Watchdog
Neil Best leaves no stone unturned in the world of sports media.
Lacrosse gets a movie: 'Crooked Arrows'
Lacrosse finally gets its first feature film when "Crooked Arrows" hits theaters in select cities on May 18 -- yes, Long Island is among the areas for first release -- then goes nationwide on June 1.
Here's the synopsis of the film, written by Todd Baird and Brad Riddell and directed by Steve Rash:
"A mixed-blood Native American, Joe Logan (played by Brandon Routh) is...
Eli Manning 'Saturday Night Live' promos
Photo credit: AP
Giants quarterback Eli Manning takes his turn as host of "Saturday Night Live" this week, with musical guest Rihanna.
There's a conference call with reporters around lunchtime on Wednesday, but for those of you who don't want to wait to read that or watch the show, here are some "SNL" promos via NBC. Give them a look in the video embedded below.
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Happy Birthday, WatchDog
Happy fifth birthday to WatchDog, which launched on May 2, 2007, and was one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences of my career.
It even made me briefly famous!
Thanks to everyone who has read it over the years, and to everyone who continues to read Newsday in all of its forms - now 72 years into serving Long Island, and poised to do so for another 72.
To celebrate WatchDog's...
Bethpage Black poobah on MLBN
Veteran Yankees fan Michael Azzue, assistant supervisor of golf operations at Bethpage State Park, narrates open from Friday night's coverage of Tigers-Yankees tilt on MLB Network. Cool.
Azzue, best known as the guy who hands out numbered bracelets to golfers who sleep in their cars in hopes of scoring a tee time at Bethpage Black, met John Smoltz and MLB Network producers in 2010 at the course....
Knicks had big ratings year
The Knicks averaged 7.2 percent of homes in the New York area for Saturday's game against the Heat on ABC compared to the Rangers' 3.5 percent for their simultaneous game against the Capitals on NBC.
That's actually a smaller gap than most would have predicted, given the greater popularity of basketball, but obviously the fact the Knicks lost in a blowout contributed to out-rating the Rangers...
Bart Scott is not 'Broke'
Photo credit: Getty Images
My experience with the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival was limited this year by other responsibilities, including the Knicks and Rangers, but I did what I could, seeing four of the five flicks offered.
After taking in "Benji" and "Knuckleball" back on April 21 I was fortunate enough to attend screenings of "Town of Runners" and "Broke" Wednesday of...
ESPN Radio to move to 98.7 FM
Photo credit: ESPN
ESPN has spent more than a decade banging its head against the WFAN wall in New York’s sports talk radio wars, unable to overtake the station that invented the genre but unwilling to give up.
Now, at last, the network has made a move that could be a game-changer.
Starting Monday, ESPN Radio’s New York outlet will move to 98.7 FM, replacing the venerable rhythm and blues station KISS-FM,...
Knicks channel change for Thursday
Photo credit: AP
MSG's production of Thursday night's Knicks regular-season finale against the Bobcats will be seen on WWOR-TV (Channel 9).
MSG will carry the seventh game of the Senators-Rangers playoff series and MSG Plus the seventh game of the Devils-Panthers series....
'Benji' tells sad tale of Ben Wilson
“Benji,” the centerpiece of ESPN’s contribution to the Tribeca Film Festival, packs the emotional punch you would expect of a story about the death of a high school basketball star that rocked Chicago in 1984.
Directors Coodie and Chike, primarily known for their work on music videos, capture the sad story of Ben Wilson through effective use of archival video and compelling interviews with...
R.A. Dickey stars in 'Knuckleball!'
Photo credit: Jim McIsaac
“Knuckleball!’’ a film about the world’s most famously quirky pitch, had its premiere – outdoors! – Saturday night as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, featuring among others R.A. Dickey, Phil Niekro and Newsday’s own Dave Lennon, who never has thrown a knuckleball professionally.
Did I like it? Yes, but not as much as I would have liked to like it. The film does a fine job profiling...
