TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET editions of FSN's
"Primetime" and CNN/SI's "Sports Tonight" both led with free
agent LF Greg Vaughn signing a four-year, $34M deal with the
Devil Rays, followed by the four-team trade involving the
Devil Rays, Rockies, A's and Brewers. The first NBA story
on both shows, at 6:01 and 2:31 into the broadcasts,
respectively, was the resignation of Suns coach Danny Ainge.
The first NHL story on "Primetime" was Panthers G Trevor
Kidd's shoulder injury, at 18:00. The first NHL story on
"Sports Tonight" was Coyotes-Bruins, at 21:50. ESPN's
12:00am ET edition of "SportsCenter" led with the IN
Univ/Purdue Univ.(IUPUI)-Univ. of AZ men's basketball game,
followed by the Coppin St.-Auburn Univ. game, at 1:34. The
first NBA story was Ainge's resignation, at 2:25. The first
NHL story was Coyotes-Bruins, at 9:04 (THE DAILY).
BOYS, BOYS: ESPN's Mike Tirico, who turned 33 Monday,
was presented a birthday cake at the end of "Monday Night
Countdown" last night. Sterling Sharpe then told Tirico
that everyone on the show "got together and got [him] a
stripper." Sharpe then pulled out a can of paint stripper
("Monday Night Countdown," ESPN, 12/13)....ABC's Al
Michaels, after officials in last night's Broncos-Jaguars
game took a prolonged period to reach a decision during an
instant replay review: "This is the Keystone Cops. ... This
is the goofiest thing I've ever seen. What nonsense."
ABC's Boomer Esiason: "Instant replay was not supposed to
disrupt the flow of a football game, but unfortunately in
this case, it did." Michaels: "One thing Boomer, it makes
for great television, doesn't it?" ("MNF," ABC, 12/13).
WEB NOTES: The term "NFL" was the 12th most searched
term on Lycos for the week ending December 11 (USA TODAY,
12/14)....The NFL says merchandise sales on its NFL.com Web
site, catalogue and toll-free order lines will "double this
year to about" $20M. NFL Senior VP/Marketing and Fan
Development Howard Handler said that while the figure is a
"small percentage" of the $3B worth of NFL licensed products
sold, it "represents the area of greatest growth" (BLOOMBERG
NEWS, 12/10)....Bill Walton's official Web site is at
www.billwalton.com, and the site includes links to Steinway
pianos and the official Grateful Dead site. Walton says the
site is "for people who don't know me personally." Walton
also provides info on possible speaking engagements (YAHOO!
INTERNET LIFE, 1/2000)....Rivals.com has added BowlGear.com,
which will sell official merchandise and memorabilia of the
eight teams playing in the Sugar, Rose, Orange and Fiesta
Bowls (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 12/13). .....NASCAR
Online, at www.NASCAR.com, has launched its online store,
produced by NASCAR and GO.com (NASCAR).
