STAMFORD, Conn., November 19, 2008 - World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:WWE) today announced the launch of “WWE UNIVERSE,” its new online social networking site hosted at WWE.com.

THIS JUST IN… from CBS Sports… CBS Sports has announced its college football game for Saturday, Oct. 25 (3:30-7:00 PM, ET) will feature *No. 9-ranked Georgia vs. No. 11-ranked LSU. Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson will call the contest, along with reporter Tracy Wolfson.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY kicks off the day (3:00 PM, ET) with host Tim Brando and analysts Spencer Tillman and CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK’s Aaron Taylor. The Georgia-LSU contest will be available in high definition.

NEW YORK – October 15, 2008 – BMX Dirt and Skateboard Park highlight NBC Sports’ coverage of the PlayStation Pro from the Amway Arena in Orlando, Fla., the fifth and final stop on the AST Dew Tour. The Dew Cup and a $1 million purse, the largest in action sports history, are on the line as the world’s best action sports athletes compete for their sport’s only regular season crown. NBC Sports’ live coverage of BMX Dirt airs Saturday and Skateboard Park airs Sunday from 4-6 p.m. ET both days. USA Network will air late-night coverage of the BMX Vert competition Friday at 2 a.m. ET/PT and Skateboard Vert Saturday, midnight-1 a.m. ET/PT.

Host Kenan Harkin and correspondent Tiffany Simons will be joined by athlete correspondents Paul Zitzer (skateboard), Mike Metzger (FMX), Chris Miller (skateboard), TJ Lavin (BMX Dirt) and Jamie Bestwick (BMX Park).

Winners in the six combined disciplines of skateboarding, BMX and freestyle motocross will each be awarded with the Dew Cup and $75,000 in bonus money at the PlayStation Pro. Bucky Lasek (Skateboard Vert), Ryan Sheckler (Skate Park), Jamie Bestwick (BMX Vert), Daniel Dhers (BMX Park), Cameron White (BMX Dirt) and Adam Jones (Freestyle Motocross) all currently lead the points standings in their respective disciplines.

NBC SATURDAY: BMX DIRT, 4 PM ET
It’s a close race in BMX Dirt, where six riders stand in Dew Cup contention. No. 1 ranked White (303 points) leads the competition by only 24 points over current second-place contender Luke Parslow (279) and 25 points over third place Corey Bohan (278). A total of only 41 points separate first from sixth in this discipline, so the season all comes down to Orlando in BMX Dirt.

NBC SUNDAY: SKATEBOARD PARK, 4 PM ET
Four skaters are poised to take the Dew Cup in Skate Park. Three-time Dew Cup Champion Sheckler leads the pack with 338 points, but rookie sensation Chaz Ortiz trails him by only eight points. Paul Rodriguez sits in third with 323 points and Greg Lutzka in fourth with 285 points.

MONTEREY SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS, SUNDAY, 2PM ET
NBC Sports presents taped coverage of the Monterey Sports Car Championships (American Le Mans Series) at the Mazda Raceway in Monterey, Calif., Sunday from 2-4 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s events consist of high action motor sport racing on a 2.2-mile track featuring drivers such as Rinaldo Capello, Allan McNish and Romain Dumas.

Bill Weber will host joined by analyst Wally Dallenbach, and pit reporters Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast and Sal Fish.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson has joined ESPN as an NBA studio analyst and will mainly work with Stuart Scott, Mike Wilbon and Jon Barry on ABC’s GMC NBA Countdown. He will provide analysis on Christmas Day – when ABC and ESPN combine to showcase an NBA tripleheader (beginning at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN) – and contribute to the networks’ post-season studio coverage. The announcement was made by Norby Williamson, executive vice president, production.

“Magic has always been one of the most accomplished people in every field he has endeavored. He was an incomparable player and has become one of the best NBA analysts in the business. His unique insights, perspective and personality will be the perfect complement to Stuart (Scott), Mike (Wilbon) and Jon (Barry),” said Williamson.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the ESPN family. I look forward to working with a great team and covering all the big NBA events,” said Johnson. “Christmas Day can’t come soon enough for me.”

Johnson comes to ESPN from Turner Sports, where he was an NBA analyst for seven years, primarily on TNT’s Thursday night NBA coverage.  Johnson appeared on ESPN and ABC as a guest studio analyst during Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals.

He is one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players in history and won five NBA championships with the L.A. Lakers, an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and a NCAA championship. He is one of only seven players in the history of the sport to capture the latter three accolades.  He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player three times (1987, 1989, 1990).  He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEEK 6 OF NBC’s “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”

“At least the Bengals move to 3-3 – three bad losses, three good losses. In Cincinnati we count that as .500.” – “Football Night’s Collinsworth

“He fires his agent, apparently because his agent demanded 10 percent of his bail bonds.” – “Football Night’s Costas on “Pacman” Jones

NEW YORK – Oct. 12, 2008 – Following are highlights from NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show, as host Bob Costas, co-host Cris Collinsworth, co-host Keith Olbermann, co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, and reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated take a look at the day’s top storylines in the NFL:

COSTAS ON ADAM “PACMAN” JONES: “‘Pacman’ Jones can’t even get along with the people closest to him. He fires his agent, apparently because his agent demanded 10 percent of his bail bonds.”

LADAINIAN TOMLINSON TO ANDREA KREMER:

ON HIS TOE INJURY: “It’s hampering me in certain situations when I have to cut, cut hard.”

ON HIS CRITICS: “Don’t judge me off of four or five games. Judge me at the end of the race.”

COLLINSWORTH ON “L.T.”: “I wouldn’t be playing him. I think it’s fairly obvious he’s hurt. I think it’s hurting their passing game as well. Sometimes as a coach you have to admit that your star player is hurt.”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE BENGALS: “At least the Bengals move to 3-3 – three bad losses, three good losses. In Cincinnati we count that as .500.”

TIKI ON THE RAMS: “When Scott Linehan was their coach, this team would make a mistake, get down and then they would flat give up.”

COLLINSWORTH ON ANDY REID’S PLAY CALLING: “The last couple of weeks we’ve been making suggestions. We don’t criticize on this show, we make suggestions that maybe Andy Reid should try and throw the ball when he gets down on the goal line instead of running the ball and he did exactly that today.”

PATRICK ON DAN ORLOVSKY OF DETROIT TAKING A SAFETY: “Dan Orlovsky, thinking he’s in the CFL.”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE BRONCOS: “Right now the Denver Broncos are not as tough as the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s as simple as that.”

COLLINSWORTH ON AGONY OF COACHING WITH ALL THE CLOSE GAMES TODAY: “Can you imagine making your living doing this?”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE COLTS: “Marvin Harrison was a different guy today than he was at the beginning of the season. He’s much healthier.”

COLLINSWORTH ON ELI VS. PEYTON DEBATE: “Eli’s coming but is not quite to where Peyton is.”

COLLINSWORTH ON WHY DALLAS LOST: “This is the first time we’ve seen the Dallas offensive line get whipped.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA:
Michael Weisman is the executive in charge of production, “Football Night in America,” Sam Flood is coordinating producer and Bucky Gunts serves as director.

“They dominated in every category and took the pressure off of Matt Cassel.” – NBC’s Collinsworth

“With all that talent they should not be sitting at 2-3.” – NBC’s Michaels

NEW YORK – Oct. 8, 2008 – “NBC Sunday Night Football” in its third season as the NFL’s premier primetime package, heads to San Diego as the Chargers (2-3) host the New England Patriots (3-1) in a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game in which the Pats continued their undefeated march to the Super Bowl with a 21-12 win over the Chargers. Al Michaels (play-by-play), John Madden (analyst) and Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) call the action. Coverage on NBC begins at 7 p.m. ET with “Football Night in America,” with Bob Costas (host), Cris Collinsworth (co-host) Keith Olbermann (co-host), Dan Patrick (co-host), Jerome Bettis (analyst), Tiki Barber (analyst) and Peter King (reporter).

PARTIOTS-CHARGERS IN PRIMETIME: Both the Chargers and Patriots are making their 2008 debuts on NBC “Sunday Night Football.” Since the NFL’s premier primetime package moved to NBC in 2006 the Patriots are 3-2 overall and 3-0 last year including a 38-14 win over the Chargers in Foxboro in Week 2. The Chargers are 4-1 since 2006 on SNF, their only loss to the Pats. Each team has two more SNF games scheduled this season – the Pats with two more SNF road games at Indianapolis in Week 9 and Seattle in Week 14 (Flex Week). The Chargers host the Colts in Week 12 (Flex Week) and travel to Tampa Bay in Week 16 (Flex Week).

PATRIOTS VS. CHARGERS: The Patriots hold a 20-14-2 overall edge over the Chargers in the series, including wins in 13 of the last 15 contests, in what has become one of the NFL’s bitter rivalries. The Patriots have ousted the Chargers from the playoffs each of the last two seasons including last year’s AFC Championship Game as they remained undefeated and advanced to Super Bowl XLII with a 21-12 victory.

COLLINSWORTH ON PATRIOTS GOING DEEP TO MOSS: “They needed to show that they can go deep because defenses react back. Randy Moss is one of the biggest difference-makers in this league but if you’re not hitting him deep you don’t have a chance to stretch the defense.”

COLLINSWORTH ON PATRIOTS DEFENSE VS. 49ERS: “The story of the game against the 49ers was the defense of the Patriots. They dominated in every category and that took the pressure off of Matt Cassel.”

MICHAELS ON LaDANIAN TOMLINSON’S SLOW START: ” It is one of the mysteries about this game. Not long ago he was inarguably the best running back in this league. Now he just appears to be human.”

MICHAELS ON CHARGERS: “This is an extremely important early-season game for the Chargers. They’ve dug a hole similar to the one they dug last year and they should be playing better. With all that talent they should not be sitting at 2-3.”

TASTE OF THE NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL COOKBOOK BRUNCH IN SAN DIEGO: This Sunday, executive chef Jonathan Hale of Blue Point Coastal Cuisine, will host The Taste of the NFL Sunday Night Football Cookbook Brunch to raise money for the San Diego Food Bank. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased by calling 619.233.6623.

Taste of the NFL is the premier food and wine event at Super Bowl, a “party with a purpose” that raises awareness and funds for hunger-relief organizations including Feeding America and its affiliates nationwide. Since 1992, Taste of the NFL has donated more than $10 million to local and national hunger-relief organizations.

NEW ENGLAND & SAN DIEGO COOK UP SUNDAY NIGHT MEALS: The “Sunday Night Football” Cookbook features recipes from NFL stars including Chargers LB Shawne Merriman who contributes his recipe for Shepherd’s Pie and WR Chris Chambers who offers his Fruit Bowl recipe. Former Patriot and Hall of Famer Andre Tippett contributes his lobster pizza recipe. The Sunday Night Football Cookbook also features recipes from prominent chefs from each NFL city including executive chef Jonathan Hale of Blue Point Coastal Cuisine and Jeff Thurston of The Prado at Balboa Park restaurants in San Diego. Executive chef Chris Schlesigner of New England’s East Coast Grill & Raw Bar also contribtues to the Cookbook.

Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse represent their favorite NFL teams and NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” crew have added their favorite Sunday Night recipes to the Cookbook. Faith Hill and John Madden not only provide some of their favorite recipes, but also write special introductions. The book contains full meals and a section on Super Bowl parties, just in time for the next Super Bowl on NBC. Proceeds from the cookbook, which is available wherever books are sold or at SundayNightFootballCookbook.com, go to support local food banks across the U.S. through Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest).

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL EXTRA”: Each Sunday Night Football game is available on NBC as well as streamed live on NFL.com and NBCSports.com, marking the first time complete NFL games will be widely available in the U.S. via live online streaming.

The live NFL.com and NBCSports.com coverage comes from NBC’s TV coverage of Sunday Night Football. Complementing that stream are a number of extra features to enrich the viewing experience including additional camera angles, in-game highlights, picture-in-picture technology, live statistics and other interactive elements. “Sunday Night Football Extra” also includes in-game studio updates from NBC’s Football Night in America team and NFL Network.

ROTOWORLD.COM’S WEEK 6 SLEEPER PICKS: Rotoworld.com managing editor Gregg Rosenthal, who was named 2007 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, picks his fantasy sleepers for Week 6.

1. Chad Pennington, Dolphins QB vs. Texans: “With a strong running game at his back, Pennington can pick on single coverage over the middle from a weak Houston secondary.”

2. Kyle Orton, Bears QB vs. Falcons: “Atlanta’s defense has overachieved, but the formerly neckbearded one is playing the best football of his life.”

3. Steve Slaton, Texans RB vs. Dolphins: “This will be Slaton’s last time on a “sleeper” list. The versatile talent is now an every-week fantasy starter.”

4. Justin Fargas, Raiders RB vs. Saints: “Off fantasy waiver wires and into the starting lineup. The Raiders do one thing well - run block - and new head coach Tom Cable is the man responsible. Play Fargas over hobbled Darren McFadden.”

5. Vincent Jackson, Chargers WR vs. Patriots: “With Chris Chambers hurt, Jackson will see more targets. His size will be a big problem for New England’s smurf-like cornerbacks.”

6. Brandon Stokley, Broncos WR vs. Jaguars: “Few pass defenses are worse than Jacksonville, and Stokley will pick up targets over the middle with Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler hurt.”

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Al Michaels, the commentator called “TV’s best play-by-play announcer” by the Associated Press, is joined in the “Sunday Night Football” booth by John Madden, the most honored NFL broadcaster of all time with 16 Emmy Awards, and on the sidelines by Andrea Kremer, whom the Los Angeles Times has called “the best TV interviewer in the business of covering the NFL.”

“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”: The Washington Post calls NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show the “Gold Standard” of NFL studio shows and “must-see television for NFL fans.” Bob Costas, the most honored studio host of all time with 19 Emmy Awards, hosts “Football Night in America” alongside co-host Cris Collinsworth, the most honored studio analyst in history; co-host Keith Olbermann, named one of the Top Ten Most Powerful People in TV News for 2007 by Television Week; newcomer and co-host Dan Patrick, reuniting him with Olbermann who together redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1992-97; and analysts Tiki Barber, a three-time NFL Pro Bowler for the New York Giants, and Jerome Bettis, one of the most popular players in recent NFL history. Peter King, who covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is considered one of the country’s foremost NFL reporters, serves as a reporter for the “Football Night in America” studio show.

NBC’s REMAINING 2008 NFL SCHEDULE:
(”NBC Sunday Night Football” kickoff, 8:15 p.m. ET preceded by “Football Night in America,” 7 p.m. ET)
Sunday, Oct. 12 – New England at San Diego
Sunday, Oct. 19 – Seattle at Tampa Bay
Sunday, Oct. 26 – No game scheduled due to World Series Game 4 (FNIA airs 7-8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 2 – New England at Indianapolis
Sunday, Nov. 9 – New York Giants at Philadelphia
Sunday, Nov. 16 – Dallas at Washington (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 23 – Indianapolis at San Diego (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 30 – Chicago at Minnesota (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 7 – New England at Seattle (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 14 – New York Giants at Dallas (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 21 – San Diego at Tampa Bay (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 28 – Flex Week – teams TBA

“That was the highlight of Simpson’s weekend – well the jury’s still out.” – “Football Night’s” Olbermann on Tomlinson not passing O.J. in all-time rushing yards

“We would never have Costas jumping over the top.” – “Football Night’s” Collinsworth on Sage Rosenfels key fumble

NEW YORK – Oct. 5, 2008 – Following are highlights from NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show, as host Bob Costas, co-host Cris Collinsworth, co-host Keith Olbermann, co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, and reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated take a look at the day’s top storylines in the NFL:

COLLINSWORTH ON THE GIANTS OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION WITHOUT PLAXICO BURRESS: “Don’t mess up. Nobody’s indispensable.”

BEN ROETHLISBERGER IN INTERVIEW WITH BETTIS: “It’s nice because in the meetings Bus with you gone I can hear coach because you’re not in the back snoring.”

BETTIS ON ROETHLISBERGER: “The question I was asking myself is ‘was he ready to be a leader in the locker room’ and after this interview, the answer’s yes.”

KING ON TITANS QB SITUATION: “I spoke to Kerry Collins and he told me I don’t feel I can be a backup anymore.”

BARBER ON BRANDON JACOBS: “He is the most unique running back in the National Football League because of his size and his speed. He gets through the hole so fast.”

BETTIS’ RESPONSE: “He kind of reminds me of somebody, physical, good feet.”

PATRICK ON TITANS-RAVENS: “Points were optional.”

OLBERMANN ON TOMLINSON APPROACHING O.J. SIMPSON ON ALL-TIME RUSHING YARDS LIST: “Tomlinson, 35 yards, did not pass O.J. on the all-time list, that was the highlight of Simpson’s weekend –well the jury’s still out.”

OLBERMANN ON SHOT OF MICHAEL PHELPS AT RAVENS GAME: “You know what we haven’t had lately on the network enough, Michael Phelps.”

COLLINSWORTH ON SAGE ROSENFELS FUMBLING AFTER TRYING TO LEAP OVER A DEFENDER: “We would never have Costas jumping over the top, we’d have him sliding underneath.”

OLBERMANN ON “OCHO CINCO,” T.O. AND JERRY JONES POSING FOR A PRE-GAME PICTURE: “Celebrating each of them crossing that plateau, a thousand soundbites each.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA:
Michael Weisman is the executive in charge of production, “Football Night in America,” Sam Flood is coordinating producer and Bucky Gunts serves as director.

SEC LEGEND ARCHIE MANNING RETURNS TO “COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY” STUDIO

AUDIBLES with CBS Sports’ Lead College Football Analyst Gary Danielson

CBS Sports’ national network coverage of SEC College Football rolls into October as *No. 2-ranked Alabama hosts Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4 (3:30 PM, ET).

The CBS Television Network’s lead college football announce team of Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson call the action live from Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Tracy Wolfson serves as lead reporter. Craig Silver, the Network’s coordinating producer of college football, produces and Steve Milton directs.

CBS Sports’ broadcast of Kentucky-Alabama also will be simulcast in High Definition.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game, halftime and post-game studio show, starts the day (3:00 PM, ET) with host Tim Brando, along with analysts Spencer Tillman and SEC legend Archie Manning. COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY will keep viewers updated on all the games throughout the afternoon with scores and highlights. Vin DeVito produces and Linda Malino directs. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

A separate edition of COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY airs live on CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK (2:30-3:00 PM, ET) with Brando, Tillman and Manning. The 3:00 PM edition also is simulcast on CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK each week.

The Kentucky-Alabama game will be streamed live and free of charge on CBSSports.com. Each week CBS Sports’ SEC Game of the Week is available exclusively on CBSSports.com and also can be accessed through a link on the websites of all CBS affiliates.

Following the game CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK recaps all the action from around the SEC with “SEC Postgame Show Presented by Geico” (7:00 PM, ET). Host Greg Amsinger is joined by analysts David Pollack and Brian Jones.

*AP Poll as of 9/29/08

“The Steelers still have that taste in their mouth.” – Madden on the revenge factor

NEW YORK – Oct. 1, 2008 – “NBC Sunday Night Football” in its third season as the NFL’s premier primetime package, heads south to Jacksonville as the Jaguars (2-2) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) in a rematch of last year’s memorable Wild Card game in which the Jags squandered an 18-point fourth quarter lead but kicked a late field goal to survive with a 31-29 victory. Al Michaels (play-by-play), John Madden (analyst) and Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) call the action. Coverage on NBC begins at 7 p.m. ET with “Football Night in America,” with Bob Costas (host), Cris Collinsworth (co-host) Keith Olbermann (co-host), Dan Patrick (co-host), Jerome Bettis (analyst), Tiki Barber (analyst) and Peter King (reporter).

STEELERS-JAGUARS IN PRIMETIME: The Steelers are making their second appearance of 2008 on NBC “Sunday Night Football” having defeated the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the season. Since the NFL’s premier primetime package moved to NBC in 2006 the Steelers are 3-2 overall including wins in their last two Sunday Night games. Jacksonville is making its SNF debut.

STEELERS VS. JAGUARS: This is the 20th meeting of this AFC rivalry with the Jags holding an 11-8 advantage including wins in the last three regular season meetings. Their last meeting came in the Wild Card round of last year’s playoffs. The Steelers scored 18 unanswered points to take a 29-28 lead late in the fourth quarter. With time running out, Jags QB David Garrard rushed for 32 yards on 4th and 2 from the Steelers 42, setting up a chip shot game-winning field goal. Having won at Pittsburgh in Week 15, Jacksonville became the first NFL team to defeat the Steelers twice in Pittsburgh in the same season.

MADDEN ON PITTSBURGH-JACKSONVILLE: “This is another hitting game. Jacksonville came into Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers with David Garrard making a big fourth down run. The Steelers still have that taste in their mouth.”

COLLINSWORTH ON JACKSONVILLE: “The Jaguars are one of my favorite teams to watch play. They have two tremendous backs and I’m a big fan of David Garrard.”

TASTE OF THE NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL COOKBOOK BRUNCH IN JACKSONVILLE: This Sunday, executive chef Charles Charbonneau of North Beach Bistro in Atlantic Beach, will host The Taste of the NFL Sunday Night Football Cookbook Brunch to raise money for the LSS Second Harvest of NE Florida. Tickets cost $39.95 and can be purchased by calling 904-372-4105.

Taste of the NFL is the premier food and wine event at Super Bowl, a “party with a purpose” that raises awareness and funds for hunger-relief organizations including Feeding America and its affiliates nationwide. Since 1992, Taste of the NFL has donated more than $10 million to local and national hunger-relief organizations.

PITTSBURGH & JACKSONVILLE COOK UP SUNDAY NIGHT MEALS: The “Sunday Night Football” Cookbook features recipes from NFL stars including Steelers’ WR Hines Ward who contributes his recipe for Korean-style braised short ribs and WR Limas Sweed’s chicken and shrimp fettuccine. The Jaguars’ RB Fred Taylor offers his shrimp creole recipe. The Sunday Night Football Cookbook also features recipes from prominent chefs from each NFL city including Pittsburgh’s Anthony Zello of Bigelow Grille, as well as Jacksonville’s Charles Charbonneau of North Beach Bistro and The Augustine Grille and Jamey Evoniuk of b.b.’s restaurant.

Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse represent their favorite NFL teams and NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” crew have added their favorite Sunday Night recipes to the Cookbook. Faith Hill and John Madden not only provide some of their favorite recipes, but also write special introductions. The book contains full meals and a section on Super Bowl parties, just in time for the next Super Bowl on NBC. Proceeds from the cookbook, which is available wherever books are sold or at SundayNightFootballCookbook.com, go to support local food banks across the U.S. through Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest).

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL EXTRA”: The 17-game Sunday Night Football schedule is available to fans on NBC as well as streamed live on NFL.com and NBCSports.com, marking the first time complete NFL games will be widely available in the U.S. via live online streaming.

The live NFL.com and NBCSports.com coverage comes from NBC’s TV coverage of Sunday Night Football. Complementing that stream are a number of extra features to enrich the viewing experience including additional camera angles, in-game highlights, picture-in-picture technology, live statistics and other interactive elements. “Sunday Night Football Extra” also includes in-game studio updates from NBC’s Football Night in America team and NFL Network.

ROTOWORLD.COM’S WEEK 4 SLEEPER PICKS: Rotoworld.com managing editor Gregg Rosenthal, who was named 2007 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, picks his fantasy sleepers for Week 5.

· Brian Griese: The Tampa quarterback has been winning, but struggling badly with accuracy. Denver’s Swiss cheese secondary should fix that. All Bucs are good plays this week.

· Jonathan Stewart: Splitting carries against the Chiefs is better than getting all the carries against almost any other team.
· Steve Smith: With Plaxico Burress out, this talented second year pro will get starter snaps and can lead the Giants in receiving.

· Lance Moore: New Orleans’ answer to Wes Welker is here to stay. He has the trust of Drew Brees, the best quarterback in football through one month.

· Anthony Fasano: The Chargers are the most overrated defense in football and specialize in giving up big plays to tight ends.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Al Michaels, the commentator called “TV’s best play-by-play announcer” by the Associated Press, is joined in the “Sunday Night Football” booth by John Madden, the most honored NFL broadcaster of all time with 16 Emmy Awards, and on the sidelines by Andrea Kremer, whom the Los Angeles Times has called “the best TV interviewer in the business of covering the NFL.”

“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”: The Washington Post calls NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show the “gold standard” of NFL studio shows and “must-see television for NFL fans.” Bob Costas, the most honored studio host of all time with 19 Emmy Awards, hosts “Football Night in America” alongside co-host Cris Collinsworth, the most honored studio analyst in history; co-host Keith Olbermann, named one of the Top Ten Most Powerful People in TV News for 2007 by Television Week; newcomer and co-host Dan Patrick, reuniting him with Olbermann who together redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1992-97; and analysts Tiki Barber, a three-time NFL Pro Bowler for the New York Giants, and Jerome Bettis, one of the most popular players in recent NFL history. Peter King, who covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is considered one of the country’s foremost NFL reporters, serves as a reporter for the “Football Night in America” studio show.

NBC’s REMAINING 2008 NFL SCHEDULE:
(”NBC Sunday Night Football” kickoff, 8:15 p.m. ET preceded by “Football Night in America,” 7 p.m. ET)
Sunday, Oct. 5 – Pittsburgh at Jacksonville
Sunday, Oct. 12 – New England at San Diego
Sunday, Oct. 19 – Seattle at Tampa Bay
Sunday, Oct. 26 – No game scheduled due to World Series Game 4 (FNIA airs 7-8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 2 – New England at Indianapolis
Sunday, Nov. 9 – New York Giants at Philadelphia
Sunday, Nov. 16 – Dallas at Washington (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 23 – Indianapolis at San Diego (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 30 – Chicago at Minnesota (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 7 – New England at Seattle (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 14 – New York Giants at Dallas (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 21 – San Diego at Tampa Bay (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 28 – Flex Week – teams TBA

ESPN Wins Prime Time among All Key Male Demos for Fourth Straight Week

ESPN.com NFL Content Yields 10.9 Million Visits & 74.8 Million Page Views

ESPN’s Monday Night Football – the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 23-20 overtime victory over the visiting Baltimore Ravens – earned an 8.8 rating, representing an average of 8,595,000 homes (11,783,000 P2+).  For the fourth straight Monday, ESPN won the night in the key male demos among all networks, broadcast or cable, and the game drove significant traffic to ESPN.com’s NFL content.

For the NFL season to date, ESPN’s Monday Night Football is averaging a 9.6 rating and 9,335,000 households (12,972,000 P2+), up 14%, 15% and 20%, respectively from last season through five games (8.4 rating; 8,117,000 homes; 10,767,000 viewers).  For 2008, the five Monday Night Football telecasts represent cable’s five biggest audiences of the year.

ESPN’s presentation of the “game around the game,” which included NFL studio programming starting at 3:30 p.m. ET through the conclusion of NFL Primetime at 2:40 a.m., delivered 19.1  gross household coverage ratings for its MNF coverage.

ESPN.com

Also, NFL content on ESPN.com, including “Monday Night Surround,” accessed via computers and mobile devices generated 10.9 million visits and nearly 74.8 million page views – an increase of 41% from the same week last year – from Monday through Tuesday at noon.  For the season to date, ESPN.com is averaging 87.5 million page views, up 50% from 2007.

In addition, during the same period there were nearly 4.4 million views of pro football-related video on ESPN.com and SportsCenter Right Now was viewed some 1.6 million times.  Also, in the past week (Tuesday through Monday) ESPN football-related podcasts were downloaded more than 740,000 times.

NEXT WEEK ON MNF

Next week, ESPN’s MNF schedule will continue with the Minnesota Vikings visiting the New Orleans Saints (October 6) at 8:30 p.m.  The complete Monday NFL schedule on ESPN:

Time (ET)      Program

3:30 p.m.         NFL Live

4 p.m.              NFL PrimeTime

5 p.m. Around the Horn

5:30 p.m.         Pardon the Interruption

6 p.m.              SportsCenter Monday Kickoff

7 p.m.              Monday Night Countdown

8:30 p.m.         MNF:  Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints

11:30 p.m.        SportsCenter