Media Notes

Writer Gives Broadcast Team Of Tilghman, Faldo Mixed Reviews

In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes CBS and Golf Channel analyst Nick Faldo throughout the nets' coverage of the PGA Tour The Barclays tournament this weekend was "at his sarcastic best." When Golf Channel announcer Kelly Tilghman Friday "mentioned that Tiger Woods has never won this event, Faldo shot the camera a horrified look while slamming the desk with both palms." However, Tilghman is "either sustaining her plan to drive viewers mad or she still does not have the ability to speak plain English; she must reach for a trite expression every time she speaks." Mushnick: "With Tilghman, a player doesn't want to 'win,' he wants to 'hoist the trophy' or 'enter the winner's circle'" (N.Y. POST, 8/31).

SCHEDULE GUIDE: NHL Kings play-by-play announcer Bob Miller yesterday said that "all of the team's 65 telecasts next season will be available in HD." In L.A., Helene Elliott noted the Kings, who had "only 10 HD games last season," had "planned to make the announcement this week," but Miller let the news slip yesterday during the Kings' Hockey Fest (LATIMES.com, 8/30)....In Dallas, Eddie Sefko reported 48 Mavericks games will appear on FS Southwest, 33 on KTXA-Ind and nine on HDNet during the upcoming season. All games also will be broadcast on KESN-FM and in Spanish on KFLC-AM (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/30).

NOTABLE EXCLUSION: In St. Petersburg, Tom Jones awarded SI's decision to declare its August 31 issue "Brett-Favre free" his "best idea" for the week. The issue's upper-left corner of the issue contains a "purple and yellow No. 4 with a line through it," and it was a "funny idea even if it was a little dig at the national media, including one of its own." Jones noted SI writer Peter King "supposedly has a close working relationship with Favre" (TAMPABAY.com, 8/30).

PACKING A PUNCH: In London, Gareth Davies wrote ESPN's U.K. channel "duly delivered on its broadcast promises to UK fans" with its coverage of Saturday's UFC 102 event. The commercial breaks "were shorter, less intrusive, and although they still broke away in mid-commentary at times, allowed UK fans to watch full fights with analysis, and the fighters in their corners between the rounds" (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 8/30).