TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN's
"SportsCenter" led with 49ers-Vikings, followed by Packers-
Chargers. The first non-NFL story, at 8:03 into the
broadcast, was Rockets F Charles Barkley announcing his
retirement after this season. FSN's 11:00pm ET edition of
"Primetime" (Fox Sports South) led with Redskins-Cowboys,
followed by Packers-Chargers. The first non-NFL story, at
11:21, was Barkley's announcement. CNN/SI's 11:00pm ET of
"Sports Tonight" led with Redskins-Cowboys, followed by
49ers-Vikings. The first non-NFL story, at 9:24, was Casey
Martin earning his PGA Tour card (THE DAILY).
NOTES: In Chicago, John Jackson wrote that Dan Patrick
"has smoothly made the transition" to being a talk-show host
on ESPN Radio. Jackson: "Patrick has an easy-going style
and his deep knowledge of sports is apparent. Perhaps most
important, he has avoided the gimmicks and low-brow elements
that others use in an attempt to get ratings" (CHICAGO SUN-
TIMES, 10/22)....In N.Y., Phil Mushnick reviewed HBO's
upcoming documentary on Howard Cosell and wrote, "Like most
HBO Sports documentaries, it's a high-quality production.
Unlike most HBO documentaries, however, it leaves me cold.
It doesn't depict the Cosell I knew." Mushnick: "[It]
includes glowing testimony about Cosell from people who I
know disliked him to the extreme and considered him a fraud"
(N.Y. POST, 10/23)....Fox's Jimmy Kimmel wore a "Cris Is On
Roids" hat during his picks segment on ("Fox NFL Sunday,"
10/24)....Showtime Senior VP/Sports & Event Programming Jay
Larkin, on Showtime's decision to place its name on the ring
mat instead of selling it" for the Mike Tyson-Orlin Norris
fight: "We wanted to have that brand name, so people will
see the Showtime name all over it" (L.V. REVIEW-JOURNAL,
10/24)....In Chicago, Tim Jones wrote on TV properties and
networks "spawning magazines." ESPN Magazine's circulation
"is projected" to hit one million by January, a "remarkable
growth rate for any new publication." ESPN Magazine readers
are "younger (average age 29 years) than the network viewer
(average age 41). The magazine readers are also better
educated, more likely not to be married and have a slightly
higher median household income" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/24).