THE MMQB's Peter King wrote the N.Y. Times has "made a smart hire in retaining" former NFLer Scott Fujita as a regular correspondent. Fujita is "one of those players who always saw every side of the game -- from the league’s perspective, the union’s perspective and the player’s perspective." He also is working for FoxSports.com, and on Friday wrote a "gem on what cutdown day is really like, including the memory of a teammate throwing a chair when he heard he was about to be cut" (MMQB.SI.com, 9/2).
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: In N.Y., Bob Raissman reported Fox' Pam Oliver "suffered a concussion" during pregame warmups for the Aug. 18 Colts-Giants game when a pass thrown by Colts QB Chandler Harnish "hit her flush on the side of the face." Oliver went to the doctor the next day, and her CT scan "came up clean, but she was diagnosed with a concussion." She "spent the next five days in a dark room inside her home." Oliver said, "I worried about my memory, but after five days things began clearing up. I felt clear-headed and stronger, but the headaches still come and go" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/1). Oliver's story was profiled on NBC's "Today" on Tuesday morning (THE DAILY).
WEEKNIGHT EDITION: NFL Network announced a revamping of its weekday evening schedule, with a three-hour block of live programming now running from 6:00pm-9:00pm ET. "Around the League Live" with host Andrew Siciliano starts at 6:00pm, followed by "Around the League Primetime" with host Lindsay Rhodes at 7:00pm, and "NFL Total Access" with new host Dan Hellie at 8:00pm (NFL Network).
ACROSS THE POND: In London, Sunni Upal reported Absolute Radio in an exclusive deal has "secured commentary rights" for the NFL in the U.K. The station will "broadcast twenty live games throughout the season on Sunday nights," including the two NFL games at Wembley Stadium and Super Bowl XLVIII. Sunday's Packers-49ers game "will be the first live match on Absolute Radio this season." The deal marks "the first time that NFL games will be heard weekly on commercial radio" in the U.K. (London DAILY MAIL, 9/4).
NOTES: "Finsiders," a show about the Dolphins produced by the team, "will become a daily staple" on FS Florida starting Monday. It will air from 5:00-6:00pm ET and "begin a year-round run in the time slot" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 9/4)....Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia announced that former NFLer Brian Westbrook is joining the RSN's "Eagles Pregame Live," "In-Game Live," and "Eagles Postgame Live" shows for the upcoming season (Comcast SportsNet).
