In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes the first episode of ESPN's "First Take" featuring Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman "lacked heart and soul," possibly due to the "topic selection." The duo "opened riffing on Kevin Durant signing with the Warriors," a subject that is "moldy and had already been dissected to death." The show also lacked "intense mouth-to-mouth combat," but this "did not negate the compelling content of some of their opinions and some of the lines they produced." It is "going to take time for this egg to hatch" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/26).
FORMING A UNION: In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald noted broadcaster Janusz Michallik will "join longtime friend JP Dellacamera to call the Union's next two games" in the wake of Peter Pappas' dismissal. Michallik is a veteran of ESPN, Fox, One World Sports, SiriusXM and TSN (PHILLY.com, 7/22).
WATCH AND LEARN: The DAILY DOT's Samuel Lingle noted Blizzard Entertainment's "Overwatch" video game is "coming to television." Turner's ELeague has "teamed up with FACEIT to premiere the 'Overwatch' Open, a $300,000 tournament with the grand finals airing live on TBS." The Overwatch tournament will be "on a much smaller scale than ELeague’s two-month Counter-Strike league." Only the grand finals of the Overwatch event "will hit television, but that’s likely just the start if it proves successful" (DAILYDOT.com, 7/22).
