Earlier today Jason McIntyre at TheBigLead.com reported that ESPN’s Chris Berman “is being heavily pursued by the NFL Network.” McIntyre also noted that Berman’s contract with ESPN expires in three months.

(Protip: might wanna budget an on-call stylist)

Last summer I heard a random rumor floating around that Direct TV was interested in acquiring Berman’s services. Today I confirmed through two independent sources that the satellite television provider is now in full pursuit of the longtime broadcaster.

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Earlier today I wrote that Kenny Chesney was in Miami last week “lobbying” to play Super Bowl halftime at the 2011 game at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

(Chesney got an assist on the subject from friend Mike Greenberg)

Friday morning Chesney guested on Mike & Mike In The Morning on ESPN Radio and couldn’t have made his desire more plain.

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UPDATE (6:50p ET): Turns out Chesney said last Friday that he wanted the gig.

Speculation is already heating up in the music industry about who will be the 2011 Super Bowl halftime musical act at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

(Chesney is friends with Peyton Manning)

Before I get to the candidates, let me clarify exactly who will make the call on the halftime show: Charles Coplin, Vice President of Programming for the NFL and Lawrence Randall, the NFL’s director of programming. (Believe it or not, 2011 Super Bowl host Jerry Jones will have very little influence on who gets the gig.)

Coplin talked about the Super Bowl halftime show to Reuters last week, including his criteria for selecting the act:

“We stay away from overexposed acts. When was the last time you saw the Who on TV? We like acts whose songs are very familiar to people of all ages, all demographics.

“There are other acts who do wonderful things and their music is tremendous, but it’s not always as anthemic and explosive, and when you’re doing something like the Super Bowl, those two words are really vital parts of making a show come to life.”

So who will be privileged the gig at Cowboys Stadium? My source said it’s a virtual lock that the NFL will go country for the big game in Dallas next February. To the end, I was also provided the five most likely candidates.

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The Milwaukee Brewers announced today that a statue of Bud Selig is being cast and will be unveiled at Miller Park in August.

Whose idea was it? Tom Haudricourt of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL gives us a clue. Read more…

Turns out my sources at Axe were right.

Erin Andrews was at the Axe party at LIV in the Fontainebleau Hotel last night.

Please god.

No.

Other unnecessaries:

Morning after buzzkill:

Now for the real reason Dwight Freeney was ineffective last night:

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Photo of Warren Sapp’s “close friend” Persiana and her “ex celebratin’ his win” in Miami early this morning.

Persiana came to Sapp’s defense yesterday, claiming he was “falsely accused” of domestic battery. Read more…

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints made it impossible to be a cynical media-type tonight.

First (and last) victory parade I cared about was ‘85. Royals. Senior in high school.

24 years later, I’m looking forward to #2.

Matt Youmans of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL has an update on the big ballers’ Bowl betting.

Las Vegas’ Billy Walters and Steve Fezzik, are lining up on Indianapolis. Fezzik said he plans to bet the Colts straight up on the money line, at a price of about minus-200, and sources say Walters has done the same in a big way.

One story circulating among gambling insiders is that Walters collaborated in some way with poker pro Phil Ivey to place a $2 million money-line bet on Indianapolis at a Strip sports book.

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Here is the first of two anti-abortion ads from Focus on the Family featuring Tim Tebow and his mom Pam.

Pam Tebow: “I call him my miracle baby. He almost didn’t make it into this world. I remember so many times when I almost lost him. It was so hard. Well he’s all grown up now, and I still worry about his health. Everybody treats him like he’s different, but to me, he’s just my baby. He’s my Timmy, and I love him.”

Tim Tebow: “Thanks mom. Love you too.”

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