There had been rumors this week that Tim Tebow was being targeted to be the next person spotlighted on ABC's reality series "The Bachelor."  Host Chris Harrison told Access Hollywood on Monday he had asked the Broncos quarterback about appearing on the show - “I’ve actually met Tim Tebow. I met him about becoming our next ‘Bachelor,’ I think he’d be a great ‘Bachelor.’”

Nevertheless, Tim Tebow has crushed the dreams of ABC and young women across the country.  Today he sent a tweet to his million plus followers saying he would definitely not be making an appearance on The Bachelor.  He even cleverly added a #JessePalmer hashtag to needle his fellow former Florida Gators QB.  Jesse never did find romance from his stint on the show, eventually moving on to Craig James.  

Given Tebow's chastity, those hot tub hookup attempts would have been fairly awkward, so maybe it's for the best for the Broncos QB.  Tebow has been linked with country singer Taylor Swift recently as well, so maybe he's trying to find true love the old fashioned way.  If that doesn't work out, there's always ChristianMingle.com too.  

Personally, I'm a little sad Tim Tebow isn't going to be on the Bachelor.  Those rose ceremonies with Skip Bayless and 24 bloodthirsty women would have been priceless.

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ESPN's SportsNation is at it again, and in response to last year's 32 player tournament, will be holding a 64 player tournament to determine the cover athlete of Madden NFL 13, due out later this summer. The tournament will feature two players from each of the 32 NFL teams going at it in the first round, with a bracket that I believe will be organized by division and conference, but nothing appears to be official yet.

Last year's cover athlete, as decided by SportsNation fans, was running back Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns, a bizarre selection seeing as how the only category he led the league in was fumbles in 2010. The "Madden Curse" (in which every player who is put on the cover of Madden struggles the next season) was upheld, as Hillis ran for just 587 yards, scored only three touchdowns, and was recently involved in a strange CIA rumor.

The full list of first round matchups hasn't been released by the SportsNation crew yet and are slowly being rolled out to make this as long and arduous as possible. Some of the announced competitors are strange. The Patriots choices are Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker. No Tom Brady? A pair of specialists (Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski) represent Oakland. No love for Darren McFadden? Also, could you imagine a kicker on the cover of Madden? That would be pretty jarring. The choices for the Rams are Brandon Lloyd and Chris Long. No Sam Bradford or Steven Jackson, the two biggest stars on the team? In the quarterback-laden NFC East, the only QB among the final eight is Michael Vick. Eli Manning and Tony Romo are both AWOL.

Remember when Madden covers actually meant something, as opposed to the shameless popularity contest that it's turned into now? Just go back to sticking John and his bushy eyebrows on the cover. It wouldn't be as flashy as the current covers, but you'd remove the risk of the Madden curse. Unless of course, Madden fell down some stairs and broke his hip.

For the full list of annouced entrants thus far, check out ESPN's game blog here. Here's the SportsNation Madden page. Voting begins on March 7th.

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The Madness is here!  Championship Week is already underway with these eight teams already clinching a berth in the Big Dance:

Belmont, Creighton, Davidson, Loyola (MD), Murray State, St. Mary's, UNC Asheville, VCU

The first of the power conferences get their tournaments underway today including one of my favorite events in all of sports, the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.  It's one of the best weeks in the entire sports calendar, so take it all in.  Here's your announcing schedule taking you all the way to the Selection Show on CBS this Sunday at 6 PM ET.

Tuesday March 6

Big East Conference First Round

DePaul vs Connecticut  (ESPN2, noon) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Andy Katz

Pittsburgh @ St. John (ESPN2, 2:30PM) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Andy Katz

Providence vs Seton Hall (ESPNU 7PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Andy Katz

Villanova vs Rutgers (ESPNU 9:30PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Andy Katz

Big Sky Conference Semifinals

Weber State vs. Portland State (Altitude 7:30PM) Rich Winter, Jay McMillian

Montana vs. Eastern Washington (Altitude 10PM) Rich Winter, Jay McMillian

Horizon League Final: Detroit @ Valparaiso (ESPN 9PM) Mark Jones, Stephen Bardo

Sun Belt Conference Final: North Texas vs Western Kentucky (ESPN2 7:00) Adam Amin, Mark Adams

Summit League Conference Final: Western Illinois vs South Dakota State (ESPN 9PM) Clay Matvick, Bob Valvano

Pennsylvania @ Princeton* (ESPN3 7:30) Scott Graham, John Celestand

*Penn win forces one game playoff versus Harvard Saturday Night for Ivy League bid.

Wednesday March 7

Big East Conference Second Round

West Virginia vs. DePaul/UConn (ESPN Noon) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Beth Mowins

Georgetown vs Pittsburgh/St. John’s ESPN 2:30PM) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Beth Mowins

Louisville vs. Providence/Seton Hall ESPN 7PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Beth Mowins

South Florida vs. Villanova/Rutgers ESPN 9:30PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Beth Mowins

Big 12 Conference First Round

Oklahoma vs Texas A&M (Big 12 Net 7PM) Dave Armstrong, Reid Gettys

Oklahoma State vs Texas Tech (Big 12 Net 7PM) Dave Armstrong, Reid Gettys 

Big Sky Conference Final: Montana/EWash vs Weber St/ Port St (ESPN2 9PM) Roxy Bernstein, Miles Simon

Conference USA First Round

Rice vs East Carolina (CSS 1PM) Greg Gaston, Brian Oliver

Marshall vs Southern Methodist (CSS 3:30PM) Greg Gaston, Brian Oliver

Texas-El Paso vs Houston (CSS 7:30PM) Matt Stewart, Shane Power

Alabama-Birmingham vs Tulane (CSS 10PM) Matt Stewart, Shane Power

Northeast Conference Final: Long Island University vs Robert Morris (ESPN2 7PM) Jon Sciambi, Tim Welsh 

Pacific 12 Conference First Round

Washington State vs Oregon State (FSN 3PM) Kevin Calabro, Don MacLean

UCLA vs USC (FSN 5:30PM) Kevin Calabro, Don MacLean

Stanford vs Arizona State (FSN 9PM) Steve Physioc, Marques Johnson, Rebecca Haarlow

Colorado vs Utah (FSN 11:30PM) Steve Physioc, Marques Johnson, Rebecca Haarlow

Patriot League Conference Final: Bucknell vs Lehigh (CBSN 7PM) Bob Socci and Vince Curran

Thursday March 8

Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament - First Round

Maryland v Wake Forest (ESPNU 12PM) Dan Shulman, Fran Fraschilla, Jeannine Edwards

North Carolina St. vs. Boston College (ESPNU 2PM) Dan Shulman, Fran Fraschilla, Jeannine Edwards

Clemson vs. Virginia Tech (ESPNU 7PM) Mike Patrick, Len Elmore, Jeannine Edwards

Miami vs. Georgia Tech (ESPNU 9PM) Mike Patrick, Len Elmore, Jeannine Edwards

Big Ten Tournament - First Round 

Iowa vs Illinois (BTN 11:30AM) Gus Johnson, Shon Morris

Indiana vs Penn State (BTN 1:30PM) Gus Johnson, Shon Morris

Northwestern vs Minnesota(ESPN2 5:30PM) Dave O'Brien, Dan Dakich

Purdue vs Nebraska (ESPN2 7:30PM) Dave O'Brien, Dan Dakich

Big 12 Conference Tournament - Quarterfinals

Baylor vs Kansas State (ESPN2 12:30PM) Brent Musburger, Bob Knight, Holly Rowe

Kansas vs Oklahoma/Texas A&M (ESPN2 3PM) Brent Musburger, Bob Knight, Holly Rowe

Missouri vs Oklahoma State/Texas Tech (Big12 Net/ESPN3 7PM) Dave Armstrong, Reid Gettys, Holly Rowe

Iowa State vs Texas (Big12 Net/ESPN3 9:30PM) Dave Armstrong, Reid Gettys, Holly Rowe

Big East Conference Tournament - Quarterfinals

Syracuse vs. West Virginia/DePaul/UConn (ESPN 12PM) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Beth Mowins

Cincinnati vs. Georgetown/Pittsburgh/St. Johns (ESPN 2PM) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Beth Mowins

Marquette vs. Louisville/Providence/Seton Hall (ESPN 7PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Beth Mowins

Notre Dame vs. South Florida/Villanova/Rutgers (ESPN 9PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Beth Mowins 

Conference USA Conference Tournament - Quarterfinals

Southern Mississippi vs. Rice/East Carolina (CBSSN 1PM) Roger Twibell, Wally Szcerbiak

Tulsa vs. Marshall/SMU (CBSSN 3:30PM) Roger Twibell, Wally Szcerbiak

Memphis vs. UTEP/Houston (CBSSN 7:30PM) Dave Ryan, Pete Gillen

Central Florida vs. UAB/Tulane (CBSSN 10PM) Dave Ryan, Pete Gillen

Pacific 12 Conference Tournament - Quarterfinals

Washington vs Wash St/Oregon St (FSN3PM) TBA

Arizona vs UCLA/USC (FSN 5:30PM) TBA

California vs Stanford/Arizona St (FSN 9PM) TBA

Oregon vs Colorado/Utah (FSN 11:30PM) TBA 

Mountain West Conference Tournament Quarterfinals

San Diego State vs Boise State (mtn 3PM) Rich Cellini, Joe Cravens

Colorado State vs TCU (CBSSN/mtn 5:30PM) Rich Cellini, Joe Cravens

New Mexico vs Air Force (mtn 9PM) Ari Wolfe, Blaine Fowler

UNLV vs Wyoming (CBSSN/mtn 11:30PM) Ari Wolfe, Blaine Fowler (CBSSN Joined in Progress)

Southeastern Conference Tournament First Round

LSU vs Arkansas (SEC Net/ESPN3 1PM) TBA

Alabama vs South Carolina (SEC Net/ESPN3 3:30PM) TBA

Mississippi vs Auburn (SEC Net/ESPN3 7:30PM) Dave Neal, Kara Lawson

Mississippi State vs Georgia (SEC Net/ESPN3 10PM) Dave Neal, Kara Lawson

Southland Conference Semifinals (STO 9PM/11:30PM) TBA

Friday March 9

Big Ten Conference Quarterfinals

Michigan State vs. Iowa/Illinois(ESPN 12PM) Dave O'Brien, Dan Dakich

Wisconsin vs. Indiana/Penn State (ESPN 2PM) Dave O'Brien, Dan Dakich

Michigan vs. Northwestern/Minnesota (BTN 6:30PM) Gus Johnson, Shon Morris

Ohio State vs. Purdue/Nebraska (BTN 8:30PM) Gus Johnson, Shon Morris 

Atlantic Coast Conference Quarterfinals

North Carolina vs MD/WF (ESPN2 12PM) Dan Shulman, Fran Fraschilla, Jeannine Edwards

Virginia vs NCST/BC (ESPN2 2PM) Dan Shulman, Fran Fraschilla, Jeannine Edwards

Duke vs CLM/VT (ESPN2 7PM) Mike Patrick, Len Elmore, Jeannine Edwards

Florida State vs MIA/GT (ESPN2 9PM) Mike Patrick, Len Elmore, Jeannine Edwards

Atlantic 10 Conference Quarterfinals

Temple vs. UMass/Duquense (A10 Net 12PM) TBA

St. Bonaventure vs. St. Joseph’s/Charlotte (A10 Net 2:30PM) TBA

St. Louis vs. LaSalle/Richmond (A-10 Net 6:30PM) TBA

Xavier vs. Dayton/George Washington (A-10 Net 9PM) TBA

Southeastern Conference Quarterfinals

Kentucky vs. LSU/Arkansas (SEC Net/ESPN3 1PM) Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Shannon Spake

Florida vs. Alabama/South Carolina(SEC Net/ESPN3 3:30PM) Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Shannon Spake

Tennessee vs. Mississippi/Auburn (SEC Net 7:30PM) TBA

Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State/Georgia (SEC Net 10PM) TBA

Conference USA Conference Semifinals

Semifinal #1 (CBSSN 4PM) Roger Twibell, Wally Szcerbiak

Semifinal #2 (CBSSN 6:30PM) Dave Ryan, Pete Gillen

Big East Conference Semifinals (ESPN 7PM/9PM) Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas, Bill Raftery, Doris Burke

Big 12 Conference Semifinals (ESPNU 7:30PM/10PM) Brent Musburger, Bob Knight

Pac 12 Conference Semifinals (FSN 9PM/11:30PM) 

Mountain West Conference Semifinals (CBSSN 9PM/11:30PM) Todd Harris, Steve Lappas

Western Athletic Conference Semifinals (WAC Net 9PM/11:30PM)

Big West Conference Semifinals (ESPN3 9:30PM/11:59PM) Mark Jones, Miles Simon

Saturday March 10

America East Conference Final: Vermont vs Stony Brook (ESPN2 11AM) TBA, LaPhonso Ellis 

Conference USA Conference Final (CBS 11:30AM) TBA

Southeastern Conference Semifinals (ABC 1PM/3:30PM) Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Shannon Spake 

Atlantic Coast Conference Semifinals (ESPN 1PM/3:30PM) Dan Shulman, L.Elmore or D.Vitale, Erin Andrews

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Final (ESPN2 1PM) Justin Kutcher, Stephen Howard

Atlantic 10 Conference Semifinals (CBSSN 1PM/3:30PM) James Bates, Steve Wolf

Big Ten Conference Semifinals (CBS 1:30PM/4PM) TBA

Southland Conference Final (ESPN2 3PM) Carter Blackburn, Dereck Whittenberg

Pacific 12 Conference Final (CBS 6PM) TBA

Big 12 Conference Final (ESPN 6PM) Brent Musburger, Bob Knight, Holly Rowe

Mountain West Conference Final (NBCSN 7PM) TBA,Blaine Fowler

Mid-American Conference Final (ESPN2 8PM) Bob Wischusen, Stephen Bardo

Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Final (ESPNU 8PM) TBA

Big East Conference Final (ESPN 9PM) Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Doris Burke

Big West Conference Final (ESPN2 10PM) Mark Jones, Miles Simon

Western Athletic Conference Final (ESPN2 11:59PM) Dave Flemming, Sean Farnham

Sunday March 11

Southeastern Conference Final (ABC 1PM) Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Shannon Spake

Atlantic 10 Conference Final (CBS 1PM) TBA

Atlantic Coast Conference Final (ESPN 1PM) Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale, Erin Andrews

Big Ten Conference Final (CBS 3PM) TBA

NCAA Tournament Selection Show (CBS 6PM)

H/T Sammy!

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I'm a little torn about the rise of Tim Kurkijan impersonations. I do a pretty good one myself and have had it in my back pocket for over a decade. It's brought me fame, fortune, and women that even Wilt Chamberlain would be jealous of. But alas, all of this occured in a pre social media world and now, I can barely book a Bar Mitzvah or fantasy draft for a measly $10 appearance.

First there was Toronto Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia to offer his best Tim Kurkjian impression.  The newest Kurkjianite to be added to the fray is Rays second baseman/shortstop Elliot Johnson. The advantage of being legitimately famous as major league baseball players leads to many wanna-be impressionists with results varying widely.  But with the promotion of Baseball Tonight and the blessing of the nasally legend himself, the two have gone what the kids call these days "viral" with their Kurkjian impersonations. 

Below is Johnson's effort and while it is pretty good, I tend to favor Arencibia's as he was a bit more animated.  

 

Here is Arencibia's for comparison. Arencibia seemed to mimic the body language a bit more accurately and was more entertaining overall.

Who do you think does a better Kurkijan?

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Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres had a shutout near the end of the second period in the Sabres game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. CSN Bay Area announcers Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda then break ANNOUNCER CODE (GASP!) and start talking about jinxing shutouts, a tenet that is also revered in the MLB during no-hitters. What do they segue their talk about jinxes into?

An extended jinx of Miller, saying shutout every two seconds. I'm sure this irritated any Sabres fans that were watching the home team's feed, but you know what? The shutout jinx is an absolutely crazy broadcaster superstition. It's almost like a game on its own, trying to describe what's going on in the game without mentioning the major storyline of the game. It's almost like a political pundit tiptoeing around a major policy gaffe without acknowledging it at all. Hearing two announcers talk about it and mock the superstition is actually refreshing.

For the record, the Sabres won the game 1-0 to give Miller his shutout. Hopefully no Sharks fans blamed the announcers.

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Do you like your sports highlights shows infused with poetry? Nope? Tough because Stu Scott just went all Stu Scott last night during the Kentucky vs. Florida highlights.

"Blocks the shot like a track star on the clock. Leads the break, kid Gilchrist can't finish but witness the vibe of Anthony Davis."

So, that just happened. Did any of you get that cool-jazzy old school renaissance feeling from that clip like Stu Scott suggested? Yeah, I didn't either. I'm sure we all also enjoyed the actual highlights of the game relegated to a smaller screen so we could fit Stu Scott's dome on the screen for the entirety of the clip as well.

I enjoy when the anchors on SportsCenter show a bit of their personalities during the highlights, but it's absurd when they try to upstage the real star of the show, the sports. SportsCenter, lets think twice next time you are thinking about rolling out the fog machine so an anchor can give us sports highlights.

Legendary Hockey Night in Canada star Don Cherry was at it again on Saturday. Cherry actually made a solid point about the Toronto Maple Leafs, saying that every team in the NHL had at least one player from Ontario... aside from Ontario's biggest team, the Leafs, who seem to be loaded with American players in the mold of their general manager, Brian Burke.

Cherry then makes some pretty strong allegations that Burke tried to get him fired from his job at CBC, and then proceeds to taunt him, demanding that he try to fire him. Of course, we all know that there's no way in hell that CBC would be crazy enough to fire Cherry, the face of their hockey coverage.

This was a pretty vicious rant towards one of the most popular teams in the country. Could you imagine if Vin Scully hopped on a soapbox during a Dodgers broadcast and started going off on Ned Coletti and his fetish towards slap hitting middle infielders? It's madness, and part of the reason why Cherry is such a Canadian icon. For the record, I think the points he made were actually pretty valid. Imagine if the New York Yankees were all internationally born players and they didn't make the playoffs for three straight years. Even though the hypothetical may not resonate in the same way, I really doubt that would go over very well in the mainstream.

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Monday March 5

Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA TV 8PM) Local Broadcast

Tuesday March 6

New York Knicks @ Dallas Mavericks (NBA TV 8:30PM) Rick Kamla, Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber

Wednesday March 7

Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat (NBA TV 7:30PM) Local Broadcast

Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors (NBA TV 10:30PM) Local Broadcast

Thursday March 8

Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls (TNT 8PM) Kevin Harlan, Mike Fratello

Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns (TNT 10:30PM) Dick Stockton, Chris Webber

Friday March 9

Utah Jazz @ Philadelphia 76ers (NBA TV 7PM) Local Broadcast

Dallas Mavericks @ Sacramento Kings (NBA TV 10PM) Local Broadcast

Saturday March 10

New Orleans Hornets @ Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA TV 8PM) Local Broadcast

Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors (NBA TV 10:30PM) Local Broadcast

Sunday March 11

Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks (NBA TV Noon) Local Broadcast

Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles Lakers (ABC 3:30PM) Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy

H/T Sammy!

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Fox's Joe Buck is once again taking a venture outside the broadcast booth.  The play by play man is notable for his enormous flop that was Joe Buck Live in his attempt to cross over into late night television.  Buck's newest venture seems to be a bit better fit for the sportscaster - hosting a radio show in his native St. Louis.  Joe Buck will be on from 1-3 CT this week co-hosting a show with current host Tim McKernan.  In news that may cause you to have Artie Lange flashbacks, the show will mix sports, entertainment, and anything in between.  Here's the details from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

After the trial period, the idea is to point the show toward a podcast, perhaps three times a week. A longer term possibility is radio syndication, and Buck is eager for the new venture.

"I want to do it with nobody overseeing it and being my own boss with Tim," Buck said. "It’s going to be measured on who wants to hear it. I’m excited to see where it goes. It’s not going to be hard-core sports, and it’s certainly not going to be hard-core entertainment. It’s going to be something in the middle.’’

And if a podcast materializes, perhaps three times a week, there is a lot of flexibility in scheduling for that.

"The beauty of doing it with Tim is that if there is a time I’m not available to do it or am not up for doing it, he can carry it,’’ Buck said. "I built a studio in my house, so there are ways I can do interviews from my basement whenever it works for whoever the guest may be and I can feed that in. Not that the world needs another podcast, but I’m excited to get on there and just talk freely with whoever we have on.’’

Interestingly, Buck also decries his Joe Buck Live experience later in the article saying that he never got to show his personality there and it was a bad fit for both him and HBO.  The Joe Buck Podcast looks like a certainty at this point... why else would you build a studio in your own house?  That's not like putting a pool or a putting green in your backyard for your own leisure.  For what it's worth, the radio show is another medium for more people to see more of Joe Buck's actually existant personality.  Ever since he joined Twitter and began interacting with followers, Buck has turned over a new leaf with many fans.  His work in the NFL Playoffs was widely praised as enthusiastic and excitable.  While it's not likely the local radio show in St. Louis will resonate with fans nationwide, a podcast in the vein of Rich Eisen very likely will.  

One element that may raise eyebrows is the entertainment/sports mix.  The first guest list for today's show proves just that with Jared Allen, Charlie Sheen, and Howie Long scheduled to appear.  Yes, evidently people are still interested in hearing what Charlie Sheen has to say.  Everyone from Kate Upton to Michael Strahan to Paul Rudd are also mentioned as future guests.  Basically, Joe Buck is launching the radio show/podcast version of Grantland.  I can't wait till he spends a whole episode on The Wire.

(via stltoday)

James Brown is one of the most respected individuals in the sports media.  From his time on NFL pregame shows to Inside the NFL and his work as a play by play man, Brown has built a lengthy career working in sports.  His distinguished career in broadcasting has been recognized by his current employer as it was announced JB is joining CBS News as a Special Correspondent.  Here's what CBS News execs had to say about having Brown join their team:

“James Brown is among the very best in our business,” said Fager. “He is a fixture at CBS Sports and will be a great addition to CBS News because of his abilities, and because he also happens to be a great human being.”

“Audiences know JB as the face of THE NFL TODAY and other sports broadcasts — what they may not know is his curiosity about the news,” said Rhodes. “His wide-ranging interests from sports to faith to community service will be great assets to CBS News and to our viewers.”

Only a few sportscasters have crossed over into the news division on their network.  Bob Costas comes to mind as one recent example with his notable Jerry Sandusky interview on Brian Williams' Rock Center.  JB certainly has the resume, prestige, and talent to do the same.  CBS says Brown will do original reporting across the news division at CBS, so you can expect to see stories on shows such as the CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes.  Brown isn't a complete stranger to the news division as he interviewed Michael Vick for 60 Minutes in 2009.  

Joining CBS News is quite the recognition for JB, whose heavier work may be lost on some that just know him from the laugh factory of NFL pregame shows.  Brown made his first appearance for CBS News co-hosting their Saturday morning show this weekend, and judging from this short clip, filled the role seamlessly.