In Chicago, Daryl Van Schouwen reports play-by-pay man Ken Harrelson "is expected back in the White Sox broadcast booth Monday after missing" the team's recent 11-game road trip. Harrelson on Thursday "had minor surgery." Chuck Swirsky, who "handled play-by-play duty alongside Steve Stone for the entire trip, is working Friday’s and Sunday’s games," while Saturday’s game "will be televised on Fox." Harrelson said, "This is the most games I’ve ever missed in my whole career" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/5).
THAT'S WHAT'S UP, DOC: In Tampa, Tom Jones profiles NBC's Mike Emrick, calling him "the Wayne Gretzky of hockey broadcasters." Jones: "Best of all time. It's not even close." Although Emrick's "best guess of why he is so good is because the games are good," he "couldn't be more wrong." Jones: "It's because of him. He's so good." Emrick "has moved to the top of sports broadcasting, and he has done it without shtick." He "doesn't yell just to yell." He "makes the game the focal point and the players the stars." Emrick does not even "have a catchphrase." He has a "photographic memory and is a master of the English language, often coming up with nearly 200 verbs in a game to describe what is happening to the puck" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 6/5).
GOING THE OTHER WAY: In North Carolina, Jason deBruyn reported the Hurricanes "did not renew the contract of sideline reporter Chantel McCabe." Team President Don Waddell said that the club "wants to add some responsibility to the position and decided to 'go in a new direction.'" The additional responsibility "will focus primarily around producing additional content for Web use" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/2).
FANTASY MOVIES: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER’s Paul Bond reports ESPN's Matthew Berry is “trying to meld fantasy sports with Hollywood.” Berry on May 15 “launched FantasyMovieLeague.com, where players assume the role of cineplex owners and try to earn more ‘FML Bux’ than others during the course of 10 weeks.” During the site's first week, 3,000 people “joined leagues, despite no advertising beyond a tweet to Berry's 700,000 followers.” Players “receive 1,000 FML Bux they can spend to put films on eight screens, scoring points based on how well the titles perform each weekend.” Law permitting, Berry would “like to launch cash games similar to daily fantasy sports.” When he “has enough users, he'll sell his data to studios” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/12 issue).
DOWN THE STRETCH: In Baton Rouge, Ross Dellenger reported LSU’s search for a play-by-play radio broadcaster “is in the final stages.” Charles Hanagriff, Patrick Wright, Lyn Rollins, Sean Kelly and Patrick Netherton are the local candidates who “made the cut of semifinalists for the job to replace Jim Hawthorne.” There are “as many as four national candidates in the mix” (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 6/3).
