RYDER IN THE STORM? PGA of America CEO Jim Awtrey will
meet with prospective Ryder Cup team members today at
Medinah Country Club to discuss "the play-for-pay issue."
USA TODAY's Harry Blauvelt reports that this could "be a
golden opportunity for [the PGA] to launch a pre-emptive
strike, perhaps announcing a plan for charitable donations,"
which would "put a stop to a media blitz that threatens to
overshadow" this week's PGA Championship (USA TODAY, 8/10).
Awtrey: "We're going to sit down and say, 'Let's talk about
anything you want'" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/10). Fred Couples:
"I have a firm belief we'll probably get some money for
charity. If we get $50,000 to $100,000 ... I don't think
anyone will be disappointed with that" (SUN-TIMES, 8/10).
MORE NOTES: In Boston, Fee & Raposa write that while
Boston's "sports and marketing bigwigs are getting together"
with the Celtics today "to chat up bringing the NBA All-Star
Game" to the city in 2004, "there is already talk that
there's no way Boston will be able to compete with lesser
cities like Charlotte and Toronto, which are desperate for
the hoop happening and are willing to put on the full-court
press" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/10)....Stadium Australia CEO Chris
Chapman, on the NFL's announced attendance of 73,811 for
Friday's Broncos-Chargers American Bowl: "I can't comment on
whether it's an optical illusion, but I can say that ...
some people arrived late, some left early. Over the course
of the day, we had 73,000 people at the venue" (SYDNEY
MORNING HERALD, 8/10)....The Mets and Cubs will start the
2000 MLB season with two games in Japan on March 29 and 30.
Both teams will also play exhibition games against Japanese
teams on March 27 and 28 (N.Y. TIMES, 8/10)....A memo
distributed to MLB umpires by the law firm of Cohen, Weiss &
Simon that "has been retained by" the MLBUA reads, in part:
"You may ... have seen articles quoting labor lawyers and
other who criticized your case. Some of these people have
expressed doubts about your chances for success. When you
read such statements, do not be dismayed. The individuals
... most likely have not read your [CBA] or Baseball's own
internal memoranda nor are they likely informed about all of
the facts surrounding your case" (PHILA. DAILY NEWS, 8/9).
