Hannah Storm Signs New ESPN Contract

by Milton Kent

Filed under: Sports Business, Sports Media, Sports Business and Media

Hannah Storm, arguably the most visible woman at ESPN, has signed a contract extension that will bolster her visibility, the channel announced Wednesday.

Storm, who came to the Worldwide Leader from CBS News in 2008 to launch the late-morning "SportsCenter", has inked a deal, the length and financial terms of which were not disclosed.

However, ESPN was all too happy to announce that Storm, who began hosting NBA coverage, will also be on-site host for the channel's coverage of the Super Bowl, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, as well as the NBA Finals.

Storm will also make appearances on "The Sports Reporters", while continuing to host "SportsCenter" on Sunday mornings during the NFL season and the Tournament of Roses Parade and "ESPN Sports Saturday" on ABC. .

Storm, who previously worked at NBC Sports and at CNN, is the wife of NBC's Dan Hicks.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.com/2011/01/26/hannah-storm-signs-new-espn-contract/

Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum

Will These Cavs Sink as Low as Old Cavs?

Filed under: Cavaliers, FanHouse Exclusive

They were the Edsels of the NBA and the Keystone Kops on wood. But most of all, they were known as the Cadavers.

These Cadavers, though, finally might be buried.

Trouble is, it's the same team with the shovel.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hold the NBA record for consecutive losses at 24, having dropped their last 19 in 1981-82 and their first five in 1982-83. Now, the LeBron-less gang has lost 18 straight heading into Friday's home game against Denver.

One more loss and Cleveland will tie its single-season record of 19 defeats in a row. Five more and the Cavaliers will equal the NBA single-season mark of 23 consecutive losses set by Vancouver in 1995-96 and the Nuggets in 1997-98. And it's six more to tie and seven more to break the granddaddy of all futility streaks.

"I don't want anybody to go through that misery,'' said Geoff Huston, a guard on Cleveland's record-setting team. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.''

Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/27/will-these-cavs-sink-as-low-as-old-cavs/

The Pussycat Dolls Thora Birch Tila Tequila

Braves' Tim Hudson Adds to Big Offseason With Hutch Award

Filed under: Braves

Statistics make it easy to judge the player who's had the best season.

Judging which player has had the best offseason can be tougher, but this winter there can't be many players who have had a better time of it than Atlanta starting pitcher Tim Hudson.

Hudson was in Seattle Wednesday to accept the 46th Hutch Award, which goes annually to a Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of former pitcher and manager Fred Hutchinson, a Seattle native who died of cancer at 45 in 1964.

It's the second major award for Hudson, who was awarded the National League's Comeback of the Year award in November.

In between, the Auburn University product moved his family into the Auburn-area home he and his wife, Kim, have built. And they watched their beloved Auburn Tigers football team go through an undefeated season en route to claiming the BCS title and the No. 1 ranking.

Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/01/26/braves-tim-hudson-adds-to-big-offseason-with-hutch-award/

Roselyn Sanchez Rozonda Thomas Saira Mohan

Phil Simms, Jim Nantz Respond to Charges of Patriots Bias

by Milton Kent

Filed under: Patriots, Sports Business and Media

Few things draw the ire of network announcers more than allegations that they favor one team or player over another or that they pull punches. That, and cutting off their clothing and hair-care allowances.

So, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, CBS' No.1 NFL announce team, were all too happy to refute allegations that they took a little off their respective fastballs recently and made too nice with the New England Patriots during last Sunday's telecast.

"That's always the case, especially with fans," said Simms Thursday during a conference call to promote CBS' coverage of Sunday's AFC championship game between Pittsburgh and the New York Jets. "I walk out of the booth almost every week (and hear), 'Aw, you don't say enough good things about us.' "

Simms added, in a sarcastic tone, "That's OK. You're right. I want to show favoritism and get fired."

The piece that triggered the response was written by veteran media critic Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News, who contended Monday that Simms had failed to take Patriots coach Bill Belichick to task for strategic gaffes he might have made during Sunday's divisional playoff loss to the Jets.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/01/21/phil-simms-jim-nantz-respond-to-charges-of-patriots-bias/

Kristy Swanson Kylie Bax Lacey Chabert

Charlie Manuel: 'Just a Matter of Time' Before Phillies Contract Extension

Filed under: Phillies

Charlie Manuel doesn't have a contract past 2011, but the Phillies' manager has no concerns about his job security.

"My contract, we put something out there and we know exactly where we're at," Manuel told 610 WIP radio Tuesday. "I think it's just a matter of time."

It's difficult to envision a scenario in which a deal isn't completed, as Manuel has led the Phillies to previously unseen heights during his six years at the helm. Before Manuel's arrival, the Phillies had made the playoffs just once in 21 seasons, falling to the Blue Jays in the 1993 World Series.

They finished second in Manuel's first two years in charge but have won the NL East the last four years and in 2008 beat the Rays to capture their first World Series title since 1980. He has compiled a 544-428 record with the Phillies and is 764-618 overall as a manager including his 2 1/2 seasons in charge of the Indians.

Manuel, who turned 67 earlier this month, told WIP he would like to manage at least three more years.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/01/26/charlie-manuel-just-a-matter-of-time-before-phillies-contract/

Mariah OBrien Marika Dominczyk Marisa Coughlan

Utah Names Chow Offensive Coordinator

Filed under: Utah, Pac 10, Coaching

Norm Chow is returning to his roots.

Chow, one of the best offensive minds in football, has been named Utah's offensive coordinator, according to a release by the school. Chow's name had been mentioned with Utah for the past couple weeks, but Chow and UCLA, his last employer, had not quite parted ways until this weekend.

Both Utah and UCLA will compete in the Pac-12 South beginning this fall.

"Adding Norm Chow to our offensive staff was an opportunity that we couldn't pass up," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. "Norm is widely considered one of the top offensive coordinators in the country and his experience at both USC and UCLA will aid us in our transition into the Pac-12 conference."

Chow lettered for Utah as an offensive lineman from 1965-67. He started two seasons and earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors as a senior.

Chow, who has 35 years of NCAA assistant experience, has coached for three national championship teams (BYU 1984; USC 2003 and 2004), and tutored three Heisman Trophy winners (Ty Detmer, BYU; Carson Palmer, USC; Matt Leinart, USC).

Chow also spent three years in the NFL as the offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans. He helped quarterback Vince Young become only the second quarterback to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

As offensive coordinator for UCLA, the Bruins made a rocky transition to the pistol offense this year with mixed results. The Bruins ranked 100th nationally in total offense, averaging 316.67 yards per game and 104th in scoring offense with 20.17 points per game. During his three seasons with the Bruins, Chow's offenses have never been better than 88th nationally.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/22/utah-names-chow-offensive-coordinator/

Ali Campoverdi Ali Larter Alice Dodd

NASCAR Announces New Points Format, Chase Changes, New Qualifying Rules

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Citing the need to make the championship format "simpler," NASCAR chairman Brian France formally introduced a new points system for the three national touring series Wednesday and also announced slight changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff format and race qualifying procedures.

As has been rumored during the last two weeks, the new points payout will be 43-to-1 -- paying 43 points to the race winner with each position decreasing in one-point intervals, with a single point going to last place in the 43-car fields.

The race winner will also receive a three-point bonus. There are one-point bonuses available for leading one lap and for the driver who leads the most laps, meaning there is a maximum of 48 points available for a race winner who leads the most laps.

"So now everyone will know, when a driver is down by 10 points, that he needs to pass 11 more cars to take the lead in the point standings,'' France told a crowded room of reporters at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte.

"Very much a simple, easy to understand system for us."

In other significant news, France announced the third major change to the Chase playoff format since its inception eight years ago. The top 10 drivers in points after the 26-race regular season will qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. And in an effort to emphasize winning, NASCAR will now make the 11th and 12th place Chase qualifiers the drivers outside the top-10 with the most wins -- giving it a sort of wild-card feel.

The top-10 drivers will be reseeded as before, with a three-point bonus given for each win, compared to the 10-point bonus previously handed out. The 11th and 12th place drivers will be reseeded but will not receive bonus points for their wins.

"These guys are going to be driving like their hair is on fire,'' Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said.

"Give NASCAR credit for placing the emphasis on winning races with the new points system. The points championship should be secondary to winning races week in and week out. If you do that, championships take care of themselves."

Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/01/26/nascar-announces-new-points-format-chase-changes-new-qualifyin/

Catherine Bell Chandra West Charisma Carpenter