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sclListTop +=' </ul>'; sclListTop +=' </li>'; sclListTop +=' </ul>'; sclListTop +=' </div>'; sclListTop +=' </div>'; sclListTop +=' <ul class="whatsthis">';  sclListTop +=' <li class="socialFoot"><a href="#open-share-help" onClick="document.getElementById(\'sclBtnInfo\').style.visibility=\'visible\';document.getElementById(\'Adv6\').style.display=\'none\';usatAj.ahah(\'sclBtnInfo\', null, \'http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/socialhelp-v1.htm\', null);" title="What\'s this"></a></li>'; sclListTop +=' </ul>'; sclListTop +=' <div id="sclBtnInfo"></div>'; sclListTop +='</div>'; jQuery("#topSocialButtons").append(sclListTop); jQuery(".subscribe-nav").treeview({control: ".treecontrol",animated: "medium",collapsed: true});}</script><script src="http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge.js"></script><div class="byLine" id="byLineTag">By Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY</div><div class="inside-copy">If CBS and the New England Patriots got any closer, they'd get tattoos with each other's logos.</div><p class="inside-copy">New England has powered CBS' NFL ratings so far to a 5% jump over last season — even before Sunday's Steelers-Pats game — while NFL ratings on Fox, NBC and ESPN are down. With CBS' NFL ratings virtually tied with NBC's and Fox's, its AFC package might end up topping the two other broadcast network NFL packages in the same season for the first time.</p><p class="inside-copy">And Sunday, CBS and the Patriots took their relationship to a new level in announcing a joint venture to create the first CBS sports restaurant. The CBS Scene, with 15,000 square feet, will open next fall at the Pats' stadium in Foxborough, Mass.</p><p class="inside-copy">"There is no greater franchise right now in the NFL than the New England Patriots," said CBS president Les Moonves, in a statement released Sunday. Said Patriots owner Bob Kraft: "When it comes to entertainment and sports programming, CBS is the premier brand."</p><p class="inside-copy">On its coverage of Pittsburgh-New England on Sunday, CBS showed the pair sitting together before announcer Jim Nantz touted the CBS Scene coming "right here to this magnificent setting."</p><div id="tagCrumbs"></div><p class="inside-copy">Magnificent? At least CBS, which follows ESPN and Fox in having sports restaurants, will have a unique selling proposition: Along with lots of TV sports, consumers also will be able to watch old CBS shows such as <i>The Honeymooners</i> and <i>Gilligan's Island</i>.</p><p class="inside-copy"><b>Spice rack:</b>  Sunday, Fox's Jay Glazer reported the Green Bay Packers on Saturday flew in quarterback Brett Favre's "idol," Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Randy Couture, to talk to the team. Couture, says Glazer, stressed positives, noting that "at least when these guys lose, they don't get punched and elbowed in the face." ... On NBC made-for-TV golf Saturday, Greg Norman and Chris Evert gushed about their romance. "I love her to death," said Norman. "I've found a place I've never found before." Said Evert: "We found a connection at every level." ... Kirk Herbstreit, on ESPN's Heisman Trophy selection show, to winner Tim Tebow: "You're the most humble guy I've ever met."</p><p class="inside-copy"><b>Vick TV:</b>  Michael Vick, the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback, is scheduled to be sentenced Monday in connection with conspiring to operate a dogfighting ring. With New Orleans-Atlanta on ESPN's Monday Night Football, Falcons owner Arthur Blank will be MNF's booth guest. Tuesday, ESPN's <i>E:60</i> looks at the 60 dogs seized at Vick's Bad Newz Kennels, including 48 pit bulls in federal custody who might be adopted or euthanized.</p><p class="inside-copy"><b>Stirring the pot:</b>  Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who this year brought attention to a dispute between cable and satellite TV over out-of-market Major League Baseball games, has written the NFL to "express my concern" over football fans "being held hostage" in the ongoing standoff between the NFL Network and cable operators over the channel's distribution. But Kerry also says: "I do not wish to interfere with these negotiations." ... Paul Kelly, head of the NHL's players' union, says NHL game coverage "has got to get back on ESPN" — and not just air on Versus. He told <i>The</i> (Minneapolis) <i>Star Tribune </i> that "not only do we need ESPN, I think ESPN needs us. I mean, I've seen some of their programming."</p><p class="inside-copy"><b>Oops:</b>  ESPN.com has apologized for what it dubs "very poor judgment" for an online poll Friday that included asking voters whether they'd like to see the Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett "blow out his knee." Said ESPN, in a statement: "Obviously, we wish good health to all athletes." ... TV play-by-play callers can enliven game coverage — think Marv Albert and Al Michaels — but mainly they need to get basics right. Which is why Bryant Gumbel's experiment doing play-by-play on the NFL Network should end after this season, if not sooner. During the Chicago-Washington game Thursday, Gumbel made this call on a field-goal attempt: "This one's good. No, it's not. My bad." Sure, it's kind of funny. But also unnecessary.</p><p class="inside-copy"><b>Debut:</b>  After grumbling from NBA coaches, TNT's NBA doubleheader Thursday tipped off the NBA's policy of requiring coaches to wear microphones and do interviews on national TV games. The taped audio that aired — vetted by NBA staffers — hardly was controversial, such as Denver's George Karl telling players to "get back to playing defense more seriously." 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