From Sunday morning’s Pro Football Talk :


A radio industry source tells us that ESPN has put Dan Snyder on notice. We’re told that Snyder (above), who has bought three ESPN radio affiliates in the D.C. area and has dubbed them “Triple X” radio, must boost the signal strength of the three radio stations by January 1, or ESPN will yank its programming from each of them.

The stations, bought by Snyder’s Red Zebra company for a reported $33 million in January 2006, carry primarily ESPN Radio content during weekdays, with a three-hour show hosted by John Riggins replacing the Eric Kuselias Sports Bash from Bristol and a one-hour noon-time show with Larry Michael pre-empting the final hour of Colin Cowherd’s show.

“Triple X” is WWXT-FM 92.7 in Prince Frederick, Maryland, WWXX-FM 94.3 in Warrenton Virginia, and WXTR-AM 730 in Alexandria.

So essentially, ESPN’s whooping sticks in this instance are the Goldberg/Golic program (which can be seen/heard on ESPN2, along with the net) and Dan Patrick Show (again, a program that is streamed over the net). As unaccustomed as I am to siding with Daniel Snyder, the question has to be asked of the Worldwide Leader, is this a threat or a promise? That ESPN Radio ranks as the best of a very bad lot when it comes to networks isn’t saying very much. Snyder’s already choosing to cherrypick from Bristol U.’s thin talent pool and if the latter’s most bankable assets aren’t even available on an exclusive basis, where’s the leverage here?

Two of the Ravens’ team buses collided en route to the airport prior to today’s game at Cleveland. Brian Billick’s sense of self-importance was uninjured.

Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki reports Jets WR Laveranues Cole is more doubtful for today’s game with Buffalo than a Mark Gastineau / Adrenalin O.D. collaboration. Not in those exact words, but you get the idea.

There is, as it turns out,  a purpose for Marcus Vick in this world.