NBC Earns 13.0/20 Overnight For "Sunday Night Football" '08 Debut

NBC Earns 13.0/20 Overnight Rating For Bears-Colts "SNF" Game

WIDE LEFT: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote under the header, "No Place For Partisan Keith Olbermann On NFL Show." Olbermann hosts the politically-themed "Countdown" on MSNBC, and Raissman wrote the "haters who watch 'Football Night In America' won't relate to Olbermann as just another schlub voicing over highlights. They may even tune out in disgust." However, "even if you subscribe to Olbermann's political agenda, the following thought might still occur: Doesn't he have something more important to do? Shouldn't Olbermann be preparing for his interview tomorrow night with Barack Obama rather than providing comprehensive analysis on Chad [Johnson] changing his name to Chad Ocho Cinco?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/7). TVNEWSER's Chris Ariens reported Olbermann "kept politics out of the pre-game show" last night, but he "took a line from Countdown's 'Bushed' segments" during halftime. When noting Saints RB Reggie Bush's game-winning touchdown, Olbermann "stretched out Reggie's last name saying the [Buccaneers] got 'Bushhhed'" (MEDIABISTRO.com, 9/7).

Writer Lauds CBS' Coverage Of Favre's First Game With Jets

OTHER SUNDAY NOTES: CBS aired a feature on the new CBS Scene restaurant at Patriots Place during halftime of its 1:00pm ET games yesterday, and in N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes, "Even with hot news to report, such as Tom Brady's injury ... halftime was nothing more or better than an infomercial" (N.Y. POST, 9/8)....In Detroit, Tony Augusty writes the "strangest moment from the opening weekend" was "seeing a commercial for NFL.com, set to the song 'Every Day is Like Sunday' by mope-rock pioneer Morrissey." In the song, Morrissey "is so bored he wants someone to drop a nuclear bomb on his town" (DETROIT NEWS, 9/8).

CHANGE OF DIRECTION: FSN's season debut of “Pro Football Preview” featured the first appearance of Chargers LB Shawne Merriman, who is the first active player to serve as a weekly analyst on a national pregame show. Co-host Jay Glazer said to Merriman, "Let me light the fire right off the bat -- what the hell are you thinking?” Merriman, who is playing this season despite having torn ligaments in his left knee, said, "We’re not talking about my knee anymore.” But Glazer said, “Who said I’m talking about your knee? What are you thinking joining us up here?” (“Pro Football Preview,” FSN, 9/5).

TEXAS' TEAM: In Dallas, Barry Horn reports the first episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks," which aired on August 6 and featured the Cowboys, drew 2.5 million HHs, up 200,000 from the comparable "Hard Knocks" broadcast last year featuring the Chiefs. The San Antonio market drew the highest ratings for the initial episode, with Houston ranking fifth and Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) seventh. San Antonio was also the top market for the third episode with DFW staying seventh. Oklahoma City took over the top spot for the second episode; San Antonio was seventh and DFW eighth (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/6).

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