It still doesn’t completely make sense. Pete Rose remains banned from baseball, and yet he will be working as a pre- and postgame analyst for Fox for one of its signature events, the All-Star Game in Cincinnati Tuesday.

Doesn’t add up, right?

Major League Baseball had to sign off on Fox giving Rose such a prominent platform this year. Fox is a MLB network partner. If MLB objected, Rose wouldn’t be talking about Bryce Harper for Fox Tuesday.

Why now for Rose? It wasn’t as if someone at Fox suddenly realized, ‘Hey this Rose guy might be a good analyst.”

Rose has been talking baseball for years during his long exile. He always is outspoken; he knows the game; and besides that, he’s Pete Rose. Under normal circumstances, Rose would have had a network analyst job a long time ago.

So why did it take until Rose was 74 to finally land a gig at Fox?

Nobody is saying, but the best guess is that Bud Selig stood in the way of one of its network partners bringing in Rose. “Not on my watch,” Selig probably said.

New commissioner Rob Manfred seems more open to the idea of finally removing the ban. Perhaps allowing Rose to work for Fox is a first step in the process.

At the very least, Rose, who will be part of the pregame ceremonies in his hometown Tuesday, could help Fox’s ratings.

******

Here are some highlights from Fox’s teleconference last week that including Rose:

Rose on the possibility of reinstatement:

“Just having him [Commissioner Manfred] review my status, I’m happy. I’m looking forward to sitting down one-on-one with Mr. Manfred and discussing the situation. I’ll be as honest as I possibly can about my life in baseball. I’m elated and I’m genuinely happy that Mr. Manfred is willing to reconsider my status. I’ve never met him before, but hopefully I can introduce myself soon. When you’re in my situation, you’ll be happy with pretty much anything. I’m just happy that he’s willing to review my status, and we’ll go from there.”

Rose on being a baseball analyst for FOX Sports:

“I enjoy going into the green room and watching as many games as I possibly can. To be able to go into American homes on a regular basis and talk about what I just watched, and argue with Frank Thomas and Chris Myers, it’s just a lot of fun. I watch baseball games every night, and I care about the game, I love the game, and I want the game to be successful. And working for FOX just gives me more exposure, and it’s the kind of exposure I like because I enjoy the game of baseball.”

Joe Buck on Rose as a broadcaster:

“He will say how he feels, understands the game better than most anybody I’ve ever come across and is willing to say things that others aren’t willing to say. And that’s what makes a great analyst. When Pete did his audition, you could hear a pin drop in the room because everyone wanted to hear what he had to say. And that’s how I’m going to be when I’m in the booth and they are doing pregame. I’m going to want to hear what Pete has to say, and that relevance and importance is everything in today’s television industry.”

Rose on the reaction he gets from fans:

“You have to understand how people feel about you. People around me give me positive vibes. People who want my autograph don’t talk bad about me. People understand that I understand that I made a mistake and I want to go on with my life. So that’s the situation I find myself in mostly everywhere I go.”

Fox Sports president of production John Entz on Rose’s work ethic:

“From the TV side, we can’t say enough good things about how Pete has been. On the air he’s been a really interesting listen. He says exactly what’s on his mind. He knows the game; he follows the game; he loves the game. It’s been nothing but positive there.”

Rose on his approach to broadcasting:

“To me, working at FOX is like playing a baseball game. I have to be there, I have to do my preparation, I have to try to do a good job and know what I’m talking about. I have to try and fit in. I have to give my best effort because I know people are watching. I don’t want to disappoint the people at FOX who gave me an opportunity. That’s why I am the way that I am. I am playing FOX just like the way I play baseball.”

Frank Thomas on working with Rose:

“Pete was a legend for a reason. He busted his butt every day. He played the game to the fullest. He has a record that will probably never be broken—because I don’t see anyone playing as long as Pete played with the money thrown at kids these days. But he was always an inspiration just because of how hard he played. He’s a hard worker.”

Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports media:

*****

Awful Announcing asked sports media watchers (including yours truly) to speculate on landing spots for Bill Simmons, Keith Olberman, and Colin Cowherd. Here’s what I wrote on Simmons:

It is interesting to note that the BS Report podcasts still are being featured on his Grantland site. Wherever he goes, I don’t think he ever will have the level of reach ESPN gave him with its many platforms. However, the Simmons brand does carry considerable weight, and he will have followers at his ultimate landing spot. Best bet would seem to be Turner and Bleacher Report creating a site for him. The Turner connection would allow him to stay connected with his first love, the NBA.

On Olbermann:

It is hard to say where he will land, although it is safe to eliminate Fox. Best bet might be some sort of role at MLB Network, linking him with his passion for baseball. I could see him being an essayist, lending a different voice and perspective to the network.

On Cowherd:

If I’m Cowherd, I’m staying at ESPN. The network gives him the most exposure at many different levels. He would make a mistake to go elsewhere. Perhaps he could bring in Jim Harbaugh as his new sidekick.

Jason McIntyre of Big Lead writes on how ESPN president John Skipper is playing the money game with recent moves.

It’s probably a combination of things – talent doesn’t really matter as much as it used to at a time when ESPN is tripling down on SportsCenter; in hindsight, Skipper made a few panicked moves in 2013 as FS1 was getting ready to launch, borne out of fear of the unknown; and finally, perhaps there is dissension among the ranks in Bristol between their vision and that of Skipper, a notorious risk-taker.

The most popular theory among ESPN’ers: ESPN President John Skipper is not in control. He’s in a vulnerable spot.

Richard Deitsch of SI.com had high marks for Fox Sports’ coverage of the Women’s World Cup.

Matt Zemek of Awful Announcing has an interesting piece on ESPN’s coverage of Wimbledon and what it says about modern sports media.

Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing writes on how the rising costs of rights fees could force sports networks to make cuts elsewhere.

Wright Thompson is the subject of Deitsch’s latest SI Media podcast.

Grantland’s Katie Baker discusses the U.S. women’s victory in the latest Sports-Casters podcast.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News does a Q/A with Bob Ley.

John Walters at Newsweek.com examines the bizarre interview Jim Harbaugh had with Colin Cowherd.

The Povich Center for Sports Journalism at Maryland assembled quite a schedule of guest speakers for its summer camp.

I loved this passage from Teddy Greenstein in the Chicago Tribune:

ESPN hosted a teleconference Wednesday to promote its coverage of the British Open, and the first Tiger Woods question came … wait for it … at the 42-minute mark.

“Congratulations!” host Mike Tirico told reporters.

Indeed. Woods isn’t quite old news, but he’s Page 3 this week. Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson are front and center.

Previously, it was 42 minutes before anyone asked about another golfer besides Woods.

Richard Deitsch of SI.com talked to James Andrew Miller about Keith Olbermann’s pending departure from ESPN.

The author of the definitive ESPN book says it ultimately came down to one thing: Money.

“ESPN thought about it, but then decided they weren’t going to open up SportsCenter to Olbermann, nor any of their other major vehicles,” Miller said. “Once they realized they weren’t actually going to use him in significant roles and at significant times, keeping him no longer made sense. John Skipper played George Steinbrenner with several incredibly expensive talent deals in recent years, but those days are over. Olbermann was far from being a high-priced ticket by today’s Bristol standards, but a new contract wouldn’t have been insignificant. Roles and dollars were the driving forces here, not behavior.”

Meanwhile Ben Koo of Awful Announcing had this item.

It was reported that ESPN’s lackluster upcoming slate of Monday Night games was believed to be retribution for Bill Simmons and Olbermann’s criticism of the league and Goodell. To that end, we’re hearing there are some ESPN folks who think the league denied a request for a Monday Night Football matchup featuring the Cowboys against a specific opponent due to Simmons and Olbermann’s vocal criticism this past year. ESPN does have one Cowboys game on this year’s schedule but comes late in the season and on the road versus a Redskins team that went 4-12 last season.

If this indeed is the thinking in Bristol, removing Simmons and Olbermann could be classified as “business decisions” and not editorial policing as improved quality of games would certainly help drive higher ratings and revenue and improve the quality of the Monday Night Football schedule.

I supposed it seems plausible, but it also would be short-sighted on the NFL’s part to get retribution via such a high-profile Monday night package. Bad games on Monday night also damage the league.

However, Olbermann’s departure likely will make it easier for Skipper in future meetings with Goodell.

ESPN just released a statement on Keith Olbermann:

“Keith is a tremendous talent who has consistently done timely, entertaining and thought-provoking work since returning to ESPN. While the show’s content was distinctive and extremely high quality, we ultimately made a business decision to move in another direction. We wish Keith nothing but the best and trust that his skill and ability will lead him to another promising endeavor.”

The website says his show will end “sometime this month.”

Too bad. Olbermann is a unique talent and did a good show.

More to come.

This isn’t a surprise.

Aaron Kasinitz of Pennlive.com reports that Holly Sonders has been reassigned for Fox’s coverage of this week’s U.S. Women’s Open.

Whoever wins the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club this weekend won’t speak with Fox reporter Holly Sonders behind the 18th green.

Sonders faced a hefty dose of criticism after her interview of U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth last month, and she’s taking on a different role for this weekend’s championship. Sonders will host a half-hour post-match show on Fox Sports 1 on Saturday and Sunday, while Shane O’Donoghue conducts the on-course interviews.

“We’re not reassigning Holly because she did a bad job,” Fox’s coordinating producer Mark Loomis said. “I think Holly’s been great for us. It’s just that she can’t do both the postgame show and the interviews.”

Not to edit Loomis, but the last line of his quote should read, “It’s just that she can’t do the interviews.”

Given another opportunity at the U.S. Senior Open, from what I saw, Sonders still struggled to ask questions beyond, “How does it feel?”

The studio will be a much better role for her.

Congratulations to one of the true pros in the business.

*******

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will honor ESPN NFL analyst Tom Jackson with the prestigious Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award during the 2015 Enshrinement Ceremony in Canton, Ohio on Saturday, August 8. Established in 1989, the award annually recognizes “longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.”

Jackson joined ESPN in 1987 after a 14-year NFL career with the Denver Broncos. This fall marks his 29th season as an analyst on ESPN’s signature pregame show, Sunday NFL Countdown. He also appears on Monday Night Countdown andSportsCenter’s Sunday night “NFL Blitz” highlights segment and is part of ESPN’s annual on-site coverage of Super Bowl week and the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony.

Jackson and veteran NFL host Chris Berman – the 2010 Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award recipient – have worked together since Jackson joined ESPN. Among the duo’s most notable accomplishments is revolutionizing NFL highlights on the critically-acclaimed NFL Primetime, cable’s top-rated studio program during its 18-year run (1987-2005).

As a player, Jackson spent his entire career with the Broncos, anchoring the defense at linebacker. He played in three Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls and was inducted into Denver’s “Ring of Fame” in 1992.

“Playing in the National Football League was a dream come true, but never did it occur to me that I’d have a second career so gratifying and an award like this bestowed upon me,” Jackson said. “I admire and deeply respect the former recipients of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. I’m so honored to join this club. And to all those who have contributed to my success as a broadcaster, I humbly and sincerely say thank you.”

In addition to Jackson’s honor, ESPN NFL analyst Jerome Bettis and NFL Front Office Insider Bill Polian are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 that will be inducted in August.

ESPN colleagues react to Tom Jackson’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award honor:

“For almost a half century, Tom has been nothing short of an ambassador for pro football. He was a Pro Bowl player with the Broncos for 14 years, and he’s entering his 29th year as a Pro Bowl broadcaster at ESPN. Very few have done that. Tom has thrilled three generations of NFL fans, and I’m happy to say I’m one of them. Tom, nobody deserves the Pete Rozelle Award more than you. Congratulations, my friend.”

-ESPN NFL host Chris Berman, recipient of the 2010 Pete Rozelle Radio-TV Award

“For almost three decades, Tom has brought the same enthusiasm to our studio shows as he did to Denver’s Orange Crush defense. He has strong relationships with players and coaches throughout the league and he has demonstrated the ability to connect with fans on a very personal level. He is highly deserving of this honor.”

– ESPN executive vice president of programming and production John Wildhack

“Tom is passionate about the game, well respected around the league, and has been unfailingly insightful on TV for the last 28 years. He most definitely belongs in the distinguished company of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award winners. Tom is a class act in every sense.”

Reeves Wiedeman of New York Magazine filed a long and extensive report of what happened with Jason Whitlock and his now past involvement with Undefeated.

Wiedeman writes:

On May 26, Skipper visited the Undefeated office to check up on the site. I was supposed to go to L.A. that week, too, after ESPN and Whitlock agreed to a profile of Whitlock and his site. I was to join Whitlock at an annual Memorial Day barbecue at his mother’s house, in Indianapolis, then fly on to Los Angeles, to visit the Undefeated’s office. My flights were booked when Whitlock called from an unknown number 12 hours before my departure. Half an hour later, he had uninvited me from both trips for reasons that were off the record, but did little to convince me that others I spoke to who have worked and interacted with him, at ESPN and elsewhere, were being overly harsh in describing him as paranoid, dismissive of young writers, and difficult to work with.

Perhaps Whitlock simply saw the writing on the wall: Three weeks after that call, Skipper removed Whitlock from the site he’d been hired to create, before that site had even launched. It’s difficult to say exactly why ESPN let Whitlock go. (Both sides declined to comment on the record for this story.) The Deadspin article was read throughout Bristol, but several people at the company said the problems had been well-known for some time. ESPN has so far insisted that both of its L.A. outposts have bright futures, though the trajectories of both are less clear without their founders at the helm. The Undefeated’s aborted lift-off is instructive in understanding both the difficulty of the task at hand — a massive sports media organization creating a website examining the most pressing social issue of the day — and the precarious position of such “affinity sites,” including Grantland and Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight, in the ESPN universe.

A telling passage:

But many black journalists were less than excited about the Undefeated. “Jason’s a great columnist, and columnists are supposed to elicit response, move the needle, so he can say whatever he wants,” one black journalist at ESPN told me. “But at what point does that disqualify you as a guy who’s gonna run a website that’s all about connecting with an audience that you’ve offended so many times?” When Whitlock’s hiring was announced, a number of ESPN employees went to Skipper and other executives to express reservations about Whitlock. One black editor at a prominent digital publication — many black journalists declined to speak on the record, citing some variation of the fact that, “This is a very small world, and we all have to work in it for another 30 years” — told me he viewed the site the same way he looked at Tyler Perry’s movies: Employed black writers were better than unemployed ones, but the site under Whitlock only seemed likely to set back to the cause.

And this:

Whitlock’s initial attempts to staff the site suggested as much, as he set about trying to hire everyone from traditional sports reporters to those who covered criminal justice. But he quickly found that many of his targets weren’t interested. Some were content in their jobs; others were hesitant about working for him. Resources were not a question — the site recently sent one of its reporters and a film crew to South Africa for a story on Josiah Thugwane, the country’s first black Olympic gold medalist — nor were salaries. Whitlock’s top target was Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlanticwriter whose “The Case for Reparations” Whitlock held up as the standard to which he wanted his site to aspire. Whitlock offered to triple Coates’s salary, but Coates still turned him down. A friend of Coates’s said the idea of potentially running such a site would have appealed to Coates, but he had little interest in working for Whitlock.

Many potential hires said they weren’t convinced they would be able to report and write the types of stories they wanted, and some were concerned that working for Whitlock would put them on the wrong side of history. Whitlock’s response to the protests in Baltimore had been to tweet that “Children need committed parents. Gotta rebuild the home,” and a few days later, he linked to an article arguing that the string of young black men killed by police had been an overhyped story, because almost as many people were killed each year by lightning strikes and dogs. “A lot of us feel as if we’re writing things at a particular moment in history that people are going to look back on, so it’s extremely important that the tone and confection of these pieces are right,” one reporter who covers race told me. “Being the guy in 1960 saying Martin Luther King Jr. was not all he’s cracked up to be would have gotten you a lot of newspaper readers, but it’s not about getting clicks now. It’s ‘Are these going to hold up to the scrutiny of history?’”

There’s much more. Still waiting to hear Whitlock’s version of what happened.

Quite a feat.

The official rundown from Fox:

*******

The USA’s emphatic 5-2 victory over Japan in the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2015™ final, America’s first Women’s World Cup championship since 1999, is the most- watched soccer match in U.S. history, according to Nielsen.  The match posted a prodigious 12.9 household rating/share with 25.4 million viewers, and peaked at 30.9 million between8:30-8:45 PM ET.

USA-Japan final highlights:

The 2015 USA-Japan final is the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history, obliterating the previous mark of 18,220,000 set by USA-Portugal during last year’s World Cup group stage match (6/22/15) by +39%.

USA-Japan also shatters prior mark for a women’s soccer match, the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final (17,975,000) by +41%.

The match beat the audience for the 2011 Women’s World Cup Final, which also featured USA vs. Japan, by +89% (13.5 million).

Last night’s match average audience exceeded every game of the NBA Finals, the 2014-15 broadcast season average of every show in primetime, including Sunday Night Football, and the primetime average of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games.

Last night’s match delivered the most-watched telecast since the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament championship game on CBS (28.3 million, 4/6/15).

43.2 million viewers watched all or part of last night’s final.

The audience began at 18.2 million viewers at 7:00PM ET and peaked at a tournament-high 30.1 million from8:30-8:45 PM ET.

FOX Sports GO set a new record with 232,000 unique streamers.  This was the largest authenticated streaming audience in FOX Sports GO history, besting the previous mark set by the USA-Germany semifinal (166,000 unique streamers).  Women’s World Cup matches now comprise FOX Sports GO’s top 5 most-viewed events ever.

Top markets for USA vs. Japan: Kansas City (20.6), followed by St. Louis (20.5), San Diego (19.5), Denver (19.4), Austin (19.1), Seattle (18.3), Washington D.C. and West Palm Beach (18.2), San Francisco and Las Vegas (17.7).  The rating in Kansas City is the highest for any individual market in this tournament.  The previous high was set by Kansas City and St. Louis (9.3) for USA-Germany in the Semifinal.

Note: All comparisons based on single net English language viewership.

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2015™ summary:

–          The 2015 tournament averaged 1.824 million viewers per each of the tournament’s 52 matches across all networks (FOX, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2), +21% over 1,511,000 averaged on ESPN and ESPN2 for the 32 matches played in 2011.

–           Top markets for all seven USA matches: St. Louis (8.0), followed by Kansas City (7.5), Washington D.C. (7.3), Austin (6.6), San Diego (6.4), Richmond (6.2), Denver and Baltimore (6.1), Norfolk and West Palm Beach (6.0).

–          Top markets for all 52 matches: St. Louis (1.94), Washington D.C. (1.85), Richmond (1.72), Kansas City (1.65), Sacramento (1.64), Baltimore (1.60), Orlando (1.56), Los Angeles (1.54), San Diego (1.51) and Las Vegas (1.50).