Shooting from the Lip/Monday edition

Looking back at a weekend of televised sports ...

Worst question
What was CBS's Tracy Wolfson thinking while interviewing Gators coach Urban Meyer after Florida escaped with a 23-20 win Saturday against Arkansas? After gushing over QB Tim Tebow, who had a so-so day, Wolfson said to Meyer, "First time this team has really been tested in a while. Talk about their resiliency.''

Thankfully, Meyer pointed out how dumb the question was, saying, "Well, I'm not sure what season you've been watching. We've been tested a lot.''

For some reason, Wolfson thought that was funny because she laughed. Actually, the Gators were tested a week earlier in a 13-3 victory at then-No. 4 LSU. And the funny thing is, Wolfson covered that game!

Worst graphic
Fox is an innovator in sports graphics. It was the first to run the "Fox Box,'' a miniscoreboard in the upper part of the screen during play, something every other network eventually adopted and no fan can live without. But in the American League Championship Series, it has gone a little overboard with something called "Fox Trax Plus.'' It clocks the speed of a pitch when the ball leaves a pitcher's hand and then gives the speed when the ball crosses the plate. Analyst Tim McCarver seemed amazed that a ball comes out of a pitcher's hand at, say, 93 mph and crosses the plate at 87 mph. That's not amazing. That's physics.

Best idea
Every second of ESPN’s College GameDay is must-watch TV, but now the network has added another wrinkle to take the show up another couple of notches. It has added a guest "picker'' at the end of the show, a celebrity to help predict the outcome of the big games of the day. Bob Knight, Drew Brees and Lance Armstrong have been on. Mark Cuban was on Saturday. Waiting to see who GameDay gets as its guest is as climactic as Lee Corso putting on the mascot's head.

Best use of Telestrator
Few broadcasters -- including national and local ones in every sport at every level -- use the Telestrator better than Lightning analyst Bobby "Chief’'' Taylor. Any announcer can break down a play when given enough time to look at replays over and over. But Taylor needs only a few minutes during intermission to break down several replays and point out things that even avid hockey fans probably didn't notice.

Best line
After running for 246 yards against South Carolina in Alabama's 20-6 victory Saturday night, Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram accidently tripped into ESPN reporter Erin Andrews as she was about to interview him and then quickly apologized to her.

"Isn't it interesting that Ingram apologized for tripping into Erin Andrews,'' ESPN announcer Brad Nessler said, "but he didn't apologize for running over South Carolina.''

Worst schedule
Can you believe college basketball is starting? Midnight Madness was Friday night, and games start in two weeks. Doesn't it seem like a bad idea to start in the middle of football season? Why not push the start back a few weeks to avoid the conflicts?

Anyway, for those who think college basketball can't start soon enough, ESPN analyst Doug Gottlieb has listed his top five teams going into the season:
1. Kansas. 2. Texas. 3. Kentucky. 4. Purdue. 5. Michigan State.

Biggest doubt
Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson is one of those who thinks Gators QB Tim Tebow will have trouble making it in the NFL. But he does think Tebow has a shot, under one interesting condition.

"If Urban Meyer is brought along with Tim Tebow, that would be the key,'' Johnson said. "If you're going to bring in Tebow, you've got to make sure the offense comes with him, because Tebow’s not going to fit in with a pro-style offense.''

Best radio team
I've never been a fan of ESPN's Sunday night baseball announcing team, Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. On TV, they strike me as arrogant know-it-alls who are constantly trying to outdo one another. But strangely, they are more interesting on radio than they are on TV. They are calling the American League Championship Series for ESPN Radio and do a really solid job. They seem to mesh better on radio, and both seem to make the game the focal point as opposed to their voices.

Best point
Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom was right when he said on Sunday's Sports Reporters: "When (Oklahoma quarterback) Sam Bradford went down again (against Texas on Saturday), it was a scary moment. It scared a whole lot of underclassmen into turning pro as quickly as they can.''

You have to wonder whether Bradford's pro stock has dropped mightily for fear that he now has a creaky shoulder. On top of that, underclassmen have watched Florida's Tim Tebow suffer a concussion as Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Lions' Matt Stafford are having success and getting well-paid instead after leaving school early. Who can blame a kid for seeing all this and wanting to leave early?

Worst quote
Advice to the NFL Network's Michael Irvin: Don't say things like this when the team you're talking about has a tough opponent later in the day:
"This New York Giants football team is better than the New York Giants team that won the Super Bowl,'' Irvin said Sunday morning. "This is the next team that we use the word 'dynasty' around.''

Irvin's dynasty then went out and got blown up by the Saints 48-27.  By the way, CBS's Bill Cowher not only called New Orleans' victory but said the Saints have the best chance of going undefeated.

Three things that popped into my head
1. Doesn't it seem a little early in the season for Lightning general manager Brian Lawton to be reading people the riot act?
2. I don't care whether he's writing for Sports Illustrated or appearing on NBC's Sunday Night Football or at halftime of NBC’s Notre Dame coverage, if NFL writer-analyst Peter King has something to say, I'm interested in hearing it.
3. If a big baseball game is on TV, would you rather have anyone calling it than Fox's Joe Buck and Tim McCarver?

Comments

[joe hillman]

>>> If a big baseball game is on TV, would you rather have anyone calling it than Fox's Joe Buck and Tim McCarver? <<<

You're kidding, right?

[brendan o leary]

Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson are awful announcers. When that Arkansas player scored at the goal line, they were totally braindead. Didn't they realize that the guy had recovered his own fumble in the endzone? It was never an issue if he crossed the line or not, and these clowns never realized it. They are a terrible announcing duo

Tom, I have to disagree with you, I think Bobby "the Chief" Taylor is one of the worst color hockey announcers out there. He analyzes the game like the viewers are a bunch of 12 year olds. He never singles out a Lightning player for a mistake. Peckham is one of the best announcers in the league, sadly the Chief, probably the worst color commentator. And I hear them all, as I have the hockey package

[brendan o leary]

Tom, agree Buck and Mccarver are the best. They don't miss too many things

[brendan o leary]

Joe, who would you rather have? The great Chip Caray?

Tom, Morgan and Jon Miller are absolutely horrendous on television.
Both of them. I don't know how they keep their gigs. I am not a big fan of Steve Phillips, but at least he has brought some sensibility in to the booth on Sunday nights.

[brendan o leary]

I like how all these teams are annointed Super Bowl teams after six weeks. Let me know after the 16th game, who is standing where, as far as record, injuries, home field, etc.

Is there really any difference between a one loss team now and an undefeated team now?

[Collette]

3. If a big baseball game is on TV, would you rather have anyone calling it than Fox's Joe Buck and Tim McCarver? Heck to the yes!! They overstate and are not really insightful.

[Greg]

As much of a "GameDay" fan as I am, I'm not too fond of the whole celebrity guest thing. Why should I care who Mark Cuban or Chipper Jones think is going to win a college football game? They have just as much credibility as any fan. I like legitimate analysis that has some substance. I haven't heard much from these people they bring in.

[Mac]

Come on now.....Joe Buck is the most annoying announcer America. Whether he is covering baseball or football, he unlistenable.

[brendan oleary]

Tom, I think you brought this up once before, but you are right. The shaving cream (pie in the face), after games is bordering on absurdity now. It is really getting old and stupid.

[brendan oleary]

Tom, I have no problem at all with Lawton reading the team the riot act. Did you see the two games in Ottawa and Pittsburgh? They were pathetic. He has to get on these guys now before this thing snowballs out of control.

Hey, it is one thing to lose games on the road, but to get blown out in both is disturbing. I was hoping this year would be different, and the blowout losses would be few and very far between.

[Mike]

Since when does Scrubby McPlagiarist think he knows more than an NHL GM, even if it is Brian Lawton?

And Tracy Wolfson...well...lets just say she looked rather "pleased" on that sideline with Urban. Just another pretty little tart who climbed up the ladder of success in an awkward "position".

[twitter.com/liminutemen]

The Fox has been passed in the Fox Box by other networks in football also as the other network have incorporated timeouts remaining into theirs as Fox hasn't.

Kelly Hrudey is also excellent using the "Smart Board" during the Coast to Coast segment in the first intermission of the late HNIC game. Unfortunately, CBC has diluted that segment by teaming Hrudey with Mike Milbury and separating him from Scott Oake.

BTW, have you caught the new running joke on After Hours which started with Nikolai Khabibulin revealing that Kevin Weekes was remembered for carrying a large bag of "cremes and lotions" when they were a goalie tandem with the Lightning? Good stuff!

[joe hillman]

>>> Joe, who would you rather have? The great Chip Caray? <<<

Where do I start? Vin Scully, Dwayne Staats, Jon Miller (yes, I like Jon Miller), Sean McDonough, Dan Shulman... too many to list as good if not better than Buck.

Buck is more style than substance, more "look-at-me, I'm cool" schtick and frankly is still living off of his old man's name.

Buck was OK doing local Cardinals TV games for Fox Sports Midwest, nothing more.

Oh, and Artie Lange owned him on HBO.

McCarver I always liked. He's fine if not good.

[brendan oleary]

Joe, hey, they are all good announcers, especially Dan Shulman, but Jon Miller? come on, man

[Pony Boy]

No NFL network in most of Tampa Bay Tom. Why is this Irvin review even worth a mention? Bright House continues to ignore the will of it's football friendly customers who want the NFL Network. Time for Bright House to make a deal with the NFL and visa versa.

[cj bonfanti]

how about don orsillo

[RD from SoCal]

McCarver IS A DUMBASS!!!! Wanted to take out Mathis for pitch runner Willits. "Angels have 3 catchers, use them." Mathis is a good catcher, and in playoffs you need experience - not a AAA back-up. He has trouble remembering player names and past situations. Put him out to pasture, cause thats all he has...cowpies!

[joe hillman]

>>> No NFL network in most of Tampa Bay Tom. Why is this Irvin review even worth a mention? Bright House continues to ignore the will of it's football friendly customers who want the NFL Network. Time for Bright House to make a deal with the NFL and visa versa.<<<

actually, most of tampa bay does have the nfl network. of the five cable/dish providers in the tampa bay area, only one does not have the nfl network.

[brendan oleary]

Isn't it time also for the NFL package to be put on digital cable also. When does the Direct TV contract with the NFL end? It would be nice if more viewers could get the Sunday Ticket.

[Pony Boy]

>>> No NFL network in most of Tampa Bay Tom. Why is this Irvin review even worth a mention? Bright House continues to ignore the will of it's football friendly customers who want the NFL Network. Time for Bright House to make a deal with the NFL and visa versa.>>>actually, most of tampa bay does have the nfl network. of the five cable/dish providers in the tampa bay area, only one does not have the nfl network.<<<<

@ Joe Hillman

Could you please qualify your answer as to which providers carry the NFL Network in the greater Tampa Bay area other than DirecTV and Verizon? That's a very broad statement you are making. Bright House is still the largest provider in our viewing area, aren't they? If not the largest, then they must be a close second.

It's a joke that Bright House does not provide the service. Why can Comcast now join many other cable networks elsewhere provide this service to its customers on the basic tier?

The Times won't chime in-too many sports writer wannna-be TV types in the newsroom, a/k/a free talent pool for BHN.

[Sidney]

Is this a joke? Peter King is beyond annoying. I can't stand reading him. And I definitely cannot listen to him. And why does anyone think Joe Buck is a good broadcaster? If I am watching a game that he is announcing, I mute the television. It irritates me that FOX makes him part of their Number 1 team. He is arrogant and completely unlike his legendary father, who always helped make a game more enjoyable to watch.

[joe hillman]

pony boy:

of the five dish/cable tv providers in the tampa bay area (directv, dish network, verizon fios, knology and out house networks) only out house networks denies football fans access to the superior nfl network.

instead, they pollute homes with rock riley.

therefore, i deny out house networks access to my house.

[joe hillman]

>>> The Times won't chime in-too many sports writer wannna-be TV types in the newsroom, a/k/a free talent pool for BHN. <<<

yup.

[Pony Boy]

>>

@ Joe

LOL. Self promoters they are (Out House). Is Bright House currently the #1 provider in this community?

I say again, where is the uproar? Readers, call Bright House and complain! Threaten to leave unless they offer the NFL Network service, and mean it! BayNews 9 is not worth staying around for.