TV MONITOR: Last night's 10:00pm ET 60-minute edition
of FSN's "National Sports Report" led with a 3:31 report on
49ers QB Steve Young's retirement from the NFL, followed by
a report on talks between Univ. of Miami men's basketball
coach Leonard Hamilton and the Wizards and a preview of Game
Four of the Lakers-Pacers NBA Finals. Last night's 11:00pm
ET 30-minute edition of CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" led with a
5:20 report on Young, followed by White Sox-Indians and
trade rumors surrounding Cubs RF Sammy Sosa. Last night's
11:00pm ET 60-minute edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" led
with a 6:55 report on Young, followed by Ray Lewis at Ravens
mini-camp and Vikings WR Randy Moss' dispute on a commercial
flight with an airline attendant. The first non-NFL report,
at 9:52, was White Sox-Indians (THE DAILY).
BEING FRANK: The T'Wolves "have decided not to renew
the contract" of TV analyst Trent Tucker. Tucker had been
criticized for his "deliberate style of speaking and
repeated use of certain words such as 'basketball.'"
T'Wolves VP/Communications Charley Frank said the team is
looking to "put some warmth and personality back into the
shows" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/13). Tucker had been
the T'Wolves' analyst for five years on KARE-TV, KMWB-TV,
and Midwest Sports Channel. Tucker, on the decision: "I was
shocked. I was surprised" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/13).
OOPS! In Boston, Jim Baker notes that following
Commendable Owner Bob Lewis' first win Saturday at the
Belmont Stakes, he was asked by ABC's Lesley Visser how the
win "compared to his other Belmont wins." But ABC's Al
Michaels had just finished acknowledging on-air that Lewis
had faced "deep disappointment" at having never won the
Belmont. Baker: "The gaffe, far more startling than the
crazy hats Visser often wears, stole the farewell spotlight
from [ABC's] Jim McKay and Michaels" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/13).
MLB: In Boston, Howard Manly reports that the Red Sox
"have earned significantly higher ratings" on WFXT-TV than
last year. In May, the team averaged an 8.2 rating, which
is 34,000 more HHs per game than last year. Ratings for
adults aged 18-49 are up 29%, adults 25-54 up 38%, men 18-49
up 22% and men 25-54 up 38% (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/13)....In
Chicago, Elliott Harris reports that WGN's coverage of
Friday's Cubs-White Sox series opener earned an 11.5 rating,
the Sox' best rating since '91. Viewership for White Sox
prime-time games on WGN is up 130%, from a 2.7 last season
to a 6.2. Saturday's game on Fox drew a 9.4 rating, while
Sunday's game on FSN earned a 6.6 rating (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES,
6/13)....Reds 2B Pokey Reese had nothing bad to say about
SI's recent story that "centers on his relationship, or
alleged lack thereof, with the three children he has
fathered with three different women." Reese: "It was a nice
article. It was all fair" (CINCINNATI POST, 6/10).
