Eli Manning admitted he is a tad “anxious’’ about hosting “Saturday Night Live’’ May 5, given that he “might be doing something that’s a little bit out of my character and uncomfortable.’’

Ya think? But that’s OK. As everyone from Derek Jeter (who dressed in drag) to Eli’s brother Peyton (who showed children how to break into an SUV) has learned, that is part of the point.

Manning will... » more

Last month I created a bit of a stir by quoting YES president Tracy Dolgin calling YES a "homer network," in the sense his announcers root for the Yankees to win. He argued there is nothing either wrong or unusual about that for a local telecast.

It's an interesting debate, so I brought up the topic to one of the most interesting analysts in YES' 10-year history: Jim Kaat, now of... » more

Sid Rosenberg, the former WFAN host with a long history of problems with alcohol, drugs and gambling, has been fired from his job at WQAM in south Florida after a DUI arrest.

Here are the disturbing details from the police report.... » more

BET will mark the 65th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut Sunday with a documentary that both celebrates the legacy of inner-city baseball and laments its current state.

"Harvard Park," premiering at 11 a.m., is far longer than it needs to be at two hours. But it is an interesting look at a field in South Central Los Angeles that in the 1980s and early '90s became... » more

A laurel and hearty handshake to all of the winners of the 2012 New York Emmys, a list topped by MSG with 14 awards.

Most of the attention generally is focused on the on-air winners, so I'll give you the sports-related ones, including one double winner:

Play-by-play: Steve Cangialosi (MSG)

Analyst: Ron Darling (SNY)

Reporter: Kevin Maher (New 12 Long Island)

Anchor:... » more

The Jets' D'Brickashaw Ferguson was busy earlier this month working as the sound man on a video crew as part of the NFL's inaugural "Hollywood Boot Camp" at Universal Studios in California when his group received unexpected visitors:

Eva Longoria and Felicity Huffman of ABC's "Desperate Housewives," which is recorded at the studios.

Longoria initially interrupted... » more

In the latest step toward sports' inexorable takeover of Saturday night television, Fox announced that from this weekend through Dec. 8 it will carry sports events on 28 of 32 Saturdays.

The slate includes Major League Baseball, college football, NASCAR and UFC.

“We see Saturday nights as the perfect home for quality sports programming, especially in spring and fall,” said Eric Shanks,... » more

The Islanders’ ratings always are among the lowest in the NHL, but this season’s numbers were particularly dismal. Their games on MSG averaged 0.21 percent of homes in the New York area, down 32 percent from 0.31 in 2010-11.

The story was starkly different on the other side of the East River, as you might expect for the Eastern Conference’s top team. The Rangers’ average of 0.99 percent of... » more

Henrik Lundqvist’s appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week is a Rangers rarity, marking the first time a member of the team has been so honored since a retiring Wayne Gretzky on April 26, 1999. (Gretzky made 12 appearances overall, the most for any hockey player. Overall, 77 SI covers have featured hockey.)

King Henrik and Gretzky are two of eight Rangers to make the cover,... » more

The broadcast networks’ entertainment divisions long ago abandoned Saturday nights, which left an opening for sports divisions to offer live events.

ABC has had success with college football in the autumn, and now Fox is further expanding its prime time baseball presence this spring and summer.

The network will have regionalized coverage on eight consecutive Saturdays beginning May 19,... » more