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The wife of fired Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine filed a libel lawsuit Monday against ESPN, saying the network ruined her life by broadcasting salacious reports that she knew her husband abused boys and that she had sex with one of the boys. In the 48-page lawsuit, Laurie Fine accuses ESPN of reporting the allegations against her husband in a bid to boost ratings as the Penn State sex-abuse scandal was unfolding. She notes the network had already done extensive reporting into claims made by ball boy Bobby Davis in 2003 and decided not to broadcast...

Ask Michelle Beadle whether she's ever been told that she brings out a side of Colin Cowherd , her cohost on ESPN2's "SportsNation" the past three years, that isn't often evident on the cantankerous and often contrarian Cowherd's radio program, and she laughs. "Oh yeah, yep," said Beadle, whose easygoing manner and sharp wit proved the perfect antidote to the instigator Cowherd, making for chemistry that television producers dream of but don't often find. "With Colin, it was one of those things where it was a sister-brother weirdness right off the bat. "I was one of the last people...

DALLAS - In the end, Terry Francona switched jobs with Bobby Valentine. The former Red Sox manager was hired by ESPN yesterday and will join Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser in the booth for "Sunday Night Baseball. " That was the position Valentine held for two years before he replaced Francona as manager of the Red Sox. Francona also will provide analysis for "Baseball Tonight," among other news and information shows, and ESPN's coverage of the Little League World Series. A television neophyte, Francona impressed during a two-game stint for Fox during the American League Championship...

Here's how the schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals breaks down, regardless of whether the Celtics or Sixers make it out of Game 7 Saturday night: May 28: Game 1 - Philadephia/Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) May 30: Game 2 - Philadephia/Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m (ESPN) June 1: Game 3 - Miami at Philadephia/Boston, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) June 3: Game 4 - Miami at Philadephia/Boston, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) June 5: Game 5* - Philadephia/Boston at Miam, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Former German national team captain Michael Ballack is joining ESPN as a studio analyst for this year's European Championship. The network said Friday that Ballack will work alongside ESPN regulars Steve McManaman and Alexi Lalas on pregame, halftime and postgame shows. The 35-year-old Ballack plays midfield for Bayer Leverkusen. He is a veteran of two World Cups and three European Championships. He had 42 goals in 98 appearances for Germany from 1999 to 2010.

Conference USA's football championship games will now air on ESPN, not Fox, after the league and network settled litigation. ESPN sued the conference in March, accusing it of violating their contract when it signed a new deal with Fox. Conference USA had announced in January that it had reached a five-year contract with Fox's networks to broadcast its football championship game and other sports events. The two sides announced Tuesday that ESPN would televise the title game from 2011-15.

A lucrative and lengthy television contract extension between the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN will provide Boston College sports with a significant boost financially and, potentially, in prominence. The renegotiated deal between the ACC, which BC joined in 2005 after leaving the Big East, and the network was announced Wednesday. ESPN will pay $3.6 billion over the next 15 years, through 2026-27, or an average of $17 million annually to each of the conference's 14 teams.

Chris Evert will serve as a television analyst for ESPN at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion previously worked for CBS and NBC but had been away from TV for a decade while raising three sons. Evert says “now that they are older it is the right time to join the exceptional tennis team at ESPN.’’ She will make her debut when ESPN begins its coverage from London on June 20, working both in the studio and calling matches. The 56-year-old Evert won three Wimbledon and a record six U.S. Open titles before retiring in 1989.

ESPN's news-making coverage this past week on baseball MVP Ryan Braun and another alleged case of sexual abuse by a sports figure are a boost and, no doubt, relief to the network's journalists after a tough month. Critics roughed up the sports network for its handling of abuse stories involving former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and ex-Syracuse basketball assistant Bernie Fine. And some in sports wonder whether a network that pays millions of dollars in rights fees to televise sports events can critically report controversial sports stories.

The NCAA has agreed to a $500 million deal with ESPN to broadcast the championships in many of its sports through the 2023-24 school year. The contract announced Thursday gives the company international rights to the men's basketball tournament. It continues the network's U.S. coverage of the women's basketball tourney and the College World Series for baseball and softball. ESPN's multimedia platforms will air the championships for seven more sports to increase the total to 24 — adding women's gymnastics, men's and women's fencing, Division I...

The wife of fired Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine filed a libel lawsuit Monday against ESPN, saying the network ruined her life by broadcasting salacious reports that she knew her husband abused boys and that she had sex with one of the boys. In the 48-page lawsuit, Laurie Fine accuses ESPN of reporting the allegations against her husband in a bid to boost ratings as the Penn State sex-abuse scandal was unfolding. She notes the network had already done extensive reporting into claims made by ball boy Bobby Davis in 2003 and decided not to broadcast...

SATURDAY AUTO RACING 11 a.m. - Indianapolis 500 qualifying, NBCSN 7 p.m. - NASCAR Sprint Cup: Sprint All-Star Race, Speed 10 p.m. - St. Louis at LA Dodgers, MLB PRO BASEBALL 1 p.m. - Cincinnati at NY Yankees, MLB; EL: Binghamton at Portland, WBAE (1490) 7:15 p.m. - Boston at Philadelphia, Ch. 25, WEEI (850, 93.7); IL: Pawtucket at Norfolk, WHJJ (920) PRO BASKETBALL 3:30 p.m. - San Antonio at LA Clippers, Ch. 5 4 p.m. - WNBA: Connecticut at New York, NBA 10:30 p.m. - Oklahoma City at LA Lakers, TNT CYCLING 7 p.m. - Tour of...

Wednesday: RHP Clay Buchholz (4-1, 8.31) vs. RHP Jeremy Hellickson (3-0, 2.95), 7:10 p.m., NESN, ESPN Thursday: LHP Felix Doubront (3-1, 4.46) vs. LHP Matt Moore (1-3, 5.31), 7:10 p.m., NESN, MLB Network

Comcast Corp. said its Xfinity TV customers can now access ESPN live streaming content via the WatchESPN app and on Comcast's XfinityTV.com , something that could be of interest to sports fans as the National Basketball Association play-offs heat up and the Major League baseball season heads into the summer. Customers who receive ESPN's networks as part of their Xfinity video subscription can now stream games as well as associated coverage live from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPNU from their iPads, iPhones, and...

A lucrative and lengthy television contract extension between the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN will provide Boston College sports with a significant boost financially and, potentially, in prominence. The renegotiated deal between the ACC, which BC joined in 2005 after leaving the Big East, and the network was announced Wednesday. ESPN will pay $3.6 billion over the next 15 years, through 2026-27, or an average of $17 million annually to each of the conference's 14 teams.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has a partial tear in an Achilles tendon, according to an ESPN report, but he says he will be back in action by midseason. Early reports indicated Suggs would be out for the season, but Suggs told ESPN reporter Rachel Nichols he would return during the 2012 season. "That's just going to make it so much sweeter when I run out of that tunnel and prove everyone wrong," Suggs said. One source in the initial report said Suggs was injured playing basketball, but another source couldn't confirm that.