Yesterday during the Knicks/Heat game, a rather routine play in today's NBA game set Jeff Van Gundy off on a tirade Ian Eagle would be proud to hear.  James Jones of the Heat flopped to earn an offensive foul on the Knicks' Iman Shumpert, a play that happens seemingly a dozen times a game.  However, it must have been one too many times for Van Gundy, who erupted on flopping ruining his beautiful game.

That was great, a reminder why Van Gundy is one of the best in the business.  Clearly, his only agenda is his own, and he isn't afraid to thumb his nose at the league office.  His best line was going directly at David Stern's salary to call him out on his inaction over flopping, although that will probably cost him a $500,000 fine.  Seriously though, both JVG and Mike Breen are correct.  There has to be something done to cure the flopping that has taken over the NBA, retroactive punishments being one solution.  However, it certainly isn't a problem that can be solved overnight.  Just look at soccer.

While the NHL Playoffs are well and truly underway, the NBA still has two weeks left in their regular season.  Eventually, the NBA Playoffs will start as well, but until then ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV are saturating their airwaves with plenty of games that have playoff implications.  Highlights include an ESPN tripleheader on Saturday, although none of the games are overwhelmingly captivating.  The Lakers lead the way with four national appearences this week while the Celtics, Magic, and Clippers each appear three times.  

Monday April 16

Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic (NBA TV 7PM) Local Broadcast

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Clippers (NBA TV 10:30PM) Local Broadcast

Tuesday April 17

Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks (TNT 8PM) Kevin Harlan, Mike Fratello

San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Lakers (TNT 10:30PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, Reggie Miller

Wednesday April 18

Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics (ESPN 8PM) Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown

Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors (ESPN 10:30PM) Dan Shulman, Chris Mullin

Thursday April 19

Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat (TNT 8PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller

Los Angeles Clippers @ Phoenix Suns (TNT 10:30PM) Dick Stockton, Chris Webber

Friday April 20

Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks (ESPN 7PM) Mark Jones, Doris Burke

Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs (ESPN 9:30) Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy

Saturday April 21

Denver Nuggets @ Phoenix Suns (ESPN 5:30PM) Dave Pasch, Bruce Bowen

Dallas Mavericks @ Chicago Bulls (ESPN 8PM) Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown

Orlando Magic @ Utah Jazz (ESPN 10:30PM) Terry Gannon, Chris Mullin

Sunday April 22

New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks (ESPN 1PM) Mark Jones, Doris Burke

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers (ABC 3:30PM) Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy

Houston Rockets @ Miami Heat (NBA TV 6PM) Local Broadcast

New Orleans Hornets @ Los Angeles Clippers (NBA TV 9PM) Local Broadcast

H/T Sammy!

Earlier today, Tim Burke shared video at Deadspin of CBS and New Jersey Nets play-by-play man Ian Eagle incredibly ranting against broadcast partner Mike Fratello on the air.  Eagle called Fratello "patronizing" towards him and referred to his analysis as "gobbledygook" in one of the more painfully uncomfortable pieces of commentary in the history of human beings announcing basketball games.  But before we get to Ian Eagle's pipebomb detonating all over the YES Network, let's take a look into how it came to be.  

What exactly caused this kerfuffle?  Here's the original exchange from the end of the third quarter.  Greg Stiemsma fails to set a screen for Paul Pierce, leading to a travel on Pierce.  The initial exchange between Bird and Czar is rather lengthy and lumbering, but there's nothing from Fratello that seems unintelligible, condescending, or patronizing here as Czar explains setting vs slipping a screen.  In fact, it's Eagle that carries on the conversation initially...

Eagle and Fratello can have a dry sense of humor and sarcasm on the air, so maybe they weren't on the same page.  It is strange for Fratello to carry on the analysis for so long though.  You don't have to be Dr. Jack Ramsay to understand a slip screen.  However, there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary until Eagle comes back at Czar with his strange comments after Garnett's jumper.  

To add to the quagmire, we also caught this exchange midway through the 4th quarter following a segment highlighting Fratello's time with the Nets.  According to Deadspin, this is Fratello's last year on his contract with YES and the Nets.  Again, the two seem to be joking... albeit very, very dryly.  Eagle even says, "on a serious note, it's been great working alongside you.  A lot of fun and I've learned a lot about slip cuts."  Oohh boy...

Earlier this week, it was announced that Mike Hill, Mark Schlereth, and John Clayton would be the new ESPN Radio team covering the NFL Draft.  Immediately, the question came to mind whether or not there would be a new television team as well for the Draft.  SI's Richard Deitsch tweeted the ESPN coverage plans on telelvision, and it's another year of Chris Berman.

*sad trombone*

Oh well, I guess it's not a surprise that Berman will somehow be back for his 32nd NFL Draft. At this point, it appears only an act of God will take Boomer out of the main anchor chair for the NFL Draft.  But what else can we look forward to from the TV coverage by ESPN and NFL Network?  Our pal Ken over at Fang's Bites has all of the details in the press releases from both networks.  Just a warning, you may want to carve out a couple of hours out of your day to read through the massive list of names involved...

Game 1 of the Wings/Predators series ended in brutality usually only attempted by those heroes competing in the squared circle. That's why this mashup of the incident mixed with the legendary voice of the WWF WWE's Jim Ross was the next logical step for the internet to take.

Weber escaped the incident without suspension and just a fine of $2,500. He also of course is the inspiration of the new meme "Webering" where you smash your buddies face on something and take a picture of it. Whatever, it's still better than Bradying in my completely biased opinion.

The Red Wings evened the series at a game a piece Friday night in Nashville and Weber discussed the matter with Todd Bertuzzi.

I'm sure those in Nashville think this was just some aggressive playoff hockey while people like me who live in Detroit think Weber should immediately have been sent to Guantanamo Bay. That's just how playoff hockey goes. When Justin Abdelkader removes his skate during the next game and attempts to attack the Predators bench I'll probably be able to justify that as well.

[Bruins hockey now]

At the very end of the first period in Friday night's Canucks/Kings Game 2, Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown scored a shorthanded goal to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.  At least, that was obvious to everyone at Rogers Arena except for CBC play by play man Jim Hughson.  After a wild scramble in the front of the net, the puck comes to Brown who rifles a shot past Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo and defenseman Chris Tanev.  A few things give it away immediately that Brown scores.  He raises his arms in the air, the referee points at the net, and Kings players skate away in celebration.  Meanwhile, it takes Hughson a good 10 seconds to realize what happened while he thinks Tanev stopped the puck...

"WHAT A SAVE BY TANEV!  Oh my goodness, what a save by the defenseman Chris Tanev after a brilliant pokecheck by Roberto Luongo did that puck end up in the net?"

The fact that Hughson makes the above quote one complete sentence is what makes this clip so great.  Hughson has a reputation for being a bit of a Canucks homer, so maybe he was just hoping to see Tanev dramatically grab the puck out of mid-air.  It's tough for me to be too hard on Hughson as the voice of one of the games that defined my formative years, NHL 2000.  Oh well, it's not like NBCSN missed Hughson's call of the next goal to start the second period because they were late coming back from commercial.  Wait, they did.  

ESPN continues to make changes to its Monday Night Football lineup.  Earlier this year, they made the surprising move to ditch the three man booth and kick Ron Jaworski to the studio, leaving just Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden to call the game.  This week, ESPN named a new sideline reporter for MNF, Lisa Salters.  Salters has been the top sideline reporter for ESPN/ABC's NBA coverage and now she'll get the call on Monday nights...

"Lisa Salters, one of the lead reporters for ESPN on ABC’s NBA coverage, has been named the new sideline reporter for ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Salters will join play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico and analyst Jon Gruden on the weekly MNF game telecasts and provide live stadium reports during ESPN’s Monday afternoon studio shows throughout the NFL season.

One of ESPN’s most versatile and accomplished reporters, Salters has covered the NBA, college football and more since joining ESPN in 2000 from ABC News."

Last year, ESPN used a rotation of sideline reporters, including the disaster that was John Sutcliffe.  To be honest, aside from the Sutcliffe fiasco, I hadn't even realized ESPN used a rotation of sideline reporters with the amount of people they throw at Monday Night Football from daytime coverage all the way through the postgame.  The MNF sideline gig has been an area of mockery in the past with such respected media types as Eric Dickerson and Lisa Guerrero roaming the sidelines.  On the other hand, Salters is an experienced pro that should do well in her new role.  It's a move that won't get a lot of attention, but a wise one from the leader to continue to streamline their Monday Night Football broadcasts.

[via ESPN]

David Stern can't be happy with Charles Barkley today.  That's because the Inside the NBA star analyst appeared on ESPN 1000's Waddle & Silvy in Chicago and insinuated the fix may be in for the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery.  The Charlotte Bobcats will have the most ping pong balls after one of the worst seasons in NBA history, and not even Michael Jordan would pass on Anthony Davis as the #1 pick.  (We think, although he did select such luminaries as Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison.)  27 years after Patrick Ewing somehow landed in New York, Sir Charles would be suspicious if the first pick and Anthony Davis went to Brooklyn, where the Nets and Mikhail Prokhorov just happen to be building a new arena and starting over in New York City in need of a star player or two...

You told us the story about Michael Jordan and Adam Morrison, the last time he had a really high pick. The Bobcats should, unless the lottery ball bounces the other way, get the number one pick. He’s not going to screw this up. He would take Anthony Davis, would he not?

“I’ve got to tell you something, I’m really concerned about the number one pick in the draft this year. Well, number one, I think Michael would take Anthony Davis or I’d kill him (laughs). I can’t say this, but I’m going to be watching the draft lottery very closely because I don’t want no shenanigans.”

What are you alluding to? What do you think could happen?

“I’m going to be very leery if Anthony Davis ends up in Brooklyn. You know, I’m going to be very leery because I know the NBA has a lot riding on that new arena, especially if Deron Williams leaves New Jersey. They didn’t get Dwight Howard. I’m going to be very leery if New Jersey gets that number one pick.”

Are you a conspiracy theorist Chuck?

“I am. I am. (laughs) I am.”

Let's break this down one more time.  The highest profile NBA analyst is worried about the league fixing its Draft Lottery and he "don't want no shenanigans."  Phenomenal.  Is any other sport clouded by as many conspiracy theories as the NBA?  I can't wait for the NBA version of "Breaking the Magician's Code" to find out how the league pulls off all these fixes.  David Stern should just save us all the trouble and announce that he's awarding the #1 pick to Brooklyn for "basketball reasons" and be done with it.  Sorry Charlotte, you know Jordan would just screw the pick up anyways.

[via Sports Radio Interviews]

Bobby Knight has certainly been in the news for doing Bobby Knight things in recent weeks.  First there was the serious matter of his not-so-hidden agenda against John Calipari and eventual national champions Kentucky.  Then, there was the whole falling asleep on-air episode during ESPN's coverage of the Final Four.  But now, The General is causing a stir for an entirely different reason.  At the age of 71, Knight is looking to expand his resume.  In addition to Hall of Fame coach and barely passable analyst, Knight is looking to become... a motivational author?!

Apparently inspired by the likes of Tony Dungy, Knight has claimed to be working on a motivational/folksy humor book entitled "The Power of Negative Thinking."  Honestly, I thought this was a joke when I first heard of the proposed book and its title, but apparently, it's not.  From the South Bend Tribune:

"I've always thought the things that we look upon negatively are extremely important," Knight explained. "Like the word 'no.' I think the word 'no' is the most important word in the English language. I think people learning to say no keep themselves out of a lot more trouble than those that don't."

Knight assured that this would come across humorously in the book. The opportunity to challenge that overtly wasn't taken.

"Let me give you some examples," he said, addressing the skeptic-laced silence on the other end of the phone, "like the worn-out positive clichés people use instead of working out something:

"'Well, we'll be a lot fresher after a night's sleep.' Well, you might be dumber after a night's sleep too.

"And then there's, 'Susie, come here and let Mommy kiss that scratch.' Well, she better have iodine on her tongue if it's going to do any good."

That is just outstanding.  And here I thought Knight would be writing about overlooked issues affecting the elderly like chronic falling down or GPD (Geriatric Profanity Disorder). Good Lord, that's two Brad Goodman references in one day, I think Albert Brooks owes me a royalty.

And to think the secret to living a miserable life has been right in front of us all this whole time!  I think Tony Dungy isn't an apt comparison after reading these home-spun Knightisms.  We just might have a modern-day Mark Twain on our hands ladies and gentlemen.  How could I have been misled by the likes of Norman Vincent Peale to think optimism was key to a happier existence.  Nope, a little bit of Bobby Knight piss and vinegar is all I'll need from here on out, thank you very much.

Thanks to Deadspin's excellent series Bristolmetrics, statistical evidence has been provided that has proved something we've known all along... ESPN doesn't give a damn about the NHL.  To date in their study since January 7th, the NHL receives a meager 3.1% of SportsCenter airtime.  Given ESPN doesn't have a contract with the NHL and employs 1 NHL analyst that makes regular appearances on SportsCenter, this apathy towards the NHL is no mystery.  In fact, the extent to which the NHL is ignored by ESPN has become its own sort of running gag and a badge of honor for hockey fans.  

But it got me thinking, if there was ever a time for ESPN to pay attention to the NHL, it would be Thursday.  The Stanley Cup Playoffs had just kicked off the night before with a full slate of games.  There was no big ESPN event that evening to promote.  There was no breaking news throughout the day that deserved full-scale coverage.  In fact, the sports story of the day was Philly's dramatic 4-3 OT victory in Pittsburgh after trailing 3-0 in Game 1 of their series.  If there was any day for SportsCenter to dive a little deeper into the NHL, this would be it.

So with an ode to the Bristolmetrics study, I decided to pick a random, run-of-the-mill SportsCenter - the 1 PM ET edition on Thursday, to see how much coverage they devoted to the NHL.  The live afternoon SportsCenters are a hodgepodge of highlights from the night before, analysis and features, and looking ahead to the coming evening.  Even though they're all billed as live, they share roughly the same content from hour to hour.  It's an interesting look into SportsCenter's evolution in being just as much about opinion and analysis as highlights and reports.  With the NHL having their night to shine, how much ice time did the league get on the afternoon edition of SportsCenter?

2 minutes and 8 seconds.

2:08!  That's it!  That's barely longer than a North Korean missile launch!  In the nearly 44 minutes of SportsCenter action (43:49 by my unscientific count), that amounted to a mere 4.9% of SportsCenter.  Hey, at least its up from the average year to date.  So what did SportsCenter actually use their time to talk about?  Here's the eye-opening breakdown...