CBS Sports Radio’s John Feinstein on Thursday during his "CBS Sports Minute" took issue with ESPN’s sourcing on the news of Chris Collins being named Northwestern Univ. men’s basketball coach. Feinstein noted CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman broke the Collins story Wednesday morning and said it would be finalized later that day. Several hours later, having been “beaten by Goodman again on a college basketball story, ESPN reported that a ‘source’ had told one of their reporters that Collins was ‘close’ to a deal but that Collins wouldn’t be introduced as the new coach until after the season was over.” Feinstein: “What’s ESPN’s problem? Why can’t the four-letter network simply credit someone else for breaking a story? Why come up with some false angle to try to claim credit? … ESPN does a lot of good work. If only it would stop trying to take bows when others do good work” (CBS Sports Radio, 3/28).
DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME: In Columbia, Josh Kendall reported Univ. of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier was upset that Southern Cal's pro day "was being broadcast live by ESPN" instead of his team's pro day. Spurrier said, "I noticed both USCs had their pro timing day today. One of them finished No. 7 in the county last year, the other was not in the Top 25, yet ESPN decided to go out to the one in California ... and televise their pro timing day live. It's interesting that (ESPN doesn't) come around here on signing day, they don't come around here on pro timing day, and yet they want us to play all these Thursday night games for them, which we do." He added, "Maybe we need to consider playing on that new network, what is it? FoxSports Live?" (GOGAMECOCKS.com, 3/27).
SPRING INTO SHAPE: In Orlando, Matt Murschel noted ESPN's family of networks "will carry coverage of 13 college football spring games." Longhorn Network will air Texas' Orange & White game Saturday night, while ESPN will air Texas A&M's Maroon & White game on April 13 and ESPN2 will carry Alabama's A-Day game on April 20. ESPN3 "will air 10 games from the ACC and SEC" (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 3/28).
