Radio talk show host Mike Francesa is ending his WNBC-TV Sunday night sports show, Mike’d Up, according to Newsday.com.

Ratings were strong during its seven years on the air, but Francesa wanted to spend more time with his family on the weekends.

Since the end of the NFL season, Francesa has hosted only three shows.

WNBC-TV sports anchor Bruce Beck has replaced him in his absence. No word on what WNBC-TV will do with the timeslot.

Chicago Cubs’ television play-by-play announcer Len Kasper has signed a five-year extension that will take him through the 2016 season, the 108th anniversary of the team’s last World Series championship. Kasper was in the last year of his current deal, which began in 2005 when he was teamed up with color analyst Bob Brenly, former manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Working with Bob every day makes me sound better, and I’m fortunate to have the best partner in the game,” Kasper said. “I thought it would be the greatest job in the world when I got here, and it’s been beyond my expectations.

“Of course, it’s more fun when the Cubs win, but to get to call half the games at Wrigley Field, it never, ever, ever feels routine.”

Bill Barnwell is the latest addition to Bill Simmons‘ new website.

The Football Outsiders managing editor posted his final contribution to his old home today:

I’ll try to make this brief: I’m leaving Football Outsiders to join the new website Bill Simmons is starting in affiliation with ESPN. Although I’ve completed some essays that will appear in the forthcoming Football Outsiders Almanac 2011, this is my final contribution to Football Outsiders.

I joined FO as an intern during 2005, my junior year of college. I never could have possibly imagined that I’d eventually have the opportunity to write about football full-time, as I’ve done for FO during the past three years. It’s been an absolute blessing to see a passion of mine turn into a career. My luck over the past few years has been better than anyone else’s. Read more

Carmelo Anthony‘s debut with the New York Knicks on Wednesday night was the highest-rated regular season game on MSG in 16 years.

The Knicks 114-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks earned a 6.75 household rating. The previous season high was a 3.61 when the Knicks hosted the Boston Celtics on Dec. 15.

“Last night’s Knicks game was a defining moment at the Garden, and the production team translated that into a stunning experience on television for more than half a million fans watching at home,” said Mike Bair, president, MSG Media.

Anthony’s debut fell just short of topping the 6.78 that was set during Michael Jordan’s “Double Nickel” game on March 28, 1995.