It's that time of year again. With "Selection Sunday" fast approaching in less than 2 weeks on CBS, the network along with Turner Sports' trio of TNT, TBS & TruTV team up once again this year for exclusive coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The respective networks have announced their teams for the tournament, starting with the "First Four" in Dayton, OH March 13th & 14th and ending with the National Championship Game April 2nd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

Once again this year, CBS Sports' lead NCAA team of Jim Nantz & Clark Kellogg will be the networks' #1 crew for the upcoming tournament. Turner's Steve Kerr will join Jim, Clark & sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson for the first night of the "First Four" in Dayton, OH Tuesday, March 13th on TruTV, DIRECTV 246. The four of them will reunite for the Final Four in New Orleans March 31st and the National Championship Game April 2nd on CBS.

As for night #2 of the NCAA's "First Four" in Dayton Wednesday, March 14th, those games will be called by CBS' Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel on TruTV. Turner's Lewis Johnson will join Ian & Jim for the call of those games in Dayton. As they say on TV, "...but wait, there's more..."

CBS Sports will once again this year utilize the New York-based studio team of Greg Gumbel, along with former Bull Greg Anthony and TNT's "Inside the NBA" trio of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley & Kenny Smith. Gumbel & Johnson will split hosting duties in New York, while Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis heads to Turner's Atlanta home to work studio coverage there for the first weekend of the tournament. Davis will be in the ATL with host Matt Winer & NBA TV's Steve Smith before Seth rejoins the CBS guys in NYC for the regional semifinals & finals the following weekend.

As for those assignments...

*Jim Nantz & Clark Kellogg
*Marv Albert & Steve Kerr
*Verne Lundquist & Bill Raftery
*Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore & Reggie Miller
*Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel
*Brian Anderson & Dan Bonner
*Tim Brando & Mike Gminski
*Spero Dedes & Bob Wenzel

Sideline Reporters: Tracy Wolfson, Lesley Visser, Craig Sager, Marty Snider, Lewis Johnson, Jaime Maggio & Otis Livingston

ONIONS !

_________________
Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

What I forgot to mention in listing the announcers for CBS & Turner Sports' upcoming coverage of the NCAA Basketball Tournament is that Kevin Harlan appears to have moved up the depth chart. He & his NBA/TNT partner Reggie Miller will be working NCAA Tournament games with Len Elmore next month. Len previously worked tournament games with Gus Johnson, who has since left CBS Sports to become FOX Sports' lead college football & basketball voice via the FOX-owned Big Ten Network & FSN out West.

The one newcomer this year is Brian Anderson. Not the former White Sox centerfielder turned pitcher in the Royals' minor league system, but the PBP voice of the Brewers on FOX Sports Wisconsin. He's worked the last couple of postseasons for Turner/TBS Sports in the MLB Division Series. Brian, who I believe has worked some Big Ten games on BTN since the end of the MLB season, will be paired with Kevin's former partner Dan Bonner come tournament time.

For the tournament, I hope they do the starts times better this year, too staggard last year.

On the weekend, they had too many games by themself.

The plan is regardless of start time, you can see EVERY single game of the NCAA Basketball Tournament regardless if it's on CBS, TNT, TBS or TruTV. However, TruTV is still NOT available in HD, unlike the other channels mentioned above.

You can't say the same about radio coverage though. Although the bulk of the games will be carried on ESPN Radio 1000 locally via Westwood One's Dial Global/NCAA Radio Network, I think 890 WLS-AM will be carrying prime time coverage of games that ESPN 1000 won't be able to broadcast due to Bulls' conflicts.

All of the games will be available online somewhere. When the first day approaches, I will post any working links that I can find.

_________________
Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I mentioned that Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg, Steve Kerr & sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson have the games tonight, the NCAA's "First Four" in Dayton, OH on TruTV, and that Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel & Lewis Johnson will have the games tomorrow. Below is a specific list of where these crews are headed this weekend from East to West:

PITTSBURGH: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Len Elmore & Marty Snider (Sidelines)
COLUMBUS, OH: Tim Brando, Mike Gminski & Otis Livingston (Sidelines)
LOUISVILLE: Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery & Lesley Visser (Sidelines)
NASHVILLE: Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel & Lewis Johnson (Sidelines)
GREENSBORO, NC: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg & Tracy Wolfson (Sidelines)
OMAHA: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr & Craig Sager (Sidelines)
ALBUQUERQUE: Spero Dedes, Bob Wenzel & Jaime Maggio (Sidelines)
PORTLAND, OR: Brian Anderson, Dan Bonner & Jenn Hildreth (Sidelines)

How mad does CBS get, if Peyton announces his decision tommorow where he plays on the start of the Tournament.

Have your pencils & scorecards ready. SHARK Sports has learned who CBS/Turner Sports & Dial Global/NCAA Radio Network will send to the Regional Semifinals & Finals next weekend:

THURSDAY:
NCAA East Regional: TD Garden, Boston
CBS: Verne Lundquist & Bill Raftery
Sidelines: Lesley Visser

Dial Global: Kevin Kugler & Pete Gillen

NCAA West Regional: US Airways Center, Phoenix
TBS: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller & Len Elmore
Sidelines: Marty Snider

Dial Global: Dave Sims & Bill Frieder

FRIDAY:
NCAA Midwest Regional: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis
TBS: Marv Albert & Steve Kerr
Sidelines: Craig Sager

Dial Global: Wayne Larrivee & Fran Fraschilla (On Loan from ESPN)

NCAA South Regional: Georgia Dome, Atlanta (Site of 2013 Final Four)
CBS: Jim Nantz & Clark Kellogg
Sidelines: Tracy Wolfson

Dial Global: Ian Eagle & John Thompson

In Chicago, Dial Global/NCAA Radio Network being broadcast locally on ESPN Radio 1000.

A little suprised they didn't send the number 1 crew of Nantz and Kellog to St Louis for a possible Carolina-Kansas Elite 8 game.

Actually, it makes sense for Jim, Clark & Tracy to be in Atlanta, Reents, and here's why. First, the Final Four is in New Orleans, and you know CBS Sports will have their "A Team" in attendance to call those games & what we hope will be a better National Championship Game come Monday, April 2nd.

More important than that, Nantz can head down to Augusta National in Augusta, GA right after that game goes final.

Nantz: "A tradition unlike any other. 'The Masters' on CBS."

Nantz, you see, will headline live "Masters" coverage starting with 1st & 2nd Round action on ESPN Thursday, April 5th & Friday, April 6th, and CBS' coverage Saturday, April 7th & Sunday, April 8th, complete with limited interruptions.