Watchdog

Bobby Valentine is close to finalizing a deal with SNY to work 10-15 games as a Mets studio analyst this season, probably including the April 1 opener, said a person familiar with the talks.

Valentine was named athletic director at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., last month but evidently would like to keep his hand in sports broadcasting.

NBC Sports Radio announced Tuesday...

The Big East, whatever that means these days, will remain on ESPN after the network on Thursday exercised its right to match an offer from NBC, Sports Business Journal reported.

The deal is not finalized, but when that occurs, it is expected to bring the conference more than $20 million per year over six years, less than what it would have commanded before it began to hemorrhage key members...

As every patriotic citizen surely knows by now, Sunday is “Hockey Day in America.’’ (Memo to Congress: Isn’t it about time we finally declare it a national holiday?)

But this third annual edition of NBC’s celebration of the sport comes with a new twist:

The network’s studio crew – which includes former part-time Newsday sports reporter Liam McHugh and former full-time Newsday sports...

News of Lindsey Vonn's skiing crash was just beginning to unfold Tuesday as NBC Sports executives gathered for a media briefing at 30 Rock one year and one day in advance of the Sochi Olympics.

Uh, oh.

No Vonn in Russia would blow a huge hole in the network's American-star-centric coverage. Without yet knowing the extent of the injury, NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus expressed...

It's fair to say that Al Michaels probably is the only network NFL play-by-play man who would have the guts to use the terms "piece of crap" and "Pro Bowl" in the same thought - even though he actually was defending the honor of the game.

Here is what Al said with about two minutes left in Sunday night's game:

"I like what Jared Allen had to say and [Chris] Snee...

As Michelle Beadle noted, "The last two, three weeks have been gifts from the sports gods."

So they have been  - from Katherine Webb to Manti Te'o to Lance Armstrong and beyond - if you are co-hosting a cable show whose aim is to blend sports, pop culture, social media and personality.

Problem is, "The Crossover," on NBC Sports Network is not set to premiere...

During halftime of Sunday Night Football on NBC between the Cowboys and Eagles, Bob Costas reflected on Jovan Belcher and the situation in Kansas City.

Watch the video embedded below, then share your thoughts on it in the comments.

Our mobile app users can watch the video at http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50051894#50051894...

Thursday night's episode of "Saturday Night Live" makes as much sense calendar-wise as, say, bringing in Division III and former Lingerie Football League referees to run a real NFL game.

Alas, both have occurred.

And last night, both occurred in the same space as "SNL" Weekend Update's Thursday edition (that usually occurs during the prime Presidential election season)...

Here are the results of our latest NFL poll. Keep in mind they are about as scientific as those breakfast muffin crumbs that fell into your keyboard. Which network has the best NFL pre-game show?

39% -- FOX

21% -- ESPN

16% -- CBS

15% -- NFL Network

  8% -- NBC...

HBO and later ESPN have adapted the concept of a TV newsmagazine to sports. Now the nation’s most prominent sports magazine will try to adapt its approach to TV.

Beginning Tuesday on NBC Sports Network, “Sports Illustrated’’ will appear as a monthly show, sometimes on the cable channel and others on NBC itself.

How will it differ from the “Real Sports” and “E:60?” Ian Orefice, executive VP...