Network

The Laurel chapter of Business Network International will hold a Visitor's Day on Thursday, Dec. 6 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Famous Dave's Restaurant, 14140 Baltimore Ave. BNI is a word-of-mouth referral organization with 95 chapters in Maryland and thousands of chapters worldwide. At weekly meetings, BNI chapters offer members a structured, supportive environment for developing business relationships and referrals. Visitors are encouraged to bring at least 50 business cards to Visitor's Day. For more information on BNI or to reserve a place for Visitor's Day, contact Don Thomas at 301-604-8700.

What makes the University of Maryland's move to the Big Ten look like such a winner is the school's participation in the Big Ten Network, one of collegiate sports' most successful and savvy TV operations, with its audience of 80 million homes. At least, that's what economists and TV executives were saying Monday as the school announced its 2014 departure from the Atlantic Coast Conference, which it had helped charter in 1953. "TV didn't matter in 1953," said media economist Douglas Gomery, a professor emeritus of journalism at College Park.

When the Oakland Raiders used the seventh overall pick in the 2009 draft to select Darrius Heyward-Bey, the McDonogh graduate and Maryland product was the first wide receiver taken off the board. That honor raised the bar for Heyward-Bey, who is trying to assert himself as the Raiders' top wideout. NFL Network analyst and former kick returner Bucky Brooks thinks there is still room and time for Heyward-Bey to develop into that role. Here is what Brooks had to say about Heyward-Bey.

The venture capitalists at Accel Partners fly around the world to find hot companies ripe for investment. The Silicon Valley-based firm was the first major investor in Facebook years ago, and its portfolio is a Who's Who of fast-growing technology enterprises. But a few years ago, a little company in Columbia called Tenable Network Security Inc. caught the eye of Accel's executives. They followed Tenable closely as it steadily emerged as a top player in cybersecurity. Then, in September, the bombshell: Accel decided to pump $50 million into Tenable, a staggering amount even by venture capital standards and the biggest investment that Accel has ever made in a North American company.

The loss of inside linebacker Ray Lewis to a torn right triceps suffered in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 31-29 win against the Dallas Cowboys saps the Ravens of their leading tackler and emotional sparkplug. But according to a pair of NFL Network analysts, the defense should fare fine even without the 13-time Pro Bowler. Speaking on “Thursday Night Kickoff,” former St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk pointed out that the unit hasn't been exactly suffocating through the first six games of the season and that was with Lewis in the starting lineup.

Analyst Brian Billick and play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman delivered smart, smooth and informative coverage of the Ravens' victory over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday on Fox. The entire production - from Laura Okmin's sideline reports to the myriad and sharply focused angles from which the cameras closely followed key plays - was so vastly superior to what Ravens fans usually get with second- and third-string CBS Sports crews that the telecast felt...

Drama is not exactly something the networks do well any more -- especially drama that has any kind of cultural resonance. But "Nashville," which debuts at 10 p.m. Wednesday on ABC, is the one new network drama that pretty much has it all. In the world of fast-hit blog reviews, here are five outstanding elements that recommend it: Callie Khouri -- The series set in the home of country music is created by Khouri, the Oscar-winning screenwriter...

I know I will probably never hear a seriously negative word about the NFL on its owned and operated cable channel. But I have to admit, I almost always enjoy watching the Baltimore Ravens on the NFL Network. I was reminded Thursday again of what a great evening of TV football the channel provided last Thanksgiving with the Harbaugh Bowl and the Terrell Suggs postgame celebration. I love the energy and sense of camaraderie among Rich Eisen and his pre-game and halftime team of Marshall Faulk, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin and Steve Mariucci.

After playing a national TV game that seemed like it wouldn't end Sunday night, the Ravens have a very quick turnaround for Thursday night's prime-time game against the Cleveland Browns. The game will be shown nationally on the NFL Network with Brad Nessler on play-by-play, Mike Mayok handling analysis and Alex Flanagan the sideline reporter. The game will also be shown locally on WBAL Ch. 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m., which means it will likely start closer to 8:35 or so. For the Ravens, it's their second prime-time game in five days, having beaten the New England Patriots 31-30 Sunday night . Ed Reed says the NFL is being greedy by scheduling Thursday night games.

After nine months away from Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf, I forgot how maddening it was to watch the second-string unit from CBS Sports try to telecast a Ravens game. Players misidentified, random images inexplicably popping up on the screen, key injuries missed or ignored, and announcers sticking to pre-game story lines long after they should have been abandoned, based on what was actually happening on the field. These are a few of my least favorite things when watching TV football.