In Detroit, Tony Paul reports Rod Allen's role as analyst on FS Detroit "is being diminished this season." A source said that Allen "will do 79 of FSD's 150 telecasts, while Kirk Gibson will do 60 and Jack Morris 13." For "at least two games, FSD has scheduled a three-man booth." Gibson and Allen "will both work Opening Day on April 6, alongside play-by-play man Mario Impemba." Gibson "will work more home games than road games, because he wants to see his son, Cam, play baseball at Michigan State" (DETROIT NEWS, 3/25).
EARNING HIS ICE TIME: In Toronto, Steve Buffery writes one of the reasons former NHLer Jeff O'Neill "has become so popular" on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto is because he "essentially tells lazy players and annoying fans (though perhaps in not so many words) to go f--- themselves, or at least go f--- their sub-par efforts or their inane comments -- all the while being funny." O'Neill is "a man of the people," and he "doesn't suffer fools lightly." He also "has a knack for cracking up his co-hosts, even though he never thought about becoming a broadcaster when he played in the NHL, which is hard to believe" (TORONTO SUN, 3/25).
RETIREMENT PARTY: Longtime Seahawks reporter Clare Farnsworth writes he is "calling it a career" after 36 seasons covering the team. Farnsworth has written for the team's website for the past six seasons, and "for 30 seasons before that" at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Bellevue Journal-American and Fournier Newspapers. He covered 700 Seahawks games in that time. Farnsworth: "My final day at Seahawks.com will be this Friday, March 27. I was planning to retire on April 1, because only a fool would walk away from 'the greatest job in the world.'” Farnsworth added, "But 3.27 also has a special meaning. The sum of those three digits is -- Blue Thunder drumroll, please -- 12" (SEAHAWKS.com, 3/24).
IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS: Brewers broadcaster Jeff Levering said it is “unbelievable” working with Bob Uecker, as he has "got a story for absolutely everything." Levering said, "One of the last things I had to do before I got this job was go have dinner with Bob, and it was unbelievable. I just sat there for two hours as he held court and told great story after great story and it’s fantastic working with him." The two do not work together much, as Levering fills in when Uecker has games off. But Levering said, "Just an opportunity to sit behind him in the booth during home games and a couple of road games as well is a great opportunity for me, and he couldn’t be a nicer guy” (“Chatting Cage,” MLB.com, 3/24).
ON DEMAND: The NATIONAL POST's Sean Fitz-Gerald noted "Hockey Night in Canada" announcer Bob Cole in November sat down "to record more than 40 of his more famous calls" for the Bob Cole Soundboard mobile app. Some of Cole's "more famous calls ... have been included, and can be played on command from a mobile phone." CBC Associate Producer Jason Murdoch, who came up with the idea, said that there had been "roughly 140 downloads as of Monday afternoon." He added that if it reached more than 500, he "would approach Cole about doing another version" (NATIONAL POST, 3/24).
NOTES: Boston-based WEEI-FM announced that host Michael Holley signed "a new multi-year contract that will keep him on the air with partners Dale Arnold and Jerry Thornton 'for the long haul'" (BOSTONHERALD.com, 3/24)....Former NFLer Ike Taylor "might pursue possibilities in television with the NFL Network and NFL Films." Taylor said, "I've been talking with them" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/23).
