According to the Akron Beacon Journal TV Critic, Deal or No Deal will be Mondays and Fridays this fall.

On a side note, my fav NBC show, Scrubs will be a midseason replacement, My name is Earl and the Office move up an hour, and ER will be displaced in January for a new drama.

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As is customary, NBC leaked their schedule to a wide variety of media outlets in advance of the official announcement later today. Like you, I'm happy that Scrubs is coming back on NBC, though apparently there was little chance of it going away altogether; ABC was ready to pick it up if NBC dropped it.

The USA TODAY article pointed out that Deal or No Deal is NBC's highest rated show. I'm not sure whether that says good things about game shows or bad things about NBC.

Matt, I am glad the Deal Or No Deal is coming back and that Scrubs will return,but in January. I too, thought Scrubs was a goner. I wish NBC had put it on Thursday nights.

The biggest thing about NBC this Fall will be the return of the NFL to the Peacock after an absence of several years. Now on Sundays, it will be NFL Football Vs. Desperate Housewives in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.

How many of you watch "Housewives"?. That is the most quirkiest show I've ever seen.

And depending on where you are in the Mountain Zone, it's a crap shoot.

(Case in point: Western Colorado airs their primetime network scheds beginning at 7PM (9PM ET/8 CT), one hour after the Eastern/Central feeds, yet they air the CBS Daytime beginning at 9AM with TPIR, basically showing the Eastern Feed live).

And doesn't NBC, like ESPN, have the opportunity to "pick" their games later on in the season in order to provide for ratings-worthy match-ups?

Unlike ESPN--Monday games are set in stone. NBC can cherry pick from FOX and CBS (they get to protect five games each over seven of the final eight weeks, Xmas weekend being the exception). ESPN cannot.

Doug

I've been a loyal viewer of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' every Sunday at 9PM since it premiered in 2001. 'X-Files,' 'Sopranos,' 'Housewives,' etc. either go unwatched or get taped while I get my weekly dose of Goren, Eames and now Logan & Barek. Now NBC gets Sunday night football and boots 'CI' from the most watched night of the week to the least watched (Fridays at 10PM) opposite CBS' hit series 'Numb3rs.' Life's not fair!

It will be neat to see the NFL back on NBC again. I'm sure they will bring a new musical score to their coverage, but I can dream about hearing the old one again. Network rights to the MLB expire after this season - now, if NBC can get the MLB back, and have Costas doing games again, we've got something.

But I don't know how much of an issue that would be, since a lot of the Housewives viewers are females. Not that women don't enjoy football, but I don't think one would hurt the other too much.

If anything, I'd be more concerned for FOX's animated block.

I'd love to see that, but methinks MLB would have to shift its postseason schedule to accommodate NBC if they want to do baseball. For years, Sunday Night Football has countered baseball playoffs, only letting Game 2 of the World Series run unopposed, but with SNF now in NBC's possession (and NBC paying the NFL much more than they'd be paying MLB) I don't think coexisting is an option.

If I had to guess, I'd say if FOX doesn't reup ESPN/ESPN2 would get the full MLB postseason package and put the World Series on ABC (similar to ESPN's deal with the NBA).

Doug

If NBC hadn't picked up the NFL contract, they'd literally have nothing left for sports; outside of Notre Dame Football. They lost the NASCAR contract this year; and I really can't think of anything else they have; discounting the Olympics.

Arena Football I can see you ignoring, but there's a little something called the NATIONAL FRIGGIN' HOCKEY LEAGUE....

...and golf, and tennis...which means that your "literal" statement is just more ex-rectum.

And now you know why the NHL is tanking in many US markets -- some viewers don't even know that NBC has the games.

And I didn't. When I watch NBC, I have never seen one promotion for the NHL. Unlike...when ABC runs promos for the NBA, and when FOX run promos for the NFL and NASCAR outside of sports programming.

I suggest that people remember what they want to remember. Fact is, Mark didn't do his homework and instead chose to make yet another blanket statement.

I'm not a big hockey fan, but after Chris's response to Mark I'm really eager to see my first NFHL game. ;-)

To be fair, Chris, NBC really has not given any promotion to the NHL; at least not until game 3 of the Cup starts in awhile. I mean, that will be its first primetime exposure in a long, long while on NBC. That, and isn't it on a Saturday?

I don't think that's true. I've seen plenty of ads for it. Granted, my ears perk up when I hear the theme, so I'm MORE likely to notice it than the average person, but I still think you hear what you want to hear.

I'm not defending NBC Sports as the perfect broadcast outlet, by any means, nor does it help that NBCSports.com simply redirects you to MSNBC's sports page instead of something custom for the network, but if I'm gonna toss the word "literally" around, I'm gonna do some homework and make sure I'm "literally" right first.

Considering the entirety of NBC's hockey coverage has been on weekends, it would not surprise me at all to learn that the schedule has been engineered so that Game Three falls on a Saturday.

If "Deal" comes back this fall, I won't be watching. They're already planning a final show with top prizes of $1m, $2,500,000 and $5m. If you thought the board was top-heavy before, you haven't seen anything yet. My main gripe is that they're stuffing 30 minutes of game into an hour of show. If it were a compelling game, I'd put up with it, but it's just picking numbers.

If you haven't done so, get a BitTorrent program (I recommend muTorrent personally, but any will do). Then go to demonoid.com and look for Australia's Deal or No Deal. The show is played for $200,000, but it's expertly hosted, it moves at a good clip, and it shows that the game can be played for thousands of dollars, and not tens of thousands.

Haven't had enough? Go to uknova.com, and find "Deal or No Deal." 22 boxes, 250,000 GBP. It's a different way of arranging the same musical score.

There are at LEAST two English versions of the show that are better than the American version, and they can be enjoyed with a minimal amount of effort on your part. I implore you to give it a try. I did, and I got hooked.

It's already in the can.


The appearance by Celine Dion is much worse.

Ah, but can't you use that sentence in just about any context?

Meanwhile, I've finally decided that Deal or No Deal, at least in the US, is a game show that is not aimed at the game show audience, but I like it anyway. So many things that it does defies the long-established tenets of our genre (drawn out reveals, mo' money, snail's pace). When the host says that the best part of the show is watching the models enter in their pretty dresses, you gotta figure something is amiss in game show land.

Still, a ton of people are watching, so for everything they're doing wrong, they've stumbled onto doing something right as well, at least so far as attracting an audience is concerned. If you're interested in the game, then absolutely, you are much better served by the Aussie or UK versions. This is a case where I find the show entertaining, and I'm not going to be turned off by an occasional mo' money burp.

Chris, you actually like that cheap theme they use for the NHL on NBC?

The NHL has almost always been the 4th sport in these United States which is a shame because I too am a big fan and enjoy the new rule changes. A lot more action in many respects and such are in play.

Outside of weekend programming, usually in the sports block, I really have seen little, if any, in the way of NHL promotional spots on the peacock. I mean, I doubt you'll see a promo during Deal or No Deal.

On the matter of Deal or No Deal, I think the Monday/Friday rotation is perfect. Bookending things with a little Deal or No Deal is a good thing...not too much overkill and considering NBC needs every bit of positive mojo it can get, it's a justifiable move to make it biweekly.

In summary: NHL on NBC - Good, Deal or No Deal twice weekly - Fine

Sure. It does exactly what it needs to do. When you're talking sports themes, all you really need is a single hook, a single sting. If you have that, your viewer associates that with the sport, and you're set. (Look at Fox, they have this down to a science with the NFL package, and to a lesser extent baseball.) The NHL on NBC theme _is_ a single sting, and doesn't try to clutter itself up with anything else.

Overall I've been very impressed with OLN and NBC's hockey coverage this year, and especially with OLN's rebound considering the rocky start they had. (The outdoor set at the 30 Rock ice rink that NBC had was genius, too, especially since it allowed the studio team to do actual demonstrations during intermissions.) If OLN builds the Versus rebranding around the hockey deal, they could really open some eyes in the fall.

Eh we'll agree to disagree on the theme (probably composed by Freeplay Music which NBC has used very often). The ABC NHL theme was a stronger sound for my taste.

I'll agree with you on the efforts though. When you bring back "Doc" Emrick and John Davidson as your lead team, then bring in ex-CBCer Chris Cuthbert for the B team, you get credibility with your product.

Though I still preferred him as an analyst, Bill Clement as a studio host has been a pleasant surprise.

Hockey will probably never eclipse basketball for third on the pecking order of sports in this country, but the future holds some promise.

I agree. Clement's also been a pleasant surprise when NBC has asked him to do their "Sports Update" wraps (voicing baseball, NBA and other sports highlights). But I do miss him on actual games (I know Chris L. will say what he will on ESPN's coverage and how much he didn't like it [I did, but that's all a matter of taste]--but I thought Thorne and Clement were a terrific announce team).

Doug

I think you'll be surprised. I really liked Thorne and Clement too (aside from Thorne's tendency to mispronounce Marcus Ragnarsson's name), and I do miss NHL 2 Night something awful. My main issue is with how The Mouse as a whole treated the sport as a third-class citizen when they pretty much had network television exclusivity on it.

Point taken. Sorry for inferring otherwise.

Doug

None come close to the ESPN NHL theme -- one of the two best they've ever used. (The other being the original version of the Baseball Tonight theme)

OLN has been much better in the second half of the season and especially in the playoffs. The graphics are a big step forward. I thought it was neat to see the CBC coverage of the late-night games from Calgary and Edmonton (no one does hockey better than HNiC .. no one). Just wish we could have seen some of Don Cherry in between periods.

The one thing I know that's happening at 30 Rock .... they're praying to whatever deity they believe in that the SCF is not Buffalo vs. Edmonton.

I love how it took them an entire season to figure out that the reason most other channels that have covered hockey in the past have put their score/clock bars at the top of the screen is because THERE IS NO HOCKEY GOING ON UP THERE. :)

I caught some crap at a barbecue this weekend for forwarding the opinion that I don't really care for Bob Cole and Harry Neale. Never have. Must be a Canadian thing. Might be because usually when I see them, they're calling the Toronto game, and I loathe the Maple Leafs. ALWAYS loved the night crew, though, especially the rise of Kelly Hrudey, who might be one of the all-time nicest guys I have ever met.

Denying the US audience Coach's Corner during first intermission is just a crime. Thank Glub I can just watch CBC outright and get Ronnie Mac and Grapes for the whole night.

I also caught some crap for this: I firmly believe one of the very smartest things Versus could do would be to go to the CBC and license the US broadcast rights to HNiC and air it, in its entirety, on Saturday nights. Just grab it wholesale, and insert their own spot breaks. It would be a solid seven-plus hours (assuming they also grabbed Saturday Night and After Hours) they wouldn't have to produce that would be full to the gills with big-league programming, and I bet they could get it reasonably cheap.

Well, them and me both, although I have the sinking feeling that Edmonton is gonna be one step closer at close of business tonight...

/go Sharks anyhow

What's funny to me on that one is hearing the same voice I've heard only when playing EA Sports' NHL hockey game doing a live game -- same intonations, same characteristics. I felt I needed a controller in my hand.

Now that we're veering way off topic, I'll just mention that the NHL on NBC theme is a John Tesh special. And Chris, you probably didn't hear Cole/Neale 15 years ago when they were much more on their game. Same way that MacLean/Cherry was much better 15 years ago as well.


--Mike

I think this is why I like Hughson so much, too. He also calls the Vancouver games, which I get on Center Ice, so I've had that where's-my-gamepad feeling for a couple years now.

Yeah, I'm comparitively new to the HNiC fold, I've only been watching and paying close attention since I moved up here in 1998...it was kinda hard to really listen when watching bits and pieces of the game over closed-circuit at the Shark Tank.

I understand Don was far more interesting before he lost his wife, too.

Hughson's great and it's good that CBC picked him up for the back end of the HNiC doubleheaders. He does a great job with the voiceovers for EA Sports, much like how Doc Emrick did a solid job with Darren Pang in the NHL Faceoff series. They make great strides in making it seem like they're really calling a game. The legendary Bob Cole, on the other hand, did crappy voice work on the Sega NHL 2K games, before he was axed for the ESPN folks.

mmb5, are you sure Tesh composed the current NHL theme? I'm not trying to say you're wrong, it just sounds like a very non-Tesh compared to "Roundball Rock" and "Gridiron Dreams". He might have composed the NHL theme that NBC used from 1990-92, as I recall that sounded more Tesh-esque.

When it comes to music, considering the nature of his work, I'm gonna take Michael at his word when he says it's Tesh.

I lost what little respect I had for Thorne and Clement with the "the goal light didn't go on" gaffe in the Devils/Senators series a few years back


The Mouse seems less about sports, and more about superstars who happen to play sports (with a severe case of identity politics thrown in; I'm sick and tired of hearing about Michelle Wie). Their tennis coverage is horrible, although we were lucky that on the women's side this spring, most of the players ESPN would hype were injured and not playing.

I'm told she will be signing a sponsorship deal with Nintendo. It works on quite a few levels. :)

This definitely deserves "Line of the day". :)

For what it's worth, I'm hoping Carolina comes out of the East. And I really miss ESPN's coverage of the NHL. OLN's (from what I've seen of it) just doesn't do it for me.

It's just too bad NBC's ratings weren't a bit better - but with the final four we've now got, they're probably pulling their hair out at the network offices.

Getting (slightly) back on topic...I've seen "Deal or No Deal" promos on NBC's NHL broadcasts!

I don't, but mostly because I hate Peter Karmanos and what he did to the good people of Hartford.

I would urge you to give it another shot, then, because they have been exceptional since the playoffs started, and it's basically the same crew anyhow (Ray Ferraro, Keith Jones, et. al.), it's just Bill Clement running the circus instead of Buccigross.

(They need to figure out a way to steal Melrose. Maybe when Barry figures out he's the bastard stepchild at ESPN, he'll jump.)

Not necessarily. Didn't they not pay a rights fee (it's all revenue sharing, and that's only if the network makes a profit)?

Sounds like no worse than a wash to me.

Doug

True, but I'd rather NOT have the Sabres win, and I think Carolina is the only team left that can beat them. Besides, Colorado and Dallas have each won, and they are transplants from other cities.

Chris, you mentioned "Jonesy" as he's referred to here in the Philly area. He's a solid studio analyst. I like him working locally with Al Morganti on Comcast SportsNet. Keith is a much better analyst than radio sidekick. Here comes a game show reference...Keith Jones was tapped to replace Joe Conklin as the foil/sidekick for Angelo Cataldi's morning show on Sportsradio 610 WIP in Philly about 2 years ago. Conklin was best known of course to you game show fans as probably an announcer for Nickelodeon's Finder's Keepers. Keith sounds real dry on the radio and just isn't as funny. Heck, his gimmick is being "Corn Boy", because he loves corn and actually sold it at a table at a Phillies game a season or two ago.

Line of the Day?!? Somewhere on the Internet at an eariler time, I made a similar joke. Heavy royalties are expected.

On second thought, I'll just whimper back into obscurity. I'm still waiting for new episodes of Two-Minute Drill. (Yes, I know the show's long cancelled, but still...)

Be happy it gets two airings daily on ESPN Classic. I just hope ESPN Classic rotates the lineup to include Sports Challenge again. Vintage Enberg, OH MY!

Sorry for the delayed response. My modem's been dropping my connection every 30 seconds over the last 36 hours. [mutters expletives toward Verizon]

Agreed, but I'd say ESPN's best theme was the Sunday night NFL theme before their coverage got ABC'd.

In OLN's defense, as ESPN's John Buccigross pointed out, OLN literally had only one month to put together all the aspects of their coverage. It takes time to work out the kinks. (I miss seeing Bucci on ESPN as well, but he still writes a weely column on ESPN.com during the season that I read regularly.)

Now you know how I felt after the Oilers snuffed my Red Wings. No wonder people are booing the Canadian national anthem.

Okay, but it doesn't take the ENTIRE REGULAR SEASON to figure out that your cameramen aren't giving you the headroom you need at the bottom of the picture, so maybe you need to move your graphic...

The one that I found a little odd about OLN was they used an insane number of game announcers. They never really had a definitive A team or B team really. They've relied on the likes of Sam Rosen and Doc Emrick, but also used a lot of local guys including the Flyers' Jim Jackson at one point (hmmm, prolly b/c he's a company man). How hard is it to have at least 2 main teams established and then from there it can be mix and match as seen fit?

Remember that all of those teams have day jobs; Emrick calls the Devils games, for one. So I would imagine they spread 'em out so that they don't have to pay for assloads of travel.

(That said, if they took up a collection to fly Joe Beninati to Siberia, I'd pony up.)

Well true, but there are situations in other sports where the announcer does the national telecast thushaving someone else handle the play by play on the local game.

For instance, if Marv Albert is contracted to do a TNT game during the season, the more than capable Ian Eagle would handle the Nets telecast on the Marv Network...oh sorry, I mean the YES network.

Perhaps hockey is the exception to the rule.

And, Beninati isn't bad, I must say.

I just have to say that I have NEVER been less interested in a thread.

Growing up in Tennessee, ice was not a spectator sport, it was what we put in our sweet tea.

Yeah, that doesn't surprise me.