TNT Finally Will Go Distance

TNT, for the last 18 years, has televised the events surrounding the NBA All-Star game. But it has been like running an incomplete relay. TNT has always had to pass the baton to a broadcast network before the main event.

But this year, TNT gets to run the anchor lap.

For the first time, the NBA’s marquee midseason event will be on cable and televised in prime time -- at least on the East Coast. Sunday’s game is schedule to start a little before 5:30 p.m. PST.

In some ways, this is a good thing. There is continuity, since just about everything connected with All-Star Weekend will be on TNT -- or NBA TV.

And it’s certainly a plus for TNT.

TNT Senior Vice President of Communications Greg Hughes said, “As a stand-alone event, this is one of the biggest things we’ve ever done in sports.”

So TNT is happy. But what about fans who do not have cable television? Nationally, TNT is in 81% of all television households. In Los Angeles, it’s 76%.

Magic Johnson, who among other things is a studio analyst for TNT, doesn’t see that as a big negative.

“It’s going to be like a Super Bowl -- there’ll be lots of NBA All-Star parties,” he said. “Anyone who wants to watch the game is going to find someone who has cable television. Or they’ll find a sports bar. Trust me, they’re going to watch the game.”

Should MJ Start?

On a TNT conference call with reporters this week, Johnson said he wished Michael Jordan had accepted offers from Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson to take their starting place.

“It’s such an emotional moment for all of us,” Johnson said. “Yet I understand he doesn’t want to have someone give him something because he is such a proud man.”

Play-by-play announcer Marv Albert, who was also on the call, had a different point of view.

“If he comes off the bench, he’s going to get an amazing ovation, which might be more dramatic than the announcement of him in the starting lineup,” Albert said. “When he gets off the bench and walks down to the scorer’s table to report, all that excitement and anticipation will build into a crescendo. I think it will stop the game.”

Said Johnson: “Marv is right. I never thought of it like that, but as I heard him talk, I got goose bumps. I think he should do it like that.”

Another Kind of Crazy

TNT commentator Jeff Van Gundy, who’ll be working with Albert and Mike Fratello on Sunday’s game, said last week that Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant shouldn’t be All-Stars because they were playing on a sub-.500 team at the time.

Said Charles Barkley: “I love Jeff, but sometimes he is just crazy.”

All-Star Notes

NBA TV, the league-run channel that was launched in 1999 and is available in 18 million homes with satellite via DirecTV and EchoStar’s Dish Network, will have blanket coverage all weekend. NBA TV will even cover the Rookie Challenge practices today at 4 p.m. The actual event, featuring rookies against second-year players, will be on TNT Saturday at 1 p.m. ... The omnipresent Jack Haley is in Atlanta to file reports for Fox Sports Net’s “Southern California Sports Report.” And John Salley, who went to Georgia Tech, is in Atlanta to file reports for “Best Damn Sports Show Period.”

TNT will televise the All-Star celebrity game live at 5 p.m. today. The teams, coached by Barkley and Kenny Smith, feature celebrity players and former NBA players and current WNBA players. The celebrities include Justin Timberlake, Mark McGrath, Ice Cube, Nelly, Tim McGraw and “Blind Date” host Roger Lodge, who on Monday also becomes the new morning drive host on KMPC (1540).... On Saturday at 3 p.m., following the Rookie Challenge, TNT will have a Jordan special. Jordan is interviewed by TNT’s John Thompson.... At 4 p.m. Saturday will be an All-Star preview followed at 5 p.m. by the 2 1/2-hour “NBA All-Star Saturday Night,” which includes the slam dunk competition, the three-point shootout, a skills competition, Hoop-It-Up, and entertainment.

On Sunday, TNT will have an “Inside the NBA” pregame show at 4:30 p.m. Then at 5 p.m. will be the opening ceremonies, which include live performances by Mariah Carey, Kool & the Gang, the Village People and Gladys Knight. Martina McBride will sing the national anthem and Gloria Reuben will sing the Canadian national anthem. Then comes the tipoff.... The game will be televised in 212 countries. It is also being televised by TNT in HDTV.... The NBA announced Thursday that NBA TV, which recently began televising four live games a week, will begin offering games in HDTV, with the Lakers’ home game against the New York Knicks Feb. 16.

Short Waves

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is on the USA Network Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. (5 p.m. on DirecTV). Showing dogs may or may not be a sport, but it certainly is competitive, as attested in the satirical movie “Best in Show.” Dave Frei, who will be announcing his 14th Westminster show and also shows Afghan hounds, said, “We all saw a little of ourselves in that movie.” Frei this year will be joined by newcomer Charlsie Cantey, better known for her work with racehorses, and newcomer Mark McEwen, formerly a weathercaster on CBS’ “The Early Show.” Frei, 53, is the son of former Oregon football coach and longtime Denver Bronco scout Jerry Frei, who died two years ago at 76.... Bill Macatee had to fill in, at the last minute, for Jim Nantz on CBS’ Bob Hope golf coverage last weekend. Nantz had to leave late Friday because of the death of his mother-in-law.

Chris Evert announced Thursday that she is retiring from broadcasting after a 13-year run of working the French Open and Wimbledon for NBC. “It’s time to experience summer at home with the family,” said Evert, 48.... Fox Sports Net 2 will pick up the YES Network’s coverage of Westchester High’s game against LeBron James’ St. Vincent-St. Mary team Saturday and show it live at 4:30 p.m. The two teams are meeting in the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton, N.J.

For his first show on KMPC (1540) Monday, Lodge’s guests will be Bob Costas and Tom Lasorda. Lodge met Costas in San Diego during Super Bowl Week and discovered he was a fan of “Blind Date.” ... Following Lodge’s 5:30-9 a.m. show will be a new one-hour show with Petros Papadakis and Mark Willard, followed by two hours of James Brown’s morning show, delayed.... KMPC, which is changing its name to “The Ticket,” has hired Dave Smith, fired by KXTA (1150) 10 months ago, for Lodge’s former role as regular fill-in.

Vin Scully won the Southern California Sports Broadcasters’ awards for best television and radio play-by-play at the group’s awards luncheon Monday. When presented with the radio award, he quipped, “I’m not on long enough to foul it up.” However, this coming season, when KFWB (980) becomes the Dodgers’ flagship station, Scully will work a simulcast during the first three innings of televised games instead of only the first two.

In Closing

Ann Meyers Drysdale became the first woman to win the SCSB’s “Good Guy” award, and she was so moved that John Wooden was there to present it she cried during her acceptance.

As for the 92-year-old Wooden, he was as witty as ever. Earlier, Scully had said, “There are three stages of life -- youth, maturity and ‘you’re looking wonderful.’ I’ve heard a lot of ‘you’re looking wonderfuls’ today.”

Said Wooden when it was his turn at the microphone: “Vin, as for advanced age, you don’t even know what it is yet.”