The launch of Fox Sports 1 has highlighted what CBS Sports Network has done, or more specifically hasn’t done. While it has some studio shows (Jim Rome etc…), it hasn’t been nearly as aggressive as the new FS network when it comes to creating its version of SportsCenter and being a player for major sports properties.

So perhaps this new NFL pregame show is a sign that CBS Sports Network is stepping up the ante.

The interesting part is that it will be a four-hour show (9 a.m.-1 p.m.), with the last hour competing against NFL Today on CBS.

Also interesting to note that former Oakland Raiders CEO Amy Trask will be the first woman analyst on an NFL pregame show.

Here’s the official rundown:

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Continuing its aggressive expansion of programming around CBS Sports’ marquee properties, CBS Sports Network launches THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW (TOPS), a new weekly Sunday football studio program debuting Sunday, Sept. 8 (9:00 AM-1:00 PM, ET). The announcement was made today by Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports, and Executive Producer, THE NFL ON CBS, and David Berson, President, CBS Sports.

THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW breaks from the familiar pregame show format, presenting a unique fan-focused take on all the week’s NFL and college action, headlines and hot-button issues, giving viewers all the latest information as it happens. “TOPS” will be hosted by Adam Schein along with 11-year NFL veteran Bart Scott, long-time Oakland Raiders executive Amy Trask, CBS Sports Radio’s Brandon Tierney, CBSSports.com fantasy analyst Nathan Zegura and LEAD OFF’s Allie LaForce reporting.

The show also will incorporate various forms of social media interaction, engaging the “TOPS” team with its viewers.  The last hour of the show will be centered on Fantasy Football helping fans set their line-ups each week. Continuing its focus on all things football, “TOPS” will take a look back at all the college football games and performances that fans are still talking about from the previous day and look forward to the week ahead.

Regular contributors to THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW include analysts from THE NFL TODAY: Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, as well as host James Brown and Insider Jason La Canfora. CBS Sports’ NFL on CBS announcers will appear regularly from their game sites including Phil Simms, Dan Fouts, Dan Dierdorf, Rich Gannon, Solomon Wilcots, Steve Tasker and Steve Beuerlein.

“In today’s television landscape, there is certainly room for another pregame show if that show offers a unique approach and perspective,” said McManus. “THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW will accomplish that, as we combine all the assets of CBS Sports including CBS Sports Radio and CBSSports.com, creating a show focusing on the fans and how they consume football.”

THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW is part of CBS Sports Network’s expanded studio programming focusing on NFL Football. “TOPS” joins NFL MONDAY QB, which returns for its second season on Monday, Sept. 9 (5:00 PM, ET), with host Adam Schein and analysts Phil Simms, Rich Gannon, Steve Beuerlein and Insider Jason LaCanfora. After Week 1, NFL MONDAY QB airs weekly at 6:30 PM, ET.

Scott joins CBS Sports Network after an 11-year NFL playing career with the Baltimore Ravens (2002-08) and New York Jets (2009-12). In 2006, he was a Pro Bowl selection and earned All Pro honors.

Trask spent 26 seasons with the Oakland Raiders working directly for Al Davis. She was named the first female CEO in the NFL in 1997. Under her watch, the Raiders won four Division Championships (1990, 2000, 2001 and 2002) and one AFC Championship (2002).

Tierney serves as co-host of TBD in the AM, CBS Sports Radio’s national morning show. He has been a staple on sports talk radio in New York and San Francisco for the last 10 years, most recently at 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area.

Schein, host of “TOPS” and NFL MONDAY QB, anchors “Schein on Sports,” a sports talk radio show on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio, and is featured on SportsNet New York’s weekday show “Loud Mouths.”

Zegura is the Senior Fantasy Football Writer for CBSSports.com and appears regularly on CBSSports.com’s FANTASY FOOTBALL TODAY.

LaForce is a co-host of LEAD OFF, CBS Sports Network’s weekday late night news and commentary program, and also served as sideline reporter during the 2013 NCAA Tournament.  She joined CBS Sports Network in 2012.

Shawn Robbins and Andrew Finger produce THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW. Tyler Hale is Vice President, Studio Production, CBS Sports and Harold Bryant serves as Executive Producer of CBS Sports. The show will originate from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

I did a Q/A on the voice of golf for CBS for this week’s official PGA Championship program.

As everyone knows, Jim Nantz roomed with Fred Couples and Blaine McAlister at the University of Houston. He recalled a round where he thought he actually might join them on the PGA Tour. The dream, though, died quickly.

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Nantz: I did not have the talent my roommates had. To put it in perspective, I played in only one tournament at Houston: a tournament for freshman. I shot 35 going out. I was 1-under through 11. When I stepped foot at Houston, I knew I wanted to broadcast golf for CBS. Through 11 holes that day, I’m thinking, ‘maybe I got this thing upside down.’

On the 12th hole, I used a 2-iron off the tee and hit right off the hosel. It nearly struck someone in the head. I then went double-double-double. I shot 77 without making a bogey.

Of course, I was too far ahead of myself. I realized during those last seven holes I was going to get there with my microphone instead of my clubs.

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As for the caliber of his game these days, well…

Nantz: First off, I was not that good. It haunts me that people think I’m that good. I’m met on the first tee with unrealistic expectations. It’s a curse. I can really hit it sideways at times. People then say, ‘I read somewhere that you were on the University of Houston golf team. Did you really room with Fred Couple and Blaine McAlister?’ Then they look at you like they’re beginning to doubt that.

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Fortunately for Nantz, there’s more than one way to get inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame. Nantz will be joining his buddy Couples there one day soon.

Thought I would share this release sent out by CBS Sports yesterday. The network had some fun with numbers in its continuing battle with Time Warner.

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A CASE STUDY ON TIME WARNER CABLE & RIGHTS FEES

In Los Angeles, TWC is on the other side of the table in terms of rights fees.

Here are the facts that many don’t know about their fight for the consumer.

Half of LA Lakers games used to be on free over-the-air TV before TWC outbid everyone for the rights for $3 billion.

TWC then created a Lakers channel charging subscribers $4/month whether they watch the games or not.

This works out to $49 per subscriber for 52 exclusive games this year, or nearly $1/game.

TWC followed this up by paying nearly $8 billion for rights to the LA Dodgers.

And next season the Dodgers will reportedly also move from free over-the-air TV to a newly created TWC Dodgers channel that by industry estimates will cost even more than $4 per subscriber per month.

Neither the Lakers nor Dodgers TWC channels are available to consumers on an a la carte basis.

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Time Warner Cable on the matter (attached).

Meanwhile, per local regulations, TWC discloses on the back of its bills that they are charging $20/month for “broadcast” television.

This is 54% higher than they charged just two years ago, during which time it’s been made known that both the Lakers and Dodgers have been removed from broadcast (TV).

Time Warner Cable has yet to address this matter publicly.

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The PGA Championship starts today. “Glory’s Last Shot” gives Tiger Woods one last chance in 2013 to not have to answer “the-when-are-you-going-to-win-another-major?” question leading up to the 2014 Masters.

During a conference call, I asked the CBS crew if it is possible for Woods to win five tournaments in a year (and counting) and have it be considered an unsuccessful year if one of those victories doesn’t occur in a major? Five wins would be a career for most players. Then again, Woods isn’t most players.

Leave it to David Feherty to put it in perspective:

“Is it possible to have that kind of year and have it be disappointing? Only for one player.

“People ask me all the time: Is Tiger Woods going to make it back? Well, he’s won five times and has been No. 1 most of the year. How far back to do you have to be to be back?

“There are two separate ways of viewing golf. There’s Tiger Woods and there’s everyone else.”

So will his drought end this week? Don’t think Oak Hill suits his game. My prediction: Despite all those non-major victories, it’ll be another “disappointing” year for Woods.

Golf lost a legend last week. The Stuttering Foundation lost a hero.

When Ken Venturi was growing up, the idea that he could spend 35 years as a TV golf analyst was unthinkable. He suffered from a severe stutter.

“I couldn’t be with my friends and do things the other kids did,” Venturi said in an 2011 interview.  I was too embarrassed. I didn’t even date. How can you get a date with a girl if you can’t even ask her out?”

His mother was told he never would overcome the affliction. Venturi, though, eventually did.

“It took me a while before I became comfortable around people,” he said. “I still stutter, but I can control it and it doesn’t embarrass me anymore. I don’t mind talking about it, and I am working with youngsters who stutter, which has been a rewarding experience. I appreciate the opportunity to work with them and try to advise and encourage kids with speech problems.”

Indeed, Venturi became the first celebrity spokesman for The Stuttering Foundation. President Jane Fraser paid tribute to Venturi on the site:

“The stuttering community lost a real champion in Ken Venturi.

“Nearly 30 years ago, Ken became our first “Famous Person Who Stutters” – a ever-growing list of more than 100 well-known people who provide hope and courage to the 68 million people who stutter worldwide. He was one of the first to offer his help to the stuttering community, and remained faithful to the cause for decades.

“Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi is a hero to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

“Ken was the first national spokesman for the Stuttering Foundation nearly three decades ago. As was his way, he offered to fill that role for us because his concern for those who stutter was unparalleled. In a letter dated July 1986, Ken wrote my father, our founder Malcolm Fraser, saying he wished to do whatever he could to help those who stutter.”

Venturi led a life that had an impact way beyond golf. Just imagine all the people he inspired to overcome their stuttering problems.

Jim Nantz said, “This is going to be tough.”

CBS opened its golf telecast Saturday with a 17-minute tribute to their old colleague Ken Venturi. While it was tough, as it was for Pat Summerall’s tribute a month earlier, an emotional Nantz eloquently captured the essence of Venturi’s life.

Below is Nantz’s introduction for Venturi for the World Golf Hall of Fame. It also ran during Saturday’s telecast. He did his friend proud.

RIP Ken Venturi:

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From CBS Sports:

Ken Venturi provided lead analysis and commentary for CBS Sports’ coverage of golf for 35 years from 1968 when he, along with Jack Whitaker, co-hosted “CBS Golf Championship” and “CBS Golf Classic,” until 2002 as the lead golf analyst for the CBS Television Network.  He was the longest-running lead analyst on television for any sport.

One of golf’s elite players, Venturi won the 1964 U.S. Open Championship, and was recently inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in a ceremony on May 6.

Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports: For the second time in a month, the CBS Sports family has lost one of its legends with the passing of Ken Venturi.  Ken was not only one of golf’s greatest champions, but also the signature voice of golf for almost two generations of fans and viewers.  His stature, expertise and personality working in the 18^th tower alongside Pat Summerall, Jim Nantz and the rest of the CBS golf team will forever be synonymous with the greatest golf events on CBS.

Jim Nantz: “He was one of the finest gentlemen the world will ever know and one of the greatest friends you could ever have.  He was a deeply principled man with a dynamic presence. He just exuded class.  Through his competitive days and unequalled broadcasting career, Kenny became a human bridge connecting everyone from Sarazen, Nelson and Hogan to the greatest players of today’s generation.  Kenny faced many adversities in his life and always found a way to win.  When I hear Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” I will always believe that Ol’ Blue Eyes was singing that song for his close pal, Kenny Venturi. It makes me think of him every time.  On his farewell broadcast in 2002 I told him, ‘You will be, always by my side.’   Five years later, I wrote a book about my Dad and father figures in my life. I named the book after that very moment.

“I’m so happy he lived to know he was going to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. I will cherish my 17 years working with him.  But more than that, I will treasure the rich, personal, deep friendship that we shared for nearly 30 years.”