Neil Best

The rise of mixed martial arts has been among the biggest athletics success stories of the millennium, but MMA has lacked what every modern sport and league seems to need, or at least want: its own TV channel.

As of 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, problem solved. Sort of. It will share a station with other "combat sports," such as boxing, amateur wrestling and assorted martial arts disciplines.

It was creeping toward midnight Wednesday in Matt Simms' bedroom in northern New Jersey, which his father has appropriated to do his own homework while Matt is off at college.

NEW YORK -- It has been a lump-of-coal kind of year for most of New York's sports teams, but one came through in the end.

Michael Vick's return from shame and imprisonment nearly is complete, but so far it has lacked one essential ingredient of 21st century infamy: a reality show.

Not to worry. He has one in the works, an eight-episode season scheduled for BET early next year entitled "The Michael Vick Project," the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.

Bill Simmons, ESPN.com's "Sports Guy," has an image as the wise guy in the back of the room aiming spitballs at the teacher -- or in his case assorted sports figures, including executives at his own company.

So it is startling to see him listed as executive producer for the ambitious "30 for 30," a 15-month-long series of documentaries by A-list filmmakers to celebrate ESPN's 30th anniversary.

First, ESPN ditched the chemistry experiment gone awry that was Joe Theismann sharing a booth with Tony Kornheiser.
Next to go were the often inane celebrity guests and sideline reports that turned "Monday Night Football" into a bloated parade float in search of "casual" sports fans.
Then Kornheiser himself was gone, along with his not-for-everyone shtick, saying he no longer could handle the travel.
Net result: As ESPN enters its fourth season of the most famous franchise in sports TV, its approach is more conventional than ever. (The network loathes the word "conventional," by the way.)