Ravens coach Brian Billick denied an ESPN report that
he "demoted" starting QB Tony Banks earlier in the season
"partly because he refused to tuck in his jersey during the
final preseason game," according to Preston & Lambrecht of
the Baltimore SUN. Billick: "I realize [ESPN NFL reporters]
John [Clayton] and Chris Mortensen make up about one half of
what they put on the air. But that was interesting to say
the least. It insults me. It insults the intelligence of
the viewer." More Billick: "I don't know how to respond to
blatant stupidity. I really don't" (Baltimore SUN, 12/16).
MORE ABOUT BOB: In Richmond, Jerry Lindquist writes on
Bob Costas hosting HBO's new sports show (See THE DAILY,
12/14) and writes, "The last thing you would think [Costas]
needs is another vehicle to remind people how opinionated
and pompous he can be." Lindquist questions why NBC "let"
Costas do the show for another network, instead of putting a
show on its sister cable channels MSNBC or CNBC. Costas
said "there were some conversations" about a program but "it
never happened." Costas: "It just seemed to me the place to
do it was the place where they weren't just willing to do
it, but where they lived to do it." HBO Sports Senior VP
Ross Greenburg said the new show "will have no impact" on
HBO's "Real Sports" news show (TIMES-DISPATCH, 12/16).
BUT WOULD OPRAH RECOMMEND IT? In Edmonton, Rachel Evans
reported that sales are strong for Terry Jones' new book,
"Wayne Gretzky, An Oiler Forever." One bookstore reported
100 books were left "from its order of 600 copies of the
book, which was launched Friday" (EDMONTON SUN, 12/15).