That ongoing feud between ESPN and Major League Baseball — which was launched when ESPN announced the All-Star team minutes before MLB was about to, “exclusively” — has graduated from the All-Star Game to the postseason. ESPN isn’t covering any postseason games, and now, it looks like, they don’t even want to promote them.
Citing network policy, ESPN says it does not accept advertising that promotes competitive programming on other networks unless it is contractually obligated to do so - and it states that it’s not obligated to under its new media deal with MLB. It says other networks have similar policies.
The good news is that there will be less Dane Cook on ESPN. The bad news is that Peter Gammons and company could be banned from setting up their “Baseball Tonight” remote shoots inside the stadium.
By the way, here are those TBS broadcasting teams:
Chip Caray-Tony Gwynn (Craig Sager on the field)
Ted Robinson- Joe Simpson (Marc Fein)
Don Orsillo-Steve Stone
Dick Stockton-Bob Brenly
We don’t know who some of those people are, which immediately makes them improvements on Joe Morgan.
After Sexy Rexy Grossman’s third consecutive — or fourth, or fifth, or whatever — horrific appearance last week, Bears fans are screaming for backup Brian Griese. But let’s not forget: He’s got plenty of baggage himself.
Yes, as any Broncos fan can tell you, Brian Griese is not savior. Only through the lens of Rex Grossman could Griese be considered any sort of legitimate starting quarterback; Denver brought in Jake Plummer to take over for him, and you might remember how that turned out.
We don’t know why people are focusing on Griese so much. As you all know, only one man deserves the mantle of Chicago Bears starting quarterback:
The time has come, Coach Smith: Do the right thing.
Time for an Isiah Thomas trial update: You know you’ve missed them.
The defense is presenting its case this week, and it is indicative of just how damaging and weird this trial has become that an incident in which an intern slept with Stephon Marbury in order to get a better job — and it worked! — is being presented in the Knicks’ favor.
Kathleen Decker also acknowledged she landed a full-time job with the Knicks soon after [having sex in the back of a car with Marbury] - and got a big promotion six weeks ago as the $10 million federal sex harassment suit of fired exec Anucha Browne Sanders approached.
Decker, 24, said she never tried to hide the one-night stand and suggested she was being used as a pawn in Browne Sanders’ suit. “I wasn’t forced to do anything,” Decker testified. “I wasn’t drunk. I was in control.”
So we now understand how it works at the Garden: Sleep with someone, and you move up the chain. Finally, Isiah’s ascendance is explained.
Little did Senor Douchebag here realize that when he rushed the field at Arrowhead Stadium, he wouldn’t simply be contending with fat security guards and dull-witted groundskeepers. KC Wolf patrols this land, and he doesn’t cotton to troublemakers.
Notice how the guy is enjoying his moment in the sun until confronted by the wolf, at which point he hesitates like a frightened deer, allowing stadium security to mop him up. This is classic wolf hunting technique; the alpha male driving the prey toward the rest of the pack, which then brings it down. Such is the law of the forest. It may seem cruel to you and me, but it’s nature’s way.
For years — OK, a couple of days — Slate writerRobert Weintraub has been tinkering with a concept called The SSW, short for “The Sean Salisbury Wisdom,” which tracks the consensus of the football punditocracy to ensure those triumphant declarations from Friday aren’t flushed down the memory hole on Monday. Here’s this week’s SSW.
PREVIOUS SSW
Green Bay is decent, but reality, thy name is Merriman.
NEW SSW
The country dudes Favre practices with in those Wrangler ads have really helped Brylcreem Brett sharpen his game.
PREVIOUS SSW
Donovan McNabb’s attempt to change site of Eagles-Lions game to Jena, Louisiana comes up short.
NEW SSW
Superstition is fine, but please don’t tell me you’ll be wearing those unis ever again. Ever.
PREVIOUS SSW
They run, they hit, they get things done in the crunch–beware the Redskins, the NFC’s bounceback team.
NEW SSW
Joe Gibbs is the NFL’s Bobby Bowden, looking on helplessly as his team plays on without his (1980’s era) input. Next time, try Southeast Jerome on the goal line.
PREVIOUS SSW
Has Jacksonville’s offense broken the childproof locks on Jack Del Rio’s axe cabinet?
NEW SSW
Nothing like an 18-play, 12-minute drive to get a team choppin’ wood.
PREVIOUS SSW
Cincinnati has to have the ball last to prevail, because they sure aren’t stopping anybody in crunch time.
NEW SSW
In order to have the ball last, one must not fumble the kickoff. Is it possible it’s the Bengals’ special teams that are the weakest link?
PREVIOUS SSW
The Giants defense is so awful, the team asked Sam Huff to come down from the Skins’ broadcast booth to suit up against Washington.
NEW SSW
Remember Gary Reasons? This goal-line stand was just like that one–except without the Super Bowl caliber team and the dramatic snowy field. Meanwhile, Tom Coughlin remains unkillable with conventional weapons.
PREVIOUS SSW
As long as the Cowboys play teams that can’t throw deep, they are tough to beat.
NEW SSW
The only thing holding this super team back last year was Parcells.
PREVIOUS SSW
Cards could be easily 0-2, easily 2-0. Who the hell knows what kind of team they are? At least they have Leinart…
NEW SSW
Long-distance Daddy-dom doesn’t mix with studying game film. Meanwhile, Kurt Warner’s freaky wife seen brandishing steak knife in Paris Hilton’s direction, screaming “keep your sickness away from my Special K!!”
PREVIOUS SSW
Once again, the Bears defense and special teams will be asked to win games in spite of Rex Grossman.
NEW SSW
The Bears defense and special teams main suspects should the brakes fail on Rex’s GMC Yukon.
PREVIOUS SSW
The tide may be rising over Norv’s head, but his talented team will provide a Mae West.
NEW SSW
Who is laughing harder, Marty Schottenheimer or Jose Mourinho?
PREVIOUS SSW
The Raiders won’t win a game until the franchise admits that Al Davis, in fact, died four years ago.
NEW SSW
Once innovators, the Raiders resort to copycat tactics to win the game at the gun. Well played, though not exactly cricket. And it’s not like the “iced” kicker choked–the figgie was blocked. Just win, baby!
PREVIOUS SSW
D’Brickashaw Ferguson is an average tackle not living up to hype, draft position, or cool name.
NEW SSW
D’Brickashaw Ferguson let Jason Taylor know life will be much more difficult when Miami plays the Jets twice a year.
PREVIOUS SSW
We are not beholden to the Law of 370, sayeth Kansas City, who will run LJ until his lower extremities are scattered all over Arrowhead Stadium.
NEW SSW
OK, so it’s not 1974, we’ll throw the ball a little. Hey, looky there, a touchdown!
PREVIOUS SSW
The MNF legions, the Superdome, Spike Lee–cue up the inevitable video of still storm-damaged New Orleans, cause it’s time to jerk the tears once again.
NEW SSW
Who says things aren’t back to normal in the Crescent City–the Saints are back to being terrible. Oh, and Daunte Culpepper is better than Brees. The Nicktator was right!
“There are rumors that (the Falcons’ DeAngelo) Hall was beaten up by one or more teammates in the locker room after the game. One reader described the rumored incident as a ‘Code Red.’ ” [Kissing Suzy Kolber]
That ongoing feud between ESPN and Major League Baseball — which was launched when ESPN announced the All-Star team minutes before MLB was about to, “exclusively” — has graduated from the All-Star Game to the postseason. ESPN isn’t covering any postseason games, and now, it looks like, they don’t even want to promote them.
After Sexy Rexy Grossman’s third consecutive — or fourth, or fifth, or whatever — horrific appearance last week, Bears fans are screaming for backup 
By now, you’ve probably seen 
Time for an 
For years — OK, a couple of days — 