Bowen said he was just doing his job when he discussed the strain between the Spurs and LeonardNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
In California, Mirjam Swanson notes Bruce Bowen "defended comments that he said caused the Clippers to excuse him from his role as a television analyst" after he criticized '19 free-agent-to-be Kawhi Leonard. Speaking Thursday on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Bowen said that he was "just doing his job when he expressed his thoughts about the strained relationship" between the Spurs and Leonard. Bowen: "As an analyst, I’m supposed to talk about what I think and what I feel for this game that I love, and so if you can’t do that, what does that say about your organization?” Asked whether he thought Leonard had any influence on the Clippers’ decision to let him go, Bowen "seemed doubtful." Bowen: "I don’t think I am that powerful where I would be the reason that someone would not want to come to a team" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 8/17).
NOT BACKING DOWN: In N.Y., Eric Barrow notes SNY's Keith Hernandez "refused to walk back his controversial comments after taking heat on Twitter" for saying that he "agreed" with Marlins P Jose Ureña drilling Braves LF Ronald Acuña Jr. Hernandez, appearing on Michael Kay's ESPN Radio N.Y. show, said, "I’m not going to back down about what I said [and] I feel strongly about it. They’re entitled to their opinion. ... Pitcher out there is making a living, they’re getting killed. I don’t have an issue with it. It’s just my opinion. It was just part of the game.” No matter how many different ways Kay asked Hernandez if he regretted his comments, he said that it was a "part of the game he played" during his career (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/17).
BUSY BUCK: In St. Louis, Dan Caesar notes Fox has given Joe Buck "quite a bit of time off since his football schedule ended in January, as he has done only six regular-season baseball contests plus the All-Star Game." Buck is "not scheduled to do any more baseball until the National League Championship Series." However, he is about to "step back into a meaty schedule, beginning when he anchors the network’s coverage Saturday and Sunday of the U.S. Amateur Championship golf event" from Pebble Beach. Then it is "on to the NFL followed by postseason baseball." Buck has said that baseball "always would take priority" during October, and said that it "still probably will." But the Thursday night NFL schedule "adds a wrinkle that he and his bosses are determining how to handle" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/17).
STAYING HOME: NFL Network has added two TV reporters: Mike Girardi to cover the Patriots and MJ Acosta to report on the 49ers and Raiders (NFLN). In Boston, Chad Finn notes Girardi has been a "fixture on the New England sports scene for two decades" and is "best known for his even-handed coverage of the Patriots the past nine years on NBCSB." At NFL Net he will "still primarily cover the Patriots" and will "remain based in Massachusetts." Girardi said, "(NFL Network) recognized that it had been remiss in not having someone devoted to the Pats on a fairly regular basis rather than flying people all over the place to do it. ... The network doesn't want it defined totally as the Patriots, but I'll be devoted heavily to them. ... I'm going to have to go to Los Angeles to do some studio shows. But mostly it will be familiar turf" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/17).
SWAMI BACK IN ACTION? ESPN is reportedly in talks with Chris Berman about an expanded role for this NFL season, and SI.com's Jimmy Traina wrote he has "always been a Berman fan" and has "always enjoyed the schtick." Traina: "I've never found Berman anything but entertaining." There is also a "certain comfort with Berman, who has been on our televisions forever, so I'm strongly in the camp that hopes ESPN and Berman can work out a new deal" (SI.com, 8/16).
