Tony Hawk is as yesterday as an Uncle Wiggley skateboard from the ’80s.
The big noise in the world of the X Games, starting today in Los Angeles, is Danny Way, skateboarding’s new reigning king. Don’t think so? Name another ‘boarder who has cleared the Great Wall of China.
In its 11th year, the X Games has come a long way since its days of being regarded as a bunch of harebrained kids doing weird stunts on the streets.
Now, the games have their own nightly live coverage on ESPN, a major backer of the competitions. The two-hour shows, hosted by Linda Cohn, air at 7 tonight through Saturday, featuring Moto X, skateboading, BMX and wakeboarding. ESPN also on from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. KMGH-Channel 7 picks up the coverage with three hours live at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
ESPN Deportes offers live coverage daily in Spanish. Friday is officially Deportes Day, featuring appearances by Tego Calderon and Renán Almendárez “El Cucuy” Coello.
Are you ready?
Pro football season is closer than you think, and everybody’s getting into the act. You can’t tell the press-box players without a lineup card.
Fox Sports Net held a conference call on Tuesday to introduce its host and analysts for its new “Pro Football Preview.” Former NFLers Tim Brown and Jason Sehorn will work alongside host Chris Myers on the weekly show, debuting Sept. 9.
ESPN announced two weeks ago Mike Tirico, with Mike Golic and Sterling Sharpe, would supplement the network’s coverage, already featuring Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire on “Sunday Night Football.”
“Monday Night Football,” with Al Michaels and John Madden, a staple on ABC for 36 years, jumps to ESPN starting in the 2006 season but without Madden, who’s switching to NBC next year, where he will be joined in the booth by former player and Fox analyst Chris Collinsworth.
Bob Costas steps in to host NBC’s Sunday night football show, and Fox has signed analyst Troy Aikman through 2011.
Atlanta meets Indianapolis in the American Bowl exhibition game from Tokyo, starting at 3 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2, or you can wait, catch it on tape at 4 p.m. on ESPN. I told you the season was closer than you thought.
Around the dial
NASCAR races dwindling to a precious few, and one of the biggest, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, comes up Sunday. KUSA-Channel 9 begins race-day coverage at noon. Qualifying runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday on TNT … Love the Pack: NFL Network televises the Green Bay Packers-Buffalo Bills scrimmage from Lambeau Field Friday night. … Quotable: “Duh experts. What do dey know?” Chicago Mayor Richard Daley
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
