TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET editions of ESPN's
"SportsCenter" (on ESPN2 due to "Wednesday Night Baseball")
and FSN's "Primetime" (Fox Sports Net South) both led with
Astros-Braves, followed by a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
report that a press conference had been set for Thursday to
announce the firing of Brewers manager Phil Garner. The
11:00pm ET edition of CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" led with
Astros-Braves, followed by Reds-Pirates (THE DAILY).
RAISE YOUR "FIST": HBO presents "Fists of Freedom: The
Story of the 1968 Summer Olympics" tonight at 10:00pm ET.
In L.A., Larry Stewart wrote that this "may be [HBO's] best"
documentary. Stewart: "It's Bud Greenspan-quality" (L.A.
TIMES, 8/11). In DC, Frank Ahrens called it "compelling and
intricately drawn" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/12). In Cincinnati,
John Fay called the Black Canyon Productions feature
"marvelous" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/8). In Boston, Howard
Manly called the production "brilliant." Manly: "Time and
time again, HBO makes extraordinary documentaries, and this
one is no exception" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/8).
OTHER NOTES: Speedway Motorsports President Humpy
Wheeler said that a new NASCAR TV package may top previous
estimates of $400M in annual revenue by 5-10%. Wheeler:
"That is strictly my off-the-wall thought. ... It could
surprise." He said the strongest interest is now coming
from Fox and NBC (BRIDGE NEWS, 8/10)....There will be 28 1/2
hours of PGA Championship coverage on TNT and CBS. TNT will
go on the air as early as 9:30am CT on Saturday and Sunday.
Turner Sports President Harvey Schiller: "The advertisers
have shown interest. ... If you're given the alternative of
cartoons or a world-class sporting event, which one would
you pick?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/12)....WKYT-CBS in Lexington,
KY, will give the Browns and the Bengals "roughly equal air
time." WKYT is scheduled to air 11 Bengals games and 10
Browns games this fall, but station execs said that number
could go up for the Browns (CINCINNATI POST, 8/11).
ONLINE NOTES: Computer hackers brought down the Titans
Web site yesterday for "several hours," but it was later
back up and "running normally." The front page was hacked
to read, "GEZONDHEID IS A NEW DUTCH GROUP," followed by, "We
Own You" (TENNESSEAN, 8/12)....With $35M and backing from
Microsoft, USA Networks, Liberty Media and News America
Digital Publishing, BET will launch BET.com in November.
The site "hopes" to become the "premier meeting and shopping
place" for African-Americans online (WASHINGTON POST, 8/12).
