TV MONITOR: Last night's 12:00am ET 60-minute edition
of FSN's "National Sports Report" led with Lakers-Heat,
followed by Pistons-Suns. The first non-basketball report,
at 6:39 into the broadcast, was an injury update on Cowboys
QB Troy Aikman. The first NHL report, at 10:42, was Mario
Lemieux's first practice with the Penguins. The first MLB
report, at 16:44, was Juan Gonzalez refusing salary
arbitration with the Tigers. Last night's 11:30pm ET 60-
minute edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" led with Univ. of
TN-Univ. of VA NCAA men's basketball, followed by MI St.
Univ-Seton Hall Univ. NCAA men's basketball. The first non-
NCAA basketball report, at 7:17, was Lakers-Heat. The first
NHL report, at 14:32, was Lemieux. The first MLB report, at
19:52, was Astros 1B Jeff Bagwell signing a five-year, $85M
extension with the team. The first NFL report, at 22:18,
was an injury update on Saints RB Ricky Williams. Last
night's 11:00pm ET 30-minute edition of CNN/SI's "Sports
Tonight" unveiled its new format, as hosts Vince Cellini and
Fred Hickman had a discussion with NFL insider Don Banks
about the Rams and Saints OL Willie Roaf answered questions.
A panel including CNN/SI's John Giannone and NHL analyst
Darren Elliott also discussed Mario Lemieux's comeback. At
23:42, "Sports Tonight" showed the first highlights of the
show, Lakers-Heat, followed by Jazz-Raptors (THE DAILY).
NEAL TAKES ON NBA ROLE: NBC Olympics Head of Production
David Neal will oversee production of the "NBA on NBC," and
in a press conference yesterday, Neal said that NBA refs
will wear mics for all NBC games this season. Coaches,
meanwhile, will have the option to wear a mic (BLOOMBERG
NEWS, 12/19). Neal said that his "game plan is to take a
page from MSNBC's election coverage book and strive for more
immediacy and fewer elaborate, taped packages" during NBA
broadcasts. NBC's coverage begins Christmas Day (HOLLYWOOD
REPORTER, 12/20)....In Hartford, Jeff Jacobs wonders why
sports leagues, including the NBA, are playing on Christmas
Day: "Even if you aren't a Christian, the work calendar
presents the great majority of us with a chance on Christmas
to cherish what we have in America, to celebrate what is
meaningful to us. The NHL and [NHLPA] have recognized this
and there are no games on Dec. 24 and 25. Others should
join in. The networks further assaulting us with wall-to-
wall games at the most spiritual of moments, the greatest of
all family days, seems wrong" (HARTFORD COURANT, 12/20).
NOTES: In L.A., Larry Stewart reviewed HBO's
documentary, "Playing the Field: Sports and Sex in America,"
which airs tonight from 9:00-10:00pm. Stewart: "HBO in some
ways tackled a topic too broad and the result is a film
lacking focus" (L.A. TIMES, 12/19)....In Orlando, L.C.
Johnson reported that the XFL Rage have signed a deal with
Clear Channel Communications to make WTKS-FM the flagship
station for all of the team's broadcasts. Meanwhile, the
team "is already nearing" 6,000 season tickets sold (ORLANDO
SENTINEL, 12/16)....In Cleveland, the Browns averaged a 23.4
local rating for their 16 telecasts this year, down slightly
from their first season mark of 26.1 (PLAIN DEALER, 12/20).
