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Sunday, Jan. 22, 2:15pm ET

Weekend Rap .... Latest News .... No Horse Play

Colts Fire GM Ryan Grigson, Keep Chuck Pagano As Coach

Colts Owner Jim Irsay yesterday announced the firing of GM Ryan Grigson and "denied that there were ever any serious negotiations" with former NFLer Peyton Manning about a front office position. Grigson "signed a three-year extension a year ago this month." Irsay at that time said Grigson was "tied at the hip" to coach Chuck Pagano. Irsay: "I untied them." But he said, "This is the move that we needed to make. I made it slowly, cautiously, prudently, because it’s a big decision. I prefer continuity. But this move was the right move" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 1/22). Grigson was "not popular in the locker room" as was made evident by the reaction of P Pat McAfee on Twitter. McAfee tweeted, "Unwarranted arrogance just ran into a brick wall called karma." Former NFLer Reggie Wayne, in an interview on NFL Network, said Grigson "walked around and tried to put fear in people, and that ain't the way you do it" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 1/22). 

ESPN Renames NFL Studio After Chris Berman, Tom Jackson

ESPN honored longtime “Sunday NFL Countdown” host Chris Berman today, celebrating the last time he will host the net’s studio show from Bristol. Berman is stepping down as host after this season. The net's Chris Mortensen and former co-host Tom Jackson, who retired before this season, joined the show’s crew in honoring Berman. Mortensen said, “This never happened before here at ESPN. Never. In recognition of their immeasurable contribution ESPN declares the Chris Berman-Tom Jackson studio. A 29-year on-air partnership as a sports television record that has earned them a special place in the hearts and minds of football fans everywhere and always part of the ESPN family.” Berman jokingly said, “Is this a true award?” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said to Berman, “You walked right past the plaque when you were coming in. How didn't you notice it?” Berman will still host the show next week from the Pro Bowl in Orlando, and the following week from the Super Bowl in Houston (“Postseason NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 1/22).

Packers Arrive To Atlanta Late After Flight Change Due To Fog

The Packers' charter plane yesterday to Atlanta for today's NFC Championship was "unable to take off" from Green Bay's Austin Straubel Int'l Airport "because of heavy fog," sources said. The team was forced to fly out of Milwaukee instead and arrived to Atlanta at around 8:00pm ET, about three and a half hours "later than originally scheduled" (ESPN.com, 1/21).

Alarms went off at Gillette Stadium this morning while media members and others "were setting up." Everyone was "told to evacuate." There was "no indication of foul play" (NYDAILYNEWS.com. 1/22). Fire alarms also "started going off around" 3:00am ET at a Boston hotel where the Steelers are staying. Hotel personnel said that the "entire hotel had to be evacuated, but it ended up being a false alarm." Massachusetts State Police have "arrested a 25-year-old Boston man who allegedly pulled the fire alarm" (PITTSBURGH.CBSLOCAL.com, 1/22).

Last year at this time, "much of the northeast was buried in snow after a blizzard hit on Friday and Saturday, the two days before the AFC and NFC title games." So with millions "snowed in, millions tuned in." This year, with no snow and seasonably warm temperatures throughout much of the country, it will be "very difficult for Packers-Falcons and Steelers-Patriots to match those numbers, no matter how compelling the games are" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 1/21).

NASCAR To Announce Format Changes For Monster Energy Cup Series

NASCAR tomorrow night will announce format changes to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in the latest move to make races more appealing. Sources said that the format changes involve segmenting a race into different portions, with points awarded after each segment. The thought is drivers will be incentivized to drive harder earlier in races. Currently, points are only awarded after a race is finished, which has led to the school of thought that drivers sometimes take it easy earlier in the race, thereby making it less exciting for fans. The move appears to be a sort of middle ground between keeping the same format of one race without breaks (save for cautions), and undergoing a more radical shift to heat races.

Industry-wide negotiations for the changes, which were first reported by THE DAILY earlier this month, have been going on since at least December. Parties involved have included NASCAR, teams, drivers, media partners and tracks. NASCAR has tweaked the formats of its three national series a number of times since the turn of the millennium including introducing its playoff format in '04 (Adam Stern, Staff Writer). The way a driver qualifies to get into NASCAR's version of its playoffs is "not expected to change" (ESPN.com, 1/21). 

NASCAR HOF Induction Highlighted By Hendrick, Childress Speeches

The NASCAR HOF inducted its ’17 class Friday night in Charlotte, where the event was punctuated by emotional speeches from team owners Rick Hendrick and Richard Childress, and former driver Mark Martin. The ’17 class also included late driver and broadcaster Benny Parsons and late team owner Raymond Parks. Hendrick, Childress and Martin touched on their rises from humble beginnings. Childress also took time to thank longtime sponsors including Coca-Cola, Caterpillar, Bass Pro Shops and Chevrolet (Adam Stern, Staff Writer). Hendrick, during his speech, said, "You need to take care of other people if you want people to take care of you." Additionally, H. Clay Earles, who "built and opened" Martinsville Speedway, was given the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Late former High Point Enterprise Sports Editor Benny Phillips was given the Squier-Hall Award for Media Excellence (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/21).

Univ. Of Tennessee Taps Turnkey To Help Find Next AD

The Univ. of Tennessee has awarded a contract to Turnkey Sports & Entertainment to assist in the school's search for its next AD. UT's process to select a search firm began in December. Turnkey is expected to begin the candidate process as early as this week (Univ. of Tennessee). No financial details between Turnkey and UT were released. Meanwhile, UT has also developed its own search committee for finding a new AD. Members of the committee include Peyton Manning, Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam III and UT Senior Associate AD and Senior Woman Administrator Donna Thomas (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 1/21).

UT yesterday announced "major renovations are coming on locker rooms" at Thompson-Boling Arena. The $5M project will begin in May and is "funded entirely by private gifts." Lead donor Larry Pratt's $2M commitment "enabled the university to go forward" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 1/22).

Camping World Parts Ways As Title Sponsor Of Independence Bowl

Camping World on Friday "parted ways" as title sponsor of the Independence Bowl, as the two sides were "unable to reach an agreement" for the '17 game and beyond. Although the parties "split midway through a four-year contract, they agreed on the cause." Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis said that his company contributed $1.6M over the first two years of the agreement, but "took advantage of the 'look-in' clause before a third year, which would have called for the investment to top" $1M. Lemonis wanted Camping World to "remain as the game’s title sponsor, but reduced his offer to $550,000 for one year," which was "rejected unanimously" by the bowl’s exec committee (SHREVEPORT TIMES, 1/21).

Longtime NBCA Exec Dir Michael Goldberg Passes Away At 73

Longtime NBCA Exec Dir Michael Goldberg, who served in his position for nearly four decades and was "revered by many within the game," passed away yesterday at the age of 73. Goldberg's death comes "within a week of two significant honors," with the NBCA announcing plans to "begin issuing a coach of the year award in his name." Perhaps "best known for his love of bow ties," Goldberg took over as NBCA Exec Dir in '80, with some of his "accomplishments there including improved retirement funds and insurance plans for coaches as well as securing marketing opportunities for coaches." As a sports agent, among the athletes he represented was U.S. Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton (AP, 1/21).

Cross Him Up: Spurs' Gregg Popovich Blasts President Trump

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich yesterday did not "mince words" about his feelings towards President Trump, who was inaugurated on Friday. Popovich said, "You really can’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth. You really can’t." He added, "There’s a difference between respecting the office of the president and the person who occupies it. That respect has to be earned. It’s hard to be respectful of someone when we all have kids, and we’re watching him be misogynistic and xenophobic and racist and make fun of handicapped people" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/22).

Race Of Champions Makes North American Debut At Marlins Park

The Race of Champions was held yesterday at Marlins Park, and the international motorsports event produced an "odd, nearly bizarre spectacle." The race was "loud enough for the neighbors in Little Havana to hear, against a backdrop of Miami’s downtown skyline." The race "picked the perfect city" to make its North American debut. Juan Pablo Montoya defeated Tom Kristensen in the one-on-one finale to win the event. It was the "first time Montoya had fit the ROC race into his schedule." The drivers "hailed from 10 different countries." Meanwhile, the crowd was "not great," with "maybe 15,000" fans in attendance (MIAMI HERALD, 1/22). Today's Race of Champions Nations Cup for the first time will "feature a 'U.S. vs. the world' format" (ESPN.com, 1/21).

Fitz And The Tantrums Perform At PGA Tour Career Builder Challenge

Indie-pop band Fitz and the Tantrums last night “became the first band to perform” an outdoor concert at the PGA Tour CareerBuilder Challenge, playing “on a large stage set up on the driving range.” With “a couple thousand fans watching,” the band performed an hour-long set, taking the stage just after 5:00pm PT, “about an hour after golf concluded for the day.” The band “experienced some technical difficulties during its first song when the sound kept wavering in and out.” A large TV screen was “set up on both sides of the stage to give everyone a good view of the show.” Singer Michael Fitzpatrick said, “Hopefully, we’ll win them over and they’ll associate PGA golf with Fitz and the Tantrums forever” (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 1/22).

AT&T's DirecTV Now Service Adds 200,000 Subscribers In December

AT&T said that its new streaming-video service DirecTV Now "added at least 200,000 paying subscribers in December, its first month of operation, giving investors a first glimpse at the business." The service has a bundle that has "more than 100 channels for $35 a month." A promotion for the bundle has ended and the same bundle "now costs $60." The service has "hit some bumps, with outages and customers complaining about technical glitches that cause crashes, features not functioning and other bugs" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/21).

Speed Reads....

Fox Sports during today's NFC Championship will debut a highlight-filled NASCAR spot, one of seven in its '17 Daytona Day marketing campaign. The spot is designed for avid fans after criticism from some quarters last year that the main Daytona Day ad did not show enough actual racing (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).

The NHL yesterday brought its "Centennial Fan Arena" to the Honda Center ahead of the league's All-Star festivities in L.A. next weekend. The Stanley Cup was on "display and the line to take photos with it easily exceeded 100 people." Also present were the league's Museum Truck, an "interactive virtual Zamboni ride station and a ball hockey rink inside the arena" (L.A. TIMES, 1/22).

The Univ. of Minnesota men's basketball team yesterday drew the program's "first sellout in two seasons" at Williams Arena for the team's game against Wisconsin. The Barn "got its soul back" with the 14,000-plus fans in attendance (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/22).

The AHL San Diego Gulls hired Orioles CF Adam Jones "as an off-ice official" for the team's game against the San Jose Barracuda at Valley View Casino Center this past Friday. Jones, a San Diego native, is a Gulls season-ticket holder (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/20).

MMA fighter Tito Ortiz "capped off a nearly 20-year professional fighting career in style" yesterday, as he took down Chael Sonnen in the opening round of their light heavyweight bout. The fight headlined Bellator 170 at The Forum (ESPN.com, 1/22).

Quick Hits....

"If you believe this was all San Diego's fault, you also believe that pigs can fly" – N.Y. Daily News' Mike Lupica, on the Chargers move to L.A. ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN2, 1/22).

"It factors a lot. I've said that before. He's just a great mastermind of the game of basketball" – Cavaliers F LeBron James, on how Spurs coach Gregg Popovich being named Team USA Basketball coach affects his decision to play for the team (CLEVELAND.com, 1/21).

Weekend Hot Reads....

In Philadelphia, Frank Fitzpatrick wrote under the header, "Baseball Hall Of Fame Built On Lies." Created on a "foundation of lies, the institution ever since has been tainted by controversy, disputes, and unanswered questions." In DC, George Will wrote under the header, "Is The Baseball Hall Of Fame A Museum? Or Is It  A Shrine?" The baseball writers who decide who is enshrined in Cooperstown are "mostly conscientious voters struggling to unravel a knotty puzzle."

In Nashville, Joe Rexrode writes under the header, "NCAA Gets Serious About Ending Violence Against Women." Violence "against women has been NCAA-ized, which typically means a lot of vague, lawyerly language and the strong prospect of nothing actually being accomplished." But there is "progress" being made.

Elsewhere:

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Today's Back Pages....

The Weekend Rap offers today's back page sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan tabloids:

 N.Y. Post  N.Y. Daily News Newsday   Boston HeraldChicago Sun-Times

Hit The Ground Running: The Week Ahead

THE DAILY's Week Ahead Jan. 23-29

TUESDAY
• PGA Merchandise Show begins
• Senior Bowl week begins

THURSDAY
• PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open begins – Torrey Pines GC
• LPGA Pure Silk Bahamas Classic begins
• Winter X Games 21 begin (Aspen, Colo.)

SATURDAY
• Winter Universiade begins (Almaty, Kazakhstan)
• 68th annual Senior Bowl All-Star game – Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, Ala.)

SUNDAY
• ATP/WTA Australian Open final
• NFL Pro Bowl
• NHL All-Star game – Staples Center

Note: Events are subject to change. Information about upcoming events can be sent via email to calendar@sportsbusinessjournal.com.