NBA TARGETS BASEMENT DWELLERS DEMO IN SECOND LIFE: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports the NBA now has its very own league-branded area of Second Life (a game where people create new identities in a virtual world). David Stern held a virtual press conference yesterday within Second Life to announce the venture (uh, I wish this was a […]

NASCAR RUNS OVER NHL RANGERS PLAYOFF RATINGS IN NY: NEWSDAY reports today that Game Three of the Buffalo Sabres-New York Rangers NHL Eastern Conference semifinals, despite going into two overtimes, drew a paltry 1.8 Nielsen rating in the New York City market on WNBC-TV.

Meanwhile, coverage of NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Aaron’s 499 on WNYW-FOX at the […]

SHOCKER! RICH EISEN INTERESTED IN FEMALE (ANCHOR): Rich “for the love of god, just shave it already!” Eisen had his pants pulled down by PAGE SIX today.

The NYP tabloid reports Eisen’s wife Suzy Shuster discovered sexy pics and emails from a female (thank god) sports anchor in Philadelphia named Alycia Lane - sent to […]

GOOD CHICAGOANS - SAY GOODBYE TO SEAN SALISBURY: ESPN recently moved Sean Salisbury to the Worldwide Leader’s Chicago radio station before he drove everyone nuts in Bristol to host morning drive with Steve Rosenbloom.

And now word comes from the CHICAGO TRIBUNE that after only a year, the good folks at WMVP-AM have had enough of […]

WYNALDA DISSES ROME AGAIN; MUST HATE BEING ON TV: Current ABC/ESPN soccer broadcaster Eric Wynalda was suspended for the opening ABC MLS broadcast this season (one of only two ABC soccer telecasts this year) after he publicly said Jim Rome can “suck my d—.”

“And he should be very afraid, because I’m the kind of guy, […]

THE MINNESOTA TWINS ARE READY TO SAVE YOUR LIFE: The MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE reports four Twins home games at the Metrodome will be “peanut-free” in the right-field Skybox section for those allergic to the ground-borne, chewable germ.

Twins VP of Marketing Patrick Klinger: “If you’re allergic to peanuts and you’re trying to enjoy the game and the […]

SbB Girl Denise heats up Central Park in New York City:

ALL OF BASEBALL SUFFERING OVER ESPN-REYNOLDS FLAP: Apparently an overly enthusiastic hug over a Bloomin’ Onion may be inhibiting MLB clubs from benefiting from the infinite baseball expertise of Harold Reynolds.

The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports that Reynolds’ sex harrassment ensnarlment with ESPN is bogging down his possible return to baseball in an on-field capacity. Reynolds filed […]

ESPN DREAM JOBBER BLOWS OFF BRISTOL FOR CHICAGO: The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports on trouble in paradise for Mike Hall, your first-year ESPN “Dream Job” winnner.

Hall, not satisfied with being buried given periodic assignments on seldom-watched ESPNU, has departed his position and “will move back to Chicago to explore on-air opportunities.”

ESPN “tried to keep him by […]

AVOIDING DQ CAN NET MARINERS 2ND SACKER $625-LARGE: We’ve all enjoyed the concert venue riders on The Smoking Gun over the years. The sports version of those are amusing contract clauses, and LION IN OIL spots some absurd stipulations in M’s second baseman Jose Lopez’s 5-year, $13.7M deal with Seattle.

Beyond the usual award bonuses, the […]