Is Michael Vick in trouble? ESPN show could prove a problem.

Bob Ley and the Outside the Lines crew have linked Michael Vick to dog
fighting.

Here is an excerpt from today's show:
Focus on Dog Fighting;

Informant Claims Michael Vick is Involved

ESPN's Outside the Lines examined illegal dog fighting on today's
9:30 a.m. ET program. In the piece, reporter Kelly Naqi spoke to a
confidential police informant who has helped investigators make dozens
of arrests. He told Naqi that the year before Atlanta Falcons
quarterback Michael Vick entered the NFL (2001), one of his dogs fought
one of Vick's dogs, and that Vick is involved in dog fighting.

David Hunt, a dog fighting investigator whose congressional testimony
last May helped make dog fighting a federal felony, said of the
informant: "He's extremely reliable. Information that he's provided me
has resulted in the arrest of several individuals over the past few
years, numerous search warrants, as well as convictions."

From today's Outside the Lines in ESPN:

KELLY NAQI: "How many professional athletes are involved in dog
fighting?"

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT: "All around the country, just to give a rough
estimate, 20 or 30… Football players are basically, you know, in it."

KN: "Who?"

CI: "Michael, I've seen Vick in there." 

KN: "You've seen Michael Vick at dog fights?" 

CI: "We have beat him back in 2000, yes." 

KN: "What was Michael's involvement at this dogfight?" 
CI: "Michael was not in the pit, okay? Michael's thing was he came
with all of the money… He was betting with everybody. I would say at
the fight, there was maybe 20 people there. He was betting on his
animal."

KN: "So then what happened after that?"

CI: "Then you turn the dogs loose and the dogs lock up. I think the
fight went 40-something minutes and then it was over with."

KN: "Who won?"

CI: "I won."

KN: "How deep into dog fighting is Michael Vick?"

CI: "He's a pit bull fighter, it's not about how deep you are, if
you're this deep or you're that deep. He's a pit bull fighter."

KN: "What does that mean?"

CI: "He likes to fight dogs." 

KN: "What's his reputation?"

CI: "He brings a good dog and he's going to bet and he's going to
bring a nice sum of cash."

CI: "He's one of the ones that they call the big boys. That's who
bets a large dollar. And they have the money to bet large money. As
I'm talking about large money, 30 to 40 thousand, even higher. He's
one of the heavyweights." 

KN: "Michael Vick is?"

CI: "He's one of the heavyweights, yes."

KN: "How do you know that?"

CI: "Because I've seen it. "

From Jim Williams sent via T-Mobile Blackberry

Former Hoya Williams at home on NBA TV
By – Jim Williams
The Examiner

PREVIEW OF SATURDAY'S COLUMN

Former Georgetown great Jerome Williams has found a home on NBA TV as color analyst for the NBA Playoffs.

Williams is a natural and a great addition to an already strong cast of analysts.

He loves his role and gets to join another former Georgetown great Patrick Ewing on the NBA TV playoffs coverage. I spoke to him this week about the playoffs and also the success of his Alma matter.

Williams on how the inside game has changed. ‘The battle of the big men in the NBA is gone at least for the moment. We have a far more wide open game where we see power forwards playing in the center role. The Mavs Dirk Nowitzki is a prime example of that change in roles. The other big thing we are seeing in the playoffs is the stars coming to play, look at what the Baltimore-Washington duo of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson did to steal game one for the Nuggets over the Spurs, having the stars show brightly in the playoffs is what makes the NBA so great at this time of year.’

Williams on his participation in ‘Basketball without boarders:’ ‘I have been all over the world and it is amazing where you find kids playing. I saw young kids in Africa playing on the hard ground and playing with the same love and knowledge of the game as you would see on any play ground here in the US. It was very exciting.’

Williams on the return of Georgetown to a national power: ‘the most fun I had watching the Hoyas this year was sitting next to Patrick Ewing, I can tell you it was a real joy seeing those kids playing so well and bringing Georgetown back to a national power. It was almost as much fun listening to Patrick the parent cheering on his son that was special.’

Williams is a great addition to an already star studded cast making NBA TV must see TV for pro hoop fans from now till a champion is crowned. The channel can be seen on Comcast and Cox digital cable.

NBA TV will present NBA Vault: The Playoffs, an hour-long special that will look at many of the greatest postseason plays and moments in NBA history on Monday, April 30 at 7 p.m.

Hosted by Rick Kamla, this ultimate highlight show will introduce Top 10 lists in categories such as Playoff Upsets, Dunks, Buzzer Beaters and Blocks as well as the Top 10 playoff moments by players such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Here is a preview of the Buzzer Beaters segment:

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbae_rough/buzzer_beaters_rough.asx

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Sports
The NFL draft: One big non-event

Jim Williams, The Examiner
Apr 27, 2007 3:00 AM (3 hrs ago)
Current rank: #5 of 5,961
BALTIMORE - For 28 years, ESPN has made the NFL draft an event. It’s hard to believe that a glorified roll call has morphed into the unofficial start to the NFL season.

The ratings for the show have never been better. It is ESPN’s highest-rated non-play-by-play sport. Yes, there are trades and interesting roster moves, but a show that lasts 18 hours over the course of two days still boils down to a team handing a card to a league official who then makes an announcement.

Somehow, this has become must-see TV. This weekend, ESPN will have their A-team on hand once again with the two most recognizable draft fixtures: host Chris Berman and Mel Kiper Jr. The network will also debut the new Monday Night Football booth trio of Mike Tirico, Tony Kornheiser and newcomer Ron Jaworski, who will be on hand to add their takes on the draft.

While ESPN put the NFL draft on the map, it is the NFL Network that is gaining fans each year by offering a very compelling alternative for viewers. On Saturday, the network will air “Setting Sail with Joe Thomas.” While most elite prospects will be in New York awaiting their name to be called, Thomas, the heralded offensive lineman from Wisconsin, will spend Saturday fishing on a lake in that state. NFL Network will have the only camera on the boat to document Thomas’ reaction when he is selected.

The NFL Network will also air various features this weekend:

• Will Ferrell and Ryan Kalil — A comedic feature with actor Ferrell and Southern Cal prospect Kalil. Ferrell plays “Chuck Berry,” a USC “auxiliary strength and conditioning coach,” who helps Kalil prepare for the 2007 draft using his own unique and unconventional methods. Also contributing in the feature are USC coach Pete Carroll and former USC quarterback Matt Leinart.

• “FanCam” — NFL Network will have a confessional booth for fans in attendance to analyze the picks made by their favorite team. The most compelling “confessions” may be used during the telecast.

ESPN and the NFL Network will have all the angles covered. And locally on the radio, SIRIUS NFL Radio, ESPN and Fox Sports Radio will offer wall-to-wall coverage of the biggest non-event in sports.

Contact Jim Williams at jwilliamsexaminer@gmail.com.
Examiner

We are all part of Hokie Nation
Jim Williams, The Examiner
Apr 19, 2007 3:00 AM (5 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 10 of 5,749

WASHINGTON - I have done nearly 20 events at Virginia Tech over the years. The campus, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has always been one of my favorite places to do a telecast. What happened this week at Virginia Tech was such a mind-numbing tragedy that it made news worldwide and the entire college world became part of Hokie Nation.

The maroon and orange colors of Virginia Tech have been seen in newspapers from Washington, D.C. to Sydney and the pain was honest and palpable. But at the same time, so was the sense of community.

The enthusiasm, passion and tradition of college athletics make covering college sports far more appealing to many broadcasters than doing the pros. I have covered Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Playoffs and the Stanley Cup — but there is nothing like college sports.

Walking a college campus is something sports broadcasters all love to do when on site for a game. I know that CBS’ Verne Lundquist likes to jog around campus early in the morning and talk to students.

You can find ESPN’s Bonnie Bernstein at the campus book store looking for something special to add to her vast collection of college items.

Students love to talk sports and are passionate about their schools. Being on campus at places like Virginia Tech has made ESPN College GameDay’s remote broadcasts popular not only to the fans, but even to the broadcasters, like Lee Corso, who enjoy feeding off the crowd.

I spoke to a number of college sports broadcasters this week and they all felt the pain of Hokie Nation.

They know that as horrific a story this is, that Virginia Tech — with its wonderful sense of community — will survive this terrible tragedy.

It will take time and they will need our help, but in time Hokie Nation will fill up Lane Stadium this fall and cheer on coach Frank Beamer and the football team.

Until then, let’s take a moment to think about Hokie Nation.

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer.
Examiner

NBA commissioner David Stern had plenty to talk about with the playoffs beginning tomorrow.

Jim Williams, The Examiner
Apr 18, 2007 3:00 AM (7 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 16 of 5,608
BALTIMORE - On the eve of the NBA playoffs, commissioner David Stern was excited about such an open field with so many teams claiming a real chance to win the title. But with a global product that is exceeded only by soccer and a television concept that has been adopted by the NHL, Major League Baseball and, yes, even the NFL have learned something from Stern.

So while playoffs are on his mind, I could not help but explore a few other topics when I spoke to Stern on a conference call from his New York office last week.

Stern on other leagues using his concept for their new TV deals: “We felt that moving the majority of our games to cable made the most sense for us in the long run and would give our fans options they would not have anywhere else. Our partners, Turner Sports and ESPN/ABC/Disney, along with NBATV — the first league-owned, 24/7/365 channel dedicated to NBA programming — has given our fans a chance to see every player and every team in our league over the course of a season.

“The result has been an educated group of fans who not only know our star players, but they know our teams. I think that the NHL and more recently MLB understand that our template works well, and we are flattered that they followed our plan. We also think that the NFL saw how NBATV became a destination not only for our fans, but for many of our players.

“We televised more than 80 regular-season games this year and games from the European leagues, giving our fans a peek at some future stars. It is exactly what the NFL Network is doing successfully with their channel.”

Stern on the NBA going global: “When we took the original Dream Team to the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992, our true goal was to expand the NBA brand. We now have more than 20 percent of our players coming from other countries. NBATV is seen in nearly 100 counties worldwide, and the game on a world scale has never been healthier. Our stars are the world's stars, and you can see NBA gear on kids from China to Africa. I think we are on the right global path.”

There’s plenty of playoff action this weekend, starting this weekend with Comcast SportsNet following the Wizards. ESPN and TNT also will have a full slate of games also. And all playoff games can be head on SIRIUS.

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. E-mail him at jwilliamsexaminer@gmail.com.
Examiner

What would Jackie do?
By – Jim Williams
The Examiner

This week as ESPN gets ready to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier as part of the Sunday Night Baseball at 8pm when San Diego travels up the freeway to face the Dodgers.

ESPN baseball analyst Dusty Baker who is building a new home in the Bay Area took time to talk to me about the three people who taught him the most about Jackie Robinson.

His father who taught him the importance Robinson's dedication to education, Jim Gilliam gave him the Dodgers view of Robinson and how he gained the respect of his teammates and lastly the doctorate he got from his time as a teammate of Hank Aaron in Atlanta.

The phrase that Baker said was the most often used by all who taught him about Robinson was, ‘What would Jackie do?’

Baker on his learning about Jackie Robinson: ‘It began with my father and growing up in Southern California my dad was my baseball coach and he taught me not only what a great athlete Jackie was but more importantly his dedication to doing the right thing, education and always being the better person. When I got to the Dodgers Jim Gilliam took my education of Jackie to another level talking about how Jackie gained the respect of his teammates. After a while many players would not stay in hotels that would not give Jackie equal treatment.’

Dusty on being a teammate of Hank Aaron during the race to break Babe Ruth’s record of 714 homerun’s: ‘Hank took abuse that ranged from taunting to death threats and he always talked about how Jackie handled things. Hank showed me the activist side of Jackie, the man who fought for civil rights and we often met with and talked to Andrew Young, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, and Jesse Jackson. Hank gave me a master level course in Jackie Robinson and a first hand view into black history.’

Dusty on what the players of today need to know: ‘The biggest thing is history. Know about those who came before you. Not just Jackie but Roberto Clemente and now the great Asian players the more we know about all of them the better we will understand the true history of baseball.’

The Stanley Cup Playoffs Cherry Style
By – Jim Williams
The Examiner
Friday April 13,2007

The Caps are not in the playoffs but Washington is still a great hockey town and NHL fans will have plenty to watch starting tonight.

This week the quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup begins and Washington hockey fans are in for a real treat. NBC has decided to add legendary CBC hockey broadcaster Don Cherry to their roster of broadcasters and that is great news.

I spoke to the legend via conference call from Toronto on a number of subjects.
Cherry on who he likes in this years playoffs :

"I think the semifinals, it will be San Jose and Anaheim. I really think that could happen. I like Anaheim for a lot of reasons. I like Selanne. But the reason I like Anaheim is that Giguere has been there before; he's the MVP. In the east, I like Ottawa. If Ottawa doesn't do something this year, there's going to be a lot of guys paying the price, I tell you that. They just cannot choke again. Anaheim and Ottawa."

Cherry on what it will take for NHL ratings in the US to get a boost:

‘You need consistent playoff appearances from Chicago, Boston, LA, Philadelphia, Detroit and the New York area teams. This season you will have all three New York area teams in the playoffs as well as Detroit and that should help but until we see Chicago, LA, and Boston back in that mix you can forget big ratings in the states.’

VERSUS will offer hockey fans first round double headers starting every night this week beginning with the pre game show at 6:30pm with all the games being done in HD and NBC will start their coverage this weekend NBC's playoff coverage begins Saturday at 3 p.m. With Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting the Ottawa Senators. Sunday at 1 p.m Detroit the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, host the Calgary Flames. Also, both NBC and VERSUS will offer puck heads plenty of pre game and post game extra’s on their websites.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs Cherry Style
By – Jim Williams
The Examiner

The Caps are not in the playoffs but Washington is still a great hockey town fans will have plenty to watch starting tonight.

This week the quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup begins and Washington hockey fans are in for a real treat. NBC has decided to add legendary CBC hockey broadcaster Don Cherry to their roster of broadcasters and that is great news.

I spoke to the legend via conference call from Toronto on a number of subjects.
Cherry on who he likes in this years playoffs :

"I think the semifinals, it will be San Jose and Anaheim. I really think that could happen. I like Anaheim for a lot of reasons. I like Selanne. But the reason I like Anaheim is that Giguere has been there before; he's the MVP. In the east, I like Ottawa. If Ottawa doesn't do something this year, there's going to be a lot of guys paying the price, I tell you that. They just cannot choke again. Anaheim and Ottawa."

Cherry on what it will take for NHL ratings in the US to get a boost:

‘You need consistent playoff appearances from Chicago, Boston, LA, Philadelphia, Detroit and the New York area teams. This season you will have all three New York area teams in the playoffs as well as Detroit and that should help but until we see Chicago, LA, and Boston back in that mix you can forget big ratings in the states.’

VERSUS will offer hockey fans first round double headers starting every night this week beginning with the pre game show at 6:30pm with all the games being done in HD and NBC will start their coverage this weekend NBC's playoff coverage begins Saturday at 3 p.m. With Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting the Ottawa Senators, and the Atlanta Thrashers. Sunday at 1 p.m Detroit the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, host the Calgary Flames. Also, both NBC and VERSUS will offer puck heads plenty of pre game and post game extra’s on their websites.

The Sunday Night Baseball Game of The Week on ESPN 8pm this week will feature a tribute to the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball. There will plenty of good features and special guests so it is well worth the look.

MLS-Beckham-ESPN the Perfect Storm
By – Jim Williams
The Examiner
April 6, 2007

This weekend the MLS will open the season when DC United takes on Colorado at 3:30pm this Saturday on ABC but that is just the start what might be the leagues biggest season.

This is the first year that ESPN sports has total control of all MLS telecasts and on July 24th David Beckham will be playing his first game as a member of the LA Galaxy.

According ESPN Scott Guglielmino, Vice President, Programming the network is sold out in advertising for the entire 2007 season. That is something the network can say for only a handful of its properties.

Beckham will bring a large number of casual fans a very large female audience ages between 12 to 30 that will likely be watching their soccer game ever and certainly their first MLS telecast.

So can the network hold this audience and expand on it.

Well Dave O’Brian the lead play by play man feels that things look good for the league and soccer in general.

‘My daughters like tens of thousands of young women play soccer and they have posters all over their rooms of David Beckham. He is a world wide star and we are about to experience what people all over world know and that is David Beckham transcends sports and goes right to rock star status,’ said O’Brian.

‘Our plan is to make sure we give fans a very up close look at all the players in the league thus using the Beckham effect to develop other MLS players into household names and marketable stars,’ stated Tim Scanlan,Senior Coordinating Producer, Remote Production for the network.’

Beginning this season, ESPN will debut MLS Primetime Thursday on ESPN2 – an exclusive weekly primetime window for Major League Soccer telecasts. The new series, presented in high definition, will further show the network’s commitment to soccer that will include more SportsCenter.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage which was just nominated for a 2007 Emmy Award in the ‘Live Special’ category and I asked O’Brian who took a great deal of flack from the hard core soccer fans about his play by play style if the nomination was vindication for him.

‘I think it shows that our goal of brining soccer to all fans was accomplished. I really feel that if this sport is to grow to the status that I believe it can fans want to hear familiar voices doing the games. The same voices they hear on baseball, football and other big events,’ said O’Brian.

Ripken finally comes to TV on TBS
By: Jim Williams
The Examiner
April 5, 2007

As I reported prior to the first of the year Orioles great and Hall of Fame, class of 2007 member Cal Ripken, Jr will be joining the new Turner Sports baseball broadcast team signing a long term deal with the network today.

For five years ESPN, FOX, COMCAST and MASN have all been courting Ripken but the right fit did not come about until Turner Sports made him what he called the ‘The perfect fit.’

Ripken will be joined at Turner by fellow new Hall of Fame member Tony Gwynn.

The duo will be part of the brand new Turner Sports Major League Baseball coverage team for the National and American League Divisional Series as well as the National League Championship Series. They will also work together on the networks Hall of Fame Selection Show July 1st.

I asked Cal if the real reason he took the Turner job was to improve the quality of his legendary pick up basketball games. “Well I have spoken to Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Kenny Smith and they are in so yes it is a perk of the job.’

‘All kidding aside Turner Sports gave me a wonderful chance to be an in studio analyst with a pro like Erie Johnson, Jr, talking baseball and the schedule allows me to continue to be with my family and to oversea my business interests. But I am really looking forward to this new challenge, being a part of Turner Sports during baseball’s jewel events is very exciting and a real thrill, something I can’t wait to be a part for many years to come.”

Ripken will join Ernie Johnson, J.r. as part of a brand new studio pre game show that will patterned after the very successful and popular NBA show. There is a chance that he may do some selected telecast as a game analyst but his main role will be in the studio.

Gwynn becomes the lead analyst with Chip Carey on the TBS game telecasts. The network will be adding other broadcasters to their roster later in the season.

In 2008 TBS will be home to The Sunday Afternoon Game of Week that will see the Super Station drop the Braves to do a complete 26 week package of national telecasts featuring a mixture of the all teams in Major League Baseball.

The team of Ripken and Jonson will handle the pre game studio show but Gwynn who is the head baseball coach at San Diego State is un sure about doing a full season of games and has adopted a wait and see attitude. He did do a full slate of games for ESPN before taking the college coaching job.

KASTEN HAS BIG BROADCASTING PLANS STARTING TODAY

Jim Williams, The Examiner
Apr 2, 2007 3:00 AM (5 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 7 of 20,153
WASHINGTON - It is always a treat talking to Stan Kasten — always up beat, positive and willing to talk about anything Nationals related.

I spoke to him about the state of the team’s broadcasting efforts for the 2007 season and beyond.

» Kasten on his first full year in charge of all things Nationals: “The Lerner family and I wanted our fans to be able to enjoy every Nationals game on TV, radio and at the ball park and we were able to do that this season. We will broadcast all 162 games in Washington on MASN with exception of one FOX telecast. We have a good signal on WTWP 1500 AM and 107.7 FM so our fans can catch the games on radio as well throughout the mid Atlantic region.”

» Kasten on the upgrades for 2007: “Our partners at MASN have provided us with one of the best broadcasting teams in the business with the talented Bob Carpenter handling the play by play, Debbi Taylor, who served as field producer to the great baseball insider Peter Gammons, has established herself as an accomplished in-game reporter and will add so much to our telecasts. Then there is my good friend Don Sutton, I am telling you that fans will find what a great teacher he is. I mean there is not a game that goes by that I don’t learn something that I did not know about pitching from watching Don do a telecast. I am also excited to have Johnny Holiday and Ray Knight doing our pre and post game shows. MASN has made the shows both comprehensive and interactive so our fans will have unprecedented coverage in 2007.”

» Kasten on the radio side: “First of all we had hoped to have the games in Spanish this year and we were close to pulling it off — but we just came up a bit short. I know that next year we will make that happen. We have a large Hispanic following in the Washington area and we will make broadcasting the games in Spanish a priority for next season. We are back on WTWP with Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler who do such a great job and they have built a wonderful fan base. We have added a new post game call-in show after most games if you a have question you can ask the guys. It is just another small step in giving our fans the best access to us as possible.”

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer.
Examiner