FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
by FOX Sports
Jimmy Johnson: The 49ers Are Back on Track
NOTRE DAME FALLS TO MICHIGAN AND MLB ON FOX — FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL posted a strong 2.6/6 (3.9 million viewers) national rating/share as the Red Sox played host to the New York Yankees (9/15/07), according to figures released yesterday by Nielsen Media Research. Saturday's 2.6/6 marks an impressive +24% increase over last year's comparable broadcast (vs. 2.1/6), a slate of games that also featured a Yankees-Red Sox match-up. Impressively, Yankees-Red Sox on FOX outdrew head-to-head matchups against a fierce line-up of college football, including Notre Dame vs. Michigan on ABC (2.5/6, 3.4 mill) and Tennessee vs. Florida on CBS (2.6/6, 3.8 mill). New York registered a 6.7/16 local rating/share while Boston posted an incredible 18.0/37, the fourth highest-rated regular season game ever in Beantown.
MLB ON FOX: BREWERS HUNT FOR FIRST DIVISION TITLE IN 25 YEARS — The multi Emmy Award-winning FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK returns on Saturday, September 22 (3:30 p.m. ET) featuring live regional coverage of three exciting games with playoff implications. With the NL Central up for grabs, MVP candidate Prince Fielder leads the Brew Crew into Atlanta to take on the Braves. Looking to capture the franchise's first division title in 25 years, Milwaukee will face a stern test as they face Braves ace John Smoltz. Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero and the Los Angeles Angels look to sew up the AL West when they host Ichiro and the Seattle Mariners. In Miami, the first-place New York Mets try to keep the second-place Phillies at bay as they take on the Florida Marlins.
Game coverage is preceded by the Emmy Award-winning pregame show, with host Jeanne Zelasko and analysts Kevin Kennedy and Mark Grace.
NFL ON FOX WEEK 3: DOUBLEHEADER ACTION TEST OF UNBEATENS — NFL on FOX's Super Bowl season continues on Sunday, Sept. 23 with doubleheader coverage of seven exciting matchups. At 1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports presents a showdown between two of the games best young quarterbacks as Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers host Alex Smith and the 49ers. Both teams are off to impressive starts and look to hand the other their first loss of the season. Meanwhile, one of the league's most surprising 2-0 teams, the Detroit Lions, take on the surprisingly winless Philadelphia Eagles.
Later at 4 p.m. ET, the New York Giants look to right the ship against their division rival Washington Redskins. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver call all the action live from FedEx Field in Maryland.
Coverage begins at 12 p.m. ET with FOX NFL SUNDAY, America's most-watched and Emmy Award-winning pregame show from Los Angeles. Host Curt Menefee joins the entertaining cast of co-host Terry Bradshaw and analysts Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson. Former Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer pairs with fellow National Championship and Super Bowl-winning coach Johnson in FOX NFL SUNDAY's newest segment titled "Grumpy Old Coaches." NFL Insider, Jay Glazer presents the latest news and notes from around the league on "Glazer's Edge." Weather forecaster Jillian Reynolds and comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo also contribute. Sunday's ‘Frank's Pick's' segment features Frank impersonating Jack Nicholson with a special real life guest.
Also highlighted this week, Oliver sits down with Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, quarterback Jon Kitna and rookie receiver Calvin Johnson to find out if this franchise is finally turning the corner and why we should believe this year's Lions are any good.
JOHNSON: THE 49ERS ARE BACK ON TRACK — FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Jimmy Johnson is impressed with the 2-0 San Francisco 49ers and thinks the young team is showing signs of his former dominance.
"[Head coach] Mike Nolan has done a tremendous job with the 49ers especially when you consider how far down they were when he took over a couple years ago," said Johnson. "They made a couple of nice free-agent moves, improving the secondary and defense. Nolan is able to use that defensive strategy with [running back] Frank Gore pounding the football. I think a lot of people in San Francisco need to give a part of their paychecks to Frank Gore."
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