This is the final weekend of 2009 without a football game on TV. (the numerous training camps are opening stories don't count).
Next week starts the exhibition season with the Hall of Fame game. Usually no exhibitions are shown on national TV the last week of preseason, but that's Labor Day weekend when college football starts. Plenty of action to keep you on the couch.
Then it's 17 weeks of regular season and three weeks of playoffs. This year the Pro Bowl will be held the week before the Super Bowl, so it's early February before the next weekend without gridiron action.
Make your plans accordingly.
To tide you over, ESPN offers the X games. It looks cool. I don't know any of the people, and would never try what they are doing. But it looks cool.
NASCAR makes its second trip to Pocono, where points leader Tony Stewart won in June. ESPN has coverage starting at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Orioles, struggling through the second half as usual, have Boston coming to town on MASN. The Nationals are in Pittsburgh, thus get shuffled off to MASN2.
The Dodgers visit the Braves Saturday on FOX and Sunday on ESPN. The other offerings for FOX Saturday are Royals at Rays and Yankees at White Sox.
TBS has the Phillies visiting San Francisco late on Sunday afternoon. For those with MLB network, they show the Astros at the Cardinals Saturday night.
The senior golfers are back in the States for the U.S. Senior Open, Friday on ESPN and weekend coverage on NBC. CBS has the PGA's Buick Open Saturday and Sunday.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
NASCAR at the Brickyard
ESPN cranks up its NASCAR coverage this weekend with NASCAR's 16th trip to the Brickyard.
The Tour de France finale concludes its three-week run by riding into Paris. Versus has coverage each morning.
The Orioles visit Boston on MASN, while the Nationals host San Diego. Both teams are more than 20 games behind the division leader, so plan accordingly.
Remember when the Indianapolis 500 was a bigger deal than NASCAR. About the time NASCAR paid its first visit to Indy in 1994, Indy car split into two groups. Indy ratings went into the tank, while NASCAR added its touch to the famous race track.
Nobody ever thought of kissing the bricks at the start/finish line until NASCAR came along.
The Tour de France finale concludes its three-week run by riding into Paris. Versus has coverage each morning.
The Orioles visit Boston on MASN, while the Nationals host San Diego. Both teams are more than 20 games behind the division leader, so plan accordingly.
FOX has the Cardinals at the Phillies Saturday, and the two teams are on TBS Sunday afternoon. The White Sox at Tigers - ESPN's Sunday night game - is also in the Saturday afternoon mix, along with Twins vs. Angels.
Think a few more people are interested in the British Senior Open, after Tom Watson's run last weekend? Watson joins his fellow seniors at Sunningdale this weekend on ABC.
CBS offers the Canadian Open Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
The WNBA has made it halfway through the season, and plays its All-Star game Saturday afternoon on ABC.
Think a few more people are interested in the British Senior Open, after Tom Watson's run last weekend? Watson joins his fellow seniors at Sunningdale this weekend on ABC.
CBS offers the Canadian Open Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m.
The WNBA has made it halfway through the season, and plays its All-Star game Saturday afternoon on ABC.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Golf across the pond
Set the alarm clock. They're golfing in Scotland this week.
The Open championship tees off awfully early, 1:30 a.m. Eastern time Friday. They're playing at Turnberry for the first time since 1994, thus the first time in the Tiger Woods era.
TNT opens coverage Friday and Saturday at 7 a.m., then begins at 6 a.m. for Sunday's final round. ABC hits the links Saturday 9 a.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m.
Thursday's opening round brought out an unexpected story line - Tom Watson shooting a 65 to stand one shot off the lead. Watson knows plenty about the course, winning there in 1977 with a 65 on the final round. He also won the Senior British Open in 2003 there.
Woods stands at 71, seven shots off the lead as he seeks his 15th major championship.
The Orioles make Fox's Saturday schedule this week, visiting the White Sox. Much of the nation will see the Mets and Braves, or Angels at the A's, but the Mid-Atlantic gets more Orioles.
Baltimore returns to MASN2 Friday and Sunday, while the Nationals host the Cubs on MASN.
Sunday's baseball is the Tigers at Yankees on TBS and Mets at the Braves on ESPN at night.
There is no NASCAR race this week. Everybody idle. Your speed on wheels is supplied by the Tour de France on Versus.
If you'd like to catch up with your soccer, D.C. United hosts the Colorado Rapids Saturday night on ComcastSportsnet. ESPN2 will show Houston at Toronto Saturday afternoon.
The Open championship tees off awfully early, 1:30 a.m. Eastern time Friday. They're playing at Turnberry for the first time since 1994, thus the first time in the Tiger Woods era.
TNT opens coverage Friday and Saturday at 7 a.m., then begins at 6 a.m. for Sunday's final round. ABC hits the links Saturday 9 a.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m.
Thursday's opening round brought out an unexpected story line - Tom Watson shooting a 65 to stand one shot off the lead. Watson knows plenty about the course, winning there in 1977 with a 65 on the final round. He also won the Senior British Open in 2003 there.
Woods stands at 71, seven shots off the lead as he seeks his 15th major championship.
The Orioles make Fox's Saturday schedule this week, visiting the White Sox. Much of the nation will see the Mets and Braves, or Angels at the A's, but the Mid-Atlantic gets more Orioles.
Baltimore returns to MASN2 Friday and Sunday, while the Nationals host the Cubs on MASN.
Sunday's baseball is the Tigers at Yankees on TBS and Mets at the Braves on ESPN at night.
There is no NASCAR race this week. Everybody idle. Your speed on wheels is supplied by the Tour de France on Versus.
If you'd like to catch up with your soccer, D.C. United hosts the Colorado Rapids Saturday night on ComcastSportsnet. ESPN2 will show Houston at Toronto Saturday afternoon.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
All-star time
My son was born in 1997, about a week before that year's All-Star game. The American League has not lost since then.
The National League tries to regain its winning ways Tuesday in St. Louis, following Monday's home run derby and assorted contests.
I grew up during the era of National League dominance, when the senior circuit won 19 of 20 games between 1963 to 1982. It's wild to think the American League hasn't lost since Philadelphia in 1996, although the two leagues tied in 2002.
That tie brought out several rules changes, including giving the winning side home-field advantage in the World Series. Six straight years the AL has hosted Game 1, but each league has won three times since then.
It's nice to have home-field advantage, but it's not an overwhelming difference.
Before the All-Star break, there's some more baseball to play.
The Nationals visit Houston for a series on MASN, while the Orioles return home to play Toronto on MASN2.
Saturday on FOX, you'll get either the Yankees at Angels or Cardinals at Cubs. ESPN has the Cardinals and Cubs on the Sunday night game, while the Dodgers visit the Brewers Sunday on TBS.
Hard to believe, but TNT's run covering NASCAR ends Saturday night with the Chicago race.
The Tour de France continues, with coverage on Versus each morning. And highlight shows in the afternoon and night.
Lance Armstrong, you know. The many bike riders in the packs, so close together you wonder how they ride, you don't know. But it can be interesting to watch, especially the mountain stages.
Most of the top golfers are across the Atlantic, getting ready for the British Open. Those who stayed behind will be at the John Deere Classic this weekend on CBS.
The National League tries to regain its winning ways Tuesday in St. Louis, following Monday's home run derby and assorted contests.
I grew up during the era of National League dominance, when the senior circuit won 19 of 20 games between 1963 to 1982. It's wild to think the American League hasn't lost since Philadelphia in 1996, although the two leagues tied in 2002.
That tie brought out several rules changes, including giving the winning side home-field advantage in the World Series. Six straight years the AL has hosted Game 1, but each league has won three times since then.
It's nice to have home-field advantage, but it's not an overwhelming difference.
Before the All-Star break, there's some more baseball to play.
The Nationals visit Houston for a series on MASN, while the Orioles return home to play Toronto on MASN2.
Saturday on FOX, you'll get either the Yankees at Angels or Cardinals at Cubs. ESPN has the Cardinals and Cubs on the Sunday night game, while the Dodgers visit the Brewers Sunday on TBS.
Hard to believe, but TNT's run covering NASCAR ends Saturday night with the Chicago race.
The Tour de France continues, with coverage on Versus each morning. And highlight shows in the afternoon and night.
Lance Armstrong, you know. The many bike riders in the packs, so close together you wonder how they ride, you don't know. But it can be interesting to watch, especially the mountain stages.
Most of the top golfers are across the Atlantic, getting ready for the British Open. Those who stayed behind will be at the John Deere Classic this weekend on CBS.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Breakfast at Wimbledon
It's the 30th anniversary of Breakfast at Wimbledon, with NBC presenting the men's and women's finals live Saturday and Sunday morning.
On the women's side, you get the Williams sisters. For the fourth time for the Wimbledon title, so that promises to be plenty interesting tennis.
The men's semifinals are Friday (NBC coverage starts at noon), then it's get up at 9 a.m. to watch the champion crowned.
For the Fourth of July weekend, the Nationals host the Braves on MASN while the Orioles spend the weekend in L.A. against the Angels.
Fox's Saturday game has the Phillies and Mets, along with Tigers at Twins and Dodgers at Padres. Manny Ramirez returns to the Dodgers' lineup this weekend, so I bet a few more fans will get that game.
The Rays visit the Rangers for Sunday's ESPN game, after the Brewers face the Cubs in the afternoon on TBS.
NASCAR gets to run on 4th of July, although in the evening on TNT. For many years, it was the Firecracker 400 starting in the Monday to beat the thunderstorms in the heat of the day.
The PGA tour comes to Washington for the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods (that's what the logo says). CBS has coverage Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and ComcastSportsnet Mid-Atlantic will have plenty of info from the course.
For those ready for some football, the NFL network will be running it's "America's Game" series starting Saturday morning. It's one hour each on the first 42 Super Bowl champs, plus five teams that missed out on the rings.
On the women's side, you get the Williams sisters. For the fourth time for the Wimbledon title, so that promises to be plenty interesting tennis.
The men's semifinals are Friday (NBC coverage starts at noon), then it's get up at 9 a.m. to watch the champion crowned.
For the Fourth of July weekend, the Nationals host the Braves on MASN while the Orioles spend the weekend in L.A. against the Angels.
Fox's Saturday game has the Phillies and Mets, along with Tigers at Twins and Dodgers at Padres. Manny Ramirez returns to the Dodgers' lineup this weekend, so I bet a few more fans will get that game.
The Rays visit the Rangers for Sunday's ESPN game, after the Brewers face the Cubs in the afternoon on TBS.
NASCAR gets to run on 4th of July, although in the evening on TNT. For many years, it was the Firecracker 400 starting in the Monday to beat the thunderstorms in the heat of the day.
The PGA tour comes to Washington for the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods (that's what the logo says). CBS has coverage Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and ComcastSportsnet Mid-Atlantic will have plenty of info from the course.
For those ready for some football, the NFL network will be running it's "America's Game" series starting Saturday morning. It's one hour each on the first 42 Super Bowl champs, plus five teams that missed out on the rings.
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