Behind the Mic: ESPN Adds Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose to NBA Countdown; Brenly Returns to D-Backs Booth

Compiled by Jason Dachman, Managing Editor, SVG

ESPN/ABC has revamped its Kia NBA Countdown pre-game show, adding Grantland editor-in-chief Bill Simmons and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose to the lineup. The outspoken blogger/author/podcast host and former NBA star join Magic Johnson and Michael Wilbon in a roundtable format. Rose will also serve as a college basketball studio analyst for College GameDay and as an analyst for ESPN2’s Numbers Never Lie.

Meanwhile, Jon Barry will transition to game analysis with regular assignments throughout the season and Chris Broussard will continue to serve as ESPN NBA Insider for SportsCenter and other news and information programming, as well as a reporter for ESPN’s game coverage. Both were featured on NBA Countdown in the past. According to reports, ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy was set to join Countdown instead of Rose, but the idea was shot down by NBA commissioner David Stern, paving the way for Rose…

…Former Arizona manager Bob Brenly has rejoined the Diamondbacks as a television analyst after he left the Chicago Cubs’ broadcast crew earlier this week. The Diamondbacks also hired Steve Berthiaume to handle play-by-play duties on Fox Sports Arizona. They replaced analyst Mark Grace and play-by-play broadcaster Daron Sutton. Grace left voluntarily in August after his second drunken driving arrest in 15 months. Sutton was suspended on June 30 for unspecified “philosophical differences.” Berthiaume is leaving ESPN, where he was a “Baseball Tonight” and “SportsCenter” host. Greg Schulte is returning to his radio position after finishing the season on TV in place of Sutton…

…Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski has rejoined FOX Sports as a pregame and postgame analyst for coverage of the 2012 National League Championship Series and World Series. This year is Pierzynski’s second-straight as an analyst for the network…

…CBS Sports Network’s new live, late night show, LEAD OFF, (12:00-1:00 AM, ET) has added Allie LaForce as co-host, teaming with Doug Gottlieb. LaForce previously worked for Fox 8 News in Cleveland, Ohio as a sports anchor, as well as a color analyst and sideline reporter for the regional sports network SportsTime Ohio.  She also has been a studio host covering the Mid-American Conference and various high school championships.  In 2005, LaForce was named Miss Teen USA, the first winner from the state of Ohio. LEAD OFF debuts on Monday, Oct. 22…

CBS Sports Radio continued to add to its weekday lineup this week, naming John Feinstein as the host of its 9:00AM-12:00PM, ET slot. “The John Feinstein Show” will be heard on over 50 stations nation-wide, including many in major markets.  In addition to his role as host, Feinstein will continue to contribute to the hourly “CBS Sports Minute” feature heard on CBS Sports Radio stations. CBS Sports Radio will make its 24/7 debut on Wednesday, January 2, 2013.

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