Watchdog

WatchDog has a new look and a new home

2009-07-23T12:41:53Z

Yo, readers, WatchDog no longer is located here.

It's located here.

C'mon over.

(UPDATE: Comments and RSS feeds not available for blogs on new site yet. Patience.)

ESPN bans New York Post staffers from its outlets

2009-07-22T21:19:24Z

ESPN retaliated Wednesday against the New York Post for its decision to use still images of Erin Andrews from a surreptitiously obtained videotape, banning Post staffers from its various outlets, including its TV networks and 1050 ESPN Radio.

"In light of the New York Post's decision to run graphic photos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, we have decided to stop utilizing Post reporters on any of our outlets," ESPN's senior VP of communications, Chris LaPlaca said.

"Erin was grievously wronged here, and while we understand the Post's decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism. This is not a decision we undertook lightly, but we feel it is an appropriate one."

The Post used images both in print and on its Web site Tuesday from a video the showed Andrews in the nude in a hotel room.

It is not yet clear where the video was shot or who shot it, but Andrews' attorney has promised legal action against any media outlet that publishes the material.

It has not been determined how long the ban on Post employees will remain in place.

Among those most affected are Kevin Kernan and Lenn Robbins, who regularly appear on "First Take" on ESPN2 and Joel Sherman, who appears on 1050 ESPN radio.

Mark Cannizzaro also appears periodically on ESPN outlets, and beat writers from various sports sometimes are interviewed in 1050 or other stations.

LaPlaca stressed that the decision was not directed at the Post employees who have appeared on ESPN outlets, whom he called "innocent bystanders."

A spokesman for NewsCorp, which owns the Post, declined comment. The Post's communication department did not respond to a request for comment.

CBS and Fox used snippets of the video itself Tuesday, which LaPlaca called "beyond the pale."

But he said ESPN could not take the kind of action against those networks it did against the Post because ESPN does not regularly employ those networks' personnel.

End of an era in Newsday blogging, start of better one

2009-07-22T20:53:01Z

Sometime in the next few hours, if the Web gods allow, Newsday will flip the switch on a new-look site with new-look blogs.

Thanks for reading the 5,222 posts on this platform since May 2, 2007.

Time to start over. Please come along!

Photo: AP

ESPN reports on some civil suits, not others

2009-07-22T20:00:33Z

ESPN still is on the journalistic sidelines regarding allegations of sexual assault aimed at Ben Roethlisberger.

Why? The network offered some context today to try to further clarify its policy regarding reporting civil suits, which it sometimes does and sometimes doesn't.

Here is what it said were among factors it considered in the Roethlisberger case:

"We're generally very cautious with civil suits that impugn a person's reputation or character."

"We consider the subject's track record/previous history with similar allegations."

"Whether the subject addresses it publicly." Didn't Big Ben's lawyer do that? "In this case, we did not feel Roethlisberger's lawyer's response was enough to warrant our reporting."

"We also consider how such allegation might impact upon the professional performance of the subject/his team."

Example? Roethlisberger is scheduled for a taping of Shaquille O'Neal's reality show. If he doesn't appear, ESPN might revisit the matter based on the possibility it might be "impacting his business decisions and/or his team." An even more obvious example would be if he has to skip part of training camp to be deposed.

ESPN said it recently reported on a planned civil suit against Shannon Brown "because he was playing significant minutes for Lakers in the middle of their championship run in the NBA Playoffs; there was also a police report filed in that case."

In the past, ESPN has passed on reporting civil suits against Michael Vick and Robert Alomar - in the latter case only doing so when Alomar's father discussed it publicly.

What about reporting a suit against Adam (Pacman) Jones?

ESPN did so, it said, "because of his history/past record."

Clear?

(UPDATE: ESPN.com posted a Big Ben story tonight!)

Photo: AP

College football to be featured on ESPN again in '09

2009-07-22T19:19:05Z

ESPN/ABC will be televise college football games again this coming season.

Many of them.

The schedule can be viewed by clicking below and reading the news release fresh off the presses from Bristol.

No mention of Ben Roethlisberger in it. Sorry.

]]> ESPN’s 2009 college football schedule will feature more than 400 regular- and postseason games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN Radio, ESPN Classic, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN GamePlan, ESPN’s outermarket pay-per-view service.

The season will begin with the second annual Dick’s Sporting Goods Kickoff Week (Monday, Aug. 31-Monday, Sept. 7) featuring extensive studio programming and 28 games on Labor Day Weekend, including Labor Day and will conclude Jan. 7 with the Citi BCS National Championship at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN Radio.

Regular-season coverage will conclude with Championship Saturday (Dec. 5) and include three conference championships -- the Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game, which will move from an afternoon kickoff to prime time on ESPN and ESPN360.com, the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game in prime time on ABC and the Conference USA Championship Game on ESPN or ESPN2 and ESPN360.com -- and three BIG EAST games that could play a role in the conference title. ESPN2 and ESPN360.com will televise the Marathon MAC Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m.

Schedule highlights include (the majority of game selections will generally be made 12 or six days before the date as the season progresses):

· the Citi BCS National Championship Game on ABC Jan. 7, the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi Jan. 1 on ABC and the addition of the Texas Bowl to ESPN’s highly rated Capital One Bowl Week Dec. 31 on ESPN;

· the first year of a landmark 15-year agreement with the SEC providing ESPN rights to televise every game (excluding those on the network broadcast package) across multiple ESPN entities;

· Saturday primetime action highlighted by Saturday Night Football on ABC, weekly games on ESPN and ESPN2 and the first year of ESPNU’s Saturday SEC primetime game;

· Weekly ESPN Thursday primetime telecasts, including the first Thursday night game ever from North Carolina and Oregon and first from Missouri since 1992, plus ESPNU Thursday night matchups;

· Saturday afternoon games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, including the return of “reverse mirrors” featuring ABC split national games offered regionally on ESPN or ESPN2 and ESPN360.com;

· more than 325 games on ESPN360.com, including approximately 40 exclusive games; a weekly broadcast on ESPN Radio; ESPN Mobile TV simulcasts; ESPN Regional Television syndication; extensive ESPN GamePlan schedule; and select games on ESPN Classic;

· every ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 telecast and all live Thursday and Saturday ESPNU games produced in high definition.

BCS National Championship Highlights Schedule of 30 Bowls

ESPN on ABC will offer extensive coverage of the Citi BCS National Championship Game from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 7 on ABC. In addition to the National Championship, ABC will televise the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi Friday, Jan. 1. For the first time, ESPN will televise the Texas Bowl on Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m.

Overall, ESPN will present 30 bowl games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Radio, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV. ESPN and ESPN2 will televise 24 bowl games, highlighted by Capital One Bowl Week, one of ESPN’s most-viewed weeks of the year, from Dec. 19 – Jan. 2. ESPN Radio will broadcast 19 bowl games, including all five BCS matchups. ESPNU, ESPN2 and ESPN will also offer extensive coverage of the NCAA playoff contests from the Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III (Dec. 5-19).

Beginning next season, ESPN will televise all five games of the BCS – including the National Championship Game – as the result of an agreement with the BCS. It will include the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls each season and the BCS National Championship Game in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Through a separate agreement, ESPN will also televise the Rose Bowl Game beginning in 2011.

New Agreement with SEC

This year will mark the first of ESPN’s landmark 15-year agreement – the longest national rights agreement in ESPN history – with the SEC resulting in an ESPN entity televising every conference home football game (excluding those on the network broadcast package).

ESPN and ESPN2 will televise an extensive schedule of 20 games annually, ESPNU will add an exclusive package of SEC football for the first time, including a Saturday game of the week (generally in primetime); ESPN Regional Television will become the official over-the-air syndication home for the SEC and feature a game of the week; ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV will provide live national simulcasts; and ESPN GamePlan, ESPN’s out-of-market college football pay-per-view service, will offer SEC action outside the local territory from the syndicated and regional cable packages.

Weekly Windows

The networks will offer an extensive schedule of games each Saturday as well as matchups every Thursday and Friday and on select Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays. Highlights include:

· ESPN on ABC: ESPN on ABC’s Saturday Night Football Presented by Southwest Airlines, broadcast television’s first-ever weekly college football primetime series, will highlight the network’s 44th season of college football coverage with showdowns between top programs every Saturday at 8 p.m. (except Sept. 12 and Oct. 17). The series will kickoff with Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in a showdown of top power programs from Atlanta, Ga. September 5. In addition to Saturday Night Football, ABC will continue to broadcast top matchups every Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and select Saturdays at noon involving teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC and BIG EAST.

Last year’s Saturday night series -- the highest rated and most-viewed college football window on television – averaged a 4.9 rating, 5,651,000 households and 8,001,000 total viewers for increases of 20 percent (vs. 4.1), 22 percent (vs. 4,644,000) and 24 percent (vs. 6,442,000) over the previous year.

· Saturdays on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU: ESPNU’s Saturday schedule will be highlighted by an exclusive SEC primetime game for the first time (generally at 7 p.m.). On most Saturdays, ESPN will offer a noon and 7:45 p.m. game, ESPN2 a noon and 7 p.m. telecast, and a “reverse mirror” (see below) of ABC’s 3:30 p.m. split national broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2, while ESPNU will offer four telecasts generally at noon, 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

· Weekdays: In addition to a weekly Friday primetime series on ESPN or ESPN2, the networks will offer games on select Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the season.

· “Reverse Mirrors”: As many as 11 Saturday afternoon windows will feature ABC’s split national telecasts offered regionally on ESPN or ESPN2 and ESPN360.com to markets that are getting another game on ABC.

Thursday Night Firsts

ESPN’s highly-rated Thursday night series will originate from two new venues this year: the University of North Carolina (vs. Florida State, Oct. 22) and Oregon (vs. Oregon State in the annual Civil War Game, Dec. 3). The three Big 12 home games will mark the most for the conference on an ESPN Thursday night telecast in a season and the first for Missouri since 1992 and Oklahoma State since 1996.

In addition to ESPN, ESPNU will air a weekly Thursday night game. Both will generally begin at 7:30 p.m. For the second consecutive year, every ESPN telecast will feature a team from one of the six BCS automatic qualifying conferences. The schedule will be highlighted by a season-opening doubleheader pitting South Carolina at N.C. State followed by Oregon at Boise State (Sept. 3); Ole Miss, the only team to defeat eventual National Champion Florida last year, at South Carolina (Sept. 24); and Texas at Texas A&M on Thanksgiving for the second straight year (Nov. 26).

ESPN360.com, ESPN Radio, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN GamePlan and ESPN Classic

ESPN will provide extensive coverage across multiple platforms in addition to a regular time slots on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

· ESPN360.com: In addition to approximately 40 exclusive games, ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network, will offer simulcasts of every ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ABC split national telecast, and every GamePlan pay-per-view game.

· ESPN Radio: ESPN Radio, ESPN’s national radio network – with more than 750 non-duplicative stations reaching more than 20 million listeners – will broadcast a weekly game as well as a minimum of 14 post-season bowl games.

· ESPN Mobile TV: For the third year, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN’s first 24/7 channel for wireless platforms available on MediaFLO USA’s mobile entertainment service FLO TV and on multiple carriers via MobiTV, will simulcast approximately five games a week from ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. In addition to live game coverage, ESPN Mobile TV will provide highlights, news and updates via ESPNEWS and other news and information programming.

· ESPN Regional Television: the nation’s largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming and the new syndication home for the SEC will produce more than 40 games from the SEC, BIG EAST, MAC and WAC.

· ESPN GamePlan: ESPN’s outermarket pay-per-view service will offer season-long action including 10 unique games each week.

· ESPN Classic: The network will televise select games throughout the season.

High Definition

Every ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 game and every live Thursday and Saturday ESPNU telecast will be provided in high definition on ABC HD, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPNU HD, respectively. This marks the first year every game in the split national window on ABC will be produced in high definition. ESPN, ESPN2 and the majority of ABC telecasts have been produced in high definition since 2006 while ESPNU has offered its Thursday and Saturday games since 2008.

Every Corner Covered Through ESPN and ABC Outlets

In addition to game coverage, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN Classic, ESPN Radio and ESPN Mobile TV will provide news and features throughout the season, including those on popular studio programs College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, the daily College Football Live, College Football Final and College Football Countdown. ESPN’s multiple media outlets -- ESPN.com, ESPNEWS, ESPN MVP on Verizon and ESPN The Magazine – will also offer extensive season-long coverage.

For the third consecutive year, ESPN will be the only network to offer coverage of home games from all six of the BCS automatic qualifying conferences (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, BIG EAST, Pac-10 and Big 12) in addition to the MAC, WAC, Conference USA and Sun Belt. ESPN will also televise road games featuring Notre Dame and teams from the Mountain West Conference.

Story-Line Games to Watch/Listen to (from Games Already Selected)

Game
Network, Date and Time (ET)
Storyline
Oregon at Boise St.
ESPN / ESPN360.com, Thu., Sept. 3, at 10:15 p.m.
Defending WAC champion Boise State finished last year’s regular season undefeated, including a 37-32 victory over Oregon which finished at 10-3.

Dick's Sporting Goods Cowboys Classic Presented By Hampton Hotels: Oklahoma vs. BYU (From Cowboys Stadium)

ESPN / ESPN360.com, Sat., Sept. 5, at 7 p.m.
First college football game from new Dallas Cowboys stadium features second meeting ever between perennial powers. BYU won the first 31-6 in the 1994 Copper Bowl.

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game Presented By Southwest Airlines from Atlanta)

ABC / ESPN Radio, Sat., Sept. 5 at 8 p.m.
SEC power Alabama, which returns to open the season at the Georgia Dome following 34-10 victory over Clemson last year, takes on defending ACC Champion Virginia Tech.

Grambling St. vs. South Carolina St. (from Orlando, The MEAC•SWAC Challenge)
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com, Sun., Sept. 6, at

2 p.m.
Fifth annual event pits MEAC defending champion South Carolina State against 2008 SWAC title winner Grambling State for the first time since 1994.

Miami at Florida State
ESPN / ESPN360.com, Mon., Sept. 7, at

8 p.m.
Special Monday night college football telecast (one week before ESPN’s Monday Night Football kickoff) marks the first time the intrastate ACC rivals have played on Labor Day since 2006, which was ESPN’s most-viewed college football game ever – regular-and post-season -- with 6,330,000 households (based on a 6.9 rating).

USC at Ohio St.
ESPN / ESPN360.com, Sat., Sept. 12, at

8 p.m.
USC defeated Ohio State 35-3 last year in Los Angeles, their sixth consecutive win against the Buckeyes.

Utah at Oregon
ESPN / ESPN360.com, Sat., Sept. 19, at 3:30 p.m.
Perennial Pac-10 power Oregon goes from defending WAC champion Boise State in the opening weekend to defending MWC champion Utah, the only undefeated Division I team last year.

Texas Tech at Texas
ABC, Sat., Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.
Last season’s thrilling matchup featured Texas Tech defeating then-#1 Texas on a last-second touchdown pass, giving Texas its only loss of the season.

Ole Miss at South Carolina
ESPN / ESPN360.com, Thu., Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.
Heisman Trophy candidate QB Jevan Snead leads Ole Miss, an early favorite to compete for the SEC title, against South Carolina, led by legendary coach Steve Spurrier.

Iowa at Penn St.
ABC or ESPN, Sat., Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.
Iowa, which has won six of the past seven games against Penn State, was the only team to beat the Nittany Lions in the regular season last year with a 24-23 victory on a last-second field goal.

Oklahoma vs. Texas (from Dallas, Texas)
ABC, Sat., Oct. 17, at noon
Texas has won three of last four against Oklahoma, including a 45-35 victory over last year’s National Championship Game squad. Heisman Trophy-winning QB Sam Bradford will lead Oklahoma while Heisman Trophy runner-up QB Colt McCoy will lead Texas.

Oregon St. at USC
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2,

Sat., Oct. 24, at 8 p.m.
Oregon State handed USC its only loss of the season last year with a 27-21 victory in Corvallis. USC went on to defeat Penn State 38-24 in the Rose Bowl Game while Oregon State beat Pittsburgh 3-0 in the Sun Bowl.

Other Top Matchups (From Games Already Selected)

Date
Time
Game
Network

Sat., Sept. 5
3:30 p.m. ET
Georgia at Oklahoma State
ABC and ESPN2

3:30 p.m. ET
Missouri vs. Illinois (from St. Louis)
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Sept. 12
noon ET
Fresno State at Wisconsin
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Notre Dame at Michigan
ABC

4 p.m.
UCLA at Tennessee
ESPN / ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
South Carolina at Georgia
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Sept. 19
noon ET
East Carolina at North Carolina
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Nebraska at Virginia Tech
ABC / ESPN360.com

Arizona at Iowa
ABC / ESPN360.com

Fri., Sept. 25
9 p.m. ET
Missouri at Nevada
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Sept. 26
8 p.m. ET
Notre Dame at Purdue
ABC or ESPN

9:15 p.m. ET
Texas Tech at Houston
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Oct. 3
TBD
Oklahoma at Miami
ESPN Radio

Thu., Oct. 8
9 p.m. ET
Nebraska at Missouri
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Oct. 9
9 p.m. ET
Louisiana Tech at Nevada
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Oct. 17
TBD
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
ESPN Radio

Fri., Oct. 30
8 p.m. ET
West Virginia at South Florida
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu., Nov. 5
7:30 p.m. ET
Virginia Tech at East Carolina
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Thu., Dec. 3
9 p.m. ET
Oregon State at Oregon
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Dec. 5
TBD
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

2009 ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN Radio College Football Schedule
Note: All ABC split national, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic games will be simulcast on ESPN360.com.

(ESPN Mobile TV schedule will be determined as season progresses; schedule subject to change;

windows may be added as the season progresses)

Date
Time (ET)
Game
Network

Thu., Sept. 3
7 p.m. ET
South Carolina at N.C. State
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

7:30 p.m. ET
North Texas at Ball State
ESPNU

10:15 p.m. ET
Oregon at Boise State
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Fri., Sept. 4
8 p.m. ET
Tulsa at Tulane
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Sat., Sept. 5
noon ET
Navy at Ohio State
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

noon ET
Minnesota at Syracuse
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio) [From Cincinnati]
ESPNU

1 p.m. ET
Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech
ESPN360.com

2 p.m. ET
Northeastern at Boston College
ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Georgia at Oklahoma State
ABC / ESPN360.com

Western Michigan at Michigan *
ABC / ESPN360.com

Baylor at Wake Forest *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Jackson State at Mississippi State
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
Missouri vs. Illinois
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

6 p.m. ET
Middle Tennessee at Clemson
ESPN360.com

6 p.m. ET
William & Mary at Virginia
ESPN360.com

6 p.m. ET
The Citadel at North Carolina
ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
Dick's Sporting Goods Cowboys Classic Presented By Hampton Hotels: Oklahoma vs. BYU (From Cowboys Stadium)
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio / ESPN Mobile TV

7 p.m. ET
Louisiana Tech at Auburn
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game Presented By Southwest Airlines: Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (from Atlanta)
ABC / ESPN Radio

10 p.m. ET
Maryland at California
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
LSU at Washington
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

10:30 p.m. ET
Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern ^
ESPNU

Sun., Sept. 6
2 p.m. ET
Grambling State vs. South Carolina St. (from Orlando, The MEAC•SWAC Challenge)
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Mississippi at Memphis
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Mon., Sept. 7
4 p.m. ET
Cincinnati at Rutgers
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

8 p.m. ET
Miami at Florida State
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Thu., Sept. 10
7:30 p.m. ET
Clemson at Georgia Tech
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

7:30 p.m. ET
Florida A&M at Winston-Salem State
ESPNU

Fri. Sept. 11
9 p.m. ET
Colorado at Toledo
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Sat., Sept. 12
noon ET
Fresno State at Wisconsin
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
Central Michigan at Michigan State
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
North Carolina at Connecticut
ESPNU

1:30 p.m. ET
Marshall at Virginia Tech
ESPN360.com

2 p.m. ET
Kent State at Boston College
ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Notre Dame at Michigan
ABC

3:30 p.m. ET
BYU at Tulane
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TCU at Virginia
ESPNU

4 p.m. ET
UCLA at Tennessee
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

6 p.m. ET
Jacksonville State at Florida State
ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
South Carolina at Georgia
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

7 p.m. ET
Vanderbilt at LSU
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
USC at Ohio State
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

10:30 p.m. ET
Utah at San Jose State
ESPNU

Thu., Sept. 17
7:30 p.m. ET
Georgia Tech at Miami
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

7:30 p.m. ET
Howard at Florida A&M
ESPNU

Fri., Sept. 18
9 p.m. ET
Boise State at Fresno State
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Sept. 19
noon ET
East Carolina at North Carolina
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
California at Minnesota
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
Louisville at Kentucky
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
USC at Washington
ABC / ESPN360.com

Nebraska at Virginia Tech *
ABC / ESPN360.com

Arizona at Iowa *
ABC / ESPN360.com

Reverse Mirror of ABC: Nebraska at Virginia Tech and Arizona at Iowa
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Utah at Oregon
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

3:30 p.m. ET
Indiana at Akron
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
Middle Tennessee at Maryland
ESPN360.com

6 p.m. ET
Navy at Pittsburgh
ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
Louisiana-Lafayette at LSU
ESPNU

7:45 p.m. ET
Georgia at Arkansas
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
West Virginia at Auburn
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

8 p.m. ET
Texas Tech at Texas
ABC

10:30 p.m. ET
Hampton at North Carolina A&T ^
ESPNU

Thu., Sept. 24
7:30 p.m. ET
Mississippi at South Carolina
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Fri., Sept. 25
9 p.m. ET
Missouri at Nevada
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile TV

Sat., Sept. 26
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
California at Oregon
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

6 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
Notre Dame at Purdue
ABC or ESPN **

8 p.m. ET
Iowa at Penn State
ABC or ESPN **

9:15 p.m. ET
Texas Tech at Houston
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD ^
ESPNU

TBD
Miami at Virginia Tech
ESPN Radio

Wed., Sept. 30
8 p.m. ET
Hawaii at Louisiana Tech
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu., Oct. 1
7:30 p.m. ET
Colorado at West Virginia
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Alcorn State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
ESPNU

Fri., Oct. 2
8 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh at Louisville
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Oct. 3
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

noon ET
TBD
ESPN Classic / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
USC at California
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
Oklahoma at Miami
ESPN Radio

Tue., Oct. 6
8 p.m. ET
Middle Tennessee at Troy
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu., Oct. 8
7 p.m. ET
Colgate at Princeton
ESPNU

9 p.m. ET
Nebraska at Missouri
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Oct. 9
9 p.m. ET
Louisiana Tech at Nevada
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Oct. 10
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

noon ET
TBD
ESPN Classic / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Michigan at Iowa
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
Auburn at Arkansas
ESPN Radio

Tue., Oct. 13
8 p.m. ET
Arkansas State at Louisiana-Monroe
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Wed., Oct. 14
8 p.m. ET
Boise State at Tulsa
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Thu., Oct. 15
7:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati at South Florida
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Howard at Morgan State
ESPNU

Fri., Oct. 16
8 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh at Rutgers
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Sat., Oct. 17
noon ET
Oklahoma vs. Texas (from Dallas, Texas)
ABC

noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

6 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

9:15 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
ESPN Radio

Wed., Oct. 21
8 p.m. ET
Tulsa at UTEP
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Thu., Oct. 22
7:30 p.m. ET
Prairie View A&M at Southern
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
Florida State at North Carolina
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Oct. 23
8 p.m. ET
Rutgers at Army
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Oct. 24
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Oregon State at USC
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
Clemson at Miami
ESPN Radio

Tue., Oct. 27
8 p.m. ET
East Carolina at Memphis
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu., Oct. 29
7:30 p.m. ET
North Carolina at Virginia Tech
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Oct. 30
8 p.m. ET
West Virginia at South Florida
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat. Oct. 31
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

Michigan at Illinois *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

4:30 p.m. ET
Penn State at Northwestern
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
USC at Oregon
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

8 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
Ole Miss at Auburn
ESPN Radio

Sun., Nov. 1
8:15 p.m. ET
Marshall at UCF
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Tue., Nov. 3
7 p.m. ET
Bowling Green at Buffalo
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu, Nov. 5
7:30 p.m. ET
Virginia Tech at East Carolina
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Nov. 6
8 p.m. ET
Boise State at Louisiana Tech
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Nov. 7
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
USC at Arizona State
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN Radio **

8 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

Sun., Nov. 8
8:15 p.m. ET
Nevada at San Jose State
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Tue., Nov. 10
7 p.m. ET
Ohio at Buffalo
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Wed., Nov. 11
8 p.m. ET
Toledo at Central Michigan
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu., Nov. 12
6 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
South Florida at Rutgers
ESPN / ESPN360.com

9 p.m. ET
Texas Southern at Grambling State
ESPNU

Fri., Nov. 13
8 p.m. ET
West Virginia at Cincinnati
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Temple at Akron
ESPNU

Sat., Nov. 14
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

noon ET
TBD
ESPN Classic / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD – reverse mirror *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
Florida at South Carolina
ESPN Radio

Sun., Nov. 15
8:15 p.m. ET
East Carolina at Tulsa
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Wed., Nov. 18
6 or 8 p.m. ET
Central Michigan at Ball State
ESPNU or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

6 or 8 p.m. ET
Buffalo at Miami (Ohio)
ESPNU or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thu., Nov. 19
6:30 p.m. ET
Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
Colorado at Oklahoma State
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Nov. 20
5:30 p.m. ET
Akron at Bowling Green
ESPNU

9:30 p.m. ET
Boise State at Utah State
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Nov. 21
noon ET
TBD
ABC

noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPNU

2:30 p.m. ET
Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M (Florida Classic from Orlando)
ESPN Classic / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD *
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
North Carolina at Boston College
ESPN Radio

Tue., Nov. 24
7 p.m. ET
Ball State at Western Michigan
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Thur., Nov. 26
4 p.m. ET
Tuskegee at Alabama State
ESPNU

8 p.m. ET
Texas at Texas A&M
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Nov. 27
2:30 p.m. ET
Alabama at Auburn
ESPN Radio

3:30 p.m. ET
Nebraska at Colorado
ABC

TBD
Rutgers at Louisville
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
Illinois at Cincinnati
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
Pittsburgh at West Virginia
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
TBD
ESPNU

TBD
TBD
ESPN360.com

TBD
Nevada at Boise State
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Nov. 28
noon ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

noon ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

3:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN / ESPN360.com

7:45 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Notre Dame at Stanford
ABC / ESPN360.com

TBD
ABC / ESPN360.com

10 p.m. ET
UCLA at USC
ESPN Radio

10:30 p.m. ET
TBD
ESPNU

Thu., Dec. 3
9 p.m. ET
Oregon State at Oregon
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Fri., Dec. 4
8 p.m. ET
Marathon MAC Championship Game
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Sat., Dec. 5
2 p.m. ET
Southern at Texas Southern
ESPNU

3:30 p.m. ET
Arizona at USC
ABC / ESPN Radio

8 p.m. ET
Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game
ABC / ESPN Radio

8 p.m. ET
Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game
ESPN / ESPN360.com

TBD
South Florida at Connecticut
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
West Virginia at Rutgers
ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 **

TBD
Conference USA Championship Game
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

TBD
Wisconsin at Hawaii
ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

* Reverse mirror in which ESPN or ESPN2 will regionalize two games on ABC to markets no receiving the telecast

** Game not on ABC will be simulcast on ESPN360.com

^ Same-day delay

2009 COLLEGE FOOTBALL POST-SEASON SCHEDULE

Date
Time
Game
Network

Sat., Dec. 19
4:30 p.m. ET
New Mexico Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

8 p.m. ET
St. Petersburg Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Sun., Dec 20
8:15 p.m. ET
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Tue., Dec. 22
8 p.m. ET
MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Wed., Dec. 23
8 p.m. ET
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Thu., Dec. 24
8 p.m. ET
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Sat., Dec. 26
1 p.m. ET
Motor City Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

4:30 p.m. ET
Meineke Car Care Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Emerald Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Sun., Dec. 27
8:15 p.m. ET
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Mon., Dec. 28
5 p.m. ET
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

Tue., Dec. 29
4:30 p.m. ET
EagleBank Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Champs Sports Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Wed., Dec. 30
4:30 p.m. ET
Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

8 p.m. ET
Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Thu., Dec. 31
noon ET
Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

3:30 p.m. ET
Texas Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

7:30 p.m. ET
Chick-fil-A Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Fri., Jan. 1
11 a.m. ET
Outback Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

1 p.m. ET
Capital One Bowl
ABC

4:30 p.m. ET
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi
ABC / ESPN Radio

8:30 p.m. ET
Allstate Sugar Bowl
ESPN Radio

Sat., Jan. 2
noon ET
International Bowl
ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

2 p.m. ET
Papajohns.com Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

5:30 p.m. ET
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

9 p.m. ET
Valero Alamo Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com / ESPN Radio

Mon., Jan. 4
8 p.m. ET
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
ESPN Radio

Tue., Jan. 5
8 p.m. ET
FedEx Orange Bowl
ESPN Radio

Wed., Jan. 6
7 p.m. ET
GMAC Bowl
ESPN / ESPN360.com

Thu., Jan. 7
8 p.m. ET
Citi BCS National Championship Game
ABC / ESPN Radio

Ed O'Bannon would like college jocks to share in pie

2009-07-22T18:29:35Z

Big-time college athletes in revenue producing sports have been getting cheated economically for more than a century.

Ed O'Bannon wants to help.

LeBron James dunketh, and he gets dunketh upon

2009-07-22T18:12:34Z

It's the illicit video everyone was talking about before that other illicit video turned up.

Images of LeBron getting dunked on evidently have resurfaced!

Now I really need to dig up that video of me dunking on the big guy before a Cavs vs. Knicks game last season.

(UPDATE: The video is up now. Thanks Big Lead for heads up.)

Newspapers cut coverage, and sports teams suffer

2009-07-22T16:04:36Z

Newspapers are cutting back on costly sports coverage - usually involving travel - and if you think the teams they cover are relieved to have the nattering nabobs of negativism out of their hair . . . you're wrong.

In other sports news, Yankees in first place, Mets not

2009-07-22T10:47:09Z

Another interesting day of Erin Andrews coverage from our friends at the Post, this time featuring a front-page story built around her lawyer essentially reiterating what he said in a statement Friday night.

At least Erin is clothed in the picture on the cover, unlike Tuesday.

Unfortunately, I make an appearance in the story, too!

The article quotes something I wrote in Newsday about a brief conversation I had with Ms. Andrews recently.

But instead of crediting it as "Newsday's Neil Best wrote" it reads, "Sports blogger Neil Best said," as if the Post reporter had interviewed me for his story.

Oy. In lieu of an apology, please don't do that to anyone else ever again.

(Full Erin Exploitation disclosure: I just noticed the Newsday.com version of my column includes three separate links to photo galleries of her.)

Erin Andrews episode echoes through media canyons

2009-07-22T02:16:53Z

What with the Erin Andrews video story refusing to die, I was asked to write a brief opinion piece on the subject for the Wednesday newspaper.

So I did.

I spent about three hours Tuesday discussing this with a half-dozen sports media figures - Is there anything else people talk about these days? - and ended up feeling lousier than ever about the whole thing.

Will this latest spasm of media navel-gazing make newspaper Web sites and bloggers less apt to rely on gratuitous pictures of attractive women?

Probably not, but I can't control that.

Will it make this particular blogger less apt to do so?

We shall see, I suppose, but I'd like to think so.

Chris King, Steve Mears out as Islanders' radio team

2009-07-22T01:53:10Z

Breaking sports media news here and here from Isles beat scribe Greg Logan: Chris King and Steve Mears have been removed as the team's radio team.

Their replacements? Um, no one. Looking to cut costs, the Isles will simulcast MSG Plus' TV coverage, featuring Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe.

That's going to be a little strange.

In unrelated Islanders media news, Logan and I learned today that C.J. Papa did not have his contract renewed as MSG Plus' reporter for game telecasts.

No word on a replacement yet.

ESPN passes on story about a certain ESPN reporter

2009-07-21T21:29:05Z

ESPN has decided not to report on the Erin Andrews video story, not out of sympathy for one of its own - although there is plenty of that throughout the company this week - but because of a judgment on news value.

The network's statement:

"We debated it internally and feel that this is the appropriate thing to do. Despite the attention it's gotten, it comes down to a news value judgment. We didn''t see the news value to this story, particularly since it has no bearing on her role as an on-air reporter."

After 10-month wait, Jets call at last offering me tickets

2009-07-21T20:22:58Z

Someone from the Jets just called to offer me an opportunity to buy season tickets for 2009.

It seems I landed on the team's waiting list when I registered for the new stadium PSL auction last fall, and my less-than-a-year of waiting paid off with my big chance to join the Mark Sanchez/Rex Ryan fun at the Meadowlands.

I politely declined. The woman politely asked me why. I said because I just don't want to buy season tickets. She asked why I was on the list. I told her about the PSL auction thing. She asked if I were interested in tickets for 2010. I told her I was not.

She asked whether she could take me off the waiting list. I told her I would like to stay on to continue receiving information about tickets in the future. She said the list mostly is for people actually interested in buying tickets. I said she could remove my name.

ESPN mum on allegations against Ben Roethlisberger

2009-07-21T18:52:30Z

ESPN has been curiously silent today in reporting the allegations of sexual assault against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Newsday and many other outlets have published at least the AP account.

ProFootballTalk.com reported ESPN issued a "do not report" edict on the story to its staff.

Why? Roethlisberger has a warm relationship with ESPN, including business dealings with the network such as appearing at its "upfront" presentation to advertising buyers. Hmm.

It turns out ESPN generally avoids reporting on civil suits against sports figures.

Its statement on this matter: "At this point, we are not reporting the allegations against Ben Roethlisberger because no criminal complaint has been filed. As far as we know, this is a civil lawsuit that Roethlisberger has yet to address publicly."

(UPDATE: Not that ESPN never reports on civil suits, or even plans to file civil suits, as evidenced by this from last month. Hmm.)

(New ESPN ombudsman Don Ohlmeyer is going to have a busy first column in August!)