Comcast leaves satellite viewers in the dark Comcast cable and its regional sports channel, Comcast SportsNet, are playing "hardball" with their Philadelphia satellite competitors by not allowing them to air their product, which includes Sixers, Flyers and Phillies games. Robert Mercer, a spokesperson for Direct TV, the nation's largest satellite provider with 12 million subscribers, said that Comcast SportsNet is engaging in "anti-competitive behavior." Direct TV filed a complaint with the FCC against Comcast SportsNet shortly after CSN entered the Philadelphia market in 1997. Direct TV said that Comcast was violating the 1992 "Cable Act," a federal law that programming owned by cable operators had to be available to satellite TV and competitors. Another factor that is frustrating for Philadelphia consumers is that Comcast SportsNet in the Washington-Baltimore region allows the satellite services to air CSN there. "Since we are not distributed by satellite, we are not required to sell our product to satellite services," Comcast SportsNet president Jack Williams said. "In the Washington-Baltimore area, CSN is distributed by satellite, so we allow it there." In the Philadelphia area, CSN is distributed by a landline. Williams acknowledged that CSN receives complaints "from time to time" about CSN not being available on satellite. The FCC upheld Comcast's position and also denied an appeal. Thus, if a consumer wants to see the Phillies, Flyers and Sixers, Comcast SportsNet is the only game in town. Consolation prize One Eagle will be going to the Super Bowl. Eagles fullback Jon Ritchie was named to the "Phil Simms All Iron Team." Former Eagle star Chuck Bednarik also will be featured as one of the "Old School Iron Men." The annual special will air on CBS at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. Good-luck charm Maybe Tom McCarthy is a good luck charm. The rookie Saint Joseph's radio announcer has yet to see the team lose. The No. 3 Hawks (16-0) play at St. Bonaventure at 7 p.m. tomorrow on WPEN 950-AM. McCarthy also is going into his fourth year as the radio pre- and post-game host for Phillies baseball. It looks like McCarthy will have to do some juggling if the Hawks go deep into the NCAA tournament in March when spring training for the Phillies begins. Job openings Dan Marino's choice to go the Miami Dolphins will create two high-profile vacancies in the broadcasting world. Marino was part of "Inside the NFL" on HBO and "The NFL Today" on CBS. Isn't there a team that would like to offer Deion Sanders a job? Their CBS colleague, Boomer Esiason, will be doing double-duty for the "Super Bowl." He'll be part of the four-hour "Super Bowl Today" pre-game show on CBS then do the game for the Westwood One radio network with Marv Albert. Wild Ride The NFL Films production "The Wild Ride to Super Bowl I," produced and directed by Ray Didinger, will air on HBO at 10 p.m. Monday. Palmer drafted for 'Bachelor' New York Giants backup quarterback Jesse Palmer has been drafted by ABC to be the next "Bachelor" beginning in April. He is the first professional athlete to do the series. In a related item, there is no truth to the rumor that after their performances in the NFC Championship game, Eagles wide receivers James Thrash and Todd Pinkston have been asked to do "Fear Factor." Laura Nachman covers television and radio sports for the Courier Times. She can be reached at bradyresident@aol.com. January 23, 2004 6:53 AM