The Media Learning Curve: Jan. 1-8

In passing, just a sad week overall at the Media Learning Center.

We press forward.

== Some more nice words in the broadcasting community about the passing of Rory Markas includes one from former KCBS Channel 2 collegue Keith Olbermann (linked here) on his MLB.com blog: "People like him have not only a great gift, but are themselves a gift to the rest of us."

==Another by Dodger Talk co-host Ken Levine (linked here): "May he always be the voice of the Angels - Los Angeles or otherwise."

==Another from a couple of Orange County filmmakers who used Markas' baseball calls in a movie that'll come out later this month called "The Yankles" (linked here).

==And Pete Arbogast had a nice little piece on WeAreSC.com (linked here). If only he spelled "Markus" correctly. Rory Markas and I go way back. "I've always wanted to do this job again....just not this way. I will do my best to honor his memory and do the best job I can do."

== More on the memorial service last Saturday in the Pacific Palisades for former KFWB-AM sportsanchor Rod Van Hook (linked here).

== The Thoroughbred Times (linked here) reports that TV writer David Milch and director Michael Mann are working on a horse racing drama series called "Luck" that focuses on the culture of thoroughbreds. Shooting is scheduled to start in April probably at Santa Anita. Milch is also the owner of thoroughbred racehorses, including two Breeders' Cup champions. The site also reports (linked here) that NBC and ESPN Radio were given Eclipse Awards.

== If Craig James leaves ESPN as a college football game analyst -- and after his participation in the Texas Tech scandal, his credibility is in question -- he's always got some political aspirations that could come back and bite Mike Leach on the rear end (linked here).

== Beware: Joe Theisman is on your early NBC NFL playoff telecast Saturday (linked here)

== And if you think this blog entry is too long, newspapers stories are worse (linked here).

== AND FINALLY:

More cowbell, to get us through the weekend: