TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET editions of FSN's
"Primetime" (Fox Sports Net Ohio) and ESPN's "SportsCenter"
both led with Mets-Astros, followed by Braves-Reds. The
11:00pm ET edition of CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" led with
Braves-Reds, followed by Mets-Astros. The first non-MLB
story on "SportsCenter," at 7:06 into the broadcast, was the
Broncos announcing that Brian Griese will be the team's
starting QB. The first non-MLB story on "Primetime," at
7:45, was Pete Sampras' injury at U.S. Open practice, and
the first non-MLB story on "Sports Tonight," at 6:59, was
the retirement of Browns LB Chris Spielman (THE DAILY).
NOTES: In Dallas, Barry Horn reports that Sunday's
Broncos-Cowboys game earned a 24.6 local Nielsen rating in
Dallas and a 31.1 local rating in Denver. Nationally, the
game produced a 7.8 overnight rating, the highest overnight
rating Fox "has ever received for a pre-season game" (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 8/31)....Mitsubishi is "underwriting" CBS'
High Definition telecasts of the U.S. Open semifinals and
finals (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 8/30 issue)....NHL analyst
John Davidson said that "he's close to signing an agreement"
with ABC to work its NHL telecasts next season (BLOOMBERG
NEWS, 8/30)....During last night's 49ers-Raiders, ABC's Al
Michaels noted the "full house" at Network Associates
Coliseum marked "the first time the blackout has been lifted
here in Oakland since the early stages of the 1997 regular
season" ("Monday Night Football," ABC, 8/30).
