In Charlotte, Mark Washburn profiles Fox NASCAR reporter Jamie Little, who is "one of the most knowledgeable reporters in motor sports, an author, a restaurateur and the daughter of a showgirl." After spending 13 years at ESPN/ABC, Little "was hired away by Fox last fall, which was considered a big get for the network." She is "making her motor sports reporting debut for Fox this month" at Daytona Int'l Speedway. Little: "Once I got married and had a baby, home life really started tugging at me. Traveling was all I’ve known since I was 21. I’ve traveled 35 weeks a year since then. With Fox, it’ll be a third less. I wanted to be a mom a little bit more" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/18).
GO WEST, YOUNG WOMAN: AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Matt Yoder cited sources as saying that ESPN researcher Kristen Balboni "will be making the move westward" to L.A. to join Fox Sports. It is "expected that Balboni will have a major digital and video presence online for At The Buzzer, the viral content hub of FoxSports.com" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 2/13).
FULL NELSON: In Newark, Mike Vorkunov reported SNY has "found a replacement" for former Mets analyst Bob Ojeda, as former MLBer Nelson Figueroa "will now be a part of the Mets' pre and postgame shows" this season. Figueroa pitched for the Mets in '08 and '09 (NJ.com, 2/16). In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote Figueroa "has large shoes to fill," as Ojeda "was blunt, outspoken and unpredictable." He also was "very well prepared" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/16).
BACK IN THE SADDLE: In DC, Scott Allen profiled former Washington Times Redskins beat writer David Elfin, who in September launched DavidElfinOnSports.com, where he "writes a daily column about DC sports." In addition to the Capitals, Nationals, Redskins and Wizards, Elfin "provides analysis and commentary on all of the local colleges." He charges $36 for a "one-year subscription to his site and says former players, coaches and hall of famers are among his subscribers" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/13)....Chicago-based WDRV-FM yesterday announced Dan McNeil "will team with Pete McMurray for a new morning show on 'The Drive,'" replacing the retiring Steve Downes (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/18).
