ESPN Friday will formally announce that college football analyst Lee Corso "has a new two-year deal." Corso said that he has recovered from a stroke three years ago "largely because he has cut all of his ESPN duties except" appearing on "College GameDay" on Saturdays. Lee Fitting, who produces the weekly show, said Corso's picks segment at the end of each show is "one of the last must-see moments in TV sports that still exists" (USA TODAY, 10/26).
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING: In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes with ESPN declining to hire former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy, the net "hung their No. 1 NBA analyst -- Stan's brother, Jeff Van Gundy -- out to dry." Raissman: "They used him. Why were they willing to risk alienating him? It's not a reach to suggest that his relationship with the network, and the people with whom he directly works, will be altered." A source said, "They asked Jeff to be part of it, Jeff represented to Stan that these are people you can trust. They wind up deceiving Stan. That's got to hurt Jeff" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/26). Meanwhile, in Miami, Barry Jackson reported NBA Commissioner David Stern indicated he did not discourage ESPN from hiring Stan Van Gundy. Stern added that he is "supportive of coaches who want to go into broadcasting." But Jackson noted Stern "refrained from saying anything" about Van Gundy specifically (MIAMIHERALD.com, 10/25).
HOT MIC: In Chicago, Gordon Wittenmyer reports the Cubs are "wasting no time putting together a high-caliber pool of candidates" to replace Bob Brenly as the team's TV color analyst after "contacting analysts working the [World] Series for national outlets." Those include former Cubs Erik Karros and Rick Sutcliffe. Karros "looks like an early front-runner considering his strong qualifications and that -- unlike many potential candidates -- he has the freedom to pursue the job" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/26). Former Cubs P Dan Plesac also "appears interested," but like ESPN's Sutcliffe, Plesac is "already under contract." He is in the "first year of a multi-year contract with MLB Network" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/26).
TALKIN' BASEBALL: In L.A., Steve Dilbeck reported Jorge Jarrin, the son of Baseball HOF broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, "will begin a weekly one-hour show" on Dodgers flagship radio station KLAC-AM titled "Dodger Talk -- Off-Season Edition." The show will air on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:00pm PT beginning Oct. 31 and "include interviews with players, coaches and team officials" (LATIMES.com, 10/25).
