In Des Moines, Mark Emmert notes Univ. of Iowa radio broadcaster Gary Dolphin has been "suspended from calling the team's next two men's basketball contests after critical comments that were inadvertently aired" during Tuesday's game against Pitt. Dolphin, in his 22nd season as Iowa's play-by-play announcer, "apologized on air after Tuesday's game when it came to his attention that his words during a commercial break were heard by radio listeners." Dolphin was criticized for "singling out" Iowa G Maishe Dailey (DES MOINES REGISTER, 11/29).
STAYING PUT: Celtics TV play-by-play announcer Mike Gorman has agreed to a new three-year contract extension to remain the voice of the team, a role he has held for nearly four decades. He made the announcement on WBZ-FM’s “Toucher & Rich” show yesterday, noting he was “able to negotiate as a part of my deal that I get to take a little more time off on some less-than-desirable road trips, like the one over Thanksgiving that was three games over four nights in three different cities.” Gorman has paired with Tommy Heinsohn on Celtics broadcasts since '81 (“Toucher & Rich,” WBZ, 11/27).
SCARY SITUATION: NFL Network's Kim Jones has been "released from a Northern Virginia hospital’s vascular unit after an unclear condition kept her out of commission for a couple weeks." Jones in an Instagram post said, "The surgeons saved my life...against big odds." In a video shared to social media on Thanksgiving, Jones said she had "almost died." It is "unclear when exactly Jones will return to action" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/29). YAHOO SPORTS' Shalise Manza Young noted she "hasn’t shared a lot of details yet, but it sounds like Jones went through a scary ordeal" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/28).
HERE TO STAY: SLATE.com's Nick Greene wrote the bar for NFL commentators is "pretty low." While "MNF" analyst Jason Witten "will never be" CBS' Tony Romo, he "could be Dan Dierdorf." There have been a "few signs that his commentary is getting more passable." Witten is "on TV now," and all that is left is for viewers to "get used to him." As far as television execs are concerned, there are "worse things than being a pleasant, inoffensive galoot" (SLATE.com, 11/28).
NOTES: Indianapolis-based sports reporter Bob Kravitz has "taken a job at The Athletic." As a senior staff writer for The Athletic's Indiana bureau, Kravitz said that he will "write columns and features" on the Colts, Pacers, college sports and other topics" (IBJ.com, 11/28)....Ben Golliver, most recently a senior NBA writer for SI, is "joining the Washington Post sports section as a national NBA writer" (POLITICO.com, 11/26).
