The Media Learning Curve: Aug. 21-Sept. 4

Those at The Big Lead asked the question recently to media reporters (linked here): Who's the most thin-skinned sports TV person you've had to deal with?

The top five:
1. Keith Olbermann
2. Bob Costas
3. Mike Lupica
4. Tony Kornheiser
5. Chris Berman

From our experience, three of those five are all good on that list. From our experience, put No. 2 in the No. 1 spot, move No. 1 to the No. 5 spot and elevate No. 5 to the No. 2 slot.

If any of them were ever to be spoofed on "Saturday Night Live" -- and I'm thinking of Ben Affleck's portrayal of Olbermann (and Miss Precious Perfect) and his "Countdown" show -- they'd try to laugh it off on the outside but it would simply tear them apart on the inside.

Carrying this further, we have another two-week gap to speed through on what we learned heading into the new school year:

== With Vin Scully, the Wall Street Journal says he uses too many words -- and maybe we value that in L.A. (linked here)

== Did you hear the latest gaff that Eric Collins had during a Dodger broadcast (linked here, scroll down past the lead item)

== Fewer, and fewer ... and fewer ... are watching "Shaq Vs." (linked here)

== Will Michael Irvin (late of ESPN and CBS) be newsworthy enough get you to watch the NFL Net? (linked here)

== At least a dozen NFL teams (including your San Diego Chargers) are already fearing local TV blackouts due to the lack of sellouts -- and the economy is to blame? (linked here)

== Was that Erin Andrews who's confessing on Oprah, or a different blonde lady? (linked here)

== Stacey Dales is in, and Lindsay Soto seems to be out, at the NFL Network's Sunday AM program with Spero Dedes (linked here).

== Another cool job for newspaper sportswriters to seguey to: University PR departments (linked here).

== Do you quiver in fear at the sight of Tony Kornheiser? (linked here)

== Virtually, a eye-teasing game played by ESPN (linked here).

== The MLB already has its post-season schedule mapped out between TBS and Fox ... it starts Wednesday, Oct. 7 and could finish on Thursday, Nov. 5 (linked here) Yup, the World Series begins Oct. 28 -- the latest in history.

== Remember ESPN's mini series, "The Bronx Is Burning"? Reggie Jackson does ... go ahead, ask him about it. (linked here)

== As someone named "The Ruckmaker" says: "So newspaper columnists are irrelevant because their thoughts get published on paper, but online columnists are more relevant because their thoughts are published online. Is that it?" (linked here)

== Sportswriters gamble? What are the odds of that happening? (linked here)

== AND FINALLY:

= What if the NHL bailed out on Versus and signed up with ... The Food Network (linked here). Have another Tim Horton's donut.