Culture
ESPN to name Mike Greenberg host of 'Sunday NFL Countdown'
Mike Greenberg will be the new host of “Sunday NFL Countdown” as ESPN sets up its lineup for its first Super Bowl in 2027, a source briefed on the matter told The Athletic on Tuesday.
Greenberg replaces Sam Ponder who was fired last week with one-year and more than a million dollars left on her contract. While she will be paid in full, ESPN made the move to tidy up its books with the fiscal year concluding at the end of September.
However, the Ponder decision was also designed to promote Greenberg, a long-time favorite of ESPN executives. As the host of daily “Get Up” on TV and “Greeny” on radio, Greenberg is already a ubiquitous presence on the network. Greenberg had a brief run as the lead NBA host before relinquishing those duties to Malika Andrews last season. He also hosts the NFL Draft on ESPN, which is considered a prestigious assignment.
Greenberg, 57, receives the job over Laura Rutledge, an up-and-coming star at the network. Although on the rise, this marks the second time in the last year that Rutledge, the host of the daily “NFL Live,” has lost out to a longtime ESPN anchor.
Just before last season, Scott Van Pelt was named the host of Monday Night Football’s “NFL Countdown” over Rutledge. Van Pelt’s Monday program has also been revamped as Jason Kelce replaced the recently fired Robert Griffin III. Kelce joins analysts Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark on Mondays.
On Sundays, Greenberg’s main set will include Randy Moss, Tedy Bruschi, Rex Ryan and Alex Smith; as well as insider Adam Schefter.
ESPN and ABC will have the Super Bowl for the first time in 2027, and the network executives are designing its weekly sets for that big moment in the company’s history.
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(Photo: Joe Murphy / NBAE via Getty Images)
Culture
Try This Quiz on Thrilling Books That Became Popular Movies
Welcome to Great Adaptations, the Book Review’s regular multiple-choice quiz about printed works that have gone on to find new life as movies, television shows, theatrical productions and more. This week’s challenge highlights thrillers first published as novels (or graphic novels) that were adapted into popular films. Just tap or click your answers to the five questions below. And scroll down after you finish the last question for links to the books and their screen versions.
Culture
Test Your Knowledge of the Authors and Events That Helped Shape the United States
Welcome to Lit Trivia, the Book Review’s regular quiz about books, authors and literary culture. In honor of Gen. George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22, this week’s super-size challenge is focused on the literature and history related to the American Revolution. In the 10 multiple-choice questions below, tap or click on the answer you think is correct. After the last question, you’ll find links to exhibits, books and other materials related to this intense chapter in the country’s story, including an award-winning biography of the general and first U.S. president.
Culture
Video: How Much Do You Know About Romance Books?
Let’s play romance roulette. No genre has dominated the books world in the last few years. Like romance, it accounts for the biggest percentage of book sales, their avid fan bases. Everyone has been talking about romance as a Book Review editor and as a fan of the genre myself, I put together a to z glossary of 101 terms that you should know if you want to understand the world of romance are cinnamon roll. You may think a cinnamon roll is a delicious breakfast treat, but in a romance novel, this refers to a typically male character who is so sweet and tender and precious that you just want to protect him and his beautiful heart from the world. Ooh, a rake. This is basically the Playboy of historical romance. He defies societal rules. He drinks, he gambles. He’s out on the town all night and is a very prolific lover with a bit of a reputation as a ladies’ man. FEI these are super strong, super sexy, super powerful, immortal, fairy like creatures. One of my favorite discoveries in terms that I learned was stern brunch daddy. A lot of daddy’s usually a male love interest who seems very intimidating and alpha, but then turns out to be a total softie who just wants to make his love interest brunch. I think there’s a misconception that because these books can follow these typical patterns, that they can be predictable and boring. But I think what makes a really great romance novel is the way that these writers use the tropes in interesting ways, or subvert them. If you can think of it, there’s probably a romance novel about it. Oops, there’s only one bed. This is one of my personal favorite tropes is a twist on forced proximity. Characters find themselves in very close quarters, where inevitably sparks start to fly. Why choose is the porkulus dose of the romance world. Sometimes the best way to resolve a love triangle is by turning it into a circle, where everyone is invited to play. Oops, we lost one spice level. There’s a really wide spectrum. You can range from really low heat or no spice, what might also be called kisses. Only then you start to get into what we call closed door or fade to Black. These books go right up to the moment of intimacy, and then you get into what we call open door, which is more explicit. And sometimes these can get very high heat or spicy and even start verging into kink. There’s one thing that almost every romance novel has in common. It’s that no matter what the characters get up to in the end, it ends with a happily ever after. I say almost every romance novel. Sometimes you’re just happy for now.
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