Al Michaels throws shade on 'DeflateGate' mention prop bet (VIDEO)

The New England Patriots-Indianapolis Colts game was one of the most anticipated of the season — partly because of the Tom Brady-Andrew Luck rematch but mostly because of that whole DeflateGate thing.

And an online sportsbook offered a prop bet on how many times the word "DeflateGate" — or a reasonable facsimile thereof — would be mentioned on NBC’s "Sunday Night Football" broadcast during the game.

Al Michaels, NBC’s lead play-by-play broadcaster for the NFL, became aware of such a wager and made sure to mention the D-word on air not just once, but four times in a rapid fire sequence: “DeflateGate, DeflateGate, DeflateGate, DeflateGate” taking the air out of the whole bet.

The over/under was 2.5.

Michaels then added, “Four. You won the over.”

Wonder how many of Michaels' buddies cashed in on that one?

Emmitt Smith exits as Miss USA judge citing Trump comments: Report

NBC and Univision's decisions to severe ties with the Miss USA beauty pageant and the Miss Universe Organization, following Donald Trump's controversial comments describing Mexicans as "rapists" and drug-smuggling criminals, has one former NFL star joining their boycott.

Emmitt Smith, who was one of the celebrities set to judge the upcoming Miss USA competition, is backing the broadcast networks by ditching the sweet TV gig.

"In light of Mr. Trump's statements and the subsequent decisions made by NBC, I have decided not to participate as a judge in the 2015 Miss USA pageant," Smith tweeted Wednesday.

pic.twitter.com/z5Z1k7kXAY

— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) July 1, 2015

The 46-year-old NFL Hall-of-Famer added that his decision is not at all reflective of the pageant contestants.

"Knowing firsthand through my wife, Pat Smith, how much the women prepare for this event, I continue to send my support and best wishes to everyone competing this year."

Reelz, a relatively obscure cable channel, is filling the void left by NBC and will broadcast the event.

The three-hour event set to take place in Baton Rouge, La. on July 12 will also be available for viewing via MissUniverse.com/MissUSA.

NBC wanted hockey players to shave their playoff beards

NBC Sports seems to have a thing against facial hair and lobbied the NHL to ban the longstanding tradition of players growing out their beards for the Stanley Cup — reportedly so that the league's hockey stars could be more easily identified on TV.

To be specific, it's Mark Lazarus, chairman of the broadcaster's sports division, who told the Chicago Tribune: 

"I know it's a tradition and superstition, but I think (the beards do) hurt recognition. They have a great opportunity with more endorsements. Or simply more recognition with fans saying, 'That guy looks like the kid next door,' which many of these guys do. I think that would be a nice thing."

The NBC executive said he wanted to emphasize how "young and attractive" the players are — but that their facial hair was giving him a hard time.

His comments come as the heavily-bearded Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning meet in the Stanley Cup Finals, with at least two more games to go.

Since the 1980s, teams have vowed grow their beards as long as they stay in the playoffs — which means players who make the final have gone some two months without a using a razor.

But Lazarus thinks the extra hair means fans struggle to recognize which player is which out on the ice, and makes it harder to market them.

"The players won’t like this, but I wish they all would stop growing beards in the postseason," he said.

"Let’s get their faces out there. Let’s talk about how young and attractive they are. What model citizens they are.... These are the most-watched games and they’re all bearded up."  

The Stanley Cup playoffs have been going since mid-April and are winding down. The Lightning are currently leading the series 2-1, with another game Wednesday night. 

Expect the beards to stay.

Tyler Johnson's goal as called by Chinese broadcast crew (VIDEO)

NBC's NHL crew had a little fun Saturday night by offering a glimpse of how the Stanley Cup Finals sounds during a broadcast half way around the world.

In the second period, NBC play-by-play man Mike Emrick told the national TV audience that they were about to hear how the goal Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson scored to give his team a 3-2 lead sounded to those watching in China.

As Emrick noted, the Johnson goal would have been scored at 9 a.m. in China, where it was already Sunday.

You didn't need a translator to know someone scored a goal but, if you did, this guy is available.

Photo by Tony Mangia

NBC bringing back 'Coach' with Craig T. Nelson: Report

Craig T. Nelson will be returning to the sidelines after NBC ordered 13 episodes of a sequel series to the '90's sitcom Coach.

The 70-year-old actor will reprise his role as Division-1 football coach Hayden Fox in a story that picks up two decades or so after the original show ended in 1997, according to EW.com.

Just think Lou Holtz goes back to Notre Dame — but with less mumbling — must have been the pitch.

"Coach Hayden Fox, in the present day, has retired from coaching. He is called back to become assistant coach to his own grown son, who is the new head coach at an Ivy league school in Pennsylvania that is just starting up a new team," NBC said.

For the last two seasons of the original series, Coach Fox coached the Orlando Breakers, a fictional National Football League expansion team.

The new show's 13 episodes will be shot in traditional multi-cam style, is being headed up by original executive producer Barry Kemp.

There was no word whether co-stars Jerry Van Dyke, who played goofy defensive coordinator Luther, or Bill Fagerbakke, who played dumb jock Dauber would return for the new show. Shelley Fabares played Hayden's girlfriend (and later wife) Christine Armstrong, a television news anchor.

Nelson recently ended a successful run playing family patriarch Zeek Braverman on the NBC's "Parenthood."

And Fagerbakke has enjoyed a long run as the voice of Patrick Star on SpongeBob Squarepants.

Who knows how the old coach will handle issues that were pretty much isolated back in the days before the proliferation of social media and political correctness took over sports.

Former gymnast becomes first woman to complete 'American Ninja Warrior' course (VIDEO)

Kacy Catanzaro continued her impressive run on NBC's American Ninja Warrior during Monday night's telecast and made history while doing it. 

During her incredible performance at the 2014 Dallas finals, Catanzaro became the first woman to ever qualify for "Mt. Midoriyama," a 70-foot steel structure that will push her and other seasoned athletes to their limits. It is the last obstacle course before deciding the first Ninja champion.

The former Towson State gymnast not only completed the daunting event, she literally owned the continuous barrage of rails, rings and walls that brought even Navy SEALS to their knees.

And despite a few moments dangling from the air with wobbly arms and seemingly out of reach obstacles, the 5-foot-tall, 100-pound Catanzaro did it. 

The former NCAA Southeast Regional Gymnast of the Year blew away every one of the spectators, announcers and other competitors with her strength and skills. It's easy to see why from the video below:

And, even as the first woman to ever advance out of the qualifying stage and into the finals, nobody will be calling the tiny athlete an underdog.

Japanese skier breaks arm in crash while NBC says he 'lands safely' (GIF)

Japanese skier Taihei Kato suffered a broken arm during a run in the Nordic combined large hill event Tuesday when he lost his balance after landing, hitting the ground hard. NBC's spin of the bone busting spill made it sound less painful than it actually was.

NBC replayed the video highlight and said "Japanese jumper lands safely, loses ski."

Well… he did lose a ski.

Kato ended up at the hospital and will be out for the cross-country portion of the event.

[Deadspin]

Starbucks outlet smuggled into Sochi by NBC: Report

It's not an official sponsor of the Sochi Olympics — and strict rules ban it from having an official presence at the Winter Olympics — but that hasn't stopped Starbucks from sneaking a private outlet into the Olympic media center at Sochi compliments of NBC.

And it's no small operation either. The coffee shop has more staff than the delegations of some countries taking part in the games.

McDonald's is supposed to be the only branded coffee player at the Olympics with its McCafe outlets but hidden away inside NBC's cordoned-off section, intended specifically for NBC staff, there's a not-so-secret Starbucks.

It's never easy standing in the path of someone jonesing for their morning fix of a grande skinny carmel macchiato. 

The worldwide coffee chain runs 24-hours a day serving the 2,500 people NBC, which paid $775 million for exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights for the Games, has sent to the Olympic host city.

Keeping it going takes a fair share of caffeine as well.

NBC flies in a rotating crew of around 15 baristas from Starbucks coffee shops in Russia. It sets them up with accommodation in Sochi, and pays their regular wages.

NBC says its Starbucks doesn't break Olympic rules because it isn't open to the public. And the network reportedly keeps "pretty tight security" around the coffee spot, but notes that "we don't mind sharing a bit" with other broadcasters.

The International Olympic Committee is vigilant in keeping at bay brands that haven't paid for sponsor privileges.

In the past, markings on non sponsor brands of elevators, light switches and even thermostats have been covered up.

IOC representative Rachel Rominger told The Wall Street Journal that the NBC Starbucks isn't violating any rules.

She says the broadcasters can bring in "supplementary facilities," so long as the companies providing the services don't publicize or suggest any association with the Olympics.

McDonald's shrugged off the unofficial presence of its rival.

Bode Miller reduced to tears by NBC reporter's repeated questions about dead brother (VIDEO)

NBC is feeling the heat after one of its reporters questioned bronze medal winning skier Bode Miller so much about the death of his brother he began to sob uncontrollably on camera.

Christin Cooper interviewed Miller just moments after he finished third in the Super G final Sunday, making the 36-year-old both the most medaled skier in history and the oldest person to win an alpine medal at the Games.

However, what should have been a happy moment quickly turned to tears when Cooper's quest to bring a personal insight to the story swerved out of bounds.

Miller was the first to mention his brother, Chilly, a snowboarder who died in April from a seizure, but Cooper continued to push to the point so much that the skier had to walk away.

Cooper badgered Miller about his brother well after Miller became visibly emotional.

As Miller began to tear up, Cooper asked if his performance was for Chilly. He struggled but managed to answer the question, saying that it wasn't for him but he wanted to make himself proud.

But then she asks whether he had been talking to his brother when he looked up at the sky before the start of the race.

That incessant line of questioning became too much for Miller as he fully breaks down, hunching over before walking away.

Finally, his wife, professional volleyball player Morgan Miller, comes to comfort him.

The interview was conducted on Sunday, and NBC's edit later that night showed Miller for more than a minute after the interview ended, crying, from different camera angles.

Twitter erupted with criticism for Cooper, with most saying she was too aggressive.

But Miller took to Twitter and defended Miller — who was also a skier before getting the TV gig.

"I appreciate everyone sticking up for me. Please be gentle w christin cooper, it was crazy emotional and not all her fault. #heatofthemoment' he wrote.

"My emotions were very raw, she asked the questions that every interviewer would have, pushing is part of it, she wasn't trying to cause pain."

I appreciate everyone sticking up for me. Please be gentle w christin cooper, it was crazy emotional and not all her fault. #heatofthemoment
— Bode Miller (@MillerBode) February 17, 2014

The win was Miller's sixth career Olympic medal over a 12 year span, and he now has sole possession of second place on the all-time men's Alpine medal list.

Vile fans rip Obama for honoring Newtown victims and pre-empting NFL game

Folks who had already lost most of their faith in humanity after the horrible slaughter of school children in the Newtown shooting on Friday, might think there is none left at all after this story.

NBC pre-empted the first quarter of Sunday's 49ers-Patriots game to show President Obama's speech at the Newtown prayer vigil for victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.  As expected, some insensitive NFL fans didn't take kindly to this inconvenience and began complaining on Twitter about the interruption of the game.

But many of the vile lowlifes used the N-word and and other racist insults to comment on the president  — only minutes after the two NFL teams held a moment of silence for the victims — and the nerve he had for cutting into ten minutes of their Sunday night game.  All this was in the wake of the nation's second worst shooting tragedy in history and a night before two of the children were to be buried — the first of 26 people killed at the school — at their funerals.

The website Deadspin published some of the tweets and — be warned — they are heartbreaking only in their sad commentary that a small portion of America could be so callous at a moment like this.

To put it in perspective, NBC cut back to the game with about six minutes left in the first quarter and — while most of the viewers got their priorities in order and quietly listened to Obama's comforting speech — all those lunkheads who lashed out had to do is sit tight for the president or switch to CNBC where the game was moved to.

That's ten minutes out of their 12-hour football watching day.

Does anyone want to bet what the NFL players themselves would say to these so-called fans.

Cubs make TV series remove '2012 World Series Champions' from Wrigley scene

It looks like proclaiming the Chicago Cubs "2012 World Series Champions" on a new NBC series was even more science fiction than the beleaguered team could take.

A scene from an early version of the network's new sci-fi series, "Revolution" — set 15 years into the future — showed the marquee outside of a dilapidated, overgrown Wrigley Field which read, "2012 World Series Champions."

When the Cubs management found out about the fantasy shot, they complained to show creator Eric Kripke, a longtime Cubs fan, and those words were digitally removed in the version of the show that premiered last Monday night.

The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world which all technology on Earth has been disabled by some mysterious phenomenon — forcing the globe's inhabitants to adapt to the chaos which ensues and coping with no electricity.  The good thing — the Cubs can go back to having only day games again.

"I can't comment too much on it, only to say that the administration of the Cubs felt strongly that it shouldn't be there," Kripke told TVLine about the digital edit.  "I'm from the Midwest, and it was not meant as a dig.  It was meant as a "Wouldn't that be tragic irony, that I'm rooting for the Cubs and they finally won the year the world ended?'  It was about rooting for a team I have great affection for, but they didn't see it that way.  It's their team, and I get it."

The Cubbies last won a World Series in 1908 and even suggesting a Cubs' world title is a suspension of disbelief the organization can't muster these days.

The real question here is what took the Cubs so long to put the kibosh on the shot in the first place?  The promos have been running for weeks and the team has been out in outer space since, oh, 2003.

Ryan Lochte calls 'SNL' parody of him 'pretty harsh'

Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte's response to the impersonation of him on a "Saturday Night Live" skit as a bubble-headed athlete was that it was "pretty harsh."  The laid back swimmer added that being impersonated by "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane during Seth Meyers "Weekend Update" was also "pretty cool."

MacFarlane, wearing a red olympic-style sports jersey and gold and silver medals, portrayed Lochte being interviewed by Meyers and mispronouncing the names of new NBC shows on the fall schedule.

He calls one show "Monkey Hospital" instead of "Animal Practice" and says, "It's a show about a monkey in a hospital.  It's so funny!"  he gives the show three swims but holds up two fingers.

Later, he mispronounces Matthew Perry's new comedy series "Go On" as "Goon."  After Meyers corrects MacFarlane's character, he pronounces "good' as "go-od."

Lochte told the Website Celebuzz, "Well, I gotta admit that was a pretty harsh one, but it's cool to have Seth parody me.  I think he pegged me wrong."

The swimmer — who has an upcoming cameo on NBC's "30 Rock" — added," It's all in fun, and of course, if I'm talked about on 'SNL,' I know they are gonna get me 'go-od.'"

NBC takes heat for hot video of female Olympic athletes

Female athletes have been garnering a lot of the attention at the 2012 London Games, but NBC  apparently thinks the reason people are watching is because of their bodies and not their abilities.

The network was getting a lot of criticism Friday morning after releasing a video called "Bodies in Motion," a slow motion montage of female athletes set to what the website Jezebel describes as "soft core porn music."

In the video, all of the women compete in scantily-clad sports and the camera angles seem to concentrate on the ladies' specific body parts— i.e. T & A.  They also throw in some lip licking and teammate hugging for more thrills.

The video shows only women in bikinis, short skirts and tight uniforms.  So if you're looking for any fencers or judoka, don't bother.

It is noteworthy that NBC has not yet released an all-male version of "Bodies in Motion."

NBC did not make the video embeddable and attempts to download the page Friday morning was met with an error message, according to the New York Daily News.  A media representative told the newspaper he was "looking into" whether or not the video had been taken down.

Teddy Atlas applauds Iranian fighter leaving ring in protest

Teddy Atlas, NBC's resident Olympic boxing expert and television analyst has been critical of the boxing judges throughout the 2012 London Games but went ballistic on the referee after Iran's Ali Mazaheri was disqualified during the Men's (91kg) Round of 16 against Cuba's Jose Larduet Gomez in the first round.

Mazaheri (blue) was so angry at his DQ, he refused to honor his opponent at the winner's ceremony at the end of the shortened fight and left the ring in protest.

Atlas called the Olympic boxing system "corrupt" and applauded the Iranian fighter when he refused to go to the center of the ring for the ceremony and called him "a gentleman, a real gentleman" to go over to his opponent's corner and shake the coaches hands before climbing through the ropes and out of the ring.

Gomez was left standing alone with the Uzbekistan referee holding his taped hand up in the air as the winner while the crowd booed and whistled their displeasure.

The 30-year old Mazaheri had high hopes going into this Olympics and was the flagbearer for the Iranian delegation at Friday's opening ceremonies.

At the time of his disqualification, Mazaheri was leading 6-4.

Bob Costas to hold moment of silence to commemorate '72 Munich Massacre

The backlash against the refusal of the International Olympic Committee to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1972 terrorist attacks in Munich has picked up a few key supporters six days before the London Games are set to begin.

Bob Costas, NBC's lead Olympics anchor, said he'll publicly call out the IOC for refusing to honor the 40th anniversary of the massacre of the Israeli athlete-hostages at the Munich Games and added that— if the IOC fails to allow a moment of silence during the opening ceremonies— he'll hold one himself on NBC's telecast as the Israeli athletes enter the arena.

"I intend to note that the IOC denied the request," said Costas.  "Many people find that denial more than puzzling, but insensitive, [so] here's a minute of silence right now."

It's a classy move on the most visible platform in sports broadcasting and— with the slayings at Aurora, Colo. weighing heavy on America's hearts— it is a gutsy statement about guns, violence and terrorism worldwide.

After Costas made his announcement, the White House joined in, saying, "We absolutely support the campaign."

Eleven athletes and coaches were slain in a botched German attempt to rescue the victims after being held as hostage by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympics.

Ankie Rekhess-Spitzer, widow of the slain fencing coach, has been trying in vain to seek an official commemoration of the tragedy.

She said the IOC called such a gesture "political" and "told us the Arab delegations would get up and leave.  To which I said, 'It's OK; if they don't understand what the Olympics are all about, we'll let them leave.'"

It's a simple gesture by Costas but could be far-reaching.  For Rekhess-Spitzer, it will be small consolation to the IOC's lack of compassion, but could be the start of something a long time coming.

Tiki Barber's Fiancee Goes Blue For Maxim

Even though former-New York Giants running back Tiki Barber still can't find a job in the NFL, it doesn't sound all that bad hanging around the Barber household all day.

Barber's fiancee, Traci Lynn Johnson, showed off a lot of the reasons Tiki left one set of twins for another in a revealing photo shoot for Maxim magazine.

For those of you picturing an unshaven Tiki, lying on the couch in a dirty bathrobe, sulking about his failed NFL comeback-- don't!  There isn't even a stitch of terry cloth involved.

In the upcoming issue, Johnson confessed that she and the ex- Big Blue make the most of their home life by knocking down shots and hanging around the house naked.

"You definitely have to keep up on the tequila shots [with me] the 24 year-old beauty told the magazine, according to the New York Post.

When Barber downs a few,  Johnson said "he likes to walk around the house naked."  And as we can see by her photos, it shouldn't surprise any one that she's not shy about going in the buff too.

"I do too-- so that's why we're such a good match," she cooed.

If Tom Coughlin knew that's all it took to make Barber happy, maybe they could have been a happy couple too.

Barber, 36, who hadn't played in the NFL since 2006, hoped to make a comeback this season by working himself into shape, but only the Miami Dolphins took a peak at the Giants' all-time leading rusher.

Since leaving the Giants, Barber had a failed stint as an NBC reporter and a divorce.

NBC is where he met Johnson-- who was working as an intern.  Barber dumped his then-pregnant-with-twins wife of 11 years for the sultry intern.

For now, it looks like the sexy, tattooed Johnson will be the breadwinner for the two.  Patron doesn't come cheap, but at least they'll save on the clothing bills.