In Jacksonville, Gene Frenette wrote 16 years ago "few would have envisioned" golfer David Duval "talking for hours on a TV studio set." Duval "endured a lot of criticism in his full-time playing days for being somewhat aloof, so many didn’t see his future" being in TV. But if the "early returns from his five months on Golf Channel are any indication, this could be right in his wheelhouse." Golf Channel Exec Producer Molly Solomon said, "He’s not always going to throw up perfectly polished sound bites, but he’s going to take you through his reasoning and how he got there. He’s such a complex, fascinating guy and it comes through on television" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 5/7).
BACK IN THE GAME: In Cincinnati, Mike Dyer reports former MLBer Pete Rose on Monday "will make his Fox Sports studio debut" on "America's Pregame." Rose will also appear on "MLB Whiparound" and will "appear with a taped segment" on "Fox Sports Live" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/8). In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote from a TV perspective, Rose "could be clearing a path, so to speak," for Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez. Raissman: "Make no mistake, as soon as Rose opens his mouth on Fox, he becomes its most high-profile analyst. ... What would that make Rodriguez if he ever decides to go into TV? Get it?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/3).
STEELING THE SHOW: The Steelers on Tuesday announced former NFLers Charlie Batch and Chris Hoke have been hired to the team’s '15 KDKA-CBS’ programming roster. Batch will be the color analyst and co-host the pre- and postgame shows for the Steelers’ '15 preseason broadcasts on the net. The '15 preseason will mark Batch’s first year as the net’s color analyst, replacing former NFLer Edmund Nelson who decided to retire. Batch joins veteran play-by-play announcer Bob Pompeani in the TV booth. Batch will also co-host the team’s regular-season pre-game show with Pompeani, in addition to his duties as the Steelers Radio Network post-game show co-host. Hoke will co-host the team’s regular-season post-game show (Steelers).
