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Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Two blowouts, one night
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Singletary update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Bowling season starts today
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal columnist
Published on Tuesday, Apr 29, 2008
Anyone who couldn't find something in the realm of sports to watch on the screen this weekend isn't a sports fan.
Dominated by the NFL Draft, TV offered everyone something to watch, be it football, baseball or a rather salty NBA playoff game between the Cavaliers and Washington Wizards.
Let's start with a few observations about the NFL. Put simply, the new draft format with shorter wait times between picks worked fabulously. Never did my friends and I who watched the draft feel the drag that often set in during past years.
It looks as if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is pleased, too. He spoke on the second day of the draft on the NFL Network.
''We were just looking for a better pace. That was the word we kept using and I think this was a better pace,'' he said. ''I haven't had a chance to go back and look at the broadcast. I'll do that later today, but I think it had a great pace to it. It was entertaining and our fans seemed to have a great response to it also.''
ESPN, however, reminded fans why that network — despite the league's foray into draft coverage on the NFL Network — remains light years ahead of the younger cable outlet. Why's that? A simple word: framing.
The folks at ESPN know how to put a situation in context for maximum impact and drama. In assorted news outlets the past couple of weeks, there have been reports that Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank has stayed in touch with his beleaguered and imprisoned quarterback, Michael Vick. But that's not all that has plucked the Falcons in recent months.
ESPN commentators wisely took us through the Vick saga, coach Bobby Petrino's abandonment of the team before the season was over, and the courtship of (and jilting of) the team by the ''Big Tuna'' himself, Bill Parcells. With all that drama came the question: What will the Falcons do?
It was answered quickly when the Falcons took Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan with the third overall selection. It was akin to Michael Corleone kissing his brother Fredo in The Godfather II. With that metaphorical peck, Vick instantly became persona non grata — at least to the Falcons.
With the pick came some insightful analysis as well, most notably from former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young. He called this draft a milestone for the Falcons.
The ESPN team, which also included Chris Berman, Mel Kiper Jr., Keyshawn Johnson and Chris Mortensen, stayed crisp throughout and seemed energized by the new format. The only downside: Johnson's complete lack of fashion sense. A pink tie with a checkered shirt? Johnson looked like a kindergartner who didn't know how to dress himself.
Cavs impress
Charles Barkley continues to speak highly about the Cavs and especially about LeBron James on NBA playoff broadcasts on TNT.
Yes, it's scary when Sir Charles is nice to the Cavs, but his analysis is usually spot on. This is most evident when he speaks of the Washington Wizards beating up James during this first-round playoff series.
''[Washington] got what they wanted. I like the fact that [James] is being even more aggressive. You can always tell if a guy is a coward or not when he gets hit a few [times] going to the basket,'' he said during Sunday's pregame show. ''[He] just gets more aggressive the harder they hit him, and Washington is not good enough.''
The Cavs pulled in some decent numbers for their Sunday telecast. According to Nielsen Media Research, 165,000 households watched some of the game.
Talkin' Tribe
The Indians can't claim a lack of respect. By the time this is printed (should there not be a rainout), the Indians will have been on national TV three consecutive games. You'd love to think it was strictly because of them, but some of the attraction is due to the opposition, the New York Yankees.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.
Get the full article here.
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