MSM: The saga is over- Time Warner and NFL Network reach deal

Many of the readers here in Maine have been stuck without NFL Network in recent years if they subscribed to Time Warner Cable, but I am happy to announce to all of you that it's over. It's finally over. According to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal and Scott Soshnick from Bloomberg, NFL Network and NFL Redzone will be up and running on TWC systems by this Sunday.

Go buy a Megabucks ticket this weekend, football fans.

2012 Patriots Radio Network in Maine

Patriots Radio network in Maine:

WBLM 102.9 FM Portland
WEBB 98.5 FM Augusta
WWMJ 95.7 FM Ellsworth/Bangor
WEGP 1390 AM Presque Isle

Nokomis Girls Hoops Coach Arrested

MSM: CSNNE's Joe Haggerty on MBR Radio talking Tim Thomas, Bruins and BBQ

CSNNE's Joe Haggerty stopped by MBR Radio on AM 870 and 1470 WLAM today to talk with Matty (who was filling in for Lee Goldberg) about Tim Thomas, the Bruins, BBQ and to drop bombs on WEEI.Com's Kirk Minihane, who was blasting Haggerty via Twitter all day yesterday.

Just another Tuesday on "Calling All Sports" on MBR Radio, huh? (Click here to download if Flash Player below does not work)

MSM: "Calling All Sports" with Lee Goldberg on AM 870/1470 shuts down? Not So Fast

UPDATE: MBR.Org has since acquired the Maine Sports Network brand and has kept CAS on the air. See this press release and listen to archives here

Maine Sports Network on AM 870 WLVP and AM 1470 WLAM temporarily stopped running "Calling All Sports with Lee Goldberg" per announcement on MESN Co-Founder Jeff Schools Twitter page and the official Maine Sports Network Facebook page.

"Unfortunately (due to) unforeseen circumstances, The Maine Sports Network will (no) longer broadcast Calling All Sports. We wish to thank all the guests that came on the show, we wish to thank Nassau Broadcasting for being a great broadcasting partner and we wish to thank the fans! The fans are the reason we did what we did! This is just an end to a chapter in this story. While names change, people change, the mission stays clear. Make sure you follow me Jeff Schools on Facebook and Twitter to see what I have in store next. I may not be doing MESN, but I will be doing something! Thanks again!"

MESN on AM 870 and 1470 launched in August and was the only Maine broadcasting entity south of Gray that broadcasted full seasons of high school football and basketball. It had pared down from 7 days a week to 5 days a week in December.

It returned to the airwaves on 5/21/2012 on WLVP and WLAM.

MSM: The @BrianAdExec Cold Case File Heats up Considerably UPDATED

Remember this? Way back in 2009, Twitter was a new and unique thing to many sports fans. It was (and still is) a virtual for sports bar to talk to people watching the game, exchange analysis, whatever. When I joined Twitter in 2009, right around the baseball season, there were a group of regulars who tweeted about the Red Sox (being a sports talk radio host, it was part of my job description to watch them). One of these Tweeters was named @BrianAdExec. Had a back story. Grew up in Boston with three sisters in an Irish household. Tweeted of his issues with MLB TV. Once sent one of my Twitter friends a Caroline Herring album via ITunes. Nothing too shady. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then one day, in October of 2009, October 8th to be precise, he stopped Tweeting. Completely. His last tweet:

Not a single tweet has been posted since that day. Concerned Twitter friends asked online if any knew what had happened. His email, brian@adexec.com, showed up on some consumer website claiming to be a scam. One Twitter friend e-mailed a friend of Brian's, and came up with nothing for information. Three years passed, and Twitter, in it's infinite wisdom, put BrianAdExec on my list of people I should follow. So I Tweeted it out. A couple of people asked about him. After coming home from a long day of Mother's Day activities, I took the Twitter avatar and ran it through a Google Image Search. That brought me here:

http://aviliberman.net/photos_afgn/images/n506111536_489921_6335.jpg

Keep in mind this is not the first investigation of what happened to BrianAdExec. One Twitterer actually called in a favor to a PI and the PI came back after a couple of days to say the person was non-existent.

So: Is @BrianAdExec really comedian @AviLiberman (who has not yet responded to tweets or emails)?

Was someone named Brian McGrath using Liberman's photos to conceal his identity?

I will post any updates as they become available. The moral here: remember, the person you are talking to on social media might not be the person you think you are talking to.

UPDATE:
Comedian Avi Liberman responded to an e-mail whether or not this was him:

"That's not me nor do I know who that is. Creepy!!!"

The beat goes on...

MSM: Frank 107.5, The Wolf, The Bone and AM 870/1470 Sold

Some of Maine's favorite radio stations have new owners (pending court approval).

Nassau Broadcasting was forced to auction it's properties in a deal with Goldman Sachs, affecting listeners throughout the state.

A partnership of Bill Binnie and Jeff Shapiro bought 29 stations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont for $12.5 Million. The Maine stations they acquired:

AM 870 WLVP (Gorham) and AM 1470 WLAM (L-A)
FM 99.9 The Wolf WTHT Portland and 99.3 WBQQ Kennebunk,
FM 106.9 WBQX Thomaston and FM107.7 WBQI Bar Harbor Classical W-Bach
FM 106.3 The Bone WHXR Kennebunkport, and
FM 107.5 Frank WFNK Lewiston and 105.5 WBYA Islesboro

No word yet on potential programming changes or if the stations will continue in their current format. 105.5 in Isleboro and 870/1470 have all aired high school sports in recent years.

Other Maine stations sold include 104.7 WBQW Kennebunkport (which was sold to Mainestream Media for $150,000) and catholic “106.7 The Presence” North Windham/Portland was bought The Presence Radio Network for $250,000.

For information all stations involved checkout the full article at RadioInsight.com

MSM: 2012 Kentucky Derby Picks

Churchill Downs offers a 50 cent Trifecta for the Derby, so with the lack of a 10 cent super here's my play:

Boxed 50 Cent Trifecta: 3,10,13,15,16,18 - $60

As many of you know, I am loathe to use chalk (in my view anything less than 8 to 1 in a twenty horse field is chalk) in races like this, and although Take Charge Indy may be down to the 5 to 1 or 7 to 1 range by post time, I really like him as my pick. Gemologist reminds me a little of the late Barbaro, an unbeaten horse that many are pegging as a dark horse in lieu of being a favorite, so I am including him here as well. Daddy Nose Best, Went The Day Well, El Padrino and Sabercat are all good value and, depending on how the final stretch goes, could end up at the top or near the top of the board.

Here's my rankings so that you may play them however you wish:

1: 3-Take Charge Indy
2: 15-Gemologist
3: 10-Daddy Nose Best
4: 16-El Padrino
5: 13-Went the Day Well
6: 18-Sabercat

Good luck!

MSM: Maine Radio Stations Sold

According to CBS news,Cumulus is selling stations from the portfolio in Augusta and Bangor while keeping it's popular FM's in Portland. Townsquare Media will be purchasing: Bangor stations: WQCB-FM 106.5, WBZN-FM 107.3, WWMJ-FM 95.7, WEZQ-FM 92.9, WDEA-AM 1370, Presque Isle Stations, WOZI-FM 101.9, WBPW-FM 96.9 and WQHR-FM 96.1 Augusta Stations: WMME 92.3-FM, WEBB-FM 98.5, WJZN-AM 1490, WTVL-AM 1400. Cumulus Keeps: Portland Stations: WBLM-fm 102.9, WCYY-FM 94.3, WHOM-FM 94.9, WJBQ-FM 97.9. WDEA is a member of the Red Sox Radio network, while WBLM is Maine's flagship station for New England Patriots football. For more information on Townsquare media, click here. To read full press release click here.

MSM: Quick Audio Thought on Fenway's 100th birthday and the Red Sox

Click play to hear a quick audio thought on Fenway's 100th Birthday and the Red Sox.

MSM: DirecTV cuts price on NFL Sunday Ticket, RedZone to Blame?

According to Bloomberg.com, DirecTV has lowered the price on NFL Sunday Ticket to $199 for the season. (New customers get the first year free). After years of price increases and extra fees, including the "NFL SuperFan package", which tacked on an extra $99 a month to watch the games in HD, DirecTV has reversed course.

DirecTV paid roughly 4 billion dollars (insert pinky in corner of mouth now) for the exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket in 2009. As a long time DirecTV subscriber, the list price, which at times was over $300, could be negotiated if you called and threatened to cancel your Sunday Ticket (this practice has been talked about in satellite forums such as DBSTalk.com for years). With that deal, however, the league and DirecTV reached an agreement so that the league could run its own "RedZone Channel", which consists of going live to games where a score is imminent (It has been hosted by Scott Hanson, while the DirecTV version, which has been around for years, has been hosted by Andrew Siciliano). Although Time Warner customers continue to be left out in the cold when it comes to NFL Network and RedZone channel, Dish Network and Comcast, among others, reached deals to add RedZone to their sports tiers. The price: anywhere from $7 to $12 a month depending on the provider and promotion.

I'll admit as a long-time DirecTV subscriber (from 1999 to May of 2011, only cancelling because I moved to a house that couldn't reach the satellite due to tree growth), the Sunday Ticket was the main reason I always remained loyal. In recent years I had found I wasn't watching the individual games as much, as I was watching the GameMix channel (8 games at once) and the RedZone channel. When I was forced to switch to Dish last year (which I did because of the RedZone option that Time Warner did not have), I noticed little if any difference in my viewing habits, as I still had the national games and the RedZone. The result: at least $200-350 savings on my satellite bill.

I cannot be the only one who has had to (or chosen to) make the switch from DirecTV for whatever reason, and with DTV Sunday Ticket prices sky-rocketing to help pay for the $4 billion deal, the price cut seems to indicate:

1. If you threaten to cancel Sunday Ticket,  DirecTV may not be as willing to work with you on the price of Sunday Ticket
2. DirecTV intends to make more money on their online/mobile package, which is available to non-subscribers (ie, bent over TWC subs) for $299.95.

With the latest DirecTV deal due to expire in 2013, interesting questions emerge:

1. Will a cable giant like Comcast make a play for the package and use their new relationship with NBC to help leverage that?
2. Will DirecTV write a bigger check than $4 billion to keep their NFL Sunday Ticket silver bullet that they have had since 1994?
3. Will the league allow Sunday Ticket/Mobile access to more providers, and if they do, will it finally be the the sun ray to melt the Time Warner Cable iceberg?

It all bears watching, barring the world ending in December of course. Wonder if the Mayans predicted a RedZone channel?

MSM: Radio powerplay shuts out WOXO and WTBM from the Red Sox radio network

You will NOT be able to hear the Red Sox on WOXO 92.7 FM in Norway or WTBM 100.7 in Mexico this year, as Atlantic Coast Radio took advantage of their relationship with WEEI (as a simulcast partner on 95.5/95.9) to demand exclusive rights to the Red Sox on radio in Western Maine. Randy Whitehouse from the Sun Journal dug into that a bit over the weekend. Interesting note: WKTJ in Farmington (99.3) is also in the Jab's listening range as is WIGY in Madison, why did not they play the exclusivity card there, too? Keep in mind that WOXO and WTBM's signals don't reach Portland, so it's not like people in South Portland are flipping to 92.7 in lieu of 96.3. The Jab signal reaches quite a ways, might we see them do this again in coming years with other local stations or was this about cutting off a big FM signal like 92.7/100.7 (which had Red Sox baseball since 1977) off at the knees?

92.7/100.7 and 96.3 compete for the same local ad dollars in Western Maine for sports. WOXO currently has NASCAR and the Boston Bruins running on 92.7 and 100.7, while 96.3 has the Red Sox full-time and the Celtics when 95.5 and 95.9 have conflicting programming (it also has all of the local minor league teams and Maine Black Bears football and Hockey on 1310 AM, but those are all paid for by the teams through sponsorship packages on their respective radio networks). One thing is for sure: a dangerous precedent has been set for local radio with this move.

MSM: Red Sox Radio Network in Maine for 2012

Maine Red Sox Radio Network

Here is the Red Sox Radio Network for 2012 (also remember AM 1400 and 1490 in Portland will now be airing New York Yankees games, and the Portland Sea Dogs are now on 95.5 & 95.9 WPEI):

WZON 620AM Bangor
WJJB 96.3FM/1440 AM Gray/Portland
WDEA 1370AM Ellsworth
WHOU 100.1FM Houlton
WKTJ 99.3FM Farmington
WQDY 92.7FM Calais
WSYY 1240AM Millinocket
WALZ 95.3FM Machias
WEGP 1390AM Presque Isle

MSM: "Bear and the Gang" Theme Song

By popular demand, the theme song to Bear and the Gang in MP3 form below.

Play it here:

Download free here: Bear and the Gang MP3

MSM: Gambling Odds on Wrestlemania XXVIII (Seriously)

The good folks at 5Dimes have posted lines on Wrestlemania XXVIII. Yes, REALLY.

(all odds based on being graded immediately on initial ruling)

WRESTLEMANIA XXVIII Odds
Sunday April 1st, 2012 7:00 p.m.

The Rock vs John Cena
101 The Rock +125
102 John Cena -165

Triple H vs The Undertaker - Hell in a Cell
111 Triple H +400
112 The Undertaker -600

CM Punk vs Chris Jericho - WWE Championship
121 CM Punk +100
122 Chris Jericho -140

Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus - World Heavyweight Championship
131 Daniel Bryan +180
132 Sheamus -260

Cody Rhodes vs Big Show - WWE Intercontinental Championship
141 Cody Rhodes -125
142 Big Show -115

Randy Orton vs Kane
151 Randy Orton -530
152 Kane +350

Team Teddy vs Team Johnny - 12 man tag team
161 Team Teddy +105
162 Team Johnny -145

Maria Menounos & Kelly Kelly vs Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres - Divas tag team
171 Maria & Kelly -215
172 Beth & Eve +165

MSM Exclusive: Audio From Patriots Front Office Reacting to Tebow Trade

MSM microphones were able to pick up this reaction from the front office of the New England Patriots upon learning the New York Jets had traded a fourth round pick for Tim Tebow on Wednesday, just two weeks after signing Mark Sanchez to an extension. (Warning: you may want to turn your speakers up so everyone around you can hear)

DISCLAIMER: this is not the actual Patriots front office. This is a joke.

MSM: WABI and WPME to air UMaine vs. Minnesota-Duluth

According to sources, although there are still a few details to work out, WABI in Bangor and WPME in Portland will be picking up ESPN3's feed of UMaine vs. defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday night. The game will air at 7:30 p.m. from the DCU Center in Worcester.

This avoids a scenario Maine sports fans suffered in the fall, when UMaine's football team made the playoffs, but the games were relegated to ESPN3 only (the online only service ESPN offers).

The games will air in Bangor on The CW, WABI-DT2 (due to March Madness) and WPME (Portland).

In other news related to Maine's playoff apperance, Tim Whitehead told the PM Jab Monday afternoon that Maine is "Planning to play without Spencer Abbott" due to the head injury he suffered in Friday's win over BU.

MSM: UMaine Hockey NCAA Tournament Opponent, Schedule

The University of Maine men's hockey team, who fell in the Hockey East Final against Boston College last night, were selected to the 2012 NCAA Division I Hockey Championship Tournament on Sunday afternoon. They are a #3 seed, and will face #2 Minnesota-Duluth (the defending national champion) Saturday at 7:30 in Worcester. The game will be on ESPN3, which is online only (no word yet on local station broadcasting).

MSM: Can't let emotion get in the way of a Welker deal, The Sequel

From the vaults here on January 26, 2011:

Here's the deal folks: You don't want to sign Wes Welker to a long term deal after next season. He is not a franchise receiver. He's a slot receiver and returner who has gotten the hell knocked out of him in his career. He's what I call a "TMU", (True Mileage Unknown). Special teams is a vicious life, and I am willing to bet it's taken years off his career.

Also, I look at a similar receiver in terms of how he played (on offense), Wayne Chrebet of the New York Jets. Yes, I know, his career was cut short by concussions, but he played a similar role to Welker during his playing days (offensively), and Chrebet was a returner for only two seasons of his career, 1996 and 1997. From 1995 to 2002 (including the 1997 season when Chrebet only started one game) Chrebet played in 121 reg season games and had 437 catches. Since Welker started playing offense in 2005 w/ Miami, he's played in 92 regular season games with 528 catches, and was a primary returner from 2004-2009 (he had 5 returns in 2010). He's also coming off of an ACL injury, and it's not a stretch to say it affected his season and might have hurt his career in general. The majority of the best years of his career are in all likelihood behind him (save for a big contract year in 2011).

Folks, do you REALLY want a 31 year-old slot receiver with a surgically repaired knee tied up long-term? Really? I know most of you are in love with the guy, and I understand that, but look at the receiving corps of the two (recent) Super Bowl participants now: Donald Driver can still get deep, which has never been a strong suit for Welker, and Hines Ward is signed through 2013 (PS his reception total dropped this year from 95 last year to 59 this year). Do you see any other wide-outs on the opposite end of 30?

Welker responded with statistically his best season (dare I say "contract year"). While the Chrebet comparison is good, here's another one that hits even closer to home: Troy Brown.

In Troy Brown's ninth season (just like Welker in his eighth), Brown had his best statistical year ever: 101 catches, 1199 yards, 5 tds and a Super Bowl win. Here are his stats from the first 9 years:




Welker's total numbers are better (which reflects a different offense and different era), but both players took basically the same career track in their first 124 receptions: Two years of primarily special teams, then special teams + receiving, then primarily receiving (and matching the exact same number of catches with 124.

Greg Bedard in the Boston Globe today suggested: "Basically, what would be fair for Welker is something in the ballpark of $40 million over four years with $22 million guaranteed."

The question of course is simple: is Welker from here on out worth $22 million guaranteed?

Again, we look at Troy Brown after his pinnacle year, 2001. From 2002 to 2007:

The drops in both yards, catches and games played are significant from 2002 on. Could Welker have a better year next year? Of course he could. History tells us, however, that the decline is on the horizon. Is it worth $22 million guaranteed when you already have Welker-lite in Julian Edelman on the roster, and possibly have Welker 2.0 in Danny Amendola on the way? Is Welker the reason the offense is so efficient, or is the offense the reason Welker has such great numbers? Welker is due $9.4 million this year if he signs the franchise tender. In the era of salary cap football, it's tough to gamble on a slot receiver with high miles. You don't pay the baker for the wedding cakes he already made, you pay him for the one he is making for you. How many more cakes does Welker have left in the oven?

MSM: Promo Code to watch NCAA March Madness Tourney Games Free Online

In recent years past, you could watch all of the NCAA tournament games online for free. This year, shockingly, Time Warner (TruTV, TNT and TBS) has decided to charge $3.99 for the right to watch games on your mobile device or computer (even though you already pay for the right to watch these games on your cable or satellite bill). If you are cheap like me, you are looking for a LEGAL WAY around this. I have found one, courtesy this site.

1. Text 0YOURTEAMNAME (for example I texted 0vanderbilt) to 2653
2. Get promo code from response text
3. sign-up at ncaa.com/cokezero
4. Watch the games

That's it. Might want to do this sooner rather than later (like now instead of Thursday afternoon).

I did sign up for it, it does work, and you don't need to subscribe to promotional emails or texts unless you want to.

Have fun not being productive at work Thursday and Friday!