In San Diego, Kevin Acee notes FS San Diego Padres analyst Ted Leitner has cancer and "plans to work through" tonight's game against the Marlins. The tumor is in a kidney, and he will have it " removed Thursday." He will begin an "indefinite leave for the surgery and his recovery." He hopes to be back "within a month." Tony Gwynn Jr., the "regular fill-in for Leitner and his partner, Jesse Agler, will be part of a rotation working while Leitner is out." Mark Grant and Mark Sweeney, who are part of the team’s FSSD telecasts, will also "work some games with Agler" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/30).
AWKWARD POSITION: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote the new NFL national anthem policy has put the league's network partners in a "box," as they will now be "forced to report the names of players who remain in the locker room." If a network decides to "ignore those who stayed behind, it risks being accused of hiding information and having its overall credibility called into question." Viewers "likely will see NFL reporters like ESPN's Sal Paolantonio on the network's pregame show standing outside the Eagles locker room, reporting who he heard will not be coming out for the anthem" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/27).
MOVING SCREEN GAME: In Boston, Chad Finn notes the two-hour documentary “Anything is Possible: The Story of the 2008 Celtics,’’ premiered last night on NBC Sports Boston. It covers in depth "all of the aspects" that made the '08 NBA champions "so compelling." The documentary is "narrated by Donnie Wahlberg." It includes "interviews with 21 people, including 11 of the 13 members of the postseason roster." This film "addresses in compelling detail all of the terrain in the 22 years from the 16th championship to the 17th" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/30).
