Into The Starting Blocks

The USOC and Comcast today are taking the wraps off the U.S. Olympic Network, which will launch next year and focus exclusively on American athletes and the Olympic movement. The long-awaited network has been in discussion since '06, and is expected to feature a mix of live and taped events, documentaries on Olympic moments, biographies of athletes, and coaching and instructional videos. The USOC partnered with Comcast after ESPN, Discovery and NBC all passed on the idea. The partnership with Comcast ends years of planning by the organization, as former USOC CEO Jim Scherr hired former Turner exec Norm Bellingham in October '06 and put him in charge of the project. There are questions the new net raises, though, including how will longtime broadcast partner NBC react, especially considering it has an Olympic channel of its own in Universal Sports.

Majority Rules?
Five of seven golfers on LPGA BOD support calls for Bivens to resign; source says the commish cancels planned trip to U.S. Open.

Let's Play Two
Despite reports it is closing in on a deal with Ricketts, Tribune Co. allegedly in negotiations to sell Cubs to second group.

Cruel, Cruel Summer
NBA warns salary cap could plummet for '10-11, perhaps cooling next year's free agent market.

Wall-To-Waltrip Coverage
NAPA extends stout sponsorship of MWR to cover new driver Martin Truex Jr.

A San Francisco Defeat 
Mayor Gavin Newsom says city is resigned to being backup location for new 49ers stadium.

Legal Procedure
Hatch's BCS hearing gets little participation from fellow senators, but Utah pol presses for DOJ probe.

Running Low On Gas  
Chicago the latest NASCAR stop likely to see less-than-capacity crowd for Sprint Cup race.

Don't Stop Believin'
MLB teams pulling out all the stops in support of players for final All-Star Game spots.