TNT in New Orleans; Media notebook

Published: November 3, 2006

TNT (Cox 31) has announced it will bring its NBA studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Charles Smith to New Orleans Arena on Dec. 14 when the Hornets host the San Antonio Spurs for a 7 p.m. telecast on TNT.

"We'll certainly be concentrating on the human interest stories as they continue in their recovery process," said Jeff Behnke, Turner Sports executive producer.

However, neither Barkley nor the studio team has made plans to come to Oklahoma City.

Barkley received national attention in February after taking some playful shots at Oklahoma, calling the state a "vast wasteland."

"We plan to sit down with Charles once the NBA season tips-off to go over his schedule and discuss a potential trip to Oklahoma City," Behnke said.

• ESPN has announced that former OU women's basketball standout Stacey Dales will be a studio analyst for the network's "Big Monday" men's telecasts this team. Dales will work with host Rece Davis and former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps. Ron Franklin, Fran Fraschilla and Holly Rowe will return as the broadcast team for the Big 12 games.

• The NBA League Pass of out-of-market games has added a channel in which viewers can view a rotating mosaic of up to eight games (four games rotating on two panels). Cox is offering a free preview of the package, available for $179, through Tuesday.

• FSN Southwest (Cox 37) pays tribute to Jeff Bagwell's career with the Houston Astros with a one-hour special at 7 tonight.

• "The Oklahoma Sports Express," 7:30 p.m. Sunday, KAUT-43, will look back at the state cheerleading championships for A, 2A and 3A and will have a story on a blind cross country runner.

• Pat Summerall called the San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears game Sunday for Fox. Summerall requested the work as a warm-up for his play-by-play duties for the 2007 Cotton Bowl duties.