Satellite Television News

ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown Features For Super Bowl XLVI

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:03:28 +0000

ESPN’s special four-hour Super Bowl XLVI edition of Sunday NFL Countdown featuring host Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter will preview the New England Patriots-New York Giants Super Bowl matchup beginning at 10 a.m. ET from Pan Am Plaza in downtown Indianapolis, Ind.

The show will also include Monday Night Football’s Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Ron Jaworski from a set at Lucas Oil Stadium. Additionally, Super Bowl-winning ESPN analysts Tedy Bruschi, Trent Dilfer, Bill Parcells, Antonio Pierce, Jerry Rice and Steve Young, and Merril Hoge, will contribute from an adjoining set at Pan Am Plaza with host Suzy Kolber. Reporters Rachel Nichols (covering the Giants) and Ed Werder (Patriots) will provide updates throughout the program from the team hotels.

In all, ESPN’s roster of Countdown analysts has a combined 16 Super Bowl rings in 25 appearances in the NFL’s biggest game.

Special Guests:

Countdown will feature celebrity guest appearances at the Pan Am Plaza, including:

11:45 a.m. – Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, stars of the upcoming movie That’s My Boy will be on-set (Jets head coach Rex Ryan made a cameo appearance in the movie);

1:55 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar driver Graham Rahal will drive through downtown Indianapolis to deliver the Super Bowl XLVI picks to the set.

Planned Countdown features, in order of timing by quarter-hour (all times subject to change):

Bill Parcells on the Super Bowl coaches (10:30 a.m.)

Two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells will offer his unique insight on this year’s Super Bowl coaches – Bill Belichick (Patriots) and Tom Coughlin (Giants) – both of whom he mentored and had on his former Giants staff.

Quarterback Eli Manning’s Elusiveness (11 a.m.)

Though quarterback Eli Manning has managed to trip, stumble and spin his way into making spectacular plays for his team this season, elusive is not the first word that comes to mind when describing the Giants signal-caller. While his inside-the-pocket play may not be pretty, Manning’s unique ability to escape pressure has played a huge part in the Giants success this season. Nichols reports on the elusive side of Eli.

Chris and LaKeasha Draft (11:30 a.m.)

LaKeasha Draft, the 38 year-old wife of former NFL linebacker Chris Draft, lost her life to lung cancer one month after they were married last December. Reporter Jeremy Schaap tells the story of courage and true love shared by a dying wife and her loving husband, who played 12 years in the NFL.

Peyton Manning Conversation (12 p.m.)

In the first television interview this week after considerable recent speculation about his future, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning talks to NFL Live host Trey Wingo. He discusses his health, his future, and his younger brother Eli’s Super Bowl appearance this weekend in Indianapolis.

Introduced as a Team (12 p.m.)

Flashy, individual player introductions of high-profile players such as Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, and Ray Lewis had been part of the Super Bowl pre-game spectacle until Super Bowl XXXVI in 2001 when the New England Patriots demanded to be introduced as a team. Bruschi, a member of that first Patriots’ Super Bowl-winning team, reports how a united group of players changed a Super Bowl tradition.

Bill Belichick Conversation (12:15 p.m.)

In Bill Belichick’s 12 seasons as head coach, the Patriots have won three Super Bowls, gone undefeated in the regular season, and have set a number of offensive records. Countdown’s Keyshawn Johnson sits for a one-on-one interview where Belichick discusses his legacy as a five-time Super Bowl winner, quarterback Tom Brady, and New England’s 31st-ranked defense.

Tim Tebow Conversation (12:30 p.m.)

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow became the season’s biggest story on the strength of an 8-5 record, turning the team’s 1-4 start into a playoff berth and Wild Card win at home over the favored Steelers. Tebow sits for an extensive conversation with ESPN’s Hannah Storm where he addresses the season, his performance and popularity.

“All In” (1 p.m.)

After 14 games the Giants were sitting at 7-7 and staring at the possibility of yet another late-season collapse. Then, a speech delivered by a local high school teacher during a chapel service on Friday night before their game against the Jets, changed the course of the season. In that speech, the speaker told them that in order to be committed to something you have to be “All In.” The last two words have become the team’s battle cry as the Giants have now won five straight games on their way to the Super Bowl, reports Rick Reilly.

Mayne Event – Motherly Love (1:15 p.m.)

Like most NFL players, Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson gets pumped up for battle by receiving a pregame speech. Unlike most NFL players, that speech comes in the form of an obscenity laced phone call from his mother. In a special Super Bowl edition of “Mayne Event,” Kenny Mayne goes behind the scenes to capture Tollefson’s unique ritual and examines the impact it has had on the player’s Super Bowl preparations in Indy.

Wide Receiver Demo (1:15 p.m.)

ESPN’s trio of former NFL receivers – Carter, Johnson and Hall of Famer Rice – discuss the pass catchers who will have the biggest impact on Sunday’s game in a demo field segment.

Tedy Bruschi and Antonio Pierce On-Set (1:30 p.m.)

The day their former teams renew their Super Bowl rivalry, ESPN analysts Bruschi and Pierce – former linebackers for the Patriots and Giants, respectively — discuss this year’s matchup and the experience of playing in Super Bowl XLII when New York upset previously unbeaten New England.

Tom Brady Super Bowl Soundtracks (1:30 p.m.)

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will lead his team to its fifth Super Bowl Sunday. In “Soundtracks,” Countdown features some of the best in-game audio of Brady from his past four Super Bowls.

Super Bowl Edition of C’mon Man (1:30 p.m.)

The Countdown crew offers a special edition of its popular weekly Monday Night Countdown segment C’Mon Man.

NFL Network At Super Bowl XlVI: What’s On NFL Gameday Morning—Sunday, February 5

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:00:53 +0000

On Super Bowl Sunday, NFL Network’s pregame show, NFL GameDay Morning will provide 8½ hours of live coverage starting at 9:00 AM ET with 21 on-air personalities who have won a total of 14 Super Bowl rings. NFL GameDay Morning is live from seven locations, including two sets at Lucas Oil Stadium. Additional locations include the Giants and Patriots team hotels, the NFL Tailgate, the Super Bowl Village, and with the fans at Super Bowl parties in New York and Foxborough restaurants.

NFL GameDay Morning features host Rich Eisen joined by Super Bowl winners Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp, along with Steve Mariucci. The special Super Bowl edition also includes host Melissa Stark on a second set along with Super Bowl winners Deion Sanders, Willie McGinest, Heath Evans and Brian Billick previewing the game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots.

Super Bowl-winning cornerback of the Green Bay Packers Charles Woodson joins the set as a special guest analyst to provide insight into the game and his own experience playing in last year’s Super Bowl.

Actor Dan Lauria returns in his role as Vince Lombardi to prepare the Giants and the Patriots for Super Bowl XLVI.

The following are highlights of Sunday’s Super Bowl pregame show on NFL Network:

9:00 AM ET

What to look for in Super Bowl XLVI with Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Kurt Warner and Steve Mariucci
Melissa Stark on “The Patriot Way” – how Bill Belichick turns spare parts into champions; includes interviews with Patriots Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater and Aaron Hernandez

10:00 AM ET

NFL Films-produced feature goes “Back to the Future” to show the similarities between the Giants’ late-season runs in 2007 and 2011
The NFL Season: A Biography examines the unique relationship between Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his mentor Tom Martinez, who is waiting for a kidney transplant:
(Advanced preview of the feature): http://ftp2.nflfilmstv.com/filmsint/ftp-inet/flashplayer.html?s_video=Preview/the_season_more_than_a_mentor_v1_600ws.flv
Analysts Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Steve Mariucci, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin highlight the key matchups

11:00 AM ET

Feature on how “The Catch” in Super Bowl XLII changed former Giants wide receiver David Tyree’s life
Michael Lombardi on how Bill Belichick uses the Patriots’ loss in Super Bowl XLII to motivate his players
Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders discuss the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012
Players Only: The best and worst parts of Super Bowl week

12 Noon ET

Actor/comedian and Boston sports fan Dennis Leary pays tribute to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Steve Cyphers visits the Norman Lear Center for research and public policy at the USC Annenberg School for Communication to investigate why America was obsessed with Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow during the 2011 NFL season
Deion Sanders, Brian Billick and Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson discuss how winning the Super Bowl has changed their lives

1:00 PM ET

Steve Cyphers on the anxiety of the Manning Family on Super Bowl Sunday
NFL Network analysts debate if Eli Manning wins Super Bowl XLVI, which Manning has achieved more in his career?
NFL Films presents piece on the emotional year Patriots owner Robert Kraft has experienced with the passing of his wife and the Patriots winning the AFC title.
Former New England linebacker Willie McGinest on the impact of the Kraft Family on the Patriots

2:00 PM ET

Three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest sits down with his former teammate Tom Brady for a 1-on-1 interview
Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Michael Irvin debate the hot topics of Super Bowl XLVI

3:00 – 5:30 PM ET

Super Bowl XXXIV MVP Kurt Warner sits down with Super Bowl XLII MVP and former teammate Eli Manning for a 1-on-1 interview:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/09000d5d8267a9e4/Sunday-Sitdown-Eli-Manning

Essay written by Indiana native Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated on what hosting the Super Bowl means to the Hoosier State
Stars of the upcoming film “That’s My Boy,” Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg join the set
Tale of the Tape: how the Giants and Patriots match up at quarterback (Kurt Warner), running back (Marshall Faulk), wide receiver (Michael Irvin), on defense (Warren Sapp) and coaching (Steve Mariucci).
Super Bowl XLVI MVP picks
Game picks

***Immediately after the NBC postgame show – NFL GameDay Final

Host Rich Eisen and analysts Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci and Michael Irvin provide analysis and highlights from the field, plus live interviews with all the stars of the game and the winning coach. Albert Breer, Stacey Dales and Lindsay Soto provide interviews following the game.
NFL GameDay Morning Super Bowl Pregame Show Roster

Michael Irvin: Analyst (3 Super Bowl rings)
Deion Sanders: Analyst (2 Super Bowl rings)
Marshall Faulk: Analyst (1 Super Bowl ring)
Kurt Warner: Analyst (1 Super Bowl ring)
Warren Sapp: Analyst (1 Super Bowl ring)
Charles Woodson: Guest Analyst (1 Super Bowl ring)
Willie McGinest: Analyst (3 Super Bowl rings)
Brian Billick: Analyst (1 Super Bowl ring)
Heath Evans: Analyst (1 Super Bowl ring)
Steve Mariucci: Analyst
Rich Eisen: Host
Melissa Stark: Host
Fran Charles: Host
Michelle Beisner: Reporter
Albert Breer: Reporter
Stacey Dales: Reporter
Steve Cyphers: Reporter
Jason La Canfora: Reporter
Michael Lombardi: Reporter
Ari Wolfe: Reporter
Steve Wyche: Reporter

2012 ESPNU National Signing Day Rewind

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:58:37 +0000

ESPNU’s National Signing Day Special provided the day’s most comprehensive coverage with 10-hours of programming that included 15 ESPNU150 player interviews, 11 recruits making their exclusive commitment on air, reporters at 13 college campuses and more than 35 interviews with head coaches.

Throughout the day hosts Rece Davis and Dari Nowkhah were joined by an assembled team of experts in scouting, recruiting, playing and coaching college football. Senior national recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill and recruiting analyst Craig Haubert discussed major recruits and programs alongside former head coaches Mike Bellotti, Randy Shannon and Butch Davis; college football analysts Rod Gilmore and David Pollack; regional recruiting coordinators Corey Long, Jamie Newberg; and ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach.

ESPNU 150 Players Quotes and Commitments…

No. 17 Josh Harvey-Clemons, committed to Georgia

“I didn’t get any sleep. I went to sleep at three-something in the morning…just thinking about it,” on making his decision.
“Nobody that’s a great player should leave your state” said Luginbill on Clemons’ decision to stay in Georgia.

No. 18 Tracy Howard, committed to Miami

“I looked at the overall picture of it from an academic standpoint to an opportunity standpoint. I’ve got a great rapport with the coaches…why not do it here, in my hometown, in my city.”
“People just don’t understand how much pressure there is on top 30 players to stay in the state. In Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county, those kids have such an allegiance. It’s very hard for those kids in South Florida to leave,” said Butch Davis on Tracy’s decision to play at Miami.

No. 10 Eddie Goldman, committed to FSU

“I’m going to be surrounded by a lot of talent. I’m just going to do my best to contribute…Go Noles!”
“The last few days we started feeling better. He was a very unique recruit. He really listened, he really paid attention, a lot of eye contact during the visits…We don’t ever promise to play, we promise an opportunity,” said Jimbo Fisher later in the day on ESPNU.

No. 3 Dorial Green-Beckham, committed to Missouri

“The whole atmosphere has been outstanding for me to fulfill my dreams at the University of Missouri…it’s a big opportunity to be you, to have all my friends and family, mom and dad, to follow me no matter where I go.”
“To have this caliber player stay home…it’s going to pay dividends for future recruiting classes,” said Butch Davis on Beckham’s decision to play at Missouri.

No. 9 Andrus Peat, committed to Stanford

“I was really impressed by the coaching staff and I felt really comfortable on campus and I think it’s just a great opportunity for me to reach my full potential athletically and academically…It’s an offensive man’s dream. Just the way they play football.”
Luginbill on Stanford’s national recruiting success, “What Stanford has been able to do. They have won. They have been to BCS bowl games…now what I want to see is how good of a football team is Stanford going to be without Andrew Luck.”

No. 29 Kwon Alexander, committed to LSU

“I woke up this morning with a smile on my face, knowing what team I was going to go to,” on his decision.
LSU recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson explained watching Kwon’s announcement to Holly Rowe “We were nervous, it (his suspenders) looked a little red, a little blue, it looked like it might be Auburn colors, but then we were really excited, once we knew (it was LSU).”

Trea Elston, committed to Ole Miss

“It’s been a hard decision. I just prayed and my family prayed for me and I made my decision last night…I chose Ole Miss because I felt like family there.”
“From Oxford to Oxford,” commented Nowkhah on Elston’s hometown to college town.

No. 33 Thomas Johnson, committed to Texas A&M

“It’s a great school, great academics, I think they are going to give me the greatest opportunity to produce…( I knew) as soon as I set foot on campus.”
“There may not be a better receiver in this class at getting off the line of scrimmage than Thomas Johnson” said Luginbill on what he will bring at the next level.

No. 47 Nelson Agholor, committed to USC

“My coach told me to ‘go with your feeling, go with your heart’…I am excited to catch passes from a Heisman candidate, Matt Barkley.”
“These guys are ready to play. They are made for instant success…All the guys on the roster have to be ready to play football next year,” said Bellotti on the USC team.

No. 61 Avery Young, committed to Auburn

“That’s the question…I think I am going War Eagle baby, all the way!” on where he was going to school.
“I think Avery Young has a huge ceiling for potential,” said Luginbill.

Coach interview highlights…

Dabo Swinney on the Clemson team’s future, “Our players are our greatest ambassadors. We won this conference for the first time in 20 years, and first time in 20-plus years we have had back-to-back top 10 classes. Hopefully that is a real sign of what is to come for us.”
Urban Meyer on impact of NCAA sanctions on Ohio State, “It was all damage control and probably for two or three weeks. That was something we didn’t expect, something we didn’t have control over, but what we had to do was go out and talk to them, be proactive and hit it on the front end, not the back end.”
Meyer on Ohio State’s class, “Very very solid. I don’t like to use the word ‘great’, but at the end of the day I think we are going to be ranked high…I love our defensive line. That’s the strength of this team.”
Lane Kiffin on the USC recruiting class. “The guys we signed today were not concerned about depth charts or playing time. They were excited to be playing with the best.”
Steve Spurrier on his 2012 South Carolina class, “Good solid class. A lot of good players at a lot of different positions.”
UCLA coach Jim Mora on recruit Ellis McCarthy, “He’s a kid who has size, strength and speed and plays with tenacity. It seems he really loves the game and we are just excited he’s going to be playing defense for us.”
Syracuse coach Doug Marrone, “Best size that we’ve gotten, being our fourth year. We probably addressed our needs better than we have before.”
Newly named Rutgers coach Kyle Flood on his first week, “Someday I’m going to write a book. It’s going to be called, The Four Days that Changed My Life.”
Tennessee coach Derek Dooley on positions filled today, “It’s a rare deal where we don’t sign an offensive lineman. I don’t think it will ever happen again, but over the last 20 months we’ve brought 11 offensive lineman…We felt like we need to put our emphasis on offensive skill and defensive football players.”
Les Miles on how he would describe his LSU recruiting class, “What we needed. We needed to answer some questions and we did that.”
Florida coach Will Muschamp on surprise commitments, “On signing day you never know what’s going to happen.”
Brian Kelly on recruits choosing Notre Dame, “It’s a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision.”
James Franklin on Vanderbilt’s class within the SEC, “We’re in the SEC. It’s a completely different animal. Being in this conference, seeing what we are up against, I think it’s a positive for us.”
Baylor’s Art Briles on the next Robert Griffin III, “I don’t think there is another one, but we were so fortunate to have him for the last few years.”
Mac Brown on Texas, “We are a better football team tonight, than we were this morning.”
Al Golden on the type of players he wants at Miami “It’s easy to go to a school on top and it takes a little more courage to be someone that fashions themselves as someone who can build it.”

ESPNU Recruiting Quotes…

Luginbill on the Alabama recruiting class: “The Crimson Tide: the rich keep getting richer.”
Butch Davis on recruits concerns about a team’s depth chart, “Absolutely one of the biggest turnoffs. When kids are worried about the competition – how many guys are playing at a certain position? It really bothers you because they don’t have enough confidence that they are going to come in and be that guy. I love the guy who looks at the roster and says ‘I don’t care who’s on the roster, I’m going to beat them all.”
Longhorn Network host Lowell Galindo on the day at Texas, “For the first time, in a long time, its positive pandemonium in Texas.”
Pedro Gomez reporting from Penn State, “New coach Bill O’Brien said he couldn’t care less about the rankings. He just wants players who are interested in being at Penn State.”
Haubert on players like Torshio Davis decommitting, “They (LSU) rarely lose in-state players and for Texas to be able to get a player off the edge who can be a real speed rushing threat, I think that was a bit of a shock coming in to today.”
Shannon on Florida recruiting, “You go in, you sell your program and what you are trying to accomplish… Everyone will tell you it’s a battle between the three (Florida) schools. It’s not. It’s everybody.”
“Everybody is going to celebrate tonight. Every coach thinks they have a great class,” said Butch Davis on what’s ahead for the coaching staffs after National Signing Day.
Luginbill’s biggest surprises of the day, “Texas Tech, I think Tommy Tuberville did a great job adding play makers… And most notable, Rutgers. Rutgers came in to today with an already strong class…It’s one thing to keep the good guys in the fold, it’s another thing to go out and secure the best guy in your state.”
Pollack’s biggest surprises, “How about Stanford, improving their power and getting a few of the best offensive lineman in the country, and then Harvey-Clemons – What is he going to do? Poor kid, it’s a tough spot.”

More information on ESPN RecruitingNation’sFinal Top 25 Rankings here.

ESPNU

The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually and offers over 600 original studio shows. ESPNU has seen a steady increase since its inception on March 4, 2005 and is now in over 73 million households. The brand is also available in high definition on ESPNUHD, now in over 20 million homes. The network has long-term carriage agreements with all 10 of the top multichannel TV providers – Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV (Channel 208), DISH Network (Channel 141), Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV and AT&T U-verse.

ESPN and ESPN Radio Super Bowl XLVI Programs Originating Live from Pan Am Plaza in Indianapolis – Friday, Feb. 3

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:53:58 +0000

ESPN’s multimedia coverage of Super Bowl XLVI continues Friday, Feb. 3, from Pan Am Plaza (201 South Capitol Avenue) in downtown Indianapolis. All shows are available for free public viewing.

Among the notable guests scheduled to appear on ESPN programs tomorrow include Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, actor Adam Sandler, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, and player agent Tom Condon.

Scheduled highlights (all times ET):

6 a.m. – Mike and Mike in the Morning (ESPN Radio/ESPN2)
Hosts: Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic
Guests: Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton (6:45 a.m.), ESPN analyst Merril Hoge (7 a.m.), 2011 Heisman Trophy winner and 2012 NFL Draft prospect Robert Griffin III (7:45 a.m.), former Miami Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor (8 a.m.), Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (8:15 a.m.), ESPN analyst Steve Young (8:30 a.m.), Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (8:45 a.m.), former Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs (9 a.m.), Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (9:15 a.m.), and actor Adam Sandler with rapper Vanilla Ice (9:30 a.m.).

10 a.m. – The Herd (ESPN Radio/ESPNEWS)
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guests: Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn (10:30 a.m.), former NFL player Chris Doleman (10:45 a.m.), Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (11:15 a.m.), Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (11:30 a.m.), Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (11:45 a.m.), former NFL player Bill Romanowski (12 p.m.), and Falcons Owner Arthur Blank (12:45 p.m.).

1 p.m. – Scott Van Pelt Show (ESPN Radio/ESPNEWS through 3 p.m. ET)
Hosts: Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo
Guests: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and/or Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver AJ Green (time TBD), Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne (1:15 p.m.), Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (1:45 p.m.), ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer (2 p.m.), Green Bay packers wide receiver Greg Jennings (3:15 p.m.), and NY Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress (time TBD).

1 p.m. – NFL Semenal (ESPN Deportes)
Host: Ciro Procuna. Analysts: Raul Allegre and Alvaro Martin

3 p.m. – SportsCenter Special: The Champions (ESPN)
Host: Mike Tirico. Analysts: Tedy Bruschi, Trent Dilfer, Mike Ditka, Jon Gruden, Keyshawn Johnson, Jerry Rice, Mark Schlereth, Steve Young
Guest: Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (3:45 p.m.)

4 p.m. – NFL Live (ESPN)
Host: Trey Wingo. Analysts: Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski

5 p.m. – SportsNation (ESPN2)
Hosts: Michelle Beadle and Cowherd. Guest analyst Herm Edwards
Throughout the week (M-F, 5-6 p.m.), SportsNation features two acts – the Blue Monkey Sideshow carnival act for SN’s ‘Halftime Show’ and Indy’s own “The Twin Cats” (official house band).
Guests: Former NFL running back Brian Westbrook, San Diego Chargers linebacker Takeo Spikes, and rapper and actor Ice Cube (5 p.m.)

6 p.m. – SportsCenter (ESPN)
Host: Steve Levy. Analysts: Jerry Rice and Steve Young

6 p.m. – NFL 32 (ESPN2)
Hosts: Suzy Kolber and Chris Mortensen. Analysts: Trent Dilfer and Tom Jackson
Guest: NFL agent Tom Condon (6 p.m.) – Agent for quarterbacks Drew Brees, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning

8 p.m. – SportsCenter (ESPN Deportes)
Host: Ciro Procuna. Analysts: Raul Allegre and Alvaro Martin

Note: Commentator and guest schedules subject to change

ESPN RecruitingNation’s Final Top 25 Rankings Released

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:52:10 +0000

Seventh ESPNU National Signing Day Special concluded with ten consecutive hours of live multiplatform coverage on ESPNU and ESPN3 hosted by Rece Davis and Dari Nowkhah, featuring comprehensive ESPN analysis from an assembled team of experienced and knowledgeable experts in scouting, recruiting, playing and coaching college football.

ESPN RecruitingNation followed each commitment every step of the way, releasing class rankings every hour with in-depth team grades for the top programs in the nation. The final list of class rankings include:

1	Alabama
2	Florida State
3	Texas
4	Florida
5	Georgia
6	Ohio State
7	Michigan
8	Miami
9	Clemson
10	Notre Dame
11	Oklahoma
12	Stanford
13	Southern Cal
14	LSU
15	Texas A&M
16	South Carolina
17	Auburn
18	Oregon
19	UCLA
20	Texas Tech
21	Tennessee
22	California
23	Washington
24	Rutgers
25	Virginia Tech

The first ESPNU 150 Class of 2013 player rankings were also unveiled today, with a look at some of the top players set to star in the Class of 2014. Throughout the day, RecruitingNation hosted a 10-hour live chat featuring guests and analysts nationwide. It also reported more than 20 player announcements across the country, including six of the nation’s top 20 players. In addition to national focus, RecruitingNation’s eight school sites – DawgNationESPN.com, GatorNationESPN.com, GeauxTigerNationESPN.com, HornsNationESPN.com, SoonerNationESPN.com, TideNationESPN.com, WeAreSC.com and WolverineNationESPN.com –provided in-depth analysis and up-to-the-minute news from Signing Day.

ESPN Insider subscribers have immediate access to complete coverage by visiting http://www.espn.com/recruiting/. To join the conversation for rapid reaction, interact on ESPNU’s Facebook page or on Twitter with @ESPNU via #signingday.

ESPN’s Black History Month Programming Includes Documentary on “Goose” Tatum and New Vignettes

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:48:19 +0000

ESPN began Black History Month programming on February 1 and includes more than 150 hours of programming celebrating the achievements of African-Americans who made a positive influence within their sport and in society.

The highlights include a new documentary about Reece “Goose” Tatum, an original member of the Harlem Globetrotters:

Reece “Goose” Tatum played for the legendary Harlem Globetrotters before he created his own basketball team. Goose — a one-hour documentary Sunday, Feb. 26, at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN — chronicles his life through the eyes of his son, Reese Tatum III. The son recalls his father’s all-to-brief life (he died at 45), including cross-country trips riding in the back of a Cadillac traveling to one sold-out arena after the next, each jam-packed to see his father entertain the crowd. The program also includes highlights from when he spoke eloquently about his father at the 2011 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction;
ESPN’s new “Free to Be” vignettes are a series of intimate stories about life-changing sports moments. The vignettes — aired daily on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPNU — will feature a variety of individuals and groups telling stories with each other and describing how sports gave them the courage to feel “Free to Be” themselves;
Back-to-back weekends of “ESPN Films on Classic” devoted to Black History Month on February 10-12 and February 17-19, in addition to SportsCentury programs on Walter Payton, Jackie Robinson, Zina Garrison, Hank Aaron and others throughout the month; archival boxing footage of Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and George Foreman bouts; Content of Character specials and more;
Chuck Cooper, the first African-American drafted into the NBA, will be honored during the Richmond-Duquesne men’s college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. Cooper, chosen by the Boston Celtics in 1950, was an All-American at Duquesne. He passed away in 1984, and members of Cooper’s family will be in attendance. The team will wear 1950′s-style, red throwback uniforms for the game.
Additional content — videos, interviews and feature stories — will also be available on ESPN.com’s Black History Month page;

2012 ESPNU Warrior Classic Moves To Charlotte

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:45:10 +0000

ESPNU Warrior Classic a men’s college lacrosse doubleheader, has a new home at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., home of Major League Lacrosse’s Charlotte Hounds.

The third annual event will be played Saturday, April 14, and will feature Rutgers vs. No. 7 Syracuse in the first game at 11 a.m. ET, followed by No. 11 Hofstra vs. No. 6 North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. Both games will be televised on ESPNU.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 15. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children, senior citizens and students with school ID. Group discounts will also be available at $12 per ticket (minimum 50 people).

Hofstra, North Carolina and Syracuse all reached the NCAA Championship in 2011. North Carolina has won four national titles and played in five consecutive postseason tournaments, after posting a 10-6 record in 2011. Syracuse has won 10 NCAA titles, the highest total among all schools, and went 15-2 a year ago. Hofstra finished 13-3 last season and reached the NCAA Championship for a school-record fourth consecutive time. Rutgers held a 5-8 record last season, and is now under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Brecht.

“We are thrilled and honored for the opportunity to be a part of the ESPNU Warrior Classic in Charlotte,” said North Carolina head coach Joe Breschi. “There are so many UNC fans across the great state of North Carolina and this will give the Tar Heel faithful an opportunity to see the Carolina Blue in action. With the growth of the sport in the South and the addition of an MLL team in Charlotte, this should be a sold out event!! Go Heels.”

“We are thrilled about being part of bringing Division I lacrosse excitement to a growing area like Charlotte in the ESPNU Warrior Classic,” said Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney. “The opportunity to expose our program and help grow the sport in a great sports town like Charlotte is quite exciting. Like last year in Connecticut, we thank ESPNU for putting together another great day of lacrosse.”

“We’re excited about being part of this event,” said Syracuse head coach John Desko. “It’s unique for our program and our players to play in Charlotte and to receive some exposure there that we otherwise wouldn’t. We thank ESPN for that opportunity and look forward to facing Rutgers, one our conference rivals, on the national stage.”

“Rutgers is very excited to be part of such a prestigious event, and we want to thank ESPN, Warrior and New Balance for this opportunity,” said Rutgers’ Brecht. “Playing in a major league stadium and being part of a doubleheader with three other top 10 programs provides Rutgers with great national exposure, as well as giving our student-athletes an unbelievable experience that they will always remember.”

The first two years of the ESPNU Warrior Classic were played at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. In the inaugural ESPNU Warrior Classic in 2010, Denver defeated Fairfield and Massachusetts defeated Georgetown. Last season, Syracuse defeated Rutgers and Hofstra defeated Massachusetts.

ESPNU has been televising NCAA lacrosse matches since the first week the network was launched in March 2005.

For more information, visit ESPNUWarriorClassic.com.

ESPNU

ESPN Regional Television/Event Ownership

The nation’s largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming, ESPN Regional Television (ERT) annually produces more than 1,200 sporting events. Content includes action from NCAA football, basketball and Olympic sports, NHRA and professional and amateur golf, accounting for more than 3,400 live and/or original hours of programming. ERT’s owned and operated events reach over a million fans a year and provides more than 200 additional hours of programming.

In addition to event ownership, ERT is the production headquarters for ESPNU; syndication rights-holder and producer of national, regional and local shows for college conferences (SEC, BIG EAST, Big 12, Mid-American, WAC) and manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.

ESPN Regional Television markets and/or owns several sporting events:

Collegiate Football

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg; Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); BBVA Compass Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.); MAACO Bowl Las Vegas; Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu); Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (Houston); MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.) and The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards

Collegiate Basketball

Anaheim Classic (Anaheim, Calif.); State Farm Champions Classic (Madison Square Garden; debuts 2011); DIRECTV Charleston Classic presented by Foster Grant (S.C.); Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Old Spice Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan) and Sears BracketBusters

Collegiate Lacrosse

ESPNU Warrior Classic

Additional Events

Hawaiian Islands Invitational (Soccer) and ESPN National Golf Challenge

For more information, visit ESPNPlus.com

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights On February 3 Features Miranda & Chilemba in Main Event

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:41:30 +0000

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights will present light heavyweights Edison “Pantera” Miranda (35-6, 30 KOs) and Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (18-1-1, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event on February 3 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3 from Las Vegas. The card is presented by Warriors Boxing.

ESPN2 and ESPN3:
On ESPN2 and ESPN3, Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Texas Station Casino describing the action, while studio host Bernardo Osuna will present all the latest boxing news and highlights. On Friday’s show, Osuna will preview the upcoming middleweight title bout between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Marco Antonio Rubio and the super-bantamweight title fight between Nonito Donaire and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. Friday’s show will also explain Mickey Ward’s relationship with the Super Bowl bound New England Patriots.

ESPN Deportes:
Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) will feature Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez calling the fights and Leopoldo Gonzalez and Lindsay Casinelli in the studio. ESPN Deportes will preview the Chavez-Rubio fight and will talk to former welterweight titlist Victor Ortiz following his postponed rematch against Andre Berto.

Main Event:
Florida’s Miranda—former super middleweight and middleweight world title challenger—is coming off a fifth-round TKO over Kariz Kariuki, while South Africa’s Chilemba is coming off an October second-round knockout over Jameson Bostic. Miranda’s two title bouts include a controversial decision loss to former middleweight titlist Arthur Abraham and a third-round knockout loss to super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute. Miranda also has lost non-title fights to former middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik and super middleweight titlist Andre Ward.

Tessitore:
“Edison Miranda has been one of the real characters for Friday Night Fights over the course of recent years. He’s a heavy handed guy, loves to talk smack heading into a fight and sometimes is not the most disciplined guy. Chilemba is a guy that impressed me with his guts and determination the last time we saw him. He was down a couple of times late in the fight, showed heart, got up and continued on.”

Atlas:
“Chilemba is clever. He’s a guy that stays on the outside, has long arms, and uses his jab. He can frustrate you a little bit, and looks for spots with the right hand. He showed plenty of heart coming off the floor in his last fight on ESPN to win that fight.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit two undefeated lightweights who hail from Las Vegas — Hylon “Suave” Williams Jr. (15-0, 3 KOs) against Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (14-0, 11 KOs). Williams Jr. is coming off a six-round decision over Andre Baker, while Barthelemy is coming off a second-round knockout over Alejandro Barrera.

Upsets Produce Changes in ESPNHS POWERADE FAB 50 Boys Basketball Top 10

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:39:38 +0000

One week after moving into the ESPNHS POWERADE FAB 50 top five, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) suffered its first loss of the year to St. John’s (Washington, D. C.) 56-54.

The loss dropped Gonzaga down four spots to ninth.

The upset bug also hit previous No. 6 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), which lost 51-49 to Coolidge (Washington, D.C.). With that defeat, Montrose Christian moved down to the No. 12 slot this week.

More news and notes on this week’s rankings can be found at www.espnhs.com.

Rank	School (City, State)	Record	Prior Ranking
1	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	32-0	1
2	Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)	21-1	2
3	Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas)	17-2	3
4	St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)	13-0	4
5	Chester (Chester, Pa.)	17-0	7
6	Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas)	27-2	8
7	Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)	20-1	9
8	Milton (Milton, Ga.)	21-1	10
9	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	19-1	5
10	Mater Dei (Santa Anna, Calif.)	19-2	12

2012 Australian Open Scores Across ESPN Digital Platforms

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:02 +0000

2012 Australian Open concluded with a thrilling men’s singles final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and fans followed coverage along the way across ESPN digital platforms.

ESPN’s average minute audience for tennis content on ESPN.com, the ESPN mobile Web, ScoreCenter, ESPN3 and WatchESPN throughout the tournament was up 12 percent compared to last year.

During the two weeks, the tennis section on ESPN.com was up 91 percent in average daily unique visitors and up 177 percent in average daily visits.

The ESPN mobile Web tennis section also saw a 54 percent increase in average daily unique visitors and an average minute audience up 36 percent. ESPN3 and WatchESPN generated 113.2 million minutes consumed, up 88 percent compared to the previous year.

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