In N.Y., Bob Raissman noted ESPN's Stephen A. Smith "broke the story" of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upholding Patriots QB Tom Brady’s four-game suspension and also "first alerted the free world that Brady had destroyed his cell phone." Both reports came "a few hours before" Goodell officially announced the ruling. But before that announcement, Smith's words were met with skepticism, which "included attacks on his credibility." Smith on his SiriusXM Radio show Wednesday said, "This idiocy. Sometimes folks are just hard to take. ... Never in a million years would I be the pathetic turncoat that some of these punks in our industry are. And they know who the hell they are. And I’ll just leave it at that." He added, "I have no problem with some idiot blogger speaking against me or whatever. They are trying to create headlines, trying to create hits for a website. But I do have a problem with folks who are supposed to be colleagues and contemporaries in this industry who understand the nuances of what surrounds this industry" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/30).
WELCOME TO THE BOOTH: The Raiders announced that Beth Mowins will handle play-by-play duties for the team's three locally televised preseason games. She will be joined in the booth by analysts Tim Brown and Matt Millen. Nicole Zaloumis will provide sideline analysis, while John Tournour will return as host and sideline reporter (Raiders). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Michael David Smith wrote Mowins "will be a rarity in the NFL as a female in a broadcast booth." Although many women work NFL games "as sideline reporters, the play-by-play and commentator duties are almost always handled by men." But Mowins is "eminently qualified for the Raiders job, having spent two decades calling games for ESPN, including many college football games." Her presence in the Raiders’ booth "is a positive step" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 7/29). Meanwhile, FS Detroit's preseason broadcast team will consist of former NFLers Nate Burleson and Rob Rubick joining play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard (Fox Sports).
TALK ABOUT A GREAT VIEW: USA TODAY's Bob Velin noted actress Rosie Perez, who is "known in boxing circles as 'The First Lady of Boxing,'" will co-host ESPN's Premier Boxing Champions card on Saturday from Barclays Center. She will "conduct one-on-one interviews" with Danny Garcia and Paulie Malignaggi that were "taped after Thursday’s final news conference, and will sit down on fight night for a chat with longtime ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas." It is her "debut on a boxing broadcast" (USA TODAY, 7/31).
CANES ARE ABLE: In Raleigh, Chip Alexander notes Big Ten Network's Michelle McMahon "will join the Hurricanes as TV/web host." McMahon’s primary roles will include "serving as host of the Hurricanes’ pregame show on Fox Sports Carolinas and SportSouth, as well as hosting and producing video content for CarolinaHurricanes.com." She replaces Chantel McCabe, whose contract "was not renewed after last season" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 7/31).
NOTES: Bob Ortegel, who has "been connected to Mavericks basketball on television and radio" since '88, told FS Southwest on Thursday he "has worked his final studio show." Ortegel, who has "been a regular on the cable network's Mavericks live studio shows" since December '11, is retiring (DALLASNEWS.com, 7/30)....Former Portland State football coach Nigel Burton will "join the Pac-12 Networks as an analyst" for the '15 season (OREGONLIVE.com, 7/29).
