By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

The ongoing transition at Comcast SportsNet has now claimed its highest ranking name as 10-year veteran and Senior VP and General Manager David Wodman is in his final month with CSN (previously Fox Sports New England). Woodman, according to a Comcast press release, is “departing to pursue other career opportunities” and will be replaced in January by Bill Bridgen, the founder HorseRacing TV. Bridgen will report directly to Peabody-native and CSN President Jon Litner .

CSN, which switched from FSNE to CSN in October, is in the process of building its own news-gathering operation, a process that has seemed to drag on but will now likely have some urgency as Bridgen assumes control. The regional sports network is experiencing a rejuvenation of sorts as the Celtics are buoying CSN in its fledgling battle against the region’s other RSN, Red Sox and Bruins-owned, NESN.

. . . Pertinent content of Comcast’s Tuesday press release:

BILL BRIDGEN NAMED EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF
COMCAST SPORTSNET NEW ENGLAND

PHILADELPHIA (December 18, 2007) – Comcast SportsNet President Jon Litner today named veteran sports media executive Bill Bridgen as executive vice president and general manager of Comcast SportsNet New England, where he will be responsible for all aspects of running the network. Bridgen will succeed David Woodman, who is departing to pursue other career opportunities, in January, 2008 and report to Litner.

For the past three years, Bridgen has been responsible for the distribution and development of Comcast’s owned or managed networks including E!, The Golf Channel, Versus, Style, Sprout, G4, AZN, The Mtn. – MountainWest Sports Network and regional sports networks serving Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore/Washington, Sacramento, Atlanta, New York, Portland, San Francisco and New England as executive vice president of distribution and network development for the Comcast Programming Group.

Prior to joining Comcast, Bridgen founded and served as president of HorseRacing TV, a cable/satellite sports network. He was also executive vice president of business operations at Headline Media Group, which operates the Canadian sports television network The Score, and was vice president of affiliate relations for Fox Sports Net/Fox Cable Networks. Prior to joining Fox, Mr. Bridgen was a partner at Keesal, Young & Logan, a Los Angeles-area securities law firm. Mr. Bridgen earned his law degree from Temple University and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management with a minor in Political Science from Gettysburg College.

Litner said, “Bill is a dynamic leader whose broad programming, affiliate distribution and operational experience will help us grow Comcast SportsNet New England by providing in-depth coverage of the Celtics as well as the other teams, events and sports moments that matter most to fans across New England, and build on the solid foundation established by David Woodman.”

Bridgen added, “Having lived in Boston for eight years, I know that New England has a rich tradition of sports at all levels and fans have deep passions for their teams. I’m excited for the opportunity to continue to grow and develop Comcast Sports Net New England into a destination network for New England sports fans.”

Bridgen, 43, lives with his wife and two children in Boston. . .

. . . Bridgen looks like a Mitt guy and also a National Cable & Telecommunications Association PAC contributor, if you were wondering. He most recently reported address has him living in the Beacon Hill section of Boston.

. . . It appears Bridgen was actually involved in a since-dissolved business venture - Boston-based Season ticket Solutions with Romney’s son, Tagg and Joel Milne, the co-founder of investment firm Mt. Auburn Partners. The trio’s ticket company wound up involved in a multi-million dollar lawsuit with Ticketmaster where STS claimed it got Goliathed by Ticketmaster.

Now, Bridgen is one of the Goliath’s at Comcast as its Boston RSN entry enters a crucial phase in its evolution.

• The Holiday lull has struck in earnest around Boston’s sports media scene, but two persistent drones have begun getting a bit louder as the new year approaches.

The first is that Boston’s local sports TV scene is in for a bit of a shake-up and that perhaps that stirring is related to the CSN plans to hire talent and producers away from the locals 4, 5, 7, 25 and NECN.

The second is a murmur out of Foxboro that seems to indicate the lifespan of the badly deteriorated Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti radio network pairing could be in its final weeks. Shots is being informed by some Ft. Foxboro spies that the Krafts are finally understanding just how far Gino has fallen and indications are that he will be slid out of the WBCN booth (perhaps kicking and screaming) and replaced by a more relevant (and cognizant) former player.

Shots has gone on record saying it’s time for both the G-Men to leave the P-Men’s airwaves, but if we can only get rid of one, the cap has to be shot into Cap. No ifs, ands or buts.

• Not sure if the surgeon, Dr. Steven Zeitels, who performed Dick Vitale’s throat surgery is the same one Gerry Callahan used, but we’re willing to bet it is.

As I said over at CSTV.com’s Hang Time blog on Tuesday, anyone who has watched or listened to ESPN’s Dick Vitale this season has noticed a decidedly more understated and, to some extent, quieter Dickie V. Whispers around the broadcasting icon had surfaced in recent weeks that perhaps he was having throat issues.

Those rumors have now been confirmed as ESPN and Vitale announced Tuesday that Vitale has undergone throat surgery and will be off-air until February. . . Just to add some levity to the situation, we now have the answer to the question: Who is the only man able to shut up Dick Vitale? Dr. Steven Zeitels. Bah-dump-bump.

This also now explains why Vitale was so quiet and reserved when we spent a few minutes with him at Madison Square Garden during the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament last month.

• The NCAA has released its new live-blogging policy as a result of the live-blog controversy that was stirred at last year’s college baseball tournament.

In notifying media outlets of NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament credentialing procedures, the NCAA linked to this document which contains the rules which, among other subtleties, put a limit on how many postings a blogger can have per NCAA Tournament contest, match or event.

The following is the NCAA’s policy for the number of blogs allowed during a Competition or Session (i.e.,
where more than one contest takes place under the same admission ticket). They apply to all sports listed and are applicable to both genders.

Fall Sports
Soccer: Five times per half; one at halftime
Field Hockey: Five times per half; one at halftime
Volleyball: Three per Competition; one in between Competitions
Football: Three per quarter; one at halftime
Cross Country: Ten per day/session
Men’s Water Polo: Three per quarter; one at the halftime

Winter Sports
Ice Hockey: Three per period – one in between (includes overtime)
Basketball: Five times per half; one at halftime; two times per overtime period
Wrestling: Ten per session
Indoor Track and Field: Ten per day/session
Swimming and Diving: Ten per day/session
Bowling: Ten per day/session
Gymnastics: Ten per session

Spring Sports
Baseball and Softball: one every inning (includes extra innings)
Women’s Water Polo: Three per quarter – one at halftime
Lacrosse: Three per quarter; one at halftime
Outdoor Track and Field: Ten per day/session
Golf: Ten per day/session
Tennis: Ten per day/session
Rowing: Ten per day/session
Fencing: Ten per day/session
Skiing: Ten per day/session
Rifle:Ten per day/session

Does anyone think the NCAA will be able to monitor this is any way, shape or form? Are there going to be worker bees in Indy whose sole duty will be to count blog entries? The NCAA’s continued small-mindedness and need to always rule-make is as mind-numbing as it is never-ending. And once an inning in baseball is bogus, to boot.

• With no NCAA restrictions in place, Shots will be live from Beale Street for CSTV.com starting Thursday afternoon as we go on-site for Memphis-Georgetown (Saturday, Noon EST). Hope you can join us for some or all of the live-blogging fun at both Hang Time and, on Saturday for the contest, at Posting Up.

We’re expecting at least one Gus’s Fried Chicken visit and some type of Beale Street misbehavior.

David Scott writes from a seaside shanty on the shores of Hull, Mass. and can be reached at shotsATbostonsportsmediaDOTcom.

His work – and weekly college hoops report card – for CSTV.com can be found at the Hang Time blog on Mondays and The Glass Sneaker throughout the week. You can also listen for the weekly Professor’s Podcast, also at CSTV.com in iTunes at The Daily Buzz.