A spin around the media circle in the last weekend before Christmas:
Best Weekend Moment: Rick Pitino’s press conference after the Memphis game. Obviously in a good mood after his team’s 95-87 win to go 10-0, Pitino got on his soapbox, giving advice to the Big East leadership, saying the league needs Memphis and Temple. He said Commissioner John Marinatto had better get his ass home from a vacation in Hawaii and work on it. He also said he’d been watching too much Tim Tebow on SportsCenter. And in another great weekend moment, Tebow’s Broncos lost.
Annual Favorites: I love these end of the year lists, and Eric Crawford had to write his early, thanks to the Gannett-dictated, or maybe his own idea, to take a vacation. I can smile thinking about U of L beating West Virginia in football, Tom Watson winning the Senior PGA, the heart-warming tale of a Derby trainer, and Bellarmine’s surprising national basketball championship. And he mentioned UK’s run to the Final Four, too. (Crawford)
Wazoo Vamoosed: Did you watch any of WHAS-TV’s broadcasts of Wazoo Sports? Me neither. Now the high school and odd sports broadcasts are gone. The statement from GM Mark Pimentel: “We regret that Wazoo Sports is no longer available on 11.3 or the digital cable channels where it resided. We wish Wazoo the best in their future Endeavors.”
But not Insight: The local cable system seems to be playing hardball with Greg Fischer, refusing to agree to the city’s demands that it promise to keep its call center here after Insight merges with Time Warner. Insight has the negotiating advantage here. And while the two sides won’t likely sign a new deal, Fischer won’t be able to bring in another provider. (WFPL)
And Another Negotiating Stumbling Block: WAVE-TV is the latest to warn subscribers of a pay-TV provider that it’s not getting its way in negotiating an agreement. WAVE is telling subscribers to AT&T U-Verse that it’s pulling the plug Dec. 31 if things don’t get fixed, and wants viewers to complain. They will work it out.
Now the Real Cleanup Begins: In the wake of the MSD audit, we’ll be finding out some really bad crap that’s gone on for years. For now, new boss Greg Heitzman is cutting spending, examining cozy board relationships and freezing wages. But there’s a lot of crap to clean up.
Big Money for U of L: U of L officials say the $25 million Owsley Brown Frazier is giving to the school is the single largest donation ever made to the school.
If it Happens at 4:50 a.m., it’s not good: U of L football player Greg Scruggs, universally loved by coaches, players, and media, was out driving around in Bullitt County at that hour Saturday morning, hit a light pole, and blew a .117 when the cops showed up. No statement yet on whether it cost him a trip to Charlotte for the Belk Bowl.
Departures: Weathercaster Lori Farmer McDowell is leaving WDRB-TV to spend more time with her family as a full-time stay-at-home Mom. And Friday was the last day on the air for Adrianna Hopkins of WHAS-TV, who’s moving on up to a better, and warmer, job in Miami.
Plan Ahead for Breakfast with John Boel: Here”s the Facebook page for the Breakfast of Champions with John Boel, Jan. 9 at the University Club.
