On Long Island, Neil Best notes Ed Cohen will be the new Knicks play-by-play man on ESPN Radio 98.7 N.Y., "succeeding Mike Crispino, who was not re-signed after last season." Cohen, who will join analyst Brendan Brown, previously has "served as an MSG play-by-play man for Knicks Summer League games," the WNBA Liberty and NASL N.Y. Cosmos. He also has "called college basketball in a career during which he has worked" for NBC, CBS, Big Ten Network and NHL Network (NEWSDAY, 9/8).
HIT OR MISS: In Boston, Chad Finn writes NESN’s "ongoing quest to find someone competent enough as a color analyst to fill in while Jerry Remy is undergoing cancer treatment and on the nights when Dennis Eckersley is off has been hit or miss." What ex-Red Sox players Jonny Gomes, Lenny DiNardo, Mike Timlin and a few "scattered others have done is remind us how good Remy and Eckersley are at a gig that is much tougher than it looks." Todd Walker was "better in the studio than NESN staples Jim Rice and Tim Wakefield, and in the booth, his dry wit" and "willingness to let a moment speak for itself ... make him the most appealing option of the lot." Walker "clearly is comfortable with all of the elements of a broadcast that viewers may overlook." Meanwhile, Finn writes he "enjoyed" Gomes' "offbeat, unvarnished vibe the first few times he was on." But it "became increasingly clear that he was trying to construct a persona, and it didn’t feel authentic" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/8).
ANCHORS AWEIGH: In Annapolis, Bill Wagner reports former Boston College and N.C. State football coach Tom O'Brien "did not hesitate when offered the position as color analyst for the Navy Football Radio Network." The '71 Naval Academy grad "gladly gave up" a role with ESPN in order to "reconnect with his alma mater." O'Brien's experience with ESPN made him "even more attractive" when Navy was "searching for a replacement for Omar Nelson" (Annapolis CAPITAL GAZETTE, 9/8).
RISING STAR: In California, Jim Alexander noted SportsNet LA's Kelli Tennant "works around 40 games a season as sideline/dugout reporter" on Dodgers telecasts. She also is a "studio host" for Dodgers pre- and post-game shows and part of Lakers, WNBA Sparks and Galaxy coverage for the RSN. Tennant played volleyball at USC and credits SID Tim Tessalone with "almost" her "entire career." Tennant: "He called Fox. He called everyone who was running the AVP. He was helpful with ESPN. He really made sure I was making the right connections, and he was giving me feedback on my work." Tennant "made connections with mentors such as ESPN’s Sean Farnham, Beth Mowins, Sam Ponder and Jessica Mendoza and NFL Network’s Lindsay Rhodes" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/7).
NOTES: S.F.-based KNBR-AM's Tom Tolbert "underwent surgery for a thoracic aortic aneurysm Aug. 30." Tolbert is "on the mend and expects to return to his job in a couple of weeks." He and John Lund co-host the station's weekday drive-time program (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/7)....CBS Sports Digital announced that Danny Kanell will cover all sports, including the NFL and college football, across its digital platforms. Kanell begins Saturday with "SEC Live" coverage (CBS). Kannel also is doing work for Fox Sports this season (THE DAILY).
