Greedy CBS accidentally leaks NCAA tournament bracket to Twitter

There were no surprises during CBS Sports' NCAA Tournament Selection Show — at least not if you were paying attention to your Twitter account.

The NCAA said Sunday night it is looking into how a copy of this year's March Madness tournament bracket got leaked online during the network's newly extended Sunday Selection show.

The bracket was being shared on Twitter about 20 minutes after the start of the two-hour broadcast, generating thousands of retweets just about the same time Charles Barkley was onscreen fumbling around with a touch screen monitor making his picks.

So all you Twitter followers already knew about the Syracuse inclusion and Monmouth snub before CBS had a chance to announce it on TV.

It's not clear who posted the tweet, which was labeled "Spoiler alert." The account used a Kansas logo as its avatar photo, with the name "Sarcastic Prick."  

The user later changed the name and protected the account, shortly before it appeared to be deleted and turned over to a different user.

"We go through great lengths to prevent the tournament field from being revealed early and the NCAA took its usual measures to protect this from happening," the NCAA said Sunday night in a statement. "Unfortunately, and regrettably, the bracket was revealed prior to our broadcast partners having the opportunity to finish unveiling it. We take this matter seriously and we are looking into it."

CBS declined comment about the first real upset of the tournament.

The revised broadcast drew wide criticism on social media for drawing out the selections and turning the highly anticipated show into a snooze fest. Some Kentucky players actually fell asleep during the show at the home of coach John Calipari. And others waiting for their draw found out about their matchups early as news of the leaked bracket went viral.

Other highlighted teams looked even less enthused.

At Notre Dame, coach Mike Brey said he got a text from his son, Kyle, a tight ends coach at Youngstown State, saying the leaked bracket showed the Irish playing the winner of the Michigan-Tulsa game in Brooklyn.

"I thought he was messing with me," Brey said. "So I just deleted it. Fifteen minutes later we show up, and then I found out we had a little leakage going on. Nothing's secure, huh? That's great. That is so typical. It's so typical of college basketball."

At Pitt, Sterling Smith set the Panthers at ease early during the selection show, sharing the leaked bracket that showed them as the 10th seed in the East Region. "We were wondering what we were going to do for that entire time. All of a sudden we knew rather quickly," said coach Jamie Dixon.

Xavier forward James Farr said he saw the leaked bracket on his phone while the Musketeers were still waiting to learn their seeding and opponent, but he didn't say anything to his teammates. "I didn't want to ruin anything," Farr said. "I thought it was somebody's prediction of the bracket."

It serves CBS right for holding the audience hostage for an extended hour while they tried to rake in the extra bucks from ad revenue.

Another example of sports trying to milk the cow dry but, ending up getting pinched on the teat.

Mayweather might bid farewell to boxing on free TV: Report

Consensus welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. — still basking in his record-breaking pay-per-view fight against Manny Pacquiao — is reportedly considering making his scheduled late-summer bout the fighter's last — and on free TV.

Mayweather insisted after the May 2 defeat of Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas that he'd return for a 49th and final fight in September, and an industry source told CBSSports.com on Wednesday that a short list of opponents is being pondered for a Sept. 12 event that could be broadcast live on CBS.

An announcement is possible as soon as the end of the week, the source said.

“Absolutely,” he said. “One-hundred percent serious.”

The 38-year-old Mayweather signed a six-fight deal with Showtime Networks — a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CBS Corporation — in February 2013 and has since defeated Robert Guerrero, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Marcos Maidana (twice) and Pacquiao.

That relationship between Showtime and CBS has always made a Mayweather fight on the broadcast network a possibility and what better way to say goodbye to the fight game than a free gift to his fans.

The Pacquiao fight generated 4.4 million buys for a joint Showtime-HBO production and made Mayweather — who pocketing more than $200 million from the bout — the highest paid athlete in the world.

A Mayweather win in September would leave him with a record of 49-0 — which would tie him with legendary heavyweight Rocky Marciano's remarkable run before his untimely death.

It's hard to believe Mayweather would leave that milestone hanging but a source suggested Mayweather's retirement was likely because of diminished passion for the sport and the business.

"After five more fights get me to 49-0, guess what?” he once said. “I think we may stay in the sport. We may just stay a little longer."

But later pulled back, saying “We don't know. Only time will tell. Hopefully, I'll keep my fingers crossed, but by that time I'll be 40 years old.”

Meanwhile, veteran matchmaker/businessman Rick Glaser thinks it'll be at least 2016 before Mayweather finally hangs up his gloves.

“Highly unlikely (he retires in September),” Glaser told CBSSports.com.

Still, fighting on free TV would be nice.

Inventor of TV instant replay, Tony Verna, dies at 81: Report

The man who invented instant replay for live sports 51 years ago, passed away Sunday at age 81.

Tony Verna — a name not recognizable to most fans but a well-known innovator in his field — is gone but, left behind, arguably, the most important invention in live sports television broadcasting ever.

The noted television director and producer was behind the idea of using instant replay for the first time in the Dec. 7, 1963 Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia. Before the game, Verna developed a method to cue the tape to pinpoint the play he wanted to immediately air again. He said he was looking for a way to fill those boring gaps between plays during a football telecast.

The concept was so new that when Army quarterback Rollie Stichweh scored a touchdown, announcer Lindsey Nelson had to warn viewers: "This is not live! Ladies and gentlemen, Army did not score again!"

Instant replay quickly became a staple of sports broadcasting. And today it's hard to imagine any televised athletic event that doesn't and can't use Verna's simple idea. Whether it's replaying an exciting moment, close finish or reviewing a call from the officials booth, the ubiquitous technical effect has become an important part of the television viewing experience and each game itself.

And, oh yeah, it fills in those boring gaps between plays.

  

And these days, when instant replay is taken for granted, it's only when controversy rears its celluloid head, does his invention make headlines.

Verna went on to produce or direct five Super Bowls, the Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and even "Live Aid."

Thanks again ... and again Tony Verna.

Anthony Bosch to discuss injecting A-Rod, Biogenesis on '60 Minutes' Sunday night

Major League Baseball's star witness against Alex Rodriguez, Anthony Bosch, is scheduled to appear on CBS television's "60 Minutes" Sunday night along with MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred.

According to a press release from the show, Bosch will say he personally delivered— and injected— banned substances, including testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1 and human growth hormone, to Rodriguez at least a dozen times and that A-Rod paid him $12,000 a month in cash.

Rodriguez was suspended a record 162 games on Saturday as arbitrator Fredric Horowitz reduced the original 211-game ban. The ruling was a huge win for MLB even though the ban was reduced.

The suspension would not have been possible without Bosch, the former Biogenesis chief who eventually cooperated with MLB's investigation. He provided the league with phone records and corroborated other evidence.

Bosch's first public interview will air on Sunday night, as part of a 60 Minutes segment with Scott Pelley. Among his claims:

-He personally delivered banned substances, including testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1 and human growth hormone to Rodriguez at least a dozen times and Rodriguez paid him $12,000 a month in cash.

-He personally injected Rodriguez because "Alex is scared of needles, so at times, he would ask me to inject."

-Rodriguez's mission was to hit 800 home runs and that the Yankee slugger asked him for what he gave MLB superstar Manny Ramirez, a former Bosch client

-Text messages obtained by 60 Minutes between him and Rodriguez indicate that at times they communicated daily about the substances the slugger took on his "protocol"

-Says Rodriguez associates intimidated him to try to prevent him from cooperating with MLB in its investigation of the Yankee third baseman.

Manfred is expected to tell Pelley that he believes threats against Bosch could be legitimate. He also denied a claim by Rodriguez's legal team that Bosch was given $5 million for his cooperation.

A-Rod reportedly turned down numerous interview requests from 60 Minutes. His attorney Joe Tacopina said in an email that he had not been asked to appear.

The segment will air on Sunday, Jan.12 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

CBS Wants Tebow For Playoff Studio Show

Think you've seen the last of Tebow-time after the 45-10 thrashing of the Denver Broncos quarterback at the hands the New England Patriots?  Don't count on it.

Hoping to cash in on the Tim Tebow craze, CBS is trying to put the TV ratings-maker on television screens next Sunday even though he won't be playing in the AFC Championship game.

USA Today reports that the network has asked Tebow to appear as a guest analyst in its studio show.

"We've had conversations with his people,' said Sean McManus, CBS Sports chairman.  "We have a request in.  We haven't heard back."

CBS said they are expecting to get an answer from Tebow by mid-week.

The network may have to get on one knee and Tebow to lure in additional viewers.

The much ballyhooed rematch between Tebow and Tom Brady was, relatively, a ratings bust— probably due to the one-sided dominance by the Patriots.

While Tebow-mania was building over the past few weeks, so were the Nielson ratings until Saturday.

Early stats reported by USA Today that the audience for the Broncos-Patriots AFC divisional playoff game peaked early between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET, during the game's first half.  Viewers turned away as Tebow floundered and Brady helped the Patriots build up a big lead.

The blowout drew a 20.6 overnight rating, slightly behind the New Orleans Saints-San Francisco 49ers game it followed.  Still, the game was up 14% from the Green Bay Packers-Atlanta Falcons game in the same time-slot last year.

"If it [the game] had a chance to build [drama], it could have been a record rating," said McManus.  "But I'll take it."

CBS analyst— and former Broncos tight end— Shannon Sharpe said he thinks Tebow should take advantage of a national stage (pulpit?) while he can.

"The fans love this guy," said Sharpe.  "I don't know if (another player) can come in there and get an honest shake at beating him out for the starting job."

Not so fast says ESPN analyst Merril Hoge— a frequent Tebow critic.  He thinks that Tebow-mania will fade away like other trends.

"It's kind of like barbed-wire tattoos or bell bottoms.  (Tebow has been) a fad." Hoge said.

Doesn't Hoge realize that tattoos don't disappear and Jordache jeans are already making a comeback in hipster neighborhoods?

Eric LeGrand Makes CBS Network Debut In Style

Just over a year ago, Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down after making a tackle against Army.  He was originally told he would never breathe without a ventilator and only given a fraction of a chance of regaining his neurological functions.  Today, the inspirational young man who went to college to become a sports broadcaster made his national network debut on CBS's "College Football Today."

Since LeGrand's unfortunate injury, he has been taking classes and making great progress in his therapy sessions-- as well as-- his chosen field.

Sitting next to the show's host Tim Brando, wearing a stylish, three-piece black suit with a Rutgers pin on the lapel, LeGrand fielded questions with ease and confidence.  And why not?  The well-spoken and insightful LeGrand is already an analyst for the Rutgers Football Radio Network and made his television broadcast debut a couple of weeks ago for SNY as an in-studio analyst.

It's hard not to root for LeGrand-- a young man who knows the game and and takes his passion for the sport from the field to the booth.

Here's a guy who never looked back and asked, "Why me?"  Now he just looks forward and says, "Why not?"