By Ryan Berenz

The year’s final major takes place along the shore of Lake Michigan at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., site of the PGA Championship in 2004. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els and golf’s best will try to win the Wanamaker trophy and end the season on a high note. Last year’s PGA Championship was a stunner, with unheralded Y.E. Yang of Korea outplaying runner-up Tiger Woods in the final round for a three-stroke victory. It was a rare loss for Woods — he lost for the first time in 15 major championships when he had the lead or share of the lead after 54 holes. It was also the first time since 2004 that Woods went winless in the four majors. With Woods coming off the worst performance of his pro career, it’s likely that he’ll go winless in the majors for another year. TNT and CBS share coverage of this year’s PGA Championship Aug. 12-15. Full coverage details and releases from CBS, TNT and GOLF CHANNEL after the jump. Here’s the live tournament schedule on TNT and CBS:

PGA Championship Live TV Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 12 — First Round, 1pm ET, TNT
Friday, Aug. 13 — Second Round, 1pm ET, TNT
Saturday, Aug. 14 — Third Round, 11am ET, TNT; 2pm ET, CBS
Sunday, Aug. 15 — Final Round, 11am ET, TNT; 2pm ET, CBS

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Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: CBS, Golf, GOLF Channel, PGA Championship, Sports, TNT, TV News & Program Updates

By Jeff Pfeiffer

Nonstop episodes of Law & Order on TNT? Sounds like a typical weekend, doesn’t it? In this case, though, the network will be airing some of the series’ most memorable episodes in a special marathon to mark the occasion of it coming to an end after 20 years. In case you haven’t heard, NBC has decided to cancel the flagship show (but to keep Law & Order: SVU and pick up the new spinoff Law & Order: Los Angeles, lamely shortened to LOLA), and Monday, May 24, will be its final episode.

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Categories: Drama, TV News & Program Updates by RabbitEars
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Tags: Adam Schiff, Anita Van Buren, Ben Stone, Chris Noth, Jack McCoy, Jeff Pfeiffer, Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, Law & Order, Law & Order series finale, Lennie Briscoe, marathon, Michael Moriarty, Mike Logan, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, Steven Hill, TNT

By Ryan

The NBA playoffs inch ever closer to the NBA Finals, as the conference finals get underway with the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic in the East and the L.A. Lakers against the Phoenix Suns in the West. Complete schedules and releases from ESPN and TNT/NBA TV are below:

NBA Playoff Coverage on ESPN and ABC

ESPN’s exclusive Eastern Conference Finals schedule featuring the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic will begin Sunday, May 16, at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.  Coverage will continue Tuesday, May 18, at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.  All games will also be available on ESPN Radio.  NBA games airing on ESPN are also available via ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV.  Mike Breen will call the games airing on ESPN and ABC with analysts Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Doris Burke.  Jim Durham will provide commentary for the Eastern Conference Finals on ESPN Radio with analyst Dr. Jack Ramsay. ESPN Radio will also broadcast the Western Conference Finals between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers beginning Monday, May 17, at 8 p.m.  Kevin Calabro will describe the action with analyst Hubie Brown.  Schedule:
Date                      Time (ET)        Matchup                          Network
Sun, May 16        3:30 p.m.             Boston 92, Orlando 88         ABC
Tue, May 18        8:30 p.m.             Boston 95, Orlando 92        ESPN
Sat, May 22         8:30 p.m.            Boston 94, Orlando 71           ESPN
Mon, May 24      8:30 p.m.            Orlando 96, Boston 92           ESPN
Wed, May 26*      8:30 p.m.             Orlando 113, Boston 92      ESPN
Fri, May 28*         8:30 p.m.             Orlando at Boston           ESPN
Sun, May 30*       8:30 p.m.             Boston at Orlando           ESPN

*If Necessary

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Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: ABC, Basketball, Boston Celtics, ESPN, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Playoffs, NBA TV, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Sports, TNT, TV News & Program Updates

By Ryan

The NCAA announced a new 14-year deal with CBS Sports and Turner Sports for TV, Internet and wireless broadcast rights for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship beginning in 2011 and running through 2024 for more than $10.8 billion. Here are some details on the agreement:

• Beginning in 2011, all opening-round, first-round and second-round games will be shown live on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional semifinal games.
• CBS will air the regional finals and the Final Four through 2015. Beginning in 2016, coverage of the regional finals will be split by CBS and Turner with the Final Four and the National Championship game alternating every year between CBS and TBS.
• NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee unanimously passed a recommendation to the Division I Board of Directors to increase tournament field size to 68 teams beginning with the 2011 Championship. The recommendation will be reviewed by the Division I Board of Directors at its April 29 meeting.

So it seems we’ve been spared the monster 96-team tournament that had been discussed, at least for now. And we’ll get coverage of every game live, thanks to Turner’s three networks. (Though I admit it will be strange to see college hoops on truTV, which was Court TV not too long ago.) CBS will keep the later rounds, the Final Four and the championship through 2015, then it will alternate with TBS every other year beginning in 2016. This is a little like MLB’s deal with TBS and FOX for the League Championship Series, but even in that deal FOX carries the entire World Series. The Final Four and championship will be exclusively on TBS every other year, which might not sit well with people who are without a pay TV service. And it’s yet another example of major sports championships migrating away from free broadcast TV. How long before the NBA, MLB and NFL take their championships exclusively to cable?

Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: Basketball, CBS, College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, Sports, TBS, TNT, truTV, TV News & Program Updates

By Ryan

The NBA regular season is over and the playoff matchups are set. First-round action begins Saturday, April 17, at 3pm ET on ABC with the Bulls at the Cavaliers. Full first-round schedule below. (We’ll try to fill in the TBD TV games as promptly as we can, so check back.)

2010 NBA Playoffs First Round Schedule

*If necessary. TBD – to be determined. All times Eastern.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 8 Chicago
Cleveland wins series 4-1.

No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 7 Charlotte
Orlando wins series 4-0.

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Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: ABC, Basketball, ESPN, NBA, NBA TV, Sports, TNT, TV News & Program Updates

By Ryan

The NBA regular season tips off Oct. 27, with the Celtics at the Cavaliers and the Clippers at the Lakers, both on TNT. Here’s the entire NBA regular-season TV schedule for games on ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV:

2009-10 NBA National TV Schedule

All Times Eastern. Additional NBA Games Televised In Your Area. Check Local Listings. Schedule Subject To Change.

OCTOBER

Tuesday, Oct. 27
Boston at Cleveland, 7:30pm (TNT)
L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers, 10:30pm (TNT)

Wednesday, Oct. 28
New Orleans at San Antonio, 8pm (ESPN)
Utah at Denver, 10:30pm (ESPN)

Thursday, Oct. 29
San Antonio at Chicago, 8pm (TNT)
Denver at Portland, 10:30pm (TNT)

Friday, Oct. 30
Chicago at Boston, 8pm (ESPN)
Dallas at L.A. Lakers, 10:30pm (ESPN)
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Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: ABC, Basketball, ESPN, NBA, NBA TV, Sports, TNT, TV News & Program Updates

By Ryan

The 2009 PGA Championship tees off on Thursday, Aug. 13, at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. The year’s final major could also be played at the longest course in PGA Championship history (7,674 yards depending on tee placement).

Padraig Harrington (pictured), who won last year’s PGA by two strokes over Sergio Garcia, will return to defend his title.

Tiger Woods, coming off victories at the Buick Open and the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in recent weeks, will try to win his first and only major this year. He has not gone a year without winning a major since 2004. Woods tied for sixth at this year’s Masters and U.S. Open, and missed the cut at the British Open last month. The long course favors Woods, and it would be shocking not to see him leading or in close contention on Sunday.

Full TV coverage info from CBS, TNT and GOLF CHANNEL after the jump.

PGA Championship Live TV Schedule

Thursday, Aug. 13 — First Round , 2-8pm ET, TNT

Friday, Aug. 14 — Second Round, 2-8pm ET, TNT

Saturday, Aug. 15 — Third Round, 11am-2pm ET, TNT; 2-7pm ET, CBS

Sunday, Aug. 16 — Final Round, 11am-2pm ET, TNT; 2-7pm ET, CBS

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Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: CBS, Golf, Padraig Harrington, PGA Championship, Sports, Tiger Woods, TNT

Brenda and Sgt. Gabriel are about to crack their case

By Anna Belle

The last couple of episodes of “The Closer” have definitely been worth watching and entertaining, but I haven’t been blogging about them.

I apologize for this but I’m sure you’ve been kept abreast of what’s been happening through tnt.tv (you can watch complete episodes at this site).

“Strike Three” starts out with the sound of a helicopter circling over a crime scene, a sound that’s unmistakable if you’ve ever been in a large metropolitan city with helicopter traffic.

The police helicopter first reports on a victim down and upon circling the scene again and in reply to dispatch not being able to reach the squad initially sent to the scene, reports on seeing both police officers down, out of their car, laying in the street. [Read more →]

Categories: Drama by ahavlicek
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Tags: Capt. Raydor, Chief Pope, Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, Det. Julio Sanchez, nazi, Recap, Sgt. Gabriel, The Closer, TNT, White Power

By Ryan

The British Open is my favorite of golf’s four majors. There’s just something awesome about the game being played on the isle of its birth, on those old majestic Royal & Ancient courses. The 2009 Open Championship will be played at the Ailsa Course at Turnberry Golf Club, Scotland, July 16-19. This is the fourth time Turnberry has hosted the Open (previously held there in 1977, 1986 and 1994).

Padraig Harrington (pictured) has won the two previous Opens, and will look for a third championship this weekend. Harrington followed up his 2008 British Open victory with a win at the PGA Championship. But Harrington has struggled this year, and many expect a strong showing from Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim, Steve Stricker and Paul Casey.

It’s the final year that TNT will air the British Open, as coverage of all four rounds goes to ESPN/ABC beginning in 2010.

2009 British Open Championship TV Schedule

July 16 — First Round, TNT (7am-7pm ET/PT)

July 17 — Second Round, TNT (7am-7pm ET/PT)

July 18 — Third Round, TNT (7-9am ET), ABC (9am-2:30pm ET)

July 19 — Final Round, TNT (6-8am ET), ABC (8am-1:30pm ET)

More details on TNT and ESPN/ABC’s full British Open coverage plans after the jump.

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Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates by Cubicle QB
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Tags: ABC, British Open, ESPN, Golf, Padraig Harrington, Sports, Tiger Woods, TNT

by Karl J. Paloucek

Start the weekend — and next week — right with these films airing June 12-18. All times ET.

June 12
Tropic Thunder (2008)
This one’s up in the air — depending on your sense of humor, it’s either the funniest movie of 2008 or it’s an OK comedy with Ben Stiller and Jack Black. Regardless, it still yields an Academy Award-nominated performance from Robert Downey Jr. in his controversial role as African-American action-film star Kirk Lazarus, and enough audacity to make it a pop-culture staple. Cinemax (HD), 8pm ET

June 13
The Dark Knight (2008)
Why so serious? Probably because the centerpiece of this most-unusual of Batman films, of course, is the posthumously won Academy Award-winning turn as the Joker by the late Heath Ledger. Definitely not your father’s Batman, or even the Batman of the last decade, things take a decidedly blacker turn here, as the name clearly states. Probably not for the younger Batfans. HBO (HD), 8pm ET
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Categories: Comedy, Drama, Movies by kpaloucek
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Tags: 24 Hour Party People, Batman, Ben Stiller, Cabaret, Cinemax, Citizen Kane, Der morgige Tag ist Mein, flying nun, FMC, HBO, Heath Ledger, Jack Black, Kander & Ebb, Liza Minnelli, Norma Rae, organized labor, Orson Welles, Robert Downey Jr., Sally Field, TCM, The Dark Knight, The Pursuit of Happyness, TNT, Tropic Thunder, Will Smith