ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose was "arrested earlier this month on suspicion of drunken driving." Rose, who has an April 20 court date, was arrested around 2:00am ET on March 11 and is "accused of operating a vehicle while impaired." He "declined to take a Breathalyzer." Police said that "road conditions were icy and may have been a factor in Rose's car going off the road." Rose yesterday "had no comment" on the matter, and an ESPN spokesperson said the net is "looking into it" (ESPN.com, 3/30).
MOVING ACROSS THE COMPANY: MEDIA BISTRO's Alex Weprin reported ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor Josh Elliott is joining ABC's "GMA" as its "newsreader." Elliott "will join fellow ESPN alum Robin Roberts on the morning show, along with ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, who contributes regular pieces to the program." An ESPN source said that Elliott "has been eying a role at ABC News for some time." ESPN "was not keen on losing Elliott, and negotiations between the anchor, ABC and ESPN are said to have drawn out the process" (MEDIABISTRO.com, 3/29).
NEW VOICE OF THE BULLDOGS: In Jackson, Brandon Marcello reports Mississippi State Univ. announced that radio analyst Jim Ellis "will take over the lead microphone" from Jack Cristil next football season. Ellis, a "32-year veteran as a color analyst at MSU, will be joined by former MSU quarterback Matt Wyatt in the booth." Ellis will "continue his duties as the play-by-play man for baseball, and will also be the voice for basketball next season." A basketball analyst "has yet to be announced." Cristil, 85, "retired after 58 years as the voice of MSU with two games left in the basketball season on Feb. 25, when he revealed that he would begin kidney dialysis treatment" (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 3/30).
FOCUS ON THE GAME: The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin reports former Blue Jays C Gregg Zaun will make his debut as a full-time Blue Jays analyst for Rogers Sportsnet this season. Zaun said of the role, "I didn't want to be like other former players who'd gone into broadcasting. I didn't want to be one of those guys who talked the whole time about himself. I know you have to relate your own experience to your own career, but there are guys who take every opportunity to pat themselves on [the] back about what they did." Dowbiggin writes Zaun may "become a star once he gets the hang of full-time studio and game broadcasts." He is "still a tad raw, but the absence of the slickness seen in other former players on TV seems to add to his cachet" (GLOBE & MAIL, 3/30).
BRITISH BEAT: In London, Kevin Garside reports Sam Torrance "will be missing from the BBC commentary box next week after being axed for the Masters." Torrance was "cut on economic grounds last month and immediately withdrew his services" for the British Open in July. Sky Sports' coverage of The Masters "for the first time this year has diminished the BBC's output, forcing a share of the broadcast rights" (London TELEGRAPH, 3/30)....ESPN soccer announcer Ian Darke said EPL execs are "very, very happy about" the net broadcasting matches live in the U.S. Darke: "Like any sport, they want to grow the game as a worldwide brand. The English Premier League is anyway, but America might be one of the final frontiers in that regard. So any stepping up would certainly be welcome" (NJ.com, 3/26).
