The eyes of the soccer world – which is pretty much the eyes of the world – will be on Denver Saturday.
ESPN/ABC, propelled by a strong U.S. audience for the World Cup, is diving into coverage of soccer with both boots, starting with Saturday’s match-up of DC United and the Colorado Rapids from the new Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City (1:30 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7). The park is one of five U.S. soccer-specific stadiums.
ESPN launches “MLS Primetime Thursday” next week, featuring new replays, new graphics and a virtual offsides line. For the first time, all the coverage, including the MLS All-Star Game in Denver on July 19, is in high definition.
Masters of the house
Say “Amen” somebody. The Masters tournament, often called the best four days in golf, returns to CBS for the 52nd consecutive year this week. It’s an event sportswriters flock to. What’s not to like? It’s got warm weather, the world’s best hitters of golf balls, and azaleas.
Jim Nantz, for the 22nd year, hosts (1:30 p.m. Saturday; 12:30 p.m. Sunday, KCNC-Channel 4).
In a CBS teleconference call earlier this week, Nantz recalled the 1997 tournament when Tiger Woods burst on the scene. “I think we had all anticipated that the world of golf had changed. No one imagined we’d be talking about 50 tournament wins. It’s a bit mind blowing.”
Asked about the wave of younger, long-haired golfers on the circuit, new analyst Nick Faldo responded, “They’re colorful. That’s the most important thing. I’m all for it.”
No need to wait for the weekend to get that golf – or hairdo – fix. USA Network carrying the first two rounds of the Masters at 2 p.m. today and Friday.
Around the dial
Oops: Altitude missed the first 10 minutes of Tuesday’s “must-win” (aren’t they all?) Avs game in Calgary because of “technical difficulties,” leaving Mike Haynes and Peter McNab to call the game via tin can and a wire. The Avs have another must-win game against Vancouver tonight (8 p.m., Altitude) … Maine meets Michigan State and North Dakota takes on Boston College in the NCAA Frozen Four hockey tournament (2 and 6 tonight, ESPN2). The finals are Saturday … FSN carrying 1,800 major-league baseball games covering 9,800 hours, this season … New guy Ron Jaworski joins Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” NFL preseason opener featuring the Broncos and the 49ers on Aug. 13 … Sunday’s major-league opener pitting St. Louis and the N.Y. Mets on ESPN2 drew 3.5 million viewers, the most ever for a regular-season telecast … Quotable: “Soccer is a game in which everyone does a lot of running around. Twenty-one guys stand around and one guy does a tap dance with the ball.” Jim Murray.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-954-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
