On Long Island, Neil Best writes WFAN-AM host Mike Francesa and Sirius XM Mad Dog Radio host Chris Russo yesterday had "an impromptu reunion" during Super Bowl media day. Russo was standing near the WFAN table when Francesa "invited him to come on" the show. What followed "was a 20-minute reminder of their 19-year run together from 1989-2008, a frantic, wide-ranging catching-up session that covered everything." It was their "first such on-air reunion since Russo went on Francesa's show and vice versa" during the '09 ALCS. Francesa "returned the favor again Tuesday night by appearing on Russo's show." Francesa said of the experience, "It was fun" (NEWSDAY, 2/1).
TAKE A NUMBER: In Toronto, Joe Warmington writes the CBC's Don Cherry is "not impressed Brian Burke 'went behind my back' to complain about him to the CBC and says the Maple Leafs' president did it to 'deflect' attention away from his team's losing ways." Burke said that he "'raised the issue quietly and professionally,' and while he likes Cherry, his weekly 'vicious and cutting' remarks on players and Leafs coach Ron Wilson have 'got to stop.'" But Cherry said that he "will not be muzzled, adding 'if it's true' Burke went to CBC management, then 'he's got to get in line to get me.'" Burke "called the fact that there was a 'leak' of his private concerns 'nuts'" (TORONTO SUN, 2/1).
MADE FOR TV: SPORTSGRID.com's Frances Martel wrote under the header "Dan Le Batard Is Highly Watchable." Martel wrote no program on national TV "has quite captured the Cuban family experience in as delightfully confusing a way" as ESPN2's "Dan Le Batard Is Highly Questionable." Martel: "Further viewing did not erode my first impressions of the show as a work of genius, intended to thrust upon the audience [an] imposing and chaotic cultural background that makes it difficult for those unacquainted to realize there is serious talent here." Le Batard is "one of the best interviewers on television." He "doesn’t even bother to entertain the idea that he cares about what his guests do for a living and instead corners them into talking about their personalities and attitudes, and the experiences that shaped them to be who they are" (SPORTSGRID.com, 1/30).
ALL SOCCER, ALL THE TIME: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Tim Goodman noted GolTV is "24 hours of soccer with a few studio highlight shows and specials mixed in -- the exact opposite strategy of most American sports channels that believe in talking heads above all." Goodman: "I’m wondering why ... American sports channels don’t copy the format a little more aggressively. ... For home-turf sports networks, I’d say look to Europe for guidance. Stop talking about the games and show the games. It’s a pretty simple formula" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 1/30).
