Comcast SportsNet has ousted Celtics hero Bob Cousy from the broadcasting booth. The Celtics icon spoke to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

“Cousy’s not going to be part of our telecast this year,” confirmed Comcast SportsNet spokesman Skip Perham. “We wanted to go with a two-man booth. Cousy did about eight to ten games a year for us.”

For the first time in nearly three decades, Boston Celtics legend Tommy Heinsohn won’t be calling road games, nixing the travel because of health issues.

Heinsohn will continue to provide color on all home games for Comcast SportsNet and will give in-studio analysis when the team is on the road.

Donny Marshall will fill-in for Heinsohn on the road.

Here’s the release:

BURLINGTON, MA – The NBA Champion Boston Celtics will once again call Comcast SportsNet home as the Green begins its 28th season on New England’s original regional sports network.

Comcast SportsNet’s legendary telecast tandem featuring Dorchester native Mike Gorman and NBA Hall of Fame member Tommy Heinsohn return for their 28th consecutive season and will call 38 home games during the 2008-09 season. Comcast SportsNet’s studio analyst and former NBA player Donny Marshall will join Gorman on 40 road telecasts while courtside reporter Greg Dickerson will provide in-game reports on all Comcast SportsNet telecasts.

Before and after each game, veteran Boston sports personality Gary Tanguay will host Celtics Pre-Game Live and Celtics Post Game Live from the Comcast SportsNet’s studios. Marshall will provide expert in-studio analysis on home games while Heinsohn will join Tanguay on road telecasts. Comcast SportsNet will provide pre and post-game coverage for all Celtics 2008-09 games regardless of whether the game runs on the network or with an NBA national partner.

“The Celtics have returned to their rightful spot atop the NBA and there is no better place for fans to track the team’s title defense than on Comcast SportsNet,” said Bill Bridgen, Comcast SportsNet executive vice president and general manager. “Comcast SportsNet has unmatched expertise on the Celtics, starting with Mike and Tommy and their combined 56 years behind the microphone. Greg Dickerson, Gary Tanguay and Donny Marshall have been around the team for years and know the team as well as anyone in the region.”

Comcast SportsNet will offer every telecast, home and away, in high definition. In addition, Comcast SportsNet’s Celtics telecasts will feature new graphics, including a new logo; new in-game scoreboard; and new in-game animation. During every Comcast SportsNet Celtics telecast, fans can chat with Comcast SportsNet talent including Gary Tanguay, Donny Marshall and Tommy Heinsohn during the game via ComcastSportsNet.com.

“During the Celtics’ title run, on-line chats became a regular part of our telecast, particularly during the pre and post game shows,” said Tanguay. “We love doing it and using real time reaction from the fans on-air gives us an exciting way to interact.”

All Comcast SportsNet Celtics telecasts will replay - 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends. For Comcast subscribers, each Comcast SportsNet Celtics telecast will also be available on Comcast Video On Demand for 24 hours following the completion of the game.

Comcast SportsNet’s schedule includes the entire preseason and 10 shared games with national network providers. See the schedule below for details on the entire Comcast SportsNet’s schedule.

Here’s a video of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Jacksonville today rooting for the Tampa Bay Rays - instead of the Boston Red Sox.

Palin might want to rethink her baseball allegiance if she wants to win over Sox fans in battleground New England States, like New Hampshire and Maine.

The Palin-Biden showdown had a household TV rating of 45.0 - that means 45 percent of homes watched last night vice-presidential debate, according to numbers just released by Nielsen.

The VP clash beat Obama and McCain’s first debate last Friday - which had a 31.6 rating.

Boston had the third biggest TV audience with a 54.3 rating. Baltimore had the largest with a 59.1. LA had the lowest with a 34.4.

The total number of viewers is due out later today.

This just in from the Obama camp:

“Joe Biden won a clear victory tonight because he made a passionate case for change from the disastrous economic and foreign policies of the last eight years, and Sarah Palin defended them. While Governor Palin blindly supports John McCain’s plan for more of the same policies that have devastated Main Street and let Wall Street run wild, Joe Biden spoke clearly and strongly about Barack Obama’s plan for a tax cut for the middle class, health care that is affordable, and an end to the war in Iraq. Tonight, the American people saw why Barack Obama chose Joe Biden, a statesman from Scranton who clearly has the experience and knowledge to be a great Vice President,” said Obama-Biden campaign manager David Plouffe.