On
the Air "H-Bob-O" Bob
Costas has signed a three-year deal with HBO, making him a co-host of
"Inside the NFL," a host of four HBO pay-per-view boxing
events a year, other specials, and continuing his interview series
"On the Record." Under the terms of the deal, Costas,
who is under contract to NBC until July, is free to work for a broadcast
network, but is exclusive to HBO on the cable side (which means he could
work for ABC, but not ESPN which are owned by the same company).
In a conference call, Costas, who has worked for NBC 22 years, admitted
that the circumstances at the network have changed, since it no longer
carries Major League Baseball, the NFL, and is losing the NBA after this
season. With Costas joining "Inside the NFL," longtime
hosts Nick Buoniconti and Len Dawson have been dropped after more than
20-years apiece. This season's lineup will be Costas, Cris
Collinsworth, Dan Marino, and Wanda Sykes. "Show
me the Funny" Before
Jay Mohr sweetened his career by playing sports agent Bob Sugar in
"Jerry Maguire," he was just another comedian, appearing in
bad network sitcoms and lame game shows on MTV. But post "Jerry
Maguire" Mohr created his own niche as a "sports
comedian." Last year he got a gig as the resident wise-guy on
Fox Sports Net's "NFL This Morning" pre-game show, and now he
hosts the first sports variety show "Mohr Sports" on ESPN
Tuesdays at 12:30 a.m. In the witty debut installment that aired
Tuesday night, Mohr eased through a sports related monologue that
included a joke about Scott Rolen, an interview with outspoken former
Fox Sports Net colleague Deacon Jones, and a taped piece at the
racetrack. Robert Morton, formerly with David Letterman, is the
producer of the show, with upcoming features such as a report from the
"Gay Rodeo," a trip to the mall with Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark Cuban, and sports talk at an African-American barbershop.
"Mohr Sports," which will move to Mondays at 8 p.m. in June,
has a 25-episode commitment from ESPN. Unlike Dennis Miller, who
was ill-fitted for the sports world, Mohr makes the cut, but it still
doesn't excuse him for "Pay it Forward." "One
and Done for Glenn-bo" There
will be a new announcing battery for Comcast SportsNet's "Phillies
Post Game Live" this season. Former Major League Baseball pitcher
Joe Kerrigan, who this spring was fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox
and former Temple catcher John Marzano will act as analysts, replacing
Glenn Wilson who only lasted one season. CSN will televise 104 Phillies
games this year. "I'm
not an Athlete, I'm a Dad" Viewers
won't be seeing John Kruk on "The Best Damn Sports Show
Period" on Fox Sports Net this month. "The Krukker,"
who lives in South Jersey when not taping the show in Hollywood, is on
paternity leave to be with his wife Melissa and their first child, which
is due April 8, fittingly in time for the beginning of baseball season.
The show airs on CSN weeknights at 11 p.m. "Bet
on It" "Big
Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie" was a sure thing for
FX, as it was the highest rated original movie in the network's history
with 1.4 million viewers. "Philadelphia
Journal, Millennium Style" A
new web site devoted to Philadelphia sports, www.phillysportszone.com
debuts this week. |