ESPN Championship Week Presented By Dick’s Sporting Goods Tips Off This Weekend

Courtesy: ESPN

Things are heating up in the world of NCAA basketball.  And as things start to get hot, so is ESPN’s coverage of college basketball.  Beginning Friday, March 7^th, ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods will present ninety-two men’s college basketball conference tournament games from twenty-three conferences across the ESPN family of networks.

ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods starts Friday, March 7^th with nine games from the Big South, Ohio Valley, and Southern Conference tournaments.  Those games will be broadcast online on ESPNU and ESPN3.   It all winds down on Sunday, March 16^th with the title games for the ACC, Sun Belt, and SEC Championships.  The ACC Championship will air on ESPN, while the Sun Belt and SEC Championship games will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN respectively at 1pm ET and 3:15pm ET.

As an added bonus for fans, ESPN Films will debut the latest addition to its 30 for 30 series Requiem for the BIG EAST Sunday, March 16^th at 9pm ET.  The film, directed by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Ezra Edelman, follows the rise and eventual move of the Big East conference.  The story is told thanks in large part to interviews with Big East coaches such as Jim Boeheim, Lou Carnesecca, Rick Pitino and John Thompson, former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, and former Big East standouts Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Ed Pinckney.

Along with the new 30 for 30 film, the ESPN family of networks will also offer special coverage on ESPN Radio, WatchESPN, and ESPN.com.  ESPN’s SportsCenter will also offer a special two-hour broadcast of its special Bracketology Presented by Staples at 7pm ET and again at 9pm ET on ESPN following the conclusion of the SEC Championship.

The complete schedule for ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods is listed below.

                                    Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods Schedule

Date	Network	Time (ET)	Game / Commentators	Site
Fri 3/7	ESPN3	11 a.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: First Round Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	Noon	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Matt Hogue & Nate Ross	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	1:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: First Round Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	2 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Matt Hogue & Nate Ross	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	4:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: First Round Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPNU	7:30 p.m.	Ohio Valley Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch	Nashville, Tenn.
	ESPN3	8 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPNU	9:30 p.m.	Ohio Valley Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch	Nashville, Tenn.
Sat, 3/8	ESPN3	Noon	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	Noon	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	Noon	Big South Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	Noon	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	2 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	2 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	2:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	2:30 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	6:30 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN2	7 p.m.	Ohio Valley Conference: Championship Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch	Nashville, Tenn.
	ESPN3	7 p.m.	Horizon League Tournament: Semifinal #1 * Jim Barbar & Malcolm Huckaby	Green Bay, Wis.
	ESPN3	8 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	8:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN2	9 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN3	9 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPNU	9:30 p.m.	Horizon League Tournament: Semifinal #2 Jim Barbar & Malcolm Huckaby	Green Bay, Wis.
	ESPN2	11 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
Sun 3/9	ESPN2	Noon	Big South Tournament: Championship Roy Philpott & Paul Biancardi	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN2	2 p.m.	Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament: Championship Jason Benetti & Cory Alexander	TBD
	ESPN3	4:30 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	5 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	7 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	7:30 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
Mon 3/10	ESPN2	7 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Doug Sherman & Tim Welsh	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN	9 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN2	9 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Championship Adam Amin & Mark Adams	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN2	11:30 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
Tue 3/11	ESPN	7 p.m.	Horizon League Tournament: Championship Bob Wischusen & TBD	TBD
	ESPN2	7 p.m.	Northeast Conference Tournament: Championship Mike Crispino & Miles Simon	TBD
	ESPN	9 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Championship Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN2	9 p.m.	Summit League Tournament: Championship Clay Matvick & Darrin Horn	Sioux Falls, S.D.
Wed 3/12	ESPN2	1 p.m.	ACC Tournament: First Round #1 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	3 p.m.	ACC Tournament: First Round #2 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	7 p.m.	ACC Tournament: First Round #3 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	7 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: First Round #1 Mike Patrick & Len Elmore	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN2	9:30 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: First Round #2 Dave O’Brien & Doris Burke	Memphis, Tenn.
Thu 3/13	ESPN	Noon	ACC Tournament: Second Round #1 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	12:30 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Quarterfinal #1 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPNU	1 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #1 Mike Patrick, Len Elmore & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN	2 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Second Round #2 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	2:30 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Quarterfinal #2 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPNU	3 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #2 Mike Patrick, Len Elmore & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN2	6:30 p.m.	Big Ten Conference Tournament: First Round #3 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN	7 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Second Round #3 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	7 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #3 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN2	8:30 p.m.	Big Ten Conference Tournament: First Round #4 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN	9 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Second Round #4 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	9 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #4 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
Fri 3/14	ESPN or ESPN2	Noon	Big Ten Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN or ESPN2	Noon	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	1 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN or ESPN2	2:30 p.m.	Big Ten Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN or ESPN2	2:30 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	3 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	Southland Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1	Katy, Texas
	ESPN or ESPN2	7 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN or ESPN2	7 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Semifinal #1 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPNU ^	7 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Semifinal #1 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPN3	8:30 p.m.	Southland Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2	Katy, Texas
	ESPN or ESPN2	9:30 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN or ESPN2	9:30 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Semifinal #2 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPNU ^	9:30 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Semifinal #2 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
Sat 3/15	ESPNU	12 a.m.	Big West Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Mark Jones & Miles Simon	Anaheim, Calif.
	ESPNU	2 a.m.	Big West Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 ** Mark Jones & Miles Simon	Anaheim, Calif.
	ESPN2	11:30 a.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Championship Bob Picozzi & Tim Welsh	TBD
	ESPN	1 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Semifinal #1 Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale or Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ABC	1 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Semifinal #1 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN	3 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Semifinal #2 Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale or Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ABC	3 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Semifinal #2 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN2	4:30 p.m.	Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Mark Neely & Jarron Collins	Houston, Texas
	ESPN	6 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Championship Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPNU	6 p.m.	Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Tom Hart & Stan Lewter	Norfolk, Va.
	ESPN2	6:30 p.m.	Mid-American Conference Tournament: Championship Bob Wischusen & LaPhonso Ellis	Cleveland, Ohio
	ESPNU	8 p.m.	Big Sky Conference Tournament: Championship Roxy Bernstein & Corey Williams	Ogden, Texas
	ESPN2	8:30 p.m.	Southland Conference Tournament: Championship Carter Blackburn & Stephen Howard	Katy, Texas
	ESPN	9 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Championship Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPNU	10 p.m.	Western Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Steve Quis & Jon Crispin	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN2	10:30 p.m.	Big West Conference Tournament: Championship Mark Jones & Miles Simon	Anaheim, Calif.
Sun 3/16	ESPN	1 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Championship Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	1 p.m.	Sun Belt Conference Tournament: Championship Rich Hollenberg & Mark Adams	New Orleans, La.
	ESPN	3:15 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Championship Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.

More information on Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods is available online at http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball.  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 https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Announces Details For 2014 Armed Forces Classic

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN has announced the schedule for the annual NCAA Armed Forces Classic Men’s Basketball Games.  The schedule, set for the next three years, will shift to the Coast Guard in 2014.  Next year’s annual Men’s Division I matchup is scheduled for November 14, 2014.  It will originate from the United States Air Station Borinquen in Puerto Rico.  The game will feature defending National Champion Louisville taking on Minnesota.  Next Fall’s matchup will be made even bigger as it will be a father son coaching duel.  Rick Pitino, a 2013 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee will bring the Cardinals in to face the Gophers, coached by his son Richard Pitino.  Richard Pitino is in his first season as head coach of the Gophers.

Details for the 2015 game are yet to be fully determined. However, it is known that the game will be handed off to the Marines for 2015.  It is currently scheduled to be played November 13, 2015.  2016 will see the game shift to the Navy.  The game, scheduled to be played November 11^th, 2016, will actually feature a double-header at the naval base in Pearl Harbor, HI.  It will be played just a month away from the 75^th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Teams for both the 2015 and 2016 matchup have not yet been announced.  They will be announced at a later date.

The Armed Forces Classic Men’s Basketball Game will be broadcast on ESPN each year.  It is part of the network’s America’s Heroes: A Salute to Our Veterans initiative.  America’s Heroes: A Salute to Our Veterans America’s men and women in uniform past, present, and future, both at home and abroad.

The Armed Forces Classic is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN.  More information on the annual ESPN Armed Forced Classic is available online at http://espnevents.com/armed-forces-classic, http://www.facebook.com/ESPNEvents, and http://twitter.com/ESPNEvents.  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 https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

James, Williams, Heat Lead The Night At Annual ESPYs Awards

Courtesy: ESPN

Another year, another big night for the ESPYS.  LeBron James and his team mates with the Miami heat were some of the big winners at ESPN’s annual sports awards show.  Also on the list of the year’s big winners were Serena Williams and Michael Phelps.  James led the pack with three ESPY awards.  And his team mates took home the award in the “Best Team” category for the second consecutive year.  James’ awards were in the categories of: “Best Championship Performance”, “Best NBA Player”, and “Best Male Athlete.”  Just as his team mates won their award for the second consecutive year, so did James take home the same awards personally for the second consecutive year, too.  Last night’s win brings James’ ESPY total to nine awards over the course of his career. 

Serena Williams took home two awards on the night.  She won in the categories of “Best Female Athlete” and “Best Best Female Tennis Player.”

Game Six of the NBA Championship finals won the award in the “Best Game” category.  It was in that game that Ray Allen forced the game into overtime with a game-tying three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in the game.  The Heat went on to win the game and the 2013 NBA Championship.

San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick might not have won the big game this year.  But he did win at the ESPYs.  He took home the award in the “Best Breakout Athlete.”  Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby won in the category of “Best NHL Player.”  The award comes on the heels of a season that saw Crosby score fifteen goals and forty-one assists over the course of the regular season.  And from the world of Major League Baseball, Detroit Tigers player and triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera brought home the award for “Best MLB Player.”  Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps won the award for “Best Record-Breaking Performance.”  He won the award for his record setting the all-time record for most Olympic Medals at a total of twenty-two medals.  He also won this award in 2009. 

In one of the night’s more emotional moments, Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts took home the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.  Roberts, who also played a direct hand in the new ESPN/espnW film series, Nine for IX, was one of ESPN’s first female sports anchors in the 1990s.  Roberts has faced both cancer and MDS yet never wavered in her fight against either life-threatening illness.  The award was presented to Roberts by LeBron James. 

Another of the night’s more emotional moments came in the presentation of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.  The award was given to the father and son team of Dick and Rick Hoyt.  The pair has competed together in over one thousand endurance events including thirty-one Boston Marathons.  The younger of the duo, Rick Hoyt, is 51-years old.  He was born with cerebral palsy.  The condition left him unable to use his hands and legs.  His father, 73-year old Dick Hoyt, pushes his son in a custom-made running chair during races including 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons and triathlons.  The award was given to the duo by actor Ben Affleck. 

Among some of the nights other notable winners were:  Rick Pitino (Best Coach/Manager), Candace Parker (Best WNBA Player), Floyd Mayweather (Best Fighter), Missy Franklin (Best Female Olympian), Usain Bolt (Best International Athlete) and Thierry Henry (Best MLS Player).  A full list of the night’s winners is available below.

SPECIAL AWARDS

 

ARTHUR ASHE COURAGE AWARD: Robin Roberts

JIMMY V AWARD FOR PERSEVERANCE: Dick and Rick Hoyt

 

BEST IN SPORT

 

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE: Serena Williams

BEST MALE ATHLETE: LeBron James

BEST FEMALE OLYMPIAN: Missy Franklin

BEST MALE OLYMPIAN: Michael Phelps

BEST MOMENT: Jack Hoffman TD at Nebraska spring game

BEST TEAM: Miami Heat

BEST COMEBACK: Adrian Peterson

BEST COACH/MANAGER: Rick Pitino

BEST GAME: Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs, Game 6 NBA Finals

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE: LeBron James, NBA Finals

BEST PLAY:

BEST UPSET: 15-Seed Florida Gulf Coast over 2-Seed Georgetown

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE: Colin Kaepernick

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE: Michael Phelps 22 Olympic medals

BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE: Johnny Manziel

BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE: Brittney Griner

BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Jeremy Campbell

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Jessica Long

 

INDIVIDUAL SPORTS

 

BEST MLB PLAYER: Miguel Cabrera

BEST NBA PLAYER: LeBron James

BEST WNBA PLAYER: Candace Parker

BEST NFL PLAYER: Adrian Peterson

BEST NHL PLAYER: Sidney Crosby

BEST MLS PLAYER: Thierry Henry

BEST MALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE: Nyjah Huston

BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE: Stephanie Gilmore

BEST BOWLER: Pete Weber

BEST DRIVER: Ryan Hunter-Reay

BEST FIGHTER: Floyd Mayweather

BEST MALE GOLFER: Tiger Woods

BEST FEMALE GOLFER: Stacey Lewis

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE: Usain Bolt

BEST JOCKEY: Joel Rosario

BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER: Novak Djokovic

BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER: Serena Williams

 

SPONSORED AWARD

 

CAPITAL ONE CUP: North Carolina Women’s Athletics and UCLA Men’s Athletics

 

To find out more about the night’s events, fans can go online to the official ESPN website, http://www.espn.com or its official Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/ESPN and “Like” it.

 

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 https://philspicks.wordpress.com.