Houston (8:30pm), November 16th- Detroit at Phoenix (8pm), November 17th- San Antonio at LA Clippers (10:30pm), November 18th- Fan Night, November 22nd- Houston at Orlando (7pm), November 23rd- Chicago @ Denver (9pm), November 24th- Philadelphia at Charlotte (7pm), November 25th- Fan Night, November 29th- Denver at Minnesota (8pm), November 30th- Chicago at Philadelphia (5pm)

DECEMBER:

December 1st- Orlando at Boston (7:30pm), December 2nd- Fan Night, December 3rd- Phoenix at New Orleans (8pm), December 6th- Washington at Chicago (8:30pm), December 7th- Portland at Toronto (1pm), December 8th- Golden State at Oklahoma City (8pm), December 9th- Fan Night, December 13th- New York at Sacramento (10pm), December 14th- Miami at Memphis (4pm), December 15th- New York at Phoenix (9pm), December 16th- Fan Night, December 20th- Utah at Chicago (8:30pm), December 21st- Dallas at Washington (6pm), December 22nd- Houston at New Jersey (7:30pm), December 23rd- Fan Night, December 26th- Boston at Golden State (10:30pm), December 27th- Utah at Houston (8:30pm), December 28th- New Orleans at Indiana (7pm), December 29th- Orlando at Detroit (7:30pm) and Toronto at Golden State (10:30pm), December 30th- Fan Night

When I first broke the news that Barry Switzer was going to be a guest on TNT's Saving Grace, I incorrectly said he was no longer with FOX. Apparently the Oklahoma legend is still in the fray with the NFL on Fox, and he has been honing is acting skills in the offseason. I also proposed at the time that Switzer's performance would ultimately be much more important than any of the other forays into the business, and I'm here to say.....I was right (of course I was).

Of course I could just tell you that it was groundbreaking and say that I was right, but come on....you know me better than that. Ladies and Gents, I give you Barry Switzer's debut acting performance on the TNT hit series "Saving Grace"....

Billy Sims? Steve Owens?! Heisman Trophy Award winner, Jason White?!?! Kyra Sedgwick Holly Hunter (whoops) could make even the worst of NFL disappointments sound awesome!!! The actual episode airs August 11th on TNT, and if you're like me, you've already got that summabitch TIVO'd.

FOX NFL Analyst Barry Switzer Gets An Acting Gig (Awful Announcing)