Last-minute party poop: Fundraiser for Greentown

Sundance Channel is in town today to help throw a fundraiser for Greentown Greensburg this evening.

Come by for quality eat and drink from some of our best local brands and see clips of "The Good Fight," which is a new Sundance Web series about communities (like tornado-ravaged Greensburg) that seek to go green as a way of strengthening community. Of course, Greensburg will be the subject of a whole mess of Discovery TV programming, about which I wrote previously.

I've been sick as a dog, which is why I haven't posted this sooner, and I can't guarantee I'll be there tonight. But KU prof and Sundance's "Green" host, Simran Sethi, will be there, as will Greensburg reps and Stephen Hardy, the BNIM architect who designed the master plan for the town's eco-rebuild.

Who needs ESPN? HBO has Obama

I've just watched the terrific "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" segment with Barack Obama talking about his love of basketball. And all I can say is: What the heck was ESPN thinking?

Yesterday it was reported that the Worldwide Leader in Spoilsports had nixed a podcast between ESPN.com's popular columnist Bill Simmons and the all-but-nominated Democratic presidential candidate.

If you're like me, you've about had it with the Issues that Matter to Pennsylvanians, and would welcome a nice, unspinnable, offbeat story about the candidates. And I'm guessing Bill Simmons felt the same. But no, apparently Mark Penn advises ESPN, because suddenly the Obama interview was cancelled.

What do you talk about with a guy whose team won the Hawaii state basketball championship? You talk hoops. But "Real Sports," which aired Tuesday, went further. It taped Obama in a pickup game (this was before the infamous bowling incident), which Gumbel later analyzed (OK, in kind of a clunky way -- Obama drives left because that's his good first step, not because his liberal politics inexorably push him to that side of the basket). Besides Obama, Gumbel interviewed his high school coach and Michelle's brother Craig Robinson, an ex-Princeton player who was told by his sister to have a game with her boyfriend. It was, unbeknownst to "Barry O'Bomber," a sort of relationship test, bringing new meaning to the word courtship.

I'm glad that Bryant Gumbel has discovered play-by-play announcing is not his gift. If it was his dream to call some games, well, he's fulfilled it. Now he's back doing what he does best. And thanks to the nervous nellies who run ESPN, he's got an exclusive. Here's a clip.

That weird Wednesday debate: Katie Couric, anyone?

There are two ways to look at Wednesday night's debate on ABC. One is to say that George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson were atrocious, that they shamed themselves and their network by devoting all that time to red herrings, making McCarthy-esque insinuations about Barack Obama's friendship with former Weathermen radical Bill Ayers, and bringing up that flag pin non-issue.

On the other hand, it's possible that the ABC newsmen simply were asking some of the actual questions that Pennsylvania voters have been asking in the runup to next Tuesday's primary. A little Google, or a few minutes listening to C-SPAN's "Washington Journal" or "60 Minutes," reveals that there are, apparently, a lot of people expressing what seem to be genuine concerns about Obama and the flag pin, Obama and the Muslims, and other matters that Obama's core dismisses as nonsense (or as the New York Times inferred, veiled racism).

Is it the job of ABC to elevate the discourse or reflect the discourse? Careful how you answer; it's a slippery slope to Fox News.

I'm not sure it matters either way. In the end, ABC's line of questioning and the relentless message-hammering of the all-but-vanquished Hillary Clinton confirmed that Obama is the putative, all-but-coronated Democratic nominee. It was he, not she, who was kept on the defensive all night long, giving the debate the air of something like a cross between a police interrogation and a corporate job interview.

You can't lay responsibility for that only on the journos. The role of the press is to be adversarial, and ABC certainly was aware that this was a debate of unequals, electorally speaking. I think Gibson and Stephanopoulos decided this was as good a time as any to start treating Obama as the nominee, but since that wasn't (couldn't be) communicated overtly, it had to be inferred from their questioning. Oddly enough, they were aided in this mission by Obama, who once again pulled his punches (admittedly, I'd do the same if I were in his spot); and by Clinton, whose message discipline was less about why she should be president and more about why she is, as she put it, still in this race.

Podcast: David Cook's story hits home in more ways than one

Well, I wasn't expecting this: I asked Shari Elliker before our talk this morning on WBAL-AM what was on her mind and she said: David Cook's brother.

If you haven't clicked the story on the Ticker, here it is. Adam Cook, who's 11 years David's senior, has a diagnosis of advanced brain cancer, and by several accounts it is having a profound effect on David's already emotional journey to the top of "American Idol."

There was concern that Adam would never make the trip from Terre Haute to L.A. to see his brother live in person, a privilege I think we'd all jump on no matter how jaded we were. But an extraordinary effort to scare up Learjet time and a private nurse got Adam on the plane, and he'll be in person tonight.

As anyone who's read my leukemia diaries knows, I have great sympathy for anyone who can't get on a plane because of their medical condition. Whether it's to seek the best possible care — or just have a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Hollywood — private air travel sure comes in handy in such moments.

So that's your setup for my conversation with Shari on WBAL. Apologies for the poppiness.

Click the arrow to listen

Tonight's very special "Idol"

Shari Elliker and I discuss the two Davids and the arrival of David Cook's brother, Adam, who's sick with cancer.

Download wbal_20080415.mp3

Deadspin editor: "Pam Ward would be an excellent NFL broadcaster"

Sir, I couldn't agree with you more that Pam Ward would be an excellent NFL broadcaster. Which is why I was so befuddled when you pointed to my post -- in which I clearly state that "Pam Ward is not a bad broadcaster -- not at all, actually" -- as an example of "small-mindedness." Am I missing something?

I'm a longtime reader, by the way ... from way back when I ran Brill's All-Star Newspaper, which prominently featured you, sir ...

Best,
Will Leitch
Editor
Deadpsin.com

Yes, it did. Those were happy times.

Well, Will, I'm afraid your article out-un-ironized me there. Whereas I thought I was flanking you on the
earnest, non-snarky side, here you are telling me no, you really meant it! I mean, what's a critic to do these days? Seriously, I thought you were doing that we-don't-hate-her-honest! thing. I stand corrected.

But actually, it was more than that. As I'm sure you know, when you put a post like that out there on your site, even if you actually take women's sports seriously (which Deadspin does), many of your readers don't. And this is significant only if because the owner of Gawker Media himself has been making noises in the media that suggest the commentary makes the site the site. And even you have to admit, on a thoughtful review of the comments to that piece, the vast majority of the opinionators would be in full agreement with Doctor Johnson if
they knew who he was. (I'm guessing some hold views of women that make Bud Light ads seem like Jane Austen.)

So that's why I used you as shorthand. Not you singular -- you plural.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to add you to the bandwagon for my draft-Pam campaign. Not that anyone at the NFL pays attention to what anyone not on the NFL payroll says about anything, except, of course, for what you write ... sir.--AB

Pam Ward bandwagon picks up steam; TV Barn nominated for Mirror

I guess I'd be lying if I said I expected a strong, robust line of reasoning from the opponents to my story advocating Pam Ward as Your Next NFL Network play-by-play voice, but I must say the anti's are really letting me down. Most of their emails were of the, to quote one, "You may feel that Pam Ward is entertaining; I do not" variety. That really wasn't the main point, though, now was it? Rather, it was that the NFL needed an excellent voice for its contentious only-on-NFLN games, and better if it didn't hire an existing PBP away from its broadcast partners. Of course, that wouldn't satisfy the reader who helpfully suggested that "ALL voices from the press box" on all NFL games be removed, and that viewers at home hear only "crowd and ambient noises." Yes, because that worked so well when NBC tried it.

Scanning the blogs brought me no relief, either, as I uncovered only cheerfully sexist sites, like the one that claimed to chronicle the foibles of announcer regardless of gender, so what if all the names in big type were women's?

The pro-Pams, however, have been coming through, and from the darndest corners. Read Peggy Gagliardi's letter — she being coach John Gagliardi's wife — she's watched Pam Ward call the D3 football championship game several times, as have I. So if you find yourself agreeing with the all-time winningest college football coach, and Paul Harris, and this reader, and yours truly (and, UPDATE, the editor of Deadspin), maybe you should send these guys a note telling them what a neat thing it would be if PW did the PBP for the NFL in '08. Maybe start your letter this way: "Dear Commissioner Goodell: Yes, I want NFL Network, but only if ..."

Coach Gagliardi's wife: "Thank you for noticing Pam Ward. She is awesome"

Thank you for noticing Pam Ward. For years John and I have said she is one of the great Football broadcasters. No smart jokes, guessing and fooling around. People are at the game to hear what is going on. I will be the first to say I need lots of help.

She broadcasted our game (Saint John's University) with Mt Union and we have watched it several times. She is awesome.

--Peggy Gagliardi

"Let women do women's sports and men do men's"

I strongly disagree about Pam Ward. I find her dull and boring - totally dependent on info given to her. Let women do women's sports and men do men's. Let her do the Iowa games if they love her.

-- Cres Fluegel

(I'm not sure Van Chancellor, Bill Laimbeer or Geno Auriemma will take kindly to your advice.--AB)

Today's podcasts

Chip Franklin and I found ourselves in sharp ... agreement (surprise!) about the skeevy Dr. Phil paid-exclusivity deal that blew up in old Foghorn Leghorn's face this weekend. Also, Chip congratulated me a week late on the Jayhawks' win.

>> Download podcast with Chip Franklin on KOGO

Then afterward, Paul Harris phoned in on Skype and we did our first Skypecast. Paul's not at KMOX anymore, as some of you are still discovering, though I expect him to be on his feet real soon now.

>> Download podcast with Paul Harris

>> Subscribe to podcasts

If you miss the old MP3 jukebox, I've moved it here.

Podcast: Good news, bad news at CBS

Craig's doing great! Katie, not so much. Hey, and speaking of good news: Paul Harris is back! A

Download paul_harris_20080414.mp3

Podcast: Dr. Phil did WHAT? And more ...

Chip Franklin and I discussed the latest caper involving Oprah's formerly favorite shrink this morning on KOGO.

Download chip_franklin_20080414.mp3

TV Barn's new look

Change is good, but in the case of this website, change has been overdue. I wasn't doing my part collecting and editing headlines for the TV Barn Ticker, and while Mark J. did an outstanding job — and he has my thanks for that — I've taken sole responsibility for that again. Behind the scenes, that new Ticker display is driven by Google Reader, which makes it much easier for me to review and approve news stories for the Ticker. Downside is I can only offer you headlines to look at ... so I'll just try to make those as helpful and entertaining as I can.

The TV Barn Podcast is looking kind of rough. I'm having trouble aligning all those sidebar elements! Give me a couple of days to tidy that up. (UPDATE: Fixed! Less is more, no?)

Second big change: Tom Heald will be taking charge of tvbarn2, my discussion list, which has had a life of its own for a long time and which I'm ready to let go of.

Also, I've eliminated some links that people weren't using (like Crixlist) and installed a widget with headlines from my stories at the Kansas City Star.

"Pam Ward is by far the best caller in college football"

Kudos on your 4/12 piece about Pam Ward and the NFL network. I watch college football intensely and have a strong opinion on the good and very bad broadcasters. Pam Ward by far is the best caller in college football, and is one of the best in any sport. She calls the game in a detailed manner, but lets the color guy shine and give their input. She doesn't try to overshadow the game, yet definitely becomes an intergral part of it. Since she mainly does Big Ten games (including my Iowa Hawkeyes), I consider her the official voice of the Big Ten.

I think the NFL network would be very wise in hiring her, and actually feel that her and Collinsworth would be that magic combination that the suits have looked for. Instead of trying to create good natured tension in the booth, Ward and Cris would call a good game, but mix enough to bring discussion. Now whether the NFL hires her or not is another story. I think their TV venture has been a failure so far, and hiring Bryant Gumbel in the first place was showing their lack of vision and insight into the NFL fan. The majority of people who will tune in are not "casual" fans. They are smart about their sport, and want their "voice" to be the same. It also helps that the announcer, well, doesn't sound like Bryant Gumbel.

-- Drew Murphy

Just read your column on Pam Ward, and you're exactly right -- she's terrific. I worked with her for a short stint at WTEM/Washington in 1992, before she got any of the network PBP gigs. Even then, she was one of the
hardest working people on the staff, and I wasn't the only one who noticed how tremendous her abilities were. It would be good for NFLN to give the PBP job to Pam, under one condition -- that they don't play it up as "a
first." Just hire her, let her show the fans and critics how well she'd do the job, and leave aside the gender/glass ceiling angle. I know that would be hard to do, but doing so would send an even stronger statement: that NFLN didn't hire her because she's a woman, they hired her because she's the right person for the job.

-- Paul Harris

Olbermann: Collinsworth is "gracious, generous, ultra-informed"

A quick note on this:

The only fly in the ointment might be Cris Collinsworth. The NFL Network's color man has given every indication of being an arch-traditionalist, from his towel-snapping demeanor with other jocks on sports talk programs to his tone-deaf defense of Rush Limbaugh on Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" ("Is he really the worst person in the world? The whole world?"). (From "How NFL Network could make history")

Nobody - but nobody - was more supportive of me during Football Night In America than Cris -- just as he was when we worked together at Fox. The Limbaugh thing was a mix-it-up moment (he tweaks me like that; I tweak him like this: we do green night and turn the lights out in the studio and I shout "Collinsworth stole my WALLET," and afterwards he says that was the funniest line of the night). He's gracious, generous, ultra-informed, and the non-cliched version of the phrase "team player."

And as to "arch-tradition." In 2000 at Fox he told me if the NFL didn't alter the rules it would get one of its quarterbacks killed on the field. And last season, he was the first guy to point out the ludicrousness of the NFL destroying the evidence in Tape-Gate. I would actually place him on that very short list of Sportscasters You Can Believe.

-- Keith Olbermann

How the NFL Network could make history

So the inevitable has happened and Bryant Gumbel has parted ways with the NFL Network, whose ownership he ripped on his other TV gig, HBO's "Real Sports," one week before calling his first game for the network. WHen Gumbel bit the hand that was feeding him, you knew the arrangement was going to be trouble. That was confirmed as soon as he opened his mouth without the aid of a teleprompter and sounded like ... a guy who had never called a football game in his life.

After that debacle, the NFL should be looking for an upgrade. Problem is, the league presumably can't go cherry-pick talent from its broadcast partners at NBC, CBS and ESPN. But what if it could have a talented non-NFL announcer from one of those networks, make it broadcasts network-quality ... and score a PR coup in the process?

The Royals in high def in more ways than one

It took a while, but the Kansas City Royals have finally entered the 21st century. Our young lineup of future stars is poised to help local fans forget the last bunch of future stars we squandered (Damon, Beltran, Dye, etc.). A new GM and his hand-picked, made-in-Japan manager have everyone feels optimistic.

But the real news for me, of course, is that FSN is airing the games in high-definition -- a perfect complement to our new, camera-phones-can't-do-it-justice monster high-def screen, for now the largest in the nation.

"Words fail to describe how much I loathe Time Warner Cable"

Words fail to describe how much I loathe Time Warner Cable, yet in my little corner of Brookside, they are, and have always been, the only option. Yes, there's rabbit ears and satellite, but I want choices as much as I want to avoid one-sided contracts.

Now their Navigator has broken my TiVo.

I know that at one time there was an actual monopoly given to TWC's precursors, but I can't find that's the case now. My friend on the Kansas side, within walking distance of my house, has a cornucopia of competing providers, so naturally she pays less and gets more.

I spoke to Everest the other night, and they said they only go as far north as 75th St — which means they don't cover Brookside, as one of your columns suggested. The rep told me that they were currently expanding in — surprise — Kansas.

I asked him what the logic was of joining the fray over there when they'd be guaranteed a mass-migration from those who've been stuck under TWC's boot for decades?

He admitted I had a point.

--Maureen

(P.S. Hey Mo, I'm only telling you what Everest tells me. But now that you bring it up, I see Everest only advertises that it's in "south KC," whatever that is. Part of the confusion may be that Everest had begun to break ground on the Missouri side just as the money from Aquila, its former owner, dried up.--AB)

Hoop dee do

Chip Franklin and I talked basketball today on KOGO.
Download KOGO20080407.mp3

What to watch this week

This is one of those moments in the calendar year I simply must stop giving “Independent Lens” dribs and drabs of bite-sized praise and devote an entire column to this feast of documentary wonder.