If networks don’t televise a sport, it doesn’t exist

IT’S amazing to watch “all-sports” ESPN, after virtually ignoring the NHL for years, to so quickly give it the NBA treatment, as per a commitment to its cash rather than to sports fans.

On the other hand, NBC’s weekend “Sports Reports” inserts — long a dishonest misnomer as they only serve NBC and its sports partners — presumably will no longer include NHL news, highlights and promos now that NBC no longer has NHL rights.

Then there’s TNT, the other new NHL partner, which couldn’t have possibly begun its NHL season without throwing the focus on Charles Barkley ,a reach much too far and an insulting, transparent crosspromotion to any hockey fan who hoped for better.

That was the big story from TNT’s first night of televising the NHL: It was going to lead with Charles Barkley.

Rams-Giants, Sunday on Fox. We get two transplanted ESPN jabberers, Adam Amin with Mark Schlereth. Give us strength.

mushnickphilip@gmail.com