We heard this was the plan a few months ago, and now it appears as if offers are being made: ESPN, in an ongoing effort to flood the NFL zone and provide blanket coverage to the most popular sport in the country, is hiring a “beat” writer to cover each division in football. Recently, the WWL plucked Kevin Seifert from the Minnesota Star-Tribune to cover the NFC North. Our guess at the divisional breakdown (with two spots up for grabs) after the jump:

NFC East – Matt Mosley
NFC North – Kevin Seifert
NFC South – Pat Yasinskas
NFC West – Mike Sando
AFC East – up for grabs?
AFC North – James Walker (Columbus Dispatch)
AFC South – up for grabs?
AFC West – Bill Williamson (Denver Post)

* Tony Kornheiser on the Dan LeBatard show, following the announcement of accepting a newspaper buyout from the Washington Post: “Newspapers aren’t dying. They’re dead.”

* Wrapping up the Boston Herald/Felger vs. Trey Wingo madness. (Scott’s Shots)

* Al Michaels says thanks, but no thanks to the NFL Network. We voted on this long ago; wonder if the network will listen.

* Not totally media-y, but these sporting cuts at Arizona State we’ve linked up this week are kind of a big deal.