NBC Olympics President Gary Zenkel said that there "hasn't been a decision yet" on whether the '20 Tokyo Games Opening Ceremony "will be televised live." In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald noted NBC has not aired the Opening Ceremony live since the '10 Vancouver Games and before that, the '96 Atlanta Games. After "years of fans' complaints, NBC finally conceded" in '18 by streaming the Pyeongchang Opening Ceremony live online. Zenkel confirmed that "all of the live streams of events on NBC's Olympics website will again require authentication through participating pay-TV providers" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/29).
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick wrote YES Network analyst David Cone was "superb" on the call for Yankees-Twins last Tuesday. Cone "recognized early" that Yankees P Domingo German's "best pitch -- his curve -- was flat, thus he was unsuccessfully relying on fastballs and changeups as the Twins pounded him for nine hits until he was pulled in the fourth." Cone's "brief tutorial -- not a lecture or seminar -- on what ailed German could be practically applied until he was pulled" (N.Y. POST, 7/28).
ON THE INJURED LIST: Stephen A. Smith appeared on this morning's episode of "First Take" with his left arm in a sling after he said he "suffered a torn rotator cuff." He said, "Oh yeah, I’m hobbled but I’m ready! You know what time it is! I’m back off of vacation and injury and I got a lot of stuff to talk about” ("First Take,” ESPN, 7/29). Smith reportedly suffered the "serious injury while boxing" (THESPUN.com, 7/28).
