Buck and Aikman will have the Donovan-athon in Philly

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman -- who else? -- will have the commentary for Fox on Sunday on the much anticipated Redskins-Eagles game.

I am shocked the lead announcers aren't doing Seahawks-Rams instead. Isn't that the big game on Sunday?

Actually I am a little surprised Buck will be working on Saturday, doing the Yankees-Red Sox for Fox in a game that doesn't really mean all that much since the Yanks have already clinched a playoff spot.

TBS, and not Fox, will again have all four divisional series. TBS overdoes its commercials every year, so expect to see more of Conan O'Brien then you'd ever want to see during the divisional series.

Fox has the NLCS and the World Series. TBS will have the ALCS.

Here's the complete Fox schedule this weekend courtesy of their weekly PR release:

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES


Aikman: McNabb’s Knowledge of Field & Defense Gives Him the Upper Hand in Philly



NL West Comes Down to the Wire as Padres/Giants Clash in San Fran Saturday on FOX



McNabb’s Return to Philly to Face Vick and Eagles Anchors

FOX’s Doubleheader National Game



BASEBALL’S BEST MAKE FINAL PLAYOFF PUSH IN MLB ON FOX REGULAR SEASON FINALE -- The FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK culminates its 2010 season on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 4:00 PM ET with three playoff-implicated matchups. With an AL East crown and home field advantage through the ALCS still within their grasps, Derek Jeter and the Yankees travel to Boston to take on David Ortiz and the Red Sox. There is still everything to play for in the NL West as Matt Cain and the Giants aim to hold off Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres. Down in Atlanta, the Braves look to hold onto the Wild Card when they host the Phillies. This week, the pregame show originates live from AT&T Park in San Francisco with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins the broadcast crew of Josh Lewin and Mark Grace as a reporter.



**Comcast Sports Net will air the Phillies at Braves game in the Philadelphia markets.



For instant updates throughout the week and during games from the entire MLB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.



SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2



GAME PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST COV.

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox Joe Buck, Tim McCarver 36%

& Ken Rosenthal

Fenway Park – Boston, MA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Fort Myers, Hartford, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Providence, San Antonio, Seattle, Tampa, West Palm Beach

Probable Pitchers: TBA vs. Clay Buchholz, RHP (17-7, 2.33 ERA)



San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants Josh Lewin & Mark Grace 20%

AT&T Park – San Francisco, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco

Probable Pitchers: Tim Stauffer, RHP (5-5, 1.89 ERA) vs. Matt Cain, RHP (13-10, 2.95 ERA)



Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves Dick Stockton & Eric Karros 17%

Turner Field – Atlanta, GA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Tommy Hanson, RHP (10-11, 3.41 ERA)



Due to playoff implications, Saturday’s game for markets below will be announced Thursday afternoon:

Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Richmond, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington



HOW MUCH BROTHERLY LOVE WILL PHILLY HAVE FOR MCNABB: HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EAGLES/REDSKINS CLASH ANCHORS FOX’S NFL NATIONAL GAME – The NFL on FOX heads into Week 4 on Sunday, Oct. 3 with doubleheader coverage of six games— each presented in true HD. All eyes will be on Lincoln Financial Field at 4:00 PM ET as Donovan McNabb returns to Philadelphia, to lead the Redskins against Michael Vick and the Eagles. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver call all the action of this high-profile QB matchup. At 1:00 PM ET, the action kicks off in New Orleans as Drew Brees and the Saints look to rebound from last week’s defeat when they host Jimmy Clausen and the Panthers. The Packers are another squad looking to get back on the winning track with a divisional game when they welcome the Lions to Lambeau. 49ers-Falcons and Seahawks-Rams round out the 1:00 PM ET action. In San Diego, Philip Rivers and the Chargers host the Cardinals at 4:00 PM ET.



Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s most-watched pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson. NFL Insider Jay Glazer presents the latest league news and scoops and comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo contributes his weekly “Frank’s Picks” segment. NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira is also on hand to go over any impactful officiating issues from the last week. In this week’s show, Oliver sits down with Eagles QB Vick to discuss his life and what he is making out of his second chance in the NFL.



For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.



SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3



GAME PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST/SIDELINE COV. TIME

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston 52% 1:00PM

& Tony Siragusa

New Orleans Superdome – New Orleans, LA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, San Antonio, Tampa, Washington, West Palm Beach



Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick 27% 1:00PM

& Charissa Thompson

Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City



San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons Dick Stockton, Charles Davis, Jim Mora 9% 1:00PM

& Laura Okmin

Georgia Dome – Atlanta, GA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Jacksonville, Sacramento, San Francisco



Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams Ron Pitts, John Lynch 5% 1:00PM

& Nischelle Turner

Edward Jones Dome – St. Louis, MO

MARKETS INCLUDE: Oklahoma City, Portland, Seattle, Tulsa



Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles Joe Buck, Troy Aikman 94% 4:15PM

& Pam Oliver

Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, PA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach



Arizona Cardinals at San Diego Chargers Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan 3% 4:15PM

& Chris Myers

Qualcomm Stadium – San Diego, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Phoenix, San Diego



AIKMAN: MCNABB’S KNOWLEDGE OF FIELD & DEFENSE GIVES HIM THE UPPER HAND AGAINST EAGLES -- Hall of Famer and NFL on FOX lead analyst Troy Aikman has called some big games in his broadcasting career and this Sunday he adds to that list when he heads to Lincoln Financial Field to call Donovan McNabb’s highly-anticipated return to Philadelphia. Aikman compares the quarterbacks at the forefront of this pivotal matchup and which team has the upper hand.

ON MICHAEL VICK: “I thought the Eagles would be a good team this year if they had good play at quarterback. Now they are getting great play at quarterback, it’s just not from the guy they thought would be there. Michael Vick has been impressive. He’s obviously put a lot of time into learning the offense. What has made him such a great player this season has been his ability to accurately put the ball where it has to be. His running and being able to create plays is something he’s always had but now he’s looking to throw the football and that wasn’t the case a few years back. He’s looking to be a passer first and a runner second. That has made all the difference in the world.”

WHO HAS THE ADVANTAGE SUNDAY? - McNabb, who knows the Eagles’ defense and Reid’s tendencies or Reid who brought up McNabb as a rookie and knows his weaknesses? “There’s certainly a benefit to knowing intimately what Donovan struggles with and being able to attack that. But there has to be a huge comfort level on Donovan’s part to going up against players he’s practiced with and knows really well. There’s a greater benefit to Donovan knowing Andy’s Reid’s defense than Reid telling his defense one or two things about an individual player. The defense can change set ups and counts but that might not be worth all the confusion for just one game. Also, there’s not a lot that Andy would know about Donovan that 11 years of film wouldn’t reveal. Donovan’s knowledge and comfort level gives him the advantage.”

ON DONOVAN MCNABB: “Washington is using him differently than Philadelphia did, more play-action and moving him out more. He was with the same system and same head coach for 11 years and there is an adjustment period to learning something new and it’s only going to get better. This is going to be an emotional experience for him. It is going to be different. From getting there on a bus, to getting dressed in the visitors’ locker room and the reaction he gets from the crowd. But once he’s on the field, he’s going to have an advantage in that he’s that familiar with the field and facility.”

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