In N.Y., Marc Berman reports Spero Dedes, who two weeks ago agreed to call Knicks games for ESPN Radio 1050 N.Y. after spending the past six seasons as the radio voice of the Lakers, “was arrested for DWI in the Hamptons during the July 4th weekend.” He “posted $500 bail Sunday and a hearing will take place today.” It is “unclear if this will affect Dedes' status.” The Knicks “have yet to announce the hiring and three Garden officials did not return phone calls yesterday on the matter” (N.Y. POST, 7/6).
TOUCHING BASE: In Louisiana, Brandon Marcello asked SEC Commissioner Mike Slive if he foresees a time when he “could or should go back and re-evaluate the 15-year TV contracts with ESPN and CBS.” Slive: "In our agreement with ESPN, we have a concept built into the contract called 'look-ins.' When appropriate, we can stop and look in and see where we are, see where the technology is.” He added, “The goal there is to make sure everything we do is significant and valuable and top-of-the-line. We're not going to announce when we're going to look in or have we looked in but you can rest assured we will be continually evaluating every element of this agreement as we move forward" (SHREVEPORT TIMES, 7/3).
A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME: The GLOBE & MAIL’s Bruce Dowbiggin wrote at the start of NHL free agency last Friday, Twitter “continued to redefine pack journalism days.” Dowbiggin: “As Friday demonstrated, Twitter has now become the go-to medium for reporters and fans alike, a steady stream of news, false leads and wisecracks. ... If you want to drive eyeballs to your traditional media today, you must use Twitter to direct that traffic” (GLOBE & MAIL, 7/4).
THE GLADIATORS OF GLUTTONY: ESPN earned a 1.1 overnight rating Monday for its coverage of the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, which saw Joey Chestnut win for the fifth consecutive year (THE DAILY). In Sacramento, Tom Couzens wrote ESPN has “played a leading role in trying to sell non-sports as sports.” Couzens: “A hot-dog eating contest? … Get real. There's nothing more disgusting on TV these days than watching folks shove hot dogs and buns into their mouths at an alarming rate” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 7/5).
