People & Personalities: ESPN's Valvano To Return Saturday, One Week After Heart Attack

In Louisville, Tim Sullivan reports ESPN Radio host and college basketball analyst Bob Valvano is recovering from a heart attack he suffered last week. Outside of a "precautionary two-week absence from air travel, and a planned reduction from five days a week to four on his local talk show, Valvano is making no meaningful career concessions to the delicacy of his condition." He expects to call Saturday's Kentucky-Louisville game and "resume accepting ESPN assignments early in the new year" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 12/28).

WHEN IN ROME...: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Marisa Guthrie reported Jim Rome's show on Showtime will "get a second season on the premium network." The show, entitled "Jim Rome on Showtime," has been "airing Wednesdays at 10 p.m." Rome noted in a tweet his show will return "in 2013 as a monthly." Currently, new episodes of the show "air weekly" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 12/21). Meanwhile, in L.A., Tom Hoffarth named Rome his "sports media person of the year" and writes after 16 years at the Premiere Radio Network, Rome was "ready for a new challenge, and CBS provided that on many platforms with the most intriguing talent deal of the year" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 12/28).

GOTTLIEB LEADING OFF: In California, Michael Lev profiles CBS' Doug Gottlieb and notes when Gottlieb signed with the network, it "offered him everything he ever wanted: his own TV show, involvement in the NCAA Tournament and the chance to live and raise his kids where he grew up." Gottlieb's TV show, entitled "Lead Off," airs at 12:00am ET, and he will "continue to have his own radio show on the CBS Sports Radio Network, which launches Wednesday." He also is "already a prominent figure in CBS' college basketball coverage, taking Friday-night red-eyes to New York to work in the studio." CBS Sports Exec VP and CBS Sports Network President David Berson said, "As we continue to build CBS Sports Network, having recognizable personalities was really important. Doug was on our short list. His skill set is perfect for what we want to do" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 12/28).

PATRIOTS PRAISE: ESPN BOSTON's Mike Reiss reported the Patriots will "honor longtime radio broadcasters Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti at Sunday's regular-season finale against the Dolphins." Cappelletti, who retired this year, also will "call the opening drive of the game with Santos, who is retiring at the end of the 2012 season" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 12/26).