In Baltimore, Milton Kent, on media criticism of SI's
Swimsuit Issue: "How can anyone be surprised that a magazine
that has featured women in all stages of undress for more
than a couple of decades would push the envelope a little
further? And why wouldn't it?" (Baltimore SUN, 2/17).
...Celtics VP/Media Relations Jeff Twiss took over play-by-
play radio duties during last night's game against the
Grizzlies for WEEI's Howard David, who missed it for
personal reasons (BOSTON HERALD, 2/17). In Boston, Michael
Holley writes that "most of the time people criticize you
for being on both sides of an issue. For one night, Twiss
was paid for it" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/18)....In UT, Scott Pierce
noted that ABC/ESPN covered the U.S. Figure Skating
Championships "without becoming obsessed with the ongoing"
Olympic bid controversy. Pierce: "The lack of obsession ...
wasn't only good for the [SLOC] and the people of Utah, but
it was good for viewers all over the [U.S.]" (DESERET NEWS,
2/17)....ESPN reached a deal to carry the Univ. of OR-MI
State football game on September 2, which "officially end[s]
any hope FSU had" of finding a replacement for Auburn for
the Thursday night game that Auburn backed out of which was
scheduled for ESPN that day (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 2/18).
RATINGS NOTE: In Pittsburgh, Chuck Finder reports that
Saturday's Penguins-Predators game scored a season-high 7.4
cable rating on Fox Sports Pittsburgh (POST-GAZETTE,
2/18)....Preliminary Nielsen ratings for Tuesday's Pacers-
Heat game indicate the game received a 6.0 cable rating for
Fox Sports Midwest, giving FSMW a two-game season average of
5.8, 76% higher than last season's 3.3 average (FSMW).
