ESPN Family Of Networks Add ACC Football Games To 2013 Schedule

Fans of both college football and of the ACC will get a big treat from the ESPN family of networks beginning this fall.  ESPN has officially announced that it will broadcast no fewer than twenty additional ACC college football games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPNU during the course of the 2013 season.  The first three weeks of the upcoming college football season will see every home game from specific ACC teams, as well as a road and neutral site matchup across the ESPN family of networks.  This is in addition to five previously released ACC games.

As an added bonus for ACC football fans, the new deal between the ACC and the ESPN family of networks means that they will get to see the Dr Pepper ACC Championship from Charlotte, North Carolina and the previously announced quartet of Thursday ESPN College Football  Primetime telecasts.  Also, the deal has guaranteed at least one game on “Black Friday.”

The whole schedule kicks off with a matchup between the University of North Carolina and SEC #8 South Carolina.  The game is the first of the four scheduled Thursday ESPN College Football Primetime telecasts.  The game is currently scheduled for Thursday, August 29^th at 6pm on ESPN.  Virginia Tech and two-time defending BCS National Champion Alabama follow on August 31^st at 5:30pm on ESPN.  The game, the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game is scheduled to be played in Atlanta.  Miami will face #11 Florida on September 7^th at noon on ESPN.  Also expected to be broadcast that day is a matchup between Virginia and 3 Oregon at 3:30pm on ABC and ESPN2.

The current schedule of games is listed below.  More games will be announced as the season moves forward.

The 2013 ACC schedule as of May 23 (additional selections to be announced):

 

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Network
Thu, Aug 29	6 p.m.	North Carolina at No. 8 South Carolina *	ESPN
	6:30 p.m.	Presbyterian at Wake Forest	ESPN3
Fri, Aug 30	8 p.m.	Florida Atlantic at Miami (Fla.)	ESPNU
Sat, Aug 31	Noon	Villanova at Boston College	ESPN3
	Noon	Elon at Georgia Tech	ESPN3
	12:30 p.m.	Louisiana Tech at NC State	ESPN3 ^ / ACC Network
	12:30 p.m.	Florida International at Maryland	ESPN3 ^ / ACC Network
	3:30 p.m.	BYU at Virginia	ESPNU
	4 p.m.	North Carolina Central at Duke	ESPN3
	5:30 p.m.	Chick-fil-A Kickoff: Virginia Tech vs. No. 2 Alabama (from Atlanta) *	ESPN
	8 p.m.	No. 7 Georgia at No. 12 Clemson *	ABC
Mon, Sep 2	8 p.m.	No. 14 Florida State at Pittsburgh *	ESPN
Fri, Sep 6	8 p.m.	Wake Forest at Boston College *	ESPN2
Sat, Sep 7	Noon	No. 11 Florida at Miami (Fla.)	ESPN
	12:30 p.m.	Middle Tennessee at North Carolina	ESPN3 ^ / ACC Network
	12:30 p.m.	South Carolina State at No. 12 Clemson	ESPN3 ^ / ACC Network
	1:30 p.m.	Western Carolina at Virginia Tech	ESPN3
	3:30 p.m.	No. 3 Oregon at Virginia	ABC & ESPN2
	4 p.m.	Old Dominion at Maryland	ESPN3
	6 p.m.	Richmond at NC State	ESPN3
Sat, Sep 14	12:30 p.m.	New Mexico at Pittsburgh	ESPN3 ^ / ACC Network
	12:30 p.m.	Louisiana-Monroe at Wake Forest	ESPN3 ^ / ACC Network
	3:30 p.m.	Nevada at No. 14 Florida State	ESPN or ESPN2
	3:30 p.m.	Georgia Tech at Duke	ESPNU
	4 p.m.	Wagner at Syracuse	ESPN3
Thu, Sep 19	7:30 p.m.	No. 12 Clemson at NC State *	ESPN
Thu, Sep 26	7:30 p.m.	Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech *	ESPN
Thu, Oct 17	TBD	Miami (Fla.) at North Carolina *	ESPN
Thu, Nov 14	7:30 p.m.	Georgia Tech at No. 12 Clemson *	ESPN
Fri, Nov 29	TBD	Miami (Fla.) at Pittsburgh *	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Dec 7	7:45 p.m. or 8 p.m.	Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game (from Charlotte)	ABC or ESPN

For all the latest ACC news, fans can follow the conference on its official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/theACC and its official website, http://www.theACC.com.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Indianapolis 500 Returns To ABC This Weekend For 49th Consecutive Year

Courtesy: Izod Indycar Series

Memorial Day and Memorial Day weekend will be a big one for fans of basketball.  The WNBA kicks up its 2013-2014 season in a big way across ABC and the ESPN family of networks.  Fans of auto racing get to celebrate the weekend with the annual celebration of the Indianapolis 500, live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).  ABC will broadcast the annual race this Sunday, May 26^th live for the forty-ninth consecutive year.  The race will be preceded by a one-hour pre-race telecast at 11am ET presented by Go Daddy.  The green flag is expected to drop at 12:15pm ET.

The broadcast of the race will incorporate eighty-four different cameras including three each on board twelve of the thirty-three cars entered for the Izod Indy Car Series premier race.  Those drivers who will be carrying in car cameras will be: Defending race winner Dario Franchitti and defending IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay. Others will be Charlie Kimball, JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Townsend Bell, Will Power, Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and Tristan Vautier.  Veteran racer Ed Carpenter will also carry one of the in-car cameras.

Audiences can also get a view of pit road and the front stretch thanks to the enhanced “Batcam” (skycam).  The “Batcam” runs on a wire overhead pit road and the front stretch at IMS.  The “Batcam” has been used by ESPN for many years.  But with its new enhancements, it can now fly over the track at speeds upwards of ninety-five miles per hour.  Four Ultra Hi Motion cameras placed around the track will give viewers an amazing view of the race.  The cameras, which will be used for the second consecutive year, will be placed in the short chutes at each end of the two and a half mile track.  There will also be a camera in the fourth turn exit, and one robotic camera placed at the entrance to turn one.  Along with the cameras, which can shoot at a rate of up to 1,200 frames per second, each turn will also have a Super Slo Motion camera.

Thanks to ESPN3, fans watching the race will get the option of streaming live video on a second screen.  The live streaming feeds will be available via ESPN’s WatchESPN and WatchESPN app.  ESPN3 is available online via http://www.WatchESPN.com.  Viewers watching online via ESPN3’s second screen can cwitch between in-car cameras.  For the first time this year, fans watching online can also check out the live scoring ticker.  ESPN3 will also carry a rebroadcast of the race after it ends on ABC.

Marty Reid will have the lap-by-lap call, while ESPN SportsCenter anchor Lindsay Czarniak will serve as race host.  Former driver Scott Goodyear and 1998 Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever will be on hand for analysis.  Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch, and Vince Welch will report from the pits.

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WNBA Kicks Off 2013-2014 Season This Weekend On ABC

Courtesy: ESPN

The 2013-2014 WNBA season starts next Monday.  And it all kicks off with a double header on ABC.  The double header will feature the top four teams from this year’s WNBA draft presented by State Farm.  It all starts with a match between the Washington Mystics and Tulsa Shock at 3pm ET.  The Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury follow at 5pm ET.  Along with the games, ESPN will offer an in-depth look at course taken by the league’s top picks—The “3 To See–from college to the pros.  The “3 To See” are Elena Delle Donne (Delaware to Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame to Tulsa Shock), and Brittney Griner (Baylor to Phoenix Mercury).

ABC’s double header matchup is just part of Monday’s season opening celebration of the WNBA.  ESPN Classic will air a Memorial Day weekend marathon featuring a series of games featuring the “3 To See.”  The full slate of games is listed below.

ESPN Classic Memorial Day “3 to See” Marathon

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Sun, May 26	4 p.m.	2012 NCAA Women’s National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame Diggins 19 points leads ND to an 83-75 win
	6 p.m.	Connecticut at Notre Dame (2013) Diggins scores 29 points in ND’s 96-87 triple-overtime win
	8 p.m.	2013 NCAA Championship Second Round: Delaware vs. North Carolina Delle Donne nets 33 points in loss in final home game
	10 p.m.	2012 NCAA Women’s National Championship: Notre Dame vs. Baylor Griner has 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in win
	Midnight	2012 NCAA Championship Second Round: Kansas vs. Delaware Delle Donne scores 34 points in loss
Mon, May 27	1:30 a.m.	Notre Dame at Tennessee (2013) Diggins has 33 points, five assists and four steals in victory
	3:30 p.m.	2012 CAA Championship: Drexel vs. Delaware Delle Donne dominates with 27 points and 10 boards in win
	7 a.m.	Connecticut at Baylor (2011) Griner leads with 25 points, nine rebounds and nine blocks in victory
	9 a.m.	Delaware at St. John’s (2013) Delle Donne tallies 29 points, 16 boards, two assists and two blocks in overtime win
	11 a.m.	2011 NCAA Women’s National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame Diggins nets 28 points in win over UConn and National Player of the Year Maya Moore
	1 p.m.	Baylor at Connecticut (2013) Griner scores 25 points in win, including 3,000th of her career

 

Fans of the WNBA will also get to see the return of the Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star Game on July 27^th.  The game will air that day at 3:30pm ET on ABC live from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

The team of Pam Ward, Rebecca Lobo, and Carolyn Peck return once again this season to call the games, with Ward calling the play-by-play action.  Holly Rowe and LaChina Robinson will serve as reporters for select games.  Sue Bird—seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA Champion with the Seattle Storm—will join the broadcast team this season from the ESPN Studio.  This includes the opening day double header.  Bird is sidelined this season while she recovers from left knee surgery.

The full season schedule is available below:

2013 WNBA Regular-Season Schedule (subject to change)

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Networks
Mon, May 27	3 p.m.	Washington Mystics at Tulsa Shock Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck & LaChina Robinson	ESPN2
	5 p.m.	Chicago Sky at Phoenix Mercury Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo & Holly Rowe	ESPN2
Sat, June 8	3:30 p.m.	Phoenix Mercury at Indiana Fever Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo & Holly Rowe	ABC
Wed, June 12	8 p.m.	Connecticut Sun at Indiana Fever Pam Ward & Carolyn Peck	ESPN2
Tue, June 25	8 p.m.	Phoenix Sun at San Antonio Silver Stars Pam Ward & Carolyn Peck	ESPN2
Tue, July 2	8 p.m.	Tulsa Shock at Connecticut Sun	ESPN2
Tue, July 9	9 p.m.	Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx	ESPN2
Thu, July 11	9 p.m.	Los Angeles Sparks at Tulsa Shock	ESPN2
Thu, July 18	10 p.m.	Phoenix Mercury at Los Angeles Sparks	ESPN2
Tue, July 23	7 p.m.	New York Liberty at Indiana Fever	ESPN2
Sat, July 27	3:30 p.m.	Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star Game (Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.)	ABC
Tue, Aug 6	10 p.m.	Seattle Storm at Phoenix Mercury	ESPN2
Tue, Aug 20	10 p.m.	Los Angeles Sparks at Seattle Storm	ESPN2
Sat, Aug 24	7 p.m.	Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx	ESPN2
Wed, Sep 11	8 p.m.	Phoenix Mercury at Chicago Sky	ESPN2

 

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SUperhuman Samurai Syerb-Squad Season 1.5 A Fun, Campy Trip Down Memory Lane

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad is perhaps one of the campiest of the shows from the 90s wave of shows adapted from Japan’s super-powered kids’ shows.  The show only lasted one season from September 12, 1994 – April 11, 1995; right at the internet’s infancy.  That is evident through the fight sequences that take place inside the digital world.  The sets are just as campy as the writing and acting.  But for anyone that grew up during the early 90’s, that campy vibe was something great in that era.  So now that Mill Creek Entertainment has re-issued the first half of the show’s only season, fans of this classic kids’ action series can re-live their childhood while introducing their own kids to part of their own childhood at the same time.

While this competitor to Saban’s hugely popular Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers only lasted a single season, it had some similarities to the aforementioned show, it can at least be said of this cross between Ultraman and MMPR that had some originality.  For starters, Sam and his friends were more believable and relatable to younger viewers at the time.  That’s because they looked and acted more like average teens, unlike the cast of MMPR. Also, rather than facing off against interstellar baddies, Sam (played by a then very young Matthew Lawrence) and his friends have to go into the digital world to face off against Kilokahn and the viruses created by his human helper, Malcolm Frank.  Many of the battles fought by Sam and his friends are the result of Malcolm’s hatred for Sam.  Malcolm’s intentions are largely as a competitor for the affections of a young lady.  Kilokahn’s intentions are the standard world domination schemes.  So both having evil intentions, it only made sense for the pair to team up and do so much damage to the digital world, and in turn, the real world.

The acting of the show’s cast and the show’s storylines are campy to say the least.  But they’re not as over the top as those in certain other Japanese imports, either.  The same can be said of the show’s sets and special effects, too.  The show’s sets and special effects are just as campy as the acting and writing.  But just as the campy acting and writing make this a guilty pleasure for any viewer that grew up with this show, so are the sets and special effects.  Together with the acting and writing, and even the relatable teen challenges tied into each episode, this re-issue of Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad Season 1 Volume 1 a great addition to the library of any child of the 90s.

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Tom And Jerry Kids Show Season One Another Blast From The Past From Warner Home Video

Courtesy: Warner Home Vide/Hanna-Barbera

The 1990s was one of the greatest decades in the history of television broadcasting.  NCB and ABC were at the top of their game with their “Must See Thursday” and “TGIF” programming blocks.  And CBS and Fox each had afternoon cartoons for kids to watch after a long day at school.  Sadly, those days are gone.  Thankfully though, Warner Home Video has given audiences that grew up in those days of quality programming yet another piece of their childhood with the release of Tom and Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season One.  This two disc set is one more part of what has been a small wave of welcome releases from WHV this year that includes:  Tiny Toon Adventures Vol. 3, Animaniacs Vol. 4, the brand new release of Taz-Mania: Season 1 Vol. 1, and the upcoming releases of Tiny Toon Adventures Vol. 4, and Taz-Mania: Season 1 Vol. 2 just to name a handful of releases.

Tom and Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season One includes the first thirteen episodes from this show that some considered part of the “kiddie-fication” of cartoons.  The term in general was in reference to certain cartoons being reduced in quality in order to make them more kid friendly.  The cartoons in question included: Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, and Scooby Doo Where Are You?  The term “kiddie-fication” was generally used in a negative connotation in regards to their kid friendly spinoffs.  Those that used that term couldn’t have been more wrong in using such a label especially in the case of Tom and Jerry Kids Show.  That’s because a show such as Tom and Jerry Kids Show was (like Tiny Toon Adventures) less a “kiddie-fication” of its more adult base show than a way to indoctrinate young viewers into the world of said show slowly.  And there is nothing at all wrong with doing this.  If anything, it helps to keep alive the legacy of Hanna-Barbera’s classic cartoons. 

The transfers from the original tapes look outstanding.  The quality of the footage could not have been better.  Little to nothing was lost in the transfer from the original tapes to DVD.  Even when viewed on an HDTV, it still looks quite impressive.  That’s a testament to the work done by the show’s artistic staff.  Even when viewed via a computer’s DVD drive or on a home DVD player, the video quality still shows that it has stood the test of time.  The same can be said of the show’s audio side.  Fans of HB’s classic cartoons will recognize the company’s recycling of its music.  Much of the music used in this more modern take on Tom and Jerry was also used in The Jetsons and to a lesser extent, more modern Flintstones direct-to-DVD features and certain episodes of A Pup Named Scooby Doo.  This trademark of Hanna-Barbera’s cartoons is another welcome addition to Tom and Jerry Kids Show.  Having that familiar older music back once again makes older audiences’ sense of nostalgia even stronger in watching this modern classic.

The high quality of the show’s transfers alone makes Tom and Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season One worth the money for fans that grew up with this cartoon.  The double-disc set’s packaging is another positive to the overall presentation.  As with multi-disc sets from other companies, this set follows what is quickly becoming the standard by placing one disc on its own place on a plastic insert inside the case.  The second disc is placed comfortably on the back portion of the box also in its own spot.  This manner of packaging is both smart in terms of protecting the set’s discs and in terms of ergonomics.  It keeps the case for the DVD’s the same size as that of a regular single-disc DVD package.  So it saves space on audiences’ DVD/Blu-ray racks, and protects the product inside.

As one should be able to tell by now, Tom and Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season One is an enjoyable nostalgic trip down memory lane for long-time fans of the Tom and Jerry franchise.  It’s just as much a welcome introduction to this generation’s younger viewers.  For all the positives to this set, it isn’t without one minor flaw.  That flaw is not in the art, the transfers, or even the packaging.  The flaw in question comes from the discs themselves.  Rather than actually coloring in the designs on the discs, they were painted over with a single, flat color, leaving just enough open space to make a wild guess as to the design on each disc.  Consumers would have to put each disc up to the light and tilted each one in order to get an idea of the designs.  The same thing was done with Animaniacs: Volume Four and with Tiny Toon Adventures Vol. 3.  It’s a minor flaw with this set (and the other sets mentioned).  So luckily, it doesn’t take away too much from the overall presentation, even though it would have been nice for WHV’s people to have taken care of this aspect.  Had that been done, this might have found itself at the top of this critic’s list of the year’s best new children’s DVD and Blu-ray releases.  Regardless, it still has found a place on the list in question.  It is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online direct via the WB Shop at http://www.wbshop.com/product/tom+and+jerry+kids+show+the+complete+first+season+1000348871.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search.  Fans of all things WB can keep up with all the latest WB home releases on the WB Shop website at http://www.wbshop.com/home.do. 

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Six Big Ten Games Scheduled For Prime Time On ESPN Family Of Networks

Courtesy: ESPN

The upcoming college football season is still months away.  But that doesn’t mean things have slowed down from the world of NCAA football.  ESPN has announced that it will run six Big Ten Conference games in prime time during the upcoming season.  The games will be run on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC over the course of the season.  Each of the six scheduled games includes at least one ranked team in an early ESPN.com preseason Top 25 Poll.  No. 1 Ohio State will play three times across the ESPN family of networks.  No. 9 Michigan will have two televised games in the schedule.  No. 24 and 25, Northwestern and Wisconsin will each have one game aired.  Two of the six games on the schedule will see a Big Ten member team hosting independent Notre Dame, which is currently ranked No. 10 in the ESPN.com preseason Top 25 poll.  More games will be announced in the coming months.  The current slate of scheduled games is available below.

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Network
Sat, Sep 7	8p.m.	No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 9 Michigan *	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Sep 14	8 p.m.	No. 10 Notre Dame at Purdue	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Sep 28	8p.m.	No. 25 Wisconsin at No. 1 Ohio State	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Oct 5	8p.m.	No. 1 Ohio State at No. 24 Northwestern	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Oct 12	5p.m.	No. 9 Michigan at Penn State	ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Oct 26	8p.m.	Penn State at No. 1 Ohio State	ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

  

* Previously Announced

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Czarniak Tapped To Lead 2013 Indy 500 Broadcast

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Lindsay Czarniak will host this year’s Indy 500.  The SportsCenter co-host’s appointment to the broadcast marks the first time ever that the race broadcast has ever been helmed by a female broadcaster.  Czarniak co-hosts ESPN’s SportsCenter alongside John Anderson.  Before taking on co-hosting duties with Anderson was a pit reporter and feature reporter for broadcasts of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on TNT and NBC.  She also hosted ESPN’s NASCAR Now previously. 

Lindsay got her start in broadcasting at WRC-TV (NBC 4) in Washington, D.C.  She worked at WRC-TV from 2005 – 2011.  During her time there, she covered the 2006 Winter and 2008 Summer Olympic Games as well as NASCAR broadcasts. 

Courtesy: ESPN/ABC

The Indy 500 pre-race show is scheduled to run from 11am – 12pm on Sunday, May 26^th.  Czarniak will head the pre-race broadcast from the IMS’ famed Pagoda.  She will also help contribute to the race broadcast itself.  Former Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever will also take part in calling the race.  He will serve as an in-race analyst in the broadcast booth for the race, and for the remaining five races that ABC will carry.

Cheever is a former Formula One racer who won the Indy 500 in 1998.  He made 132 starts in Formula One from 1978 to 1989.  That is the most by any American driver in the history of Formula One racing.  He returned to the U.S. and joined the former CART Series in 1990 and then the IndyCar Series in 1996.  He claimed five wins in his time in the IRL, including his win in 1998.  Cheever last raced in the IndyCar series in 2006.   He will be joined by lap-by-lap announcer Marty Reid and fellow analyst Scott Goodyear to call all six Izod IndyCar Series races broadcast on ABC this season.  Also on hand for the broadcasts will be pit reporters: Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, and Vince Welch.  Dr. Jerry Punch will join the broadcast team in the pits for the Indy 500. 

The Indy 500 is the first of six races that will be broadcast on ABC this year.  Each race will be produced by ESPN and broadcast on ABC.  ABC’s other races include: a doubleheader from Detroit’s Belle Island on June 1^st and 2^nd, a primetime broadcast from Texas Motor Speedway on June 8^th, the series’ race from Iowa Speedway on June 23^rd, and its return to the hills of Pocono, PA on July 7^th at Pocono Raceway. 

To get all the latest news from the Izod Indycar Series on ABC and ESPN, viewers can “Like” the ESPN Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ESPN and the ABC Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ABCNetwork.

To keep up with all the latest news from the Izod Indycar Series, fans can “Like” the official Izod Indycar Series Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/IZOD-IndyCar-Series/181178948587654.

To keep up with all the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Releases 2013 NFL Draft Coverage Details

Courtesy: ESPN

It’s that time of year again.  Universities across the country are showing off their teams’ talents for the upcoming season of college football later in the year with Spring games.  Just as the new crop of college players are on display, the next crop of future NFL stars is preparing to make a splash at the annual NFL Draft.  The draft kicks off Thursday, April 25^th and runs through Saturday, April 27^th.  And ESPN will be on hand for all the coverage of this year’s draft.  The first two nights of the draft will air in primetime.  And for the second consecutive year, Round One’s first hour of coverage will air with limited commercial interruption.

Chris Berman will be on hand for the 2013 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light.  This year marks the thirty-third year of coverage for Berman.  He will host ESPN’s draft coverage live from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.  He will be joined by analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. and Monday Night Football analyst and Superbowl-winning coach Jon Gruden on set.  This year’s draft marks the thirtieth year of covering the draft for Mel Kiper, Jr.  Senior NFL Insider Chris Mortensen and NFL Insider Adam Schefter will be on hand at another set live at Radio City Music Hall.  And NFL32 host Suzy Kolber will be on hand providing interviews with draft prospects.

Trey Wingo takes over as main his on Day 2 & 3 of the NFL Draft.  He will be joined by Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Jr., and ESPN Scouts, Inc. director of scouting Todd McShay.  Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen will also both be back.  They will be joined by Six-time NFL Executive of the Year Bill Polian.  Suzy Kolber will be back broadcasting live on Saturday from Bristol, Connecticut, hosting ten hours of coverage. She will be joined by analysts Tedy Bruschi, Herm Edwards, and Ron Jaworski.  It all begins Saturday, April 26^th with SportsCenter Special: On The Clock at 10am/9am CT.

ESPN will have reporters and correspondents coming to audiences live from team sites and more throughout the weekend, including on the radio on ESPN Radio affiliates across the country.  Josina Anderson will report live from the St. Louis Rams’ team site.  Colleen Dominguez will have reports from the San Francisco 49ers team site.  Sal Paolantonio will be on hand in Philadelphia with reports from the Eagles.  And Ed Werder will be live from Kansas City with reports on the latest from the Chiefs.

Mike Hill and three-time Superbowl Champion Mark Schlereth—co-hosts of ESPN’s Hill and Schlereth—will host ESPN Radio’s NFL Draft 2013 presented by Bud Light on Thursday and Friday, April 25^th and 26^th.  ESPN.com Senior NFL writer John Clayton will join Hill and Schlereth for their broadcast.  ESPN Radio’s coverage begins Thursday, April 25^th at 7pm and Friday, April 26^th at 6pm. 

Leading up to this year’s NFL Draft, ESPN will air SportsCenter Special: On The Clock shows, hosted by a number of ESPN’s top studio analysts.  Among those analysts joining fans for this year’s SportsCenter Special: On The Clock will be: Cris Carter, Trent Dilfer, Tom Jackson, Ron Jaworski, Keyshawn Johnson, Bill Polian, and Steve Young from Bristol.  Trey Wingo will host SportsCenter Special: On The Clock on Thursday, April 25^th at 5pm.  Wendi Nix will host the special on Friday, April 26^th.  And Suzy Kolber will have hosting duties on Saturday, April 27^th.

A full schedule of this year’s NFL Draft coverage on ESPN and the ESPN family of networks is available below.

ESPN NFL Draft TV schedule (Apr. 25-27):

 

Date	Time (ET)	Show	Network
Thurs., April 25	3-4 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: On the Clock	ESPN
	4-5 p.m.	NFL Live Presented by HTC One	ESPN
	5-7:30 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: On the Clock	ESPN
	7:30-8 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown Presented by iShares by Black Rock	ESPN
	8-11:30 p.m.	NFL Draft Presented by Bud Light (Round 1)	ESPN
Fri., April 26	3-4 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: On the Clock	ESPN
	4-5 p.m.	NFL Live Presented by HTC One	ESPN
	5-5:30 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: On the Clock
	5:30-6:30 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown Presented by iShares by Black Rock	ESPN
	6:30-10:30 p.m.	NFL Draft Presented by Bud Light  (Rounds 2-3)	ESPN/ESPN2
Sat., April 27	10-11:30 a.m.	SportsCenter Special: On the Clock	ESPN
	11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown Presented by iShares by Black Rock	ESPN
	12-8 p.m.	NFL Draft Presented by Bud Light (Rounds 4-7)	ESPN
Sun., April 28	1-3 p.m.	SportsCenter Special: NFL Draft Grades	ESPN

 

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TV Renewals and Cancellations Start For 2013

The television industry is in one of its key moments right now.  As the calendar turns from Winter and closer to Spring, network execs at the “Big 4” (and CW) are starting to do some early planning for each network’s Fall schedule.  Typically the Fall schedules are released in Spring; May to be exact.  And if the latest numbers are any sign, things could be very interesting for television this coming Fall as the Winter/Spring season nears its end and we move into the annual filler season.  While things are still uncertain for many shows, the picture for all of the “Big 4” (and CW) has become increasingly clear already.  While there are still a lot of uncertain, it looks like when the dust settles, NBC will have the most to lose, while CBS will end up the big winner with FOX and ABC battling it out for second place.  Of course, let’s not forget the massive slate of pilots set to air very soon across the networks.  Considering the way the schedules look for the “Big 4” (and CW), CBS may still end up the big winner, even with networks such as Syfy and A&E having two of the most anticipated shows of the year.  Let’s take a look at everything.

So far, it looks like NBC has the most to lose.  The network proves to be the biggest loser (yes, that pun is intended) with no fewer than ten of the shows in its schedule being on the chopping block.  This means that at the time of this posting, their fate is up in the air.  Those shows include the likes of Community, Parks & Rec, and 1600 Penn just to name a few.  The network has officially renewed five of its shows at the time of this posting and brought four to an end.  In NBC’s defense, two of those shows ending (The Office and 30 Rock) simply came to the end of their run whereas Animal Practice and Do No Harm were cancelled due to poor ratings.  CBS on the other hand looks to have come out the big winner in everything, and likely will even after the summer filler season ends.  As of this time, CBS’ schedule looks to be largely intact with at least fifteen shows from its schedule set to return, one cancelled, and six still on the hook. 

Perhaps the most interesting trend to note of all the announcements released so far is that audiences seem to be drawing more towards dramas than anything else.  This includes reality television.  Considering the glut of reality TV shows out there on the majors, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and The CW have combined so far for a total of ten total reality shows officially confirmed as being safe so far.  Dramas from the five networks on the other hand, combined for a total of twenty-one shows that have been confirmed as being back so far.  Comedies accounted for only fourteen total shows that will definitely be back as of yet.  On the other side of the coin, comedies topped the list of shows that have been cancelled during the Winter/Spring schedule.  ABC lost the most dramas, with five total.  None of the 5 majors reported cancellation of their reality TV programming.  It really makes for an interesting trend to note.

In terms of the most anticipated shows coming this year are A&E’s Bates Motel, ABC’s much talked about small screen take from the Marvel Comics universe in S.H.I.E.L.D. and Syfy’s long awaited return to actual science fiction programming in Defiance.    Syfy has had at least some science fiction based shows in the likes of the previous Battlestar Galactica re-incarnation as well as Eureka and the now short lived Alphas.  So there’s a lot of talk around this one, especially after the leap of faith that was Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome.  After the much maligned Caprica ended, there was a lot of speculation around the fate of this property.  And considering that Alphas has ended so abruptly and that Eureka only lasted four seasons, one can only wonder if Defiance will be able to revive science fiction programming on Syfy.  Should it survive, sci-fi fans could finally see the network finally return to its roots.  One can only hope.  Supernatural shows seem to have been all the rage on that network in recent memory.  Though it too, has added its own slate of reality shows just like so many of the cable networks.  One thing fans can cheer about is that USA has brought back Psych.  The show’s new episodes started airing this week.  This little show that could has really proven to be a surprise hit for the network and a great replacement for the equally entertaining Monk.  For fans of other cable shows, FX has renewed Archer and American Horror Story.  AMC is said to be bringing back its hit Western saga, Hell on Wheels.  Simply put, this year is going to be another interesting one for television as it competes for eyes over theaters.  That’s a whole other story in itself for another time.

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Perry, Fox Carry Patterson’s Cross

Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate

Actor/producer/director Tyler Perry is known largely for his widely popular movies focusing on the over the top Madea.  So it goes without saying that when he was announced to take over the role of Alex Cross from veteran actor Morgan Freeman, audiences both of his work and that of author James Patterson were left quite in shock to say the least.  Any time that an actor or actress takes a leap outside of his or her comfort zone, it also pulls said actor/actress’ fans out of their comfort zones.  And that apparently is what happened in the case of his take in the new action flick bearing the character’s name.

Perry’s audiences and critics alike were pulled out of their comfort zone with Alex Cross because all involved became so accustomed to seeing Perry in dramadies, not action flicks.  So much so that they refused to see Perry’s potential in this movie.  Director Rob Cohen even discusses this in the Director’s Commentary of the movie’s new home release on DVD and Blu-ray.  It’s just one of many discussions that he raises which will make for more appreciation for this movie among audiences.  The reality of Alex Cross is that while the story may be somewhat outrageous, it’s no more outrageous than the criminal profilers in CBS’ Criminal Minds going out on “missions” to stop deranged killers, which is exactly what co-star Matthew Fox (ABC’s Lost) plays here.  Fox expertly plays the absolutely deranged sociopathic killer Picasso who is hell bent on taking down Cross for past events.  Much like Perry, his performance is a powerhouse.  He is one of those villains that is totally believable.  He is one of those rare villains that audiences love to hate, and by whom they are disturbed.  That means that Fox did his job and did it well.  So to that extent, Fox and Perry together really are what make the story work.

Keeping in mind why Picasso is after Cross, one can’t help but make at least a slight comparison to fellow actor Denzel Washington’s 1999 crime drama, The Bone Collector.  The difference between the two is that this crime drama is far better and moves much faster.  What Perry has done here for all intents and purposes is harnessed both Washington and fellow action star Will Smith and proven to be even better than both.  Audiences need only allow themselves to suspend their disbelief and they too will realize Perry’s talents as an action star.

It goes without saying that a number of factors were changed in this adaptation of its namesake book by author James Patterson.  But few movies ever adapted from books have ever stayed one hundred percent true to their origins.  Just look at the movies in the Die Hard franchise.  They are prime examples of that.   Audiences need to keep this in mind as well in order to maintain their suspension of disbelief.  Allowing that to happen allows audiences to simply enjoy the fast paced action that starts right off the bat and barely lets up right to the movie’s final confrontation.  And if doing that doesn’t work, then perhaps watching the bonus making of featurette in the brand new DVD and Blu-ray release of the movie will finally convince people to let go of their own expectations.  The feature, “The Psychologist and the Butcher: Adapting & Filming Alex Cross” features interviews with James Patterson himself in which he in no uncertain terms lets audiences know that he accepts the big screen adaptation of Cross.  It’s nice to see an author giving his personal stamp of approval on an adaptation of one of his books.  And hopefully both Patterson’s readers and Perry’s fans will come together after watching this new home release and give the movie the appreciation which it deserves.  It is available now on DVD and Blu-ray in stores and online and is worth at least one watch by any true action movie fan.

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