Going with the (over)flow ...

More media notes that didn't make it into today's L.A. Daily News column or notebook:

-- Posted too late Thursday to include in the "Chokes" section of today's print edition -- and maybe that's now done on purpose -- the latest blog entry on WeAreSC.com from USC play-by-play man Pete Arbogast reverts back to him begging for fulltime work, this time again on the radio station, 710-AM, that carries Trojans games.
Here's the best nugget of the Thursday posting:

I actually got asked for the very first time this year, to appear on the Gary and Demarco show, this was a request made last Tuesday. First time I’ve been asked to appear on any show on the USC flagship station. Then, the next day, Gary Miller was released/quit left to enjoy other endeavors in his career. So I have applied to become co-host of the show. Since I am otherwise unemployed, and certainly qualified to do an all-purpose talk show, not to mention close sales, do updates, report from game sites and do commercials, it seems that I might be a reasonable fit. Farr says he would welcome the partnership. My fingers are crossed. Anyone else besides me would like to hear the Voice of the Trojans on full time on the Trojan station? Okay, then, it’s almost unanimous. Heck yeah I’m campaigning!

-- Of all the excerpts from Bob Miller’s new book, “Tales From the Los Angeles Kings" (with Randy Schultz, $24.95, Sports Publishing LLC), the one that had a natural link to us involves a time in the mid-1980s when the Kings’ play-by-play man was contacted by a writer doing a story on Jack Kent Cooke for Los Angeles Magazine. Miller admits he had a rather stormy relationship with the former Kings owner, referring to him in the book as someone who could be “tyrannical, overbearing, shrewd, impressive, intelligent and dynamic.� And one who always would have the last word. After the magazine story came out, the author contacted Miller and asked if he thought he’d been quoted accurately. Miller agreed. But Cookie had called the writer to say “Miller was a disgruntled employee and he’s spreading lies.� The writer then used many of Miller’s quotes in a similar story for Washingtonian Magazine – Cooke, who owned the Washington Redskins at the time, lived in the DC area of Virginia. Miller picks up the story: “A few weeks later, I got a call from my former broadcast partner Dan Avey. He told me Cooke had called him while in Los Angeles and even though Dan had not spoken to Cooke for some 12 years, Cooke didn’t say hello … but just started: ‘Dan, what is Miller up to? He’s spreading falsehoods.’ Cooke at the time owned the Los Angeles Daily News so I decided to … phone the newspaper and was told that he was leaving California that night, but he would call me back. The Kings were opening the 1988-89 season that night and were playing games on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. By Sunday, I had not heard from Cooke. I had made a list of points I was going to make during our phone call, and since I no longer worked for him, I was determined not to be intimidated. After the weekend games I was home on Monday morning having almost forgotten about the call to Cooke when the phone rang and a woman said, ‘Mr. Miller, please hold for Mr. Cooke.’ I panicked. My notes were upstairs, and I was downstairs. Cooke came on the phone and bellowed, ‘You called me!’ I said, ‘Yes, Mr. Cooke. I understand you’re upset over the magazine articles.’ He said: ‘I’m more than upset. I’m mortified, that you would spread such lies … Goodbye.’ And he hung up. A week later, I told the story to Kings owner Bruce McNall, who got a laugh out of it and then I said, ‘Bruce, don’t ever sell the team back to Cooke, or I’m the first one to go.’�

--For those who can’t decide which college bowl game they’ll watch until they know the announcers, the assignments were formally announced this week: Thom Brennaman, Barry Alvarez and Charles Davis are the motlely crew doing the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl and then the Jan. 8 BCS title game on Jan. 8, both in Glendale, Ariz. (home of the new Dodgers spring training site); Terry Donahue and Pat Haden join Matt Vasgersian for the Jan. 2 Orange Bowl on Fox; Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long are the analysts for Kenny Albert’s call the Jan. 3 Sugar Bowl for Fox; Brent Musburger, Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit will be assigned to ABC’s coverage of the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl (which could include USC and a sequel to Pete Carroll’s disguist with Musburger’s signal stealing.

--Vootage.com, the high school football website that launched this season, will cover the Long Beach Poly-Mater Dei playoff opener tonight (7:30 p.m.) using KDOC-TV's footage. Former USC broadcaster Tom Kelly does play by play and Gary Paskwietz is the colorman.

--Part of the 10-game high school basketball schedule that ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU plan to start on Dec. 7 include new USC recruit O.J. Mayo (pictured) and his Huntington, West Va., team against New Jersey’s St. Patrick on Feb. 22 on ESPN2.

-- We hate tossing around ratings, since we don't trust 'em, but the fact Fox decided to unload on NBC's "Sunday Night Football" package makes this note relevant: Fox reports that in the first week of "flex scheduling," the Fox national game (featuring New Orleans and Pittsburgh), one that the NFL "hand picked" to be put on the network and moved from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. (PDT), delivered a 13.6 rating and 25 share (21.8 million viewers). Meanwhile, the New York Giants-Chicago game that the NFL took from Fox and gave to NBC, had a 12.4 rating, 10 percent lower than Fox.

--GrindTV.com, an El Segundo-based Website that focuses on extreme and action sports, sent its entire staff to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii for six weeks to cover the entire Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Series (which runs through Dec. 20). GrindTV.com plans to cover each contest through video and audio clips, news, stats and interviews.

--NHL Interactive CyberEnterprises President Keith Ritter said that the NHL’s new deal to create its own channel on YouTube.com “will launch either next week or shortly after Thanksgiving, depending upon how quickly technical issues can be sorted out," according to the New York Daily News. The thought behind this is to air more uncut, behind-the-scenes action that didn't air during national Versus telecasts, and generating revenue for the league really isn't a key consideration here. You'd think, however, if the NHL really wanted better exposure, it would have taken this technology and put it on its own NHL.com site.

-- During an online chat Tuesday on Dodgers.com, Vin Scully fielded questions from fans, one who asked: "Has 57 years (on the air) caught up to you at all?" Said Scully: "I think what's happened is that I know I have to take better care of myself than when I first started. The rigors of the season are tough enough on the players, but they're also difficult for the broadcaster. The all-night flights and the three-time zone changes, the extra-inning games. I really have to make sure I get plenty of rest, eat properly, etc. I think that's the biggest difference. Just the awareness that it's not quite as easy as it used to be. But otherwise, thank God, I'm in good health and still love the job."

-- The Golf Channel says it will be in nearly 75 million homes by the end of this year as it is about to launch the first of its 15-year rights agreement to cover PGA Tour events. DirecTV, which has 15.5 million subscribers, is moving it into its upgraded sports tier to its “Total Choice� basic programming package.

--NBA TV has expanded into China to cover an NBA Development League contest between the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (coached by former Lakers guard Michael Cooper) and the Chinese National Team from Ningbo City, China. The second of a two-game series airs Saturday live at 4 a.m., repeated at 2 p.m.

--The Champ Car World Series will air on ESPN beginning in 2007, returning to the network that used to broadcast its
races. ESPN announced the multiyear agreement with the open-wheel racing series to do at least 11 races next season and a full schedule in 2008 on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.

-- George Michael's “Sports Machine,� the syndicated highlight show on NBC Sunday nights that some say established the template for ESPN's "SportsCenter," will go off the air in March after 23 years when host George Michael retires. Michael began the show in 1980 as a late-night local feature on WRC Channel 4 in Washington. NBC recently announced layoffs and staff cuts for the show. ,“I told them, that if I have to lay anyone off, if I have to get rid of any of my staff, then I’m going to take the first bullet,� Michael told the Associated Press. In 1984, “Sports Machine� became the first nationally syndicated sports highlight show. It’s now shown in 194 U.S. markets and 10 foreign countries. Current TV personalities such as David Aldridge, Bonnie Bernstein, Tony Kornheiser, Joe Theismann and Michael Wilbon are among those who did their first on-air work alongside him.

-- Exactly 22 years after his 48-yard "Hail Mary" touchdown pass to Gerard Phelan gave Boston College a 47-45 victory over Miami and secured his Heisman Trophy, Doug Flutie will join Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the call of the B.C.-Miami game that ESPN televises on Thanksgiving at 5 p.m. (PDT)