People & Personalities: Hammond, Dedes NFL Net Possibilities

Hammond A Candidate For NFL Network Announcing Gig

In N.Y., Richard Sandomir reports NBC Sports' Tom Hammond and Lakers radio announcer Spero Dedes are "among the candidates being considered to replace Bryant Gumbel as the NFL Network's lead announcer" for the net's eight late-season games (N.Y. TIMES, 6/6).

CHALK TALK: In Minneapolis, Judd Zulgad writes it "wouldn't be surprising" if former T'Wolves coach Flip Saunders next season becomes an NBA analyst. Saunders in '05 worked playoff coverage for TNT and the "logical landing place would be TNT -- especially if analyst Doug Collins is hired" by the Bulls (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/6).

GET WELL SOON: ESPN MLB analyst Rick Sutcliffe, who in February was diagnosed with colon cancer, will undergo surgery on June 16. Sutcliffe's cancer was "caught in Stage 1, which means with treatment and surgery it's 100[%] curable." Sutcliffe: "The surgery will take me out for about a month. But my goal is to work the All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium on July 15. I'm not the first person with cancer" (NORTH COUNTY TIMES, 6/6).

NOTES: The Vancouver Province has fired sports columnist David Pratt after he "admitted that he copied parts of a Sports Illustrated article" written by Rick Reilly and used them in his own piece (CBC.ca, 6/5)....In Chicago, Teddy Greenstein reports WSCR-AM morning radio host Mike North's contract is set to expire July 1 and there are "rumors swirling that he could lose his morning gig." Greenstein notes insiders have been "buzzing about a possible lineup shift that would have midday hosts Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley taking over North's slot" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/6)....ESPN's Dan Le Batard has signed a three-year deal to remain with WAXY-AM (MIAMI HERALD, 6/6).