In DC, Rick Maese noted SI, which is losing longtime writer Peter King to NBC Sports, "already faced an uncertain future, and losing a cornerstone talent is not a good sign." The outfit has "lost talented writers, and scaled back some ambitions." An institution that had generations of fans "running to the mailbox each week is now published biweekly and has for years struggled to find its footprint in the digital space." The lone exception "might have been King’s weekly column, 'Monday Morning Quarterback.'" Maese: "I think I think King and NBC win in this shake-up. I think I fear that SI and football fans might not fare as well" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/5).
BLURRED LINES: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth noted SportsNet LA cameras "captured its own field reporter, Alanna Rizzo, on the receiving end of a high-five from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts at the conclusion of Friday night’s combined no-hitter" against the Padres in Monterrey, Mexico. Hoffarth: "The immediate reflex here was to report it as a bad-look, mixed-message." Maybe this "was just one of those tipping points that reinforced a theory we have suspected all along -- fans want fans calling and reporting on their games." From this "mini-experiment, the bottom line seems to be the fans accept this is a team-owned channel, and those covering the team on this network shouldn’t be confined by standards of other journalists" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 5/6).
REST FOR THE WEARY: In Detroit, Tony Paul noted Tigers radio play-by-play man Dan Dickerson is "dealing with a lost voice" and "will miss ... the first two games of the upcoming series" against the Rangers today and tomorrow, after missing yesterday's game in K.C. Royals' play-by-play man Steve Stewart "was set to fill in for Dickerson" yesterday on WXYT-FM (DETROITNEWS.com, 5/6).
