Carolina center Ryan Kalil alluded via Twitter that the HBO series Hard Knocks would be covering the Panthers’ training camp this summer.

Kalil wrote, “Reliable source telling me possible reality sports doc TV series coming to NC after today’s media presence covering Panther POTA’s.”

Could he possibly be referring to another “reality sports doc TV series”? Not likely.

The Panthers would be a compelling choice given the arrival of No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton, who was hardly a consensus selection as the best player (or even best quarterback) available. Newton is still relatively green experience-wise as a starting quarterback at such an elite level, so he’s bound to encounter growing pains.

The only big drawback about selecting the Panthers is that former All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith is not expected to join the team this season, lowering the odds that Hard Knocks cameras might catch one Panther punching another Panther in the face.

Do you own an iPhone? OK, do you think you can successfully pick a Major League Baseball Player who will get a hit today? OK, now how about for 57 straight games—or one more than Joe DiMaggio‘s iconic streak, which was accomplished 70 years? If so, you will win $5.6 million in MLB’s “Beat the Streak Game.”

“Beat the Streak always has been a fun and easy way for fans to wade into fantasy baseball and the iPhone App expands fans’ participatory opportunities,” said Gregg Klayman, Vice President, Product Development for MLB.com and “Beat The Streak” creator. “The game provides a lively and engaging platform, putting fans into the figurative shoes of players chasing this hallowed baseball record, while also vying against friends, colleagues, and millions of others in pursuit of the $5.6 million grand prize.”

The app can be downloaded for free right here. Good luck.

Gus Johnson, who’d become the voice of the NCAA tournament during his 16 years with CBS, has joined Fox Sports after CBS declined to match the competing network’s offer, Bob Raissmann of the New York Daily News first reported tonight.

A CBS source who wanted Johnson back said not only money, but politics was an issue. The source said some of CBS Sports’ college hoops voices were not thrilled with Johnson’s rise to March Madness’ most popular voice.

Johnson now moves to Fox as an NFL and Pac 12 football play-by-play man.

Richmond, Virginia, is one of two finalists — along with Oman – to host the 2015 World Road Cycling Championships, a nine-day event that city officials say could bring more than 500,000 people and $135.3 million in economic benefits to the area — while showcasing the city to millions of television viewers worldwide.

A delegation from Richmond is arriving Monday at the Swiss headquarters of Union Cyclist Internationale, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The delegation will hold work sessions with UCI officials Tuesday and Wednesday to get a better feel for what the governing body wants to see in the bid, said Tim Miller, executive director of Richmond 2015, Once the group returns to Richmond, it will take about month and a half to complete the bid. UCI officials are expected to visit Richmond later this month.The official presentation to UCI will be made in August. The winning bid will be announced in late September at this year’s world championship in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Studies show the race, which is estimated to cost $12.2 million and would be subsidized in part by corporate sponsors, would be a huge windfall for the city.

According to the study, which was based in part on the number of attendees at previous world road cycling championships, Richmond would draw more than 1,000 athletes and more than 452,000 spectators from about 70 countries. A large impact would come from the exposure Richmond would receive because of interest in the race. About 500 media outlets from 35 countries are expected to cover the races. The coverage is expected to generate in excess of 400 hours of television watched by 300 million viewers, the study found.

Time to embrace your inner George Jefferson, LeBron James. So says ESPN’s Bomani Jones.

Dan Hoard has been named as the Cincinnati Bengals new radio play-by-play announcer, replacing Brad Johansen, who had held the position for the 11 years. Hoard is known among area fans for calling University of Cincinnati sports, which he will continue to do when it doesn’t conflict with Bengals work. He joins color commentator Dave Lapham, a 26-year veteran in the Bengals booth.

According to AllAccess.com, “The move is part of the Bengals’ revamp of their radio situation, including taking sales and operations in-house; the club has yet to announce its radio flagship for the coming season.”

Former New York Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger will serve as a ringside reporter for Fuel TV’s upcoming Hometown Throwdown.

Sterger interviewed amateur fighters during the pair of one-hour specials taped early last month in LaCrosse, Wis.

Hometown Throwdown is set to air in June and contestants are competing for the Hometown Hero title.

It marks the first job for Sterger since The Daily Line on Versus was canceled last November.

Sterger’s agent, Mark Turner, told the New York Post that “Jenn has also had discussions with a number of media companies and has been in talks about a variety of opportunities.”

The UFL Draft took place on Twitter Monday night and CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell had the opportunity to guest tweet the No. 51st pick for the Omaha Nighthawks.

Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich was passed on in the NFL Draft last weekend because of his battle with cancer but will at least have an opportunity to play football in the UFL in case free agency doesn’t work out.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was told I couldn’t play football again,” Herzlich told NESN.com’s Jeff Howe on Monday. “Not getting drafted was frustrating. It’s like they’re saying I can’t play football again, but I’m going to work out, and there’s free agency. I’m just going to work hard, get into a camp, go from there and prove it to everyone that I belong in the NFL. But there will be free agency. In the past, free agency would have already started, and I’d probably be on a team right now. We’ll wait to see how that goes.”

In the final installment of our Media Beat interview series with ESPN Radio host and ESPN.com columnist Stephen A. Smith, we talked about a potential Stephen A. Smith talk show.

Last year Smith was in talks with Showtime on a late-night show, talks that eventually fizzled out. That isn’t stopping Smith however, who tells us he has “unfinished business.”

“I am hell-bent on getting a television show, and I will not rest until it happens,” he says.

We also talked about his other professional interests, his acting gig in the Chris Rock movie “I Think I Love My Wife,” and his love for the ABC soap opera “General Hospital.”

Previously:

Part I: Smith talks about his philosophy for being a successful journalist.

Part II: Smith talks about some current controversies in the world of sports.

ESPN Radio and ESPN.com columnist Stephen A. Smith does not get bothered when people criticize or attack him. “I let most of it roll off me,” he told us in part two of our Media Beat interview.

“In my heart of hearts, I really don’t give a damn, I cannot emphasize enough how little it bothers me,” he added. “It bothers me when nobody is criticizing me, because then I am not doing something.”

We also talked about how athletes and journalists have become tabloid fodder, and why scandals–like the recent Kobe Bryant fiasco–become such big news.

“I love when people say, y’all are so negative,” he said. “Negativity sells. Well who the hell is buying it? If you weren’t buying it, we wouldn’t sell it.”

To view this video at YouTube, click here.

Monday in Part I: Smith talks about his philosophy for being a successful journalist.

Wednesday in Part III: Is a Stephen A. Smith talk show coming soon?