THE BABE: HBO will debut its documentary, "Babe Ruth,"
on Sunday at 8:01pm ET -- 50 years to the minute of his
death. In N.Y., David Bianculli writes that unlike ESPN's
"Outside the Lines" Ruth special, HBO "looks more completely
at Ruth, taking his measure as a man and a player as well as
a pop-culture icon" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/14). In Boston,
Howard Manly calls it "a moving tribute," which "presents a
balanced account of a complicated man" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/14).
In Baltimore, Milton Kent calls it "brilliant," noting HBO
"has proved itself to be the best sports documentary house
in the business" (Baltimore SUN, 8/14). In S.F., Susan
Slusser calls the show "as moving as it is fascinating," and
writes that "HBO continues to churn out the best sports
documentaries in the business" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/14).
NFL: CBS's NFL coverage begins tomorrow night at 8:00pm
ET with the 49ers-Seahawks American Bowl game. CBS Sports
President Sean McManus, on CBS's NFL look: "Aesthetically, I
think the shows will look a lot more updated than they have
on CBS. I think Fox, and ESPN and ABC to an extent, have
raised the bar the last four years as far as the quality of
coverage, If our coverage is as good as theirs is in year
one, I'll be happy" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/14)....Hank
Williams, Jr., whose "Are You Ready For Some Football?" has
been the theme song for ABC's "Monday Night Football" for
eight years, will perform the same opening for ESPN's
"Sunday Night Football" this season (ESPN)...."The NFL
Players Preseason Special" one-hour TV show, produced by
IMG's TWI Interactive Media and Players Inc, will air in
syndication across the U.S. during the next three weeks,
beginning August 15. Tim Ryan will host (Players Inc).
NOTES: CBS Corp. has agreed to sell five Boston-area
radio stations, including sports radio WEEI-AM, to PA-based
Entercom for $140M (N.Y. TIMES, 8/14)....CBS Sports
President Sean McManus, on speculation that Bryant Gumbel
may return to CBS Sports: "We haven't had any discussion
with Bryant about working for CBS Sports. I think all of
his effort has been geared to his role at CBS News. I think
that's going to continue" (USA TODAY, 8/14)....Jon Kelley,
the lead sports anchor at Chicago's NBC affil, "is being let
out of his contract" to become a reporter/anchor for Fox
Sports Net (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/14)....Sheryl Swoopes,
Cynthia Cooper, Nancy Lieberman-Cline and Gregory Hines will
appear in "WNBA: Pure Passion," a one-hour special airing
Sunday at 5:00pm ET on NBC (WNBA).
