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UNDER REVIEW
Richard Deitsch
August 25, 2003
Anna on E!, Collins Back in Booth, Finding the Playoffs
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August 25, 2003

Under Review

Anna on E!, Collins Back in Booth, Finding the Playoffs

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?People who think the sports world puts too much emphasis on winning must love Anna Kournikova—and, by extension, Anna Kournikova: The E! True Hollywood Story, which premiered on Sunday and will air again on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Although Kournikova declined an offer to appear on the show, True came through, laying out her saga of sex, skill and scandal with eye-candy footage and interviews with tennis journalists such as Peter Bodo and Bud Collins. Betsy Rott, vice president of original programming for E! Entertainment Television, says viewers can expect more tabloidesque takes on sports figures in the future. Production has already begun on Kobe Bryant: The E! True Hollywood Story, and the channel expects to air stories on Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and David Beckham and Posh Spice this year.

?The NBA's most wanted free agent signed a deal last week...with TNT. Former Wizards coach Doug Collins, who had developed into the game's best color man with TNT and NBC before Michael Jordan coaxed him back into coaching two years ago, is returning to TNT to serve as a game analyst on its Thursday-night doubleheaders. Collins, 52, who declined a more lucrative offer from ESPN/ABC because of his affinity for Turner Sports, will team with Kevin Harlan, while new analyst Steve Kerr will join Marv Albert and Mike Fratello on TNT's other broadcasting team. There is one small caveat to Collins's five-year deal: According to a source, Collins has the option of returning to the NBA after two years to take a front-office or head-coaching job.

?The days of postseason baseball on obscure cable outlets such as FX, Fox Family and ABC Family are over. ESPN and ESPN2 will air the entire first round of postseason play through 2006.

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