In Baltimore, David Zurawik writes NFL Network gave Thursday night's Ravens-Bengals game "everything any broadcaster could: a high-energy pregame show, a strong telecast with a veteran team in the booth and two solid sideline reporters, plus enough cameras to capture every play that mattered." There also was a postgame show that "replayed the moments that mattered." NFL Net "goes all-out to make its telecast worthy of prime time, both as a sporting event and entertainment." Fox' Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are as "smooth, informed and easy to take as any team in professional football." Zurawik: "I liked all the energy, talent and first-rate production skills that the NFL Network brought to the game" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 9/14).
GLASS HOUSES: AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Andrew Bucholtz noted NHL Network's "Behind The Glass" show with the Devils is "certainly a notable project, and it's focused on an interesting team." The Devils open the season with a pair of games in Sweden, and the trip "might help this stand out." The show "might be worth keeping an eye on for Devils' fans in particular, but also for hockey fans in general." And if it goes well, maybe there will be "future training camp-focused 'Behind The Glass' installments for other teams" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 9/13).
GET UP, STAND UP: SPORTING NEWS' Mike McCarthy reported ESPN has confirmed that veteran morning show producer Pete McConville is "joining struggling morning show 'Get Up.'" But an ESPN spokesperson said that McConville will "not replace" VP/Studio Production Bill Wolff as lead producer on the weekday morning show. Instead, McConville "will report to Wolff" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 9/10).
