Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford along with author and 'Today' contributor Joy Bauer and EP Jim Bell

Bauer was joined by her two familes — her biological one and the “Today” show gang, including Savannah Guthrie, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, Jeff Rossen, Tamron Hall, Barbara Corcoran and Jean Chatzky. “It’s just us! This is all you get,” joked Gifford as she greeted Bauer. Main anchors Matt Lauer, Ann Curry and Al Roker could not attend as Roker and Lauer were still in London covering the Queen’s Jubilee and Curry was on vacation.

The author of several books, Bauer told us “Joy Fit Club” is different in that it’s her first in conjunction with “Today” and her segments of the same name.

The cookbook and diet plan “comes from 6 years of ['Today' show segments] trying to show people how to eat well and stay healthy,” Bauer tells us.

We caught up with Bell who has personally benefited from Bauer’s wellness tips, shedding 50 pounds, and keeping it off. The “Today” show frontman is about to turn his attention to the Olympics where he’ll be taking over for legendary Olympics showrunner Dick Ebersol producing NBC’s primetime. That means a lot of long days ahead.

“It’ll be Midnight London time, 7pm on the east coast until 5am every night,” says Bell. “I’ll get a few hours of sleep, and then go check out the ‘Today’ show.” The time difference means the morning show will start at Noon London time, each day.

NBC may want to bring along Bauer just to make sure everyone’s eating healthy.

(Photo: Heidi Gutman/NBC)

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Left: Skipper, Right: Bodenheimer

In a major development at sports juggernaut ESPN, Disney has announced that ESPN president George Bodenheimer will step down and become executive chairman of the channel in January, 2012. Meanwhile, John Skipper will become the new president of ESPN, as well as co-chairman of the Disney Media Networks alongside Anne Sweeney.

Bodenheimer has been president of ESPN for 13 years, and has worked at the network for 31 years. Skipper has been with ESPN since 1997, and is currently executive VP of content. The news comes just a month after Disney announced that it would transition Disney CEO Bob Iger out of his role and into an executive chairman role in 2015.

2011 has seen a number of sports media executives leave their posts. In May longtime NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol resigned, and in July HBO lost its sports chief Ross Greenburg.

More information below.

continued…

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Finebaum’s popular radio show is syndicated throughout the southeast and can also be heard on Sirius XM Radio (Channel 91).

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

“Kirk Morrison is going to be the next hot sports guy. He’s doing the dirty work while he’s still playing. A lot of players wait until they’re done playing before they start investing into their life after football.” –

We couldn’t pass at the opportunity to speak with the next hot sports guy in NFL linebacker Kirk Morrison.

The free agent has spent his time during the NFL lockout by grinding away in the radio profession, working alongside Rob Dibble on Fox Sports Radio.

Morrison isn’t a rookie to the broadcast world. He got his first break at San Diego State, where the All-American called high school football games for the local NBC affiliate. Prior to his current gig, Morrison was the co-host of the Aztec Power Hour with Darren Smith on XX 1090 in San Diego.

SportsNewser chatted with the 29-year-old about working with Dibble and his thoughts on if the 2011 NFL season will begin on time.

SportsNewser: When did your itch for broadcasting begin?

Kirk Morrison: It began when I was in college. I was about 20 and it just so happened that I was 2-3 years into my major at San Diego State. As I became a spokesman for my football team because I had some success as an All-American as a freshman, the media would always want to talk to me. I was the guy for about 3-4 years and next thing you know, I was always doing radio shows and TV interviews. I wanted to switch it up and go into communications and do something involved with that. People said I expressed my thoughts very clearly and you go out and have a strong opinion. I did a little color commentary while I was still in college. I did high school games for the local station (Channel 4 San Diego) and from then on, I said this is what I want to do outside of football.

Biggest media influence? continued…

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Mike Mayock of the NFL Network recently forecasted Pryor as a middle-round selection in next month’s NFL supplemental draft and as a Wildcat possibility. “I would set the over/under line on the fourth round,” Mayock said.

“He can be a package quarterback Year 1 while you develop his skills set,” Mayock said. “Is he raw? Absolutely. Does he have a lot to work on? Yes, he does. That doesn’t even get into all the intangibles off the field.”

Those intangibles include leaving Ohio State after reportedly receiving off-the-field benefits, part of a widespread culture of NCAA violations that led to the resignation of coach Jim Tressel. We’re guessing Gruden doesn’t devote much time to those elements of Pryor’s background, and instead focuses on his inability to accurately and consistently deliver the football to receivers on the run.

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In the initial story (available thanks to Yahoo! Cache), the lede read,

“Manchester United striker Michael Owens admits he has given up hope of being selected for England by Fabio Capello. The 31-year-old has not featured for his country since playing in a friendly against France in March 2008.

Owen has been continually overlooked by Capello and the former Liverpool man admits he is upset by his exclusion.

“I’ve given up trying to understand,” said Owen. “I’ve not given up on England. It’s come to an abrupt stop under this manager. You’d have a better idea than me [why that is].

“I was disappointed for the first squad I missed, a little bit less for the next one and after about three or four times, I didn’t really expect to see my name,” admitted Owen.

“For the first couple of squads I looked at the players [named] and looked at what I had done. For the last dozen squads, I haven’t looked. I don’t even think about [being picked] now. Honestly.

“It’s sad, really. If I keep getting up for something, then [find out] I am not in, I am just kidding myself.

“Some people say I might get back in the England squad after Fabio Capello leaves. I hope they are right.

“It helps playing more often. I am sure it depends on who the manager is.”

Owen then went on Twitter and complained to Sky Sports, “Why are you making things up? Please show me the quote where I am supposed to have said that/Just because I don’t expect to be picked doesn’t mean I’ve given up. Another example of twisting words to get a good headline.”

Apparently Sky Sports agreed, because they not only changed the headline, they changed the lede. The new headline reads, “Owen ‘sad’ over England.” And the lede goes,

“Manchester United striker Michael Owen admits he has given up trying to understand why he is not being selected for England by Fabio Capello.

The 31-year-old has not featured for his country since playing in a friendly against France in March 2008.

Owen has been continually overlooked by Capello and the former Liverpool man admits he is upset by his exclusion.”

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“Cancer comes after you whether you are rich, poor, black, white, Christian or Jewish. It brings you to your knees,” said Vitale. “My life has been blessed and it is my time to give back. I’m 71 and there is no greater feeling than to bring a smile to a child’s face.”

This year’s event will honor Lucy Weber, 18 months; Johnny Teis, 8 and Adrian Littlejohn, 15 months, who all died in the past 12 months.

“The event is sold out at $1,000 a person but we are still looking for help in our battle against cancer,” said Vitale. “Anyone who wants to contribute can call 1-800-4JimmyV or by going to dickvitaleonline.com.”

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Today’s stunning news that Dick Ebersol, head of NBC Sports & Olympics, is leaving NBC, and falling on the same day Katie Couric is (effectively) leaving CBS, got us thinking about a moment 8 years ago, when Couric was co-anchor of the “Today” show.

Carly Simon was auctioning off the secret identity of the person who inspired her 1973 hit “You’re So Vain.” The auction’s winner was revealed on the “Today” show on the morning of August 5, 2003. Only a few people knew who the winner was. And when the NBC camera pulled out to reveal it was Ebersol, Couric gasped, “Oh my God! Dick Ebersol, you’re nuts! Maybe the song is about him, that’s why he bid on it.”

Ebersol paid $50,000 to have Simon reveal the secret to him. He was allowed to tell one other person. Then they both signed a document stating they’d never reveal the name.

Ebersol, who’s been with NBC on and off since 1974, leaves the peacock five years after Couric’s May 2006 departure.

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NBC Sports & Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol, a staple at NBC for decades, has resigned. Ebersol has led NBC Sports since 1989, and has been one of the biggest boosters of Olympics coverage in the U.S. since he started his career as an Olympics researcher for Roone Arledge in 1967. Our sister blog SportsNewser has more.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

“Katie Couric’s incredible leadership in the news industry along with her selfless efforts to increase cancer awareness and screenings has made her a true inspiration not only in her field but for the millions of women and young people who aspire to do great things just like her,” said WNBA president Laurel Richie. “The WNBA is thrilled to recognize Katie and her outstanding accomplishments with the 2011 WNBA Inspiration Award.”

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And, of course, this being the first Super Bowl since the introduction of the iPad, fans can not only bring along their favorite Apple-made tablet – the NFL assured Wired.com there will be no restrictions on bringing the device into the stadium – but they can also use the NFL’s official Super Bowl app, which features virtual 3-D navigation of Cowboys Stadium, as well as a facilities guide that may prove useful for those not wanting to waste a nanosecond searching out the nearest beer stand.

Ah, we can see it now: Fox cuts to the stands after a Green Bay Packers touchdown, only to find a quarter of the fans engrossed in watching the replay on their handheld tablets. (Or, more likely, catching up on the latest ads they missed.)

It’s either depressing or the perfect combination of your living room and live action.

But there’s more. continued…

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Whatever it is, don’t call it retirement.

Philbin sat down with B&C editor Ben Grossman this morning at the annual NATPE conference in Miami Beach. “It was kind of awkward and not easy,” said Philbin of telling co-host Kelly Ripa and producer Michael Gelman of his departure. “I was nervous.”

As for possible replacements, Philbin says “it’ll be up to the ABC people and Gelman and Kelly.” But what does he think about Keith Olbermann taking over: “I don’t think he’d get along with Gelman for 10 minutes.”

• Could Regis land at NBC Sports?

Philbin, along with the also departing “Entertainment Tonight” co-host Mary Hart and NBC Sports & Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol, was honored last night at the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award dinner. In 1981 Philbin and Hart co-hosted a short-lived NBC daytime talk show that was canceled by then-network head Tartikoff after 6 months.

30 years later, he takes pride in telling the NATPE crowd that when he brought his talents to ABC: “Every day of every week of every year for 28 years we beat NBC at 9 O’Clock. They (the third hour of “Today”) did come back, and last month they had a week where they topped us.”

B&C's Ben Grossman warmed up Regis Philbin with ice cream bars ahead of his interview this morning at NATPE.

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The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is taking another step in the right direction after signing a two-year contract with Unequal Technologies, the provider of football pads that Vick wore most of last season. Following his rib injury, Vick wore a special vest along with shoulder and thigh pads.

Terms weren’t disclosed but it’s a “sizable” contract according to chief executive officer Rob Vito. The deal will be announced on Thursday according to USA Today. continued…

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For the first time ever, it will be shown in high definition.

Who’s scheduled to appear? “Kelly Kulick, the first woman to ever win a PBA Tour event, will return to defend her title, along with Walter Ray Williams Jr., Jason Couch, Norm Duke, Pete Weber and many more.

Rob Stone and analyst Randy Pedersen will handle booth duty while Kimberly Pressler reports laneside.

Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

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