In L.A., Helene Elliott reports NHL Kings TV play-by-play announcer Bob Miller "will not be back behind the microphone this season." Miller is "progressing slowly but surely" from heart bypass surgery eight weeks ago. However, he said, "I've decided rather than try and come back too early and have something happen -- and we can only do the first round of the playoffs on TV -- I think the prudent thing to do is to wait until the start of next season." Kings radio announcer Nick Nickson will continue to fill in for Miller on television (L.A. TIMES, 3/29).
JOHNNY ON THE SPOT: Baseball analyst John Smoltz said between Fox and MLB Network, he will "have about 150 or more days on the road this year." Smoltz said he spends "pretty much the whole day the day of the game" preparing for his broadcast. Smoltz: "When I'm acquiring information I'll spend anywhere from four to six hours prepping because I don't really get a chance to see those teams play much due to being in the studio and viewing all of baseball. Teams that I may not be familiar with may take a little longer." Smoltz said the "biggest thing" he has had to adjust to as a broadcaster is the "way the game is being played today." He said, "The expectations of players versus of what was expected of us not too long ago. That's a really big shift in how the game is being played" (ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 3/25 issue).
MATTER OF OPINION: In Houston, David Barron reported KILT-AM sports radio host Nick Wright will "leave the CBS Radio outlet next month to join Fox Sports" in L.A. Wright said that he will "have a regular role" on an FS1 weekday show, the details of which "have yet to be announced by the network." Barron noted Wright's "opinionated style fits with the desire" of Fox Sports National Networks President Jamie Horowitz to "bring 'opinionists' for FS1 and FS2 to compete against ESPN's established shows" (CHRON.com, 3/28).
WELCOME ABOARD: ESPN's The Undefeated officially named 10 new journalists to its staff, including the official addition of Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Marc Spears and two senior editors -- the Winston-Salem Journal's John Miller and Bleacher Report's Vincent Thomas. Other additions include Jill Hudson, Karin Berry, Aaron Dodson, Kelley Evans, Maya Jones, Ashley Melfi and Rhiannon Walker (ESPN). Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal's Kevin Clark is joining The Ringer as a staff writer covering the NFL (TWITTER.com, 3/28).
LIFE AFTER BASKETBALL: Injured Hawks C Tiago Splitter will "serve as a guest commentator on one of the Hawks' upcoming broadcasts" on Spanish station WBZY-FM. Splitter also has been agreed to "serve as a commentator" for the Rio Games for Brazilian television. Splitter "intends to attend" a journalism program at Syracuse Univ. to "educate himself and further try his hand" at the profession (AJC.com, 3/26). Meanwhile, former NBAer Doug Christie, who "splits duties as one of the Kings' radio and television analysts, has emerged as a candid, sometimes kooky, often corny, but unfailingly entertaining addition to the radio crews." Christie "talks the game the way he played the game: teeming with passion and an undercurrent of nuance" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 3/27).
ZERO TOLERANCE: In Phoenix, Paola Boivin wrote she has "no problem with athletes using their platform for political statements." She supports ESPN MLB analyst Curt Schilling's right to "say what's on his mind, even if I don't agree with much of it." But Schilling has an employer, and one has to "wonder where ESPN's line is." Boivin: "At some point you would think the bigotry and hate-mongering would be bad for business. If I'm the boss, I wouldn't tolerate it" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/28).
