Columnist Ron Kantowski: TV mix-ups are a big turnoff to readers

Ron Kantowski's notes column appears Tuesday. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-4088.

Forget about scorned women, and hell's fury, and all that stuff. If we here at the Sun sports department want to really see somebody's blood pressure boil, all we have to do is post the wrong TV sports listings.

There are various reasons why this happens, none of which will appease the viewer who pops open a cold one and props his feet up on the recliner, only to discover the ballgame he was waiting all day to see has been pre-empted by "Green Acres."

Occasionally, operator error is to blame, and we're constantly striving to make our operators error-free. But believe me when I say that most of the mistakes are due to circumstances beyond our control.

Contrary to what many of you think, the Sun does not have its own TV research department. Few newspapers do. In our case, the TV listings come to us from a service, and they come to us roughly two weeks in advance -- two weeks in which the networks can juggle programming.

That's why most listings come with the caveat that they are subject to change.

Many times when the networks pull the plug, the wire services are alerted. The Associated Press runs a daily TV update which we check against the listings we receive from our service. This eliminates most discrepancies.

Other programming changes are made by the local affiliates, and these are harder to catch. It's hit or miss whether the hometown stations will notify the local newspapers of their programming changes, which usually occur with tape-delayed sports such as auto racing.

Sometimes you need a compass and a road map to find a champ car race that goes to ABC.

Then there's the diabolical WTBS and its TV twin, TNT. During the NBA playoffs, the Turner affiliates seemingly changed their coverage plans every time Shaq missed a free throw.

Our system of checks and balances enabled us to react to most of them. But at least one got through. And to the guy who set his VCR to Channel 7 only to discover the next day the Lakers-Trailblazers game aired on 18, we are truly sorry.

I realize an apology and this explanation probably won't ease your frustration the next time the listings are wrong. But at least now you know how the process works.

* BUFFALO STAMPEDE: It had been ... what? At least three days since Buffalo Jim Barrier's name had appeared in the newspaper? So the colorful auto mechanic, professional wrestling instructor and biggest self-promoter since Alexander Haig called to say that he is hosting a new half-hour wrestling show featuring some of the matches he has promoted. It airs at 11 p.m. Fridays on Metro 48.

Haven't seen it yet, but if it's anything as interesting as a five-minute telephone conversation with the hirsute host, it's probably worth a look.

* HOOPING IT UP: Several weeks ago, Sun sports columnist Dean Juipe wrote about the dilapidated state of the basketball courts at Kenny Guinn Junior High School and was told that the problem was being addressed.

Well, it has been at least 20 percent addressed.

Two of the 10 rims and backboards are now functional with rims and nets, but the courts still look pretty sad. And one of the backboards that has been "fixed" has a swastika painted on it.

Well, if the ABA (Aryan Basketball Association) ever puts a franchise in Las Vegas, I suppose it will have a place to practice.

* YELLOW JOURNALISM: Not to dismiss Juan Montoya's dominating drive in Sunday's Indy 500, but those who follow open-wheel racing already knew the 24-year-old Colombian is destined for superstardom in his chosen profession. To put it in terms of Montoya's homeland, this kid drives as if he was being chased by somebody in a cartel.

No, the most interesting fact this reporter gleaned from Indianapolis is the reason the race cars of Lyn St. James and P.J. Jones in NASCAR's Busch Series -- both sponsored by the Yellow Freight Company -- are painted orange instead of yellow.

The color of the race cars -- as well as the company's tractor trailers -- is officially known as "swamp holly orange." Back in the 1930s, the company commissioned DuPont to produce the brightly-hued paint, which in theory is supposed to be more visible on the road and thus prevent accidents.

In St. James' case, it didn't work. After walking away from a frightening qualifying crash, she exited Sunday's race upon colliding with the other woman in the field -- 19-year-old Sarah Fisher -- before the halfway point.

* AROUND THE HORN: Until last week, it was believed that Craig Barlow and Wes Weston were the only local golfers to have played in the U.S. Open via a grueling series of qualifying tournaments. But the father of the colorfully named Monte Carlo Money -- Monte for short -- called to say his son also qualified for the Open the very hard way. ... The former Reno Blackjacks of the Western Baseball League, who left the Silver State last season, have resurfaced in Marysville, Calif., as the Feather River Mudcats and are doing great business. They packed 3,964 fans into a 3,700-seat stadium for their season opener against the Solano Steelheads recently. ... No reason given for it, but former Las Vegas Thunder goalie/coach/ambassador Clint Malarchuk did not have his contract renewed after just one season behind the bench for the Idaho Steelheads of the Western Hoc key League.

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