Announcer Tim Brando said that he has “signed a new three-year agreement with CBS Sports to continue hosting college football and basketball studios and to do the NCAA Tournament." In Houston, David Barron writes Brando's “new simulcast agreement with CBS Sports Network, which begins Aug. 22, is a win for everybody," including the network, Sporting News Radio and Brando himself. Brando said, “We’ll dress it up a little, but it will still be a radio show. There may be some shock value for some viewers. A lot of people who see me on TV know that I have this alter ego radio personality that is different from what they see on TV” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/17).
CAT POWER: In Buffalo, John Vogl reports Kevin Sylvester will replace Rick Jeanneret “for the majority of the Buffalo Sabres road games” next season, teaming with analyst Danny Gare “for 26 to 31 road broadcasts.” Sylvester “has been on the Sabres' broadcast team since 2005 as a game and studio host.” He “filled in for Jeanneret several times in recent years during the longtime announcer's vacations.” Jeanneret “announced last month he intended to cut back on travel.” He will “work all the home games and 10 to 15 road games" (BUFFALO NEWS, 6/17).
SCORING AN ACE? Former tennis player Chris Evert is returning to television commentary next week when she works Wimbledon for ESPN, and in Albany, Pete Dougherty writes Evert will be “especially valuable" if, like John McEnroe, she “can be critical when the need arises.” ESPN, which “lags behind other networks for insightful tennis commentary, sorely could use someone of Evert's stature.” There “shouldn't be a direct correlation between on-court success and broadcasting ability, but other than Mary Carillo ... that seems to hold true” (Albany TIMES UNION, 6/17).
YOU DA MAN! ESPN’s Sean McDonough will team with Curtis Strange on ESPN Radio’s U.S. Open coverage this weekend, but he said calling golf on the radio “is like anything else.” McDonough: “You know people can’t see anything, so you describe it. Except, what do you say when the ball is in the air and you can’t see it and don’t know where it’s going?” USA TODAY’s Michael Hiestand notes McDonough “will make his calls largely off NBC’s TV coverage” (USA TODAY, 6/17).
BEST WISHES: In Cleveland, Terry Pluto notes Browns radio announcer and WKYC-NBC Sports Dir Jim Donovan has been “battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia for 11 years.” He had a bone marrow transplant Tuesday and is “expected to be out several months as he recovers, but hopes to be back for the Browns games in the fall” (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 6/16).
