In Chicago, Phil Thompson noted White Sox play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti and 3B Matt Davidson on Monday launched a "show about nothing," a podcast that "doesn’t have a name yet." The two "talk baseball, but the direction can veer off into pop culture subjects." Davidson "hopes to show what teammates such as [2B] Yolmer Sanchez or [SS] Tim Anderson are like or what they do off the field, but guests could come from anywhere." Right now Davidson and Benetti are "playing a lot of it by ear and depending on the natural give-and-take between them" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 4/10).
IDENTITY CONFIRMATION: In Tampa, Joey Knight noted USF's spring football game Saturday at Corbett Stadium "will be streamed live (barring any glitches) and available on demand" via The Identity Tampa Bay -- a new digital network backed by Lightning Owner Jeff Vinik. The game will be the "first sporting event broadcast by The Identity Tampa Bay, under the control of Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties (TBEP)." The entity "entered a 10-year multimedia rights deal with USF last year" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/10).
JOB WELL DONE: In N.Y., Andrew Marchand gave his NBA Broadcasting Rookie of the Year to YES Network Nets analyst Sarah Kustok. Kustok is "excellent in many ways, making strong points and letting the game flow, but one thing that stands out" is understanding "when not to talk." The Nets’ Ian Eagle and Ryan Ruocco are both "top-shelf play-by-players, and she lets them finish their calls." Kustok is "patient on broadcasts, which is an excellent fundamental for broadcasters to have, especially on games" (N.Y. POST, 4/11).
REMEMBERING A CLASSIC: In Boston, Dan Shaugnessy notes this season is the 40th anniversary of the "epic 1978 Red Sox-Yankees playoff race." A film crew has been in the Boston area this week "interviewing many of the cast members from that classic for an ESPN '30 for 30' scheduled to run around the 40th birthday of the Bucky Dent game from Oct. 2, 1978" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11).
