Video of Mark Grace‘s interview with Justin Timberlake during last night’s All-Star Game has been quarantined by Major League Baseball for the time being and clips have been removed from YouTube. But the forward-thinking folks at Amazin Avenue, a Mets blog, took the trouble to transcribe the interview, in which Timberlake openly mocks Joe Buck for calling a great game, and in general for being a great announcer whom everyone loves. It was quite sublime, and perhaps the highlight of the entire broadcast, not least because Timberlake says his favorite ballpark food is beer.

“It goes with the hot dog, it goes with nachos, it goes with peanuts. Beer’s perfect. Beer never got mad at me because I didn’t call beer back.”

Here’s the transcript:

Joe Buck: We go down for a visit with a special guest, here’s Mark Grace.

Mark Grace: I’m down here in the pool area, with the star of the upcoming comedy, Friends With Benefits. Welcome Justin Timberlake, how ya doin’ brother?

Justin Timberlake: Joe Buck, you’re calling a great game, Joe!

Joe Buck: Thanks, Justin.

Justin Timberlake: Just a classy guy-

Joe Buck: Thanks.

Justin Timberlake: -with a classy voice.

Read more

Former UCLA star J.R. Sakuragi (formally J.R. Henderson) e-mailed a first-hand account to JerseyChaser.com of his experience during the 9.0 Japan magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan last Thursday.

Sakuragi is playing in Japan along with former Bruin teammate Charles O’Bannon.

“I was in Tokyo when it happened. On the 14th floor of a hotel that was swaying so much that when we ran down the hallway we were being thrown side to side.

I was getting treatment at the time so I had to run down 14 flights of stairs with no shoes and a sprained mcl. Maids and guest were following us….they were crying which made it worse. I had to usher one maid down the stairs who was about to lose it. Read more

Later this month, ESPN is launching ESPNFrontRow.com, a sports media blog that will focus on issues and stories related to the company.

Former ESPN.com NFL editor Sheldon Spencer will serve as the primary writer and editor of the blog when it launches on March 30.

ESPNFrontRow.com will provide consumers with a behind-the-scenes look at how ESPN operates and address controversies that involve the network (ie: The news you read about on the blogs about ESPN).

The new blog, which is being operated by the Public Relations department, won’t compete with The Poynter Institute’s new role as ESPN’s ombudsman. Read more

While not technically a sellout, the San Diego Chargers sold enough tickets to have a blackout lifted for their home game Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Chargers requested an extension from the NFL on Monday to sell 2,000 non-premium tickets. A limited number of seats are still available.

Thursday marks the Chargers third home game in the last 12 days.

Along with airing on the NFL Network, the game will be shown locally on the FOX affiliate in San Diego.

ESPN is single-handedly making sure you despise the Miami Heat this season.

ESPN.com will launch a section on their website called The Heat Index, dedicated just to the Miami Heat.

Mike Wallace and Brian Windhorst, who we mentioned last week being on ESPN.com’s radar, will headline the editorial contributions when the section launches on Oct. 11.

Normally I would just touch on a few of The Heat Index features, but I want to list them all in order to emphasis the overkill coverage:

• breaking news surrounding the Miami Heat;
• coverage of every Heat game and team practice;
• constantly updated aggregation of all ESPN stories regarding the Heat;
• Chase for 72 – an automated, daily forecast of how many games the Heat will win including ESPN.com’s John Hollinger projecting the odds of the Heat matching the Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 wins;
• Tracking the Big 3 – an automated tracking of how James, Wade and Bosh stack up against the best trios in NBA history; Read more