ESPN’s ‘First Take’ To Preview NFC Wild Card Matchup Live From Texas

Courtesy: ESPN

The National Football League kicks off its post season this weekend, and ESPN will be on hand to cover the first weekend of the playoffs.

The network announced Monday in a news release, that its hit show First Take will air live from Arlington, Texas where the Dallas Cowboys will host the Seattle Seahawks in one of the weekend’s four Wildcard matchups.  The program’s on-site broadcast marks the third time in as many months that First Take will broadcast from AT&T Stadium.

ESPN Vice President of Production David Roberts said in the release, that Friday’s broadcast will be a positive presentation.

“The energy from the fans at the previous shows in Dallas has been truly unique,” Roberts said.  “Add in that the Cowboys will be playing in a win-or-go-home Wild Card showdown this weekend, and it should make for some unforgettable moments between [Cowboys critic] Stephen A. Smith and the Dallas faithful.”

Friday’s broadcast is free and open to the public.  Doors open at 7:30 a.m. CT/8:30 a.m. ET.  The broadcast starts at 9 a.m. CT/10 a.m. ET and runs until 11 a.m. CT/noon ET.  Friday’s event will air live on ESPN and stream live via the ESPN app.

Friday’s broadcast is just one part of an extensive weekend of NFL coverage from ESPN.  The network’s Monday Night Football broadcast team will cover Saturday’s Wild Card game between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans on ESPN.  Kickoff is scheduled for 4:35 p.m. ET.

In the college ranks, ESPN will broadcast the College Football Championship live Jan. 7.Clemson and Alabama will compete for college football’s top prize in the game.  Coverage is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET.

More information on ESPN’s NFL post season coverage is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.espn.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ESPNNFL

 

More information on ESPN’s college football coverage is available online now along with all of the latest college football headlines at:

 

Website: http://www.espn.com/college-football

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CFBonESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espncfb

 

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.

Gruden’s QB Camp Returns For Its Seventh Season This Spring

Orlando, FL – March 31, 2015 – Wide World of Sports: Jon Gruden during Gruden’s QB Camp class of 2015
(Photo by Scott Clarke / ESPN Images)

The start of the 2016 – 2017 NFL season is roughly six months away. Even with so much time until football returns, any true NFL fan will agree that it is never too soon to talk football. That being the case NFL fans will be happy to know that ESPN has announced the return of Gruden’s QB Camp this spring.

Gruden’s QB Camp is an integral part of ESPN’s annual pre-NFL Draft programming. This year it returns for its seventh year beginning April 12^th at 8:30pm ET on ESPN and will run for a total of five weeks leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft. It will air across the ESPN networks, including ABC. As a bonus for audiences, previous episodes of Gruden’s QB Camp will be available via ESPN Classic VOD beginning in the first week of April. Excerpts of each episode will be run on NFL Live, SportsCenter, and other shows.

This year’s season of Gruden’s QB Camp will feature projected first round picks Jared Goff (California — 1^st Team All-Pac 12 selection), and Carson Wenz (North Dakota State – Most Outstanding Player from the NCAA D1 National Championship over the past two years). Also expected to appear on Gruden’s QB Camp this year are: Connor Cook (Michigan State — Big Ten QB of the Year and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award-winner), Christian Hackenberg (Penn State – 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year), Cardale Jones (Ohio State – 2015 College Football Playoff National Champion), Paxton Lynch (Memphis – AAC 1st Team selection), and Dak Prescott (Mississippi State – 2016 Reese’s Senior Bowl MVP).

Over the course of its past six seasons Gruden’s QB Camp has welcomed fifty players. Forty-three of those fifty players were quarterbacks. Of those quarterbacks, ten have gone on to be starting QBs in the NFL including: Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers QB) and Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks QB). More information on this year’s season of Gruden’s QB Camp is available online with all of the latest NFL headlines at:

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN

 

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 Finishes Off Week Four With An NFC Matchup On MNF

Courtesy: ESPN

Seattle and Detroit are set to round out Week Four in the NFL next Monday. And ESPN will have full coverage of the NFC matchup.

Monday night’s matchup between the Lions and Seahawks may be a sleeper to some considering that both teams have been off to a rather slow start so far this season. But that is what will make this matchup one to watch. Detroit comes into Monday night’s game third in the NFC North in search of its first win of the season while the hosts Seahawks have struggled just as much so far this season. Seattle currently sits in last place in the NFC West with only one win so far on the season and two losses. That lone win came last week against the Lions’ NFC North foes, the Chicago Bears. The Seahawks blanked the Bears last week 26 – 0 dropping Chicago to 0 – 3 on the season. The Seahawks’ win also came in front of a home crowd. So the team has that home field advantage to anticipate for Monday’s matchup. Detroit on the other hand is currently winless on the road, losing two of its three games on the road. In other words, Monday Night Football will have two relatively evenly matched teams go toe to toe Monday night, fighting tooth and nail to put a “W” on the board.

Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden will be in the booth for the call in Monday’s game. Lisa Salters will be on hand for additional commentary. Monday night’s broadcast of MNF will be preceded, as it is each week, by Monday Night Countdown beginning at 6pm ET. Suzy Kolber will be at the desk on site along with Trent Dilfer, Ray Lewis, and Steve Young while Chris Berman will be live from ESPN’s studios. He will be joined in studio by Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, and ESPN Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter.

Monday Night Football will be simulcast on ESPN Deportes for the network’s Spanish-speaking audiences and online via WatchESPN for those viewers that won’t be near a television during the game’s broadcast. More information on Monday Night Football is available online now at:

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl/mnf

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MNF

More information on ESPN’s NFL coverage is available online now along with all of the latest NFL headlines at:

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN

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.

Jon Gruden’s Quarterback Camp Returns This Spring

Courtesy: ESPN

Jon Gruden’s “Quarterback Camp” will return this Spring.

Gruden’s series of SportsCenter specials will return this spring for its fifth season.  Gruden mentors a handful of college football’s top quarterbacks in the series, as they prepare to take the next step in their careers.  This year’s installment of Gruden’s “Quarterback Camp” will see nine of college football’s top quarterback prospects.  Those names include the likes of 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, two-time BCS National Champion A.J. McCarron of Alabama, and Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville.  The complete list of this year’s “QB Camp” participants is noted below.

2014 Gruden’s QB Camp participants:

Quarterback	School
Blake Bortles	Central Florida
Tajh Boyd	Clemson
Teddy Bridgewater	Louisville
Derek Carr	Fresno
Jimmy Garoppolo	Eastern Illinois
Jordan Lynch	Northern Illinois
A.J. McCarron	Alabama
Johnny Manziel	Texas A&M
Aaron Murray	Georgia

 

Gruden prepares a specialized lesson plan of sorts for each of the participants in his “QB Camp.”  Through his specialized plan, he points out to each prospect, a balanced look at both their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to see where they need to improve in order to be successful NFL talent.  Over the past four seasons of his “QB Camp” Gruden has mentored no fewer than twenty-nine quarterbacks from twenty-seven schools.  Fourteen of those QBs went on to be NFL regular season starters.  Among the names that Gruden has mentored through his series are: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton and current NFL Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson, of the Seattle Seahawks.

Gruden’s “QB Camp” moves this year to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Arena at Walt Disney World Resort outside Orlando.  It replaces Gruden’s Tampa office, where the “QB Camp” was previously held.  The new set will replicate his Tampa office, playfully dubbed the “Fired Football Coaches Association.”  The 220-acre facility also includes athletic fields, which will be used for quarterback workouts.

More information on Jon Gruden’s “Quarterback Camp” and all things NFL is available online now at http://espn.go.com/nfl and http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN.  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.

The Band Perry Receives Two ACM Award Nominations

Photo Credit: Mickey Brown

Good news for The Band Perry.  The superstar country music trio has been nominated for two ACM Awards.

The announcement was made this week that the band has been nominated for “Vocal Group of the Year” and “Music Video of the Year.”  The second of the nominations from the Academy of Country Music is for the video for the band’s #1 single, ‘Better Dig Two.’  That song was also the lead single from the band’s latest album, Pioneer.  This year marks the third consecutive year that The Band Perry has been nominated for “Vocal Group of the Year.”  It is the fourth consecutive year that the trio has received nominations from the Academy of Country Music.  The band’s biggest year to date was 2011.  It was that year that the band received five total ACM nominations.  It won the award that year for “New Artist of the Year.”

Reid Perry spoke on behalf of the band after the announcement.  He expressed the band’s excitement of being nominated again, and getting to come to Las Vegas again.  Las Vegas is the home of the ACM Awards, which will be broadcast on CBS April 6^th on CBS.  “It’s such an honor to find out about our two ACM Award nominations,” he said.  “We love the theatrics that happen in Vegas, and remember, what happens in Vegas … gets broadcast on live TV.”

The announcement of the band’s latest nominations comes at a high time for the band as it is scheduled to perform live on Fox as part of the network’s Super Bowl pre-game party.  The band will perform alongside American Idol Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips.  Reid’s brother and fellow band mate Neil jokingly discussed the band’s anticipation of playing the pre-game show and being back in temperatures above zero.  “We’re all huge football fans, and there’s nothing more exciting than to be a part of football’s biggest day,” he said. “We’ve been up in Canada on our We Are Pioneers World Tour for the past month, so we’re just glad it will be above zero degrees in New York!”

The band won’t be slowing down any time soon after its performance this weekend on Fox.  That performance is just part of its ongoing North American tour in support of Pioneer.  It will be in Independence, MO next Thursday, February 6^th.  The band also has a planned performance later this Spring in North Carolina.  It is scheduled to perform live in Cherokee, North Carolina on Friday, April 25^th at the Harrah’s Cherokee.  The band’s latest schedule of performances is listed below.

THE BAND PERRY FULL LIST OF TOUR DATES JANUARY 31st Bangor, ME Cross Insurance Center FEBRUARY 6th Independence, MO Independence Events Center 7th Brookings, SD Swifter Center 8th Bemidji, MN The Sanford Center 9th Grand Forks, ND Ralph Englestad Arena 13th Dubuque, IA Five Flags Center 14th Kearney, NE Viareo Event Center 15th Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza Civic Center 16th Billings, MT Rimrock Auto Arena @MetraPark 20th Rockford, IL BMO Harris Bank Center 21st Cape Girardeau, MO Show Me Center 22nd Corbin, KY The Corbin Arena 23rd Saginaw, MI Dow Events Center 27th Green Bay, WI Resch Center 28th Mankato, MN Verizon Wireless Center MARCH 1st Duluth, MN Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Arena 2nd Cedar Rapids, IA U.S. Cellular Center 7th Savannah, GA Savannah Civic Center 8th West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheater – WIRK Rib Roundup 9th Plant City, FL Florida Strawberry Festival 15th Dublin, IE Country to Country 2014: O2 Dublin 16th London, UK Country to Country 2014: O2 21st Melbourne, FL Runaway Country: Wickham Park 22nd Houston, TX Rodeo Houston APRIL 11th Florence, AZ Country Thunder USA 25th Cherokee, NC Harrah’s Cherokee 26th Dothan, AL Toad Lick Festival MAY 16th Gardendale, TX Texas Thunder 30th Virginia Beach, VA Patriotic Festival JUNE 21st Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion * 27th Dauphin, MB Dauphin’s CountryFest JULY 20th Cincinnati, OH Buckle-Up Music Festival AUGUST 8th Detroit Lake, MN WE Fest SEPTEMBER 5th Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion * 6th San Diego, CA Sleep Train Amphitheater * 12th Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheater * 13th Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheater * * Blake Shelton Tour

More information on The Band Perry’s tour, album and latest news is available online at http://www.facebook.com/thebandperry and http://www.thebandperry.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 https://philspicks.wordpress.com.