Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the Kings and Blackhawks on Saturday night drew a 2.9 overnight rating, the best ever for a Conference Final on NBC. Once again, the NHL managed to top MLB in primetime, with the Kings-Blackhawks game picking up 3.32 million viewers, a 2.9 overnight rating,  and a 1.1 overnight rating in the 18-49 demo, while Fox's slate of MLB games drew 3.21 million viewers and a 0.7 overnight rating in the 18-49 demo. (UPDATE: MLB actually outrated the NHL in total overnight rating 3.2 to 2.9).

The Western Conference Final was slightly down compared to Game 1 of the Bruins-Penguins Eastern Conference Final last Saturday, which drew 3.43 million viewers and a 1.2 in the 18-49 demo. Once again, MLB's viewership and ratings were flat compared to last week for a slate that was highlighted by the Angels-Red Sox in the northeast and west coast and the Reds-Cardinals in the midwest and south. 

NBC televises the single best sports product on television - Sunday Night Football.  It's the most watched, the most respected, the best announced, the best produced, and even presents the best studio coverage.  It's the pinnacle of live sports television.  

That's why it's so perplexing the same network also continues to botch live coverage of sporting events that takes viewers around the country to a time and place where you had to get up out of your chair and turn a dial to adjust the volume on your television sets.

The #NBCFail hashtag was one of the biggest stories of the London Olympics last Summer when NBC decided against showing many events live, preserving them for their primetime broadcast window instead.  NBC was ripped from coast to coast for their inability and unwillingness to show events live on television in an information age that not only demands it, but necessitates it.  NBC did offer events live through online streaming, but buffering problems were rampant and premier streams were often unbearable to watch.

During the most climactic moments of this year's French Open, NBC's controversial live events policy once again reared its ugly head as the network couldn't figure out whether they wanted to commit to showing live sports or Al Roker.  The peacock disregarded showing Friday morning French Open coverage live to the entire country in a confusing, confounding series of events that left scores of tennis fans holding the bucket for Matt Lauer and company once again.

Here is an amazing clip from Sunday's Dodgers-Braves game where comedian and voice actor Hank Azaria announces the Dodgers starting lineup as three different characters from The Simpsons.  Azaria seamlessly rolls through Moe, Apu, and Chief Wiggum just like you would hear them in Springfield, even throwing in Moe the Bartender's attempted pronounciation of Yasiel Puig's name.  (If only he could have thrown in a "Seymour Butts" reference too.)

There's a few things that bug me about this clip though - A) The TOTAL lack of fan reaction to the brilliance on display.  Are there that few people there at Dodger Stadium or are they just totally oblivious to classic television characters coming alive before their eyes?  B) The tense string music can probably be saved for the Miami Heat's pregame introduction.  And C) Police Chief "Wiggins?"  C'mon Dodgers PA guy.  Hopefully next time Hank Azaria takes the field he gets more respect than Frank Grimes.

[MLB.com]

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During the Conference Finals it was Justin Bieber's leather shirt and chains that captivated... and terrified the nation.  Tonight during Game 2 of the NBA Finals, CBS's Shannon Sharpe takes the award for loudest and most thought provoking outfit with this bright pink suit and purple bowtie.  The obvious question is why don't we see this on The NFL Today?

At least we know if there's a power outage at some point during Game 3 the broadcast will be in good hands.

Or not.

[via cjzero]

Teams are getting more and more creative with marketing opportunities to draw fans in during the offseason now, aren't they?  Get your tickets now while they're still available, this is one event Flyers fans will be sure not to miss!  Nothing like competitive defecation to build excitement for next season.

[@NHLFlyers]

On Thursday, Deadspin rehashed the mostly non-sexual yet still bizarre relationship between Steve Phillips and Brooke Hundley that brought about massive changes (on the surface at least) at ESPN.

Phillips, a baseball analyst, and Hundley, a production assistant, had an odd, yet grossly inappropriate relationship that ended both their careers at the WWL.

They met during the 2009 All-Star game in St. Louis and shared a kiss in a hotel lobby. As John Koblin at Deadspin recaps:

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College Baseball
NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
Super Regionals

Chapel Hill Super Regional, Chapel Hill, NC
Game 2: South Carolina vs. North Carolina -- ESPN, 1 p.m.

Tallahassee Super Regional, Tallahassee, FL
Game 2: Florida State vs. Indiana -- ESPNU, 1 p.m.

Nashville Super Regional, Nashville, TN
Game 2: Vanderbilt vs. Louisville -- ESPN, 4 p.m.

Raleigh Super Regional, Raleigh, NC
Game 2: Rice vs. North Carolina State -- ESPNU, 4 p.m.

Baton Rouge Super Regional, Baton Rouge, LA
Game 3: Oklahoma vs. LSU -- ESPN2, 7 p.m. (if necessary)

Charlottesville Super Regional, Charlottesville, VA
Game 2: Virginia vs. Mississippi State -- ESPNU, 7 p.m.

Corvallis Super Regional, Corvallis, OR
Game 2: Oregon State vs. Kansas State -- ESPNU, 10 p.m.

Fullerton Super Regional, Fullerton, CA
Game 3: UCLA vs. Cal State-Fullerton -- ESPN2, 10  p.m. (if necessary)

The Boston Bruins completed their sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday night to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.  One of the lasting images of the series was Boston forward Gregory Campbell having his leg broken on a shot by Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin during Game 3 and finishing his shift.  

It was a moment that embodied the toughness of hockey players.  

A moment that inspired Boston Bruins announcer Jack Edwards to once again take a leap into an alternative dimension.

September 14 is one of those dates that college football fans already have circled on their calendars. That’s the day when the defending national champions from Alabama travel to College Station, Texas, seeking revenge against Texas A&M for the Crimson Tide’s lone loss of 2012. Imagine the millions of eyeballs that will be glued to CBS that afternoon.

Looking over the rest of the schedule, the day’s second-best game is probably going down in the Lone Star State, too. Up-and-coming Ole Miss and treading-water Texas will tussle in Austin that evening. You probably won’t get to watch it.

The Big 12 announced on Tuesday that the Ole Miss-Texas game will air in primetime on the little-seen Longhorn Network. The reaction in SEC country was incredulous.