THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040739
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 57 lines
Before we begin today, a question: Aren't you sick of seeing re-runs of Roberto Alomar spitting in umpire John Hirschbeck's face?
Now let's get down to business.
At WAVY, they're doing all they can to make this television market - the 38th largest in the U.S. - Baltimore Ravens' country.
NBC planned to beam only two Baltimore games to WAVY's viewers this season. Whoa, said the WAVY brass. That's not enough Ravens' football for a market a mere 4 1/2-hour drive from Bawl'mer, said WAVY general manager Ed Munson and program director Joe Weller. In the hopes of challenging the Washington Redskins for the hearts and minds of local sofa slugs, WAVY asked for and will be sent two more Ravens games - Baltimore vs. New England Sunday at 1 p.m. and Baltimore vs. San Francisco on Nov. 17 at 4 p.m.
The November game is crucial to establishing this television market's tie to the Ravens, recently transplanted to Memorial Stadium from Cleveland.
The ratings' sweeps take place in November. That is when Nielsen will tally up how many homes in Hampton Roads are watching Ravens football. The test.
``We're hoping to put a dent in the Redskins' ratings,'' said Munson. (No Washington-Baltimore TV showdown on Nov. 17 because the Redskins play Philadelphia at 1 p.m. They're idle this week).
Munson has been hearing from viewers like Daniel Mueller in Norfolk who want to bond with the boys in Baltimore. But how can we, asks Mueller, when NBC sends us Houston-Pittsburgh games? Said Mueller, ``Does it make sense to give us games of absolutely no regional interest?''
Do you want to see more of Earnest Byner and the other Ravens in their hideous uniforms with the awesomely ugly big ``B'' on their helmets? Let me know by dialing Infoline 640-5555, press 2486.
The Charlottesville connection: Frank Boyle in Virginia Beach called to ask if U.Va. coach George Welsh has a weekly TV show. He does, indeed, Frank.
Home Team Sports carries ``Cavaliers' Football With George Welsh'' on Sundays at noon. Like Boyle, and your humble columnist, Welsh hails from Pennsylvania's hard-coal country where in the 1950s quarterback Welsh at Coaldale High School made life miserable for his opponents, including my McAdoo High Schoool team.
It's the other sports channel: The Nashville Network is more than Wynonna music videos. They set out a sizeable sports feast on TNN - everything from bull riding to drag racing to NASCAR Grand National events. Tonight at 8 on TNN, it's the ``Western States Demolition Derby Showdown'' live from Reno, Nev. I'll take it over bowling any day.
And may the best woman win: It's not another Mike Tyson fight they crave. Subscribers to Cox sports pay-per-view events clamor for women in the ring. And they shall have it Saturday at 9 p.m. - the ``Toughwoman World Championship.'' The women fight in three one-minute rounds. Cost is $14.95.
Can basketball be far behind? Tonight at 8, ESPN begins its 26-game NHL schedule with Colorado defending the Stanley Cup against St. Louis. ESPN2 has 78 games.
And let us not leave today without wishing a happy third birthday to ESPN2, which has quadrupled its audience to 40 million homes since it was launched. by CNB