FSN NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
by FOX Sports Net
COLLEGE BASKETBALL ON FSN
Time is ticking on bubble teams hoping to make their case for inclusion in the NCAA tournament. As the regular season comes to a close, every game takes on added importance. For ranked teams, each win means an easier path to the Final Four; each loss guarantees a tougher opponent.
This weekend's college basketball coverage features a few bubble teams — Wake Forrest, North Carolina State, USC and Oregon; a No. 3 UNC team hoping to lock up a No. 1 seed, a No. 9 Stanford squad hoping a late season run of wins will lock up a No. 2 seed in the tournament and a couple of women's teams — No. 8 California and No. 16 Oklahoma State, hoping wins over higher-ranked teams will make an impact on the selection committee.
The pressure will be on every team this weekend to with postseason conference tournaments just weeks away. FSN's action kicks off with a Pac-10 battle, as USC freshman guard O.J. Mayo leads the Trojans against Oregon at the Galen Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, February 21 at 11 p.m. EST/8 p.m. PST.
Then on Saturday, February 23, FSN telecasts three women's games involving five top-20 teams, including in-state rivalry matchups between No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 16 Oklahoma State followed by the Battle of the Bay between No. 8 California and No. 7 Stanford.
On Sunday, February 24, FSN presents five games, fishing up with a HD triple-header featuring two ACC matchups and a Pac-10 game with enormous conference standing implications.
Schedule (all times Eastern)
Thursday, February 21
11 p.m. — Pac-10 Men's Basketball in FSN HD: Oregon at USC (PxP Ted Robinson, analyst Marques Johnson)
Saturday, February 23
12 p.m. — Big 12 Women's Basketball: No. 9 Baylor at Iowa State (PxP Mark Neely, analyst Debbie Antonelli)
2 p.m. — Big 12 Women's Basketball: No. 16 Oklahoma State at No. 11 Oklahoma (PxP Kevin Eschenfelder, analyst Brenda VanLengen)
4 p.m. — Pac-10 Women's Basketball: No. 7 Stanford at No. 8 California (PxP Paul Sunderland, analyst Mary Murphy)
6 p.m. — Pac-10 Men's Basketball: Arizona State at Washington (PxP Barry Tompkins, analyst Dan Belluomini)
10 p.m. — Pac-10 Men's Basketball: Arizona at No. 17 Washington State (PxP Ted Robinson, analyst Marques Johnson)
Sunday, February 24
2:30 p.m. — Big 12 Women's Basketball: Kansas at Missouri (PxP Mark Neely, analyst Brenda VanLengen)
2:30 p.m. — Pac-10 Women's Basketball: Washington at Arizona State (PxP Jim Watson, analyst Mary Murphy)
4:30 p.m. — ACC Sunday Night Hoops in FSN HD: North Carolina State at Virginia (PxP Ron Thullin, analyst Dan Bonner)
6:30 p.m. — ACC Sunday Night Hoops in FSN HD: Wake Forest at No. 3 North Carolina (PxP Tim Brando, analyst Mike Gminski)
9 p.m. — Pac-10 Men's Basketball in FSN HD: California at No. 9 Stanford (PxP Barry Tompkins, analyst Dan Belluomini)
BEST DAMN HOOTERS DREAM GIRL II
FSN teams up with Hooters to deliver the second edition of one of the network's most popular programs, HOOTERS BEST DAMN DREAM GIRL. Twelve beautiful women are vying for a $10,000 cash prize, the cover of the Hooters Magazine swimsuit edition and the biggest reward — the title of 2008 Hooters Dream Girl.
What makes this beauty contest unique is that the fans get to decide who their dream girl really is. Voting takes place on FOXSports.com, Keyword: Best Damn. More than 90,000 votes have been cast thus far, but fans have three weeks left to make their opinions count to determine which contestant really is the 2008 Hooters Dream Girl.
The one-hour special airs on Friday, February 22, Friday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 4 at 9 and 11 p.m. local, with voting enabled through midnight PST on March 4. Still not sure which girl to vote for after watching the show? Go to Foxsports.com for exclusive videos and photos on each girl then cast a vote for your favorite.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ON FSN
FSN's celebration of Black History Month continues its series of national programming initiatives designed to honor the contributions of African Americans to American culture, both inside and outside the world of sports. Numerous vignettes, profiles and stories lead the full-slate of coverage, highlighted by two special shows airing throughout the month.
In 1951, the University of San Francisco Dons, coming off an amazing season, caused an uproar when the team declined an invitation to play in the Orange Bowl after game organizers pressured the team to leave their two African American players behind. Featuring interviews with the players as they look back on a decision that really was never up for debate, 51 DONS: PRIDE, HONOR & FRIENDSHIP, is an amazing story of camaraderie and respect. Check local listings for airtimes.
FSN is also airing AMERICANS IN FOCUS, featuring extraordinary achievements of African Americans and their perseverance for equality in society during a period when racial segregation was the law of the land. Profiles include Martin Luther King, Jr. tennis great Arthur Ashe, Charles "Chuck" Cooper, the first African American drafted by an NBA team, the 1966 Texas Western basketball team, legendary Grambling State University coach Eddie Robinson, Dr. Charles Drew, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Ralph Bunche and singer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Marian Anderson. Check local listings for airtimes.
BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD
BDSSP is the network's nightly sports talk show hosted by Chris Rose, alongside NBA expert John Salley, former All-Star pitcher Rob Dibble, NFL veteran Rodney Peete and BDSSP reporter Charissa Thompson. Regularly featuring fun interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities and entertainers, BDSSP airs weeknights at 9 p.m., 11 p.m., and 12:30 a.m. local.
THIS WEEK ON BEST DAMN:
Wednesday, February 20 — Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman, rapper/actor Andre 3000, Houston Texans Ephraim Salaam and Chester Pitts
Thursday, February 21 — Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Marisa Miller, NASCAR rookie Dario Franchitti
Friday, February 22 — Best Damn Hooters Dream Girl II
ULTIMATEBET.NET BEST DAMN POKER SHOW
The ULTIMATEBET.NET BEST DAMN POKER SHOW continues this week and the fireworks between team captains Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke flare up, as each tries to form the best team. When Hellmuth makes the mistake of insulting Duke's famous poker playing brother Howard Lederer, Duke blows up worse than the notoriously short-tempered Hellmuth after a bad beat.
The ULTIMATEBET.NET BEST DAMN POKER SHOW is part reality show, part poker tournament. Duke and Hellmuth each scout selected online qualifiers and then draft the players they think have the best shot at winning the tournament. The poker is top-notch, but the strategy and in-fighting between the captains may just be even better. The seven-week continues on Monday, February 25 at 9 p.m., 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. local.
THE FSN FINAL SCORE
This week, FSN continues its nightly sports highlight show THE FSN FINAL SCORE. The show is 30 minutes of fast-paced highlights of the day's best moments the sports world has to offer. FINAL SCORE airs nightly at 10:30 p.m. local with repeats airing regularly.
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