Steve Capus, Phil Griffin, and the rest of the NBC good old boys are on a vigorous hunt for the leak behind today's scathing Tim Russert v. Keith Olbermann item, which the network has flat-out denied.

But there's one place in particular, Jossip hears, that their attention is aimed: the west side of 30 Rock's third floor, where the Specials unit is housed. That division, which is responsible for one-off coverage like presidential debates and primary coverage, is home to "old school sensibilities," according to a source. It's also home to Phil Alongi, the unit's exec producer, who just happens to be a longtime friend of Russert, and one who could easily be assumed to be airing his friend's frustrations.

It'd be fair to say staffers in the Specials unit have been feeling a bit undervalued of late, as execs continue to install NBC News veterans, and methodology, inside MSNBC's operations.

More shocking to some MSNBC insiders, however, is that the blog TVNewser reported this story. Griffin, Capus, and spokesman Jeremy Gaines have become accustomed to generally friendly coverage from the blog, so it can't be comforting that a site they considered an ally in the gossip mill has turned on them.