Clippers TV announcer Ralph Lawler will be joined by his former on-air partner Bill Walton when he "calls his final regular-season game" on April 10. The Clippers will "celebrate Lawler during halftime" of their game against the Jazz that night. A logo honoring Lawler on the Staples Center court will be "unveiled and players will wear a special shooting shirt to thank him" (AP, 3/7).
NOT GOOD ENOUGH: Oregon AD Rob Mullens said the Pac-12's revenue distribution is "not what we want, that's for sure." Mullens: "In the old Pac-12 TV deals we were basically on regional TV and our resources were way behind. When this new deal was done it closed the gap both in visibility and in resources, but the gap has widened again. We have to figure out how to close that gap" (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/8).
LACKING PIZAZZ: In N.Y., Andrew Marchand writes Turner Sports’ Champions League studio "needs improvement as it lacks energy and feels disjointed." Kate Abdo, the host, is "very solid, but around her it seems a mishmash." It starts with having Steve Nash and Stu Holden in a "separate studio than Abdo and the rest of the analysts." Nash is "too low-key to be a non-player on the broadcast." Instead of some analysis "with some tack, it feels like they are just there to be there" (N.Y. POST, 3/8).
