In St. Louis, Dan Caesar notes FS Midwest Blues analyst Darren Pang last week "was in limbo, unsure if he would be back for his ninth season" with the RSN. But "after his contract status became public," a deal for him to remain "was agreed to within 36 hours." FS Midwest officials "would not discuss the matter in detail because the contract has not been signed." But the company in a statement did "confirm the verbal agreement." Pang is "happy things were resolved so rapidly once they became public, after having dragged since the Blues’ season ended." He had "talked of looking elsewhere for work." Pang said that the contract is for "three years and has no change in the duties he previously had with FSM and the club" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/7).
BAGGAGE CLAIM: ESPN.com's Jason Sobel wrote NBC/Golf Channel adding Phil Mickelson's former caddie Jim Mackay to its broadcast team is a "win-win-win scenario." NBC "receives an educated voice with more than a quarter century of inside-the-ropes perspective." The viewership "gets an expert who knows the game and its current cast of superstars as well as anyone." Mackay will "excel in the new role." From his "attention to detail to learning from past mistakes, certain attributes will carry over to this new pursuit" (ESPN.com, 7/6). Golf Channel’s Lisa Cornwell said, “I’ve heard him in that role before, and he’s done a really nice job. He’s going to fit in well on the golf course working in that capacity” (“Golf Central,” Golf Channel, 7/6).
NEVER SAY NEVER: In N.Y., Justin Terranova talked to Fox' Joe Buck and asked if he still was thinking of moving on from the net's MLB booth when his contract ends in '19. Buck said, "It was never the plan. I am smart enough to know that in this business if you start making plans three years down the road you’re going to get slapped in the face or punched. Life doesn’t work that way, especially life in network sports" (N.Y. POST, 7/7).
TESTING, TESTING: In N.Y., Nicholas Parco notes New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is "set to co-host" WFAN-AM's afternoon drive time from 2:00-6:30pm ET next Monday and Tuesday with Evan Roberts. Christie has "been in the running to replace Mike Francesa since February" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/7).
OLD STOMPING GROUNDS: In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell notes 15 years after "after leaving Charlotte for New Orleans, Gerry Vaillancourt will return" to his former city July 17. Vaillancourt, who "moved with the original Hornets to Louisiana" in '02, will fill the 3:00-7:00pm ET shift on ESPN Radio 730 Charlotte. Vaillancourt was "one of the first sports-talk radio hosts in Charlotte" starting in '90 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/7).
