TEXAS-SIZED ANNOUNCEMENT: In Houston, John McClain
writes that the September 6 unveiling of the nickname of
Houston's NFL expansion franchise to begin play in 2002
"could become one of the biggest events in the city's
history." The city will close several downtown streets "in
anticipation of a crowd that could be as large as" 20,000
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/23). In a separate piece, McClain
writes that after Houston team Owner Bob McNair unveils the
nickname, logo and colors at Bayou Place, he will get a
police escort to Enron Field. Before the Marlins-Astros
game, McNair will throw out the first pitch to Astros Owner
Drayton McLane (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/23).
MLB: In Detroit, John Lowe writes on the Tigers
possibly moving in the fences as part of an effort to retain
OF Juan Gonzalez, who becomes a free agent in November.
Tigers President John McHale: "I don't feel any need to do
that. I think our view all along has been to see how the
season went. Then we'll gather and discuss that as one of
the issues that obviously needs to be evaluated" (DETROIT
FREE PRESS, 8/23)....In Montreal, Jack Todd, on Expos
Managing General Partner Jeffrey Loria and Exec VP David
Samson: "Is it possible that they really came here with the
best of intentions, only to be undermined by their partners,
by Canadian broadcasters who refuse to pay market value for
broadcast rights, by blue-chip companies like Ford and
Labatt, by all the francophone journalists who decided very
early in the game that Loria and Samson were up to no good?"
Todd continues, "I don't think we are going to have
definitive answers to all those questions until this whole
sorry drama plays itself out one way or the other. But it
is awfully difficult to give Loria and Samson the benefit of
the doubt" (Montreal GAZETTE, 8/23).
WNBA: In CA, Gage Harter noted that the Sparks drew an
average of 6,563 fans this season, compared to the league
average of 9,074. But Sparks President Johnny Buss said
that the team spent "twice as much" as the league
requirement of $200,000 for advertising. Buss added that by
moving from the Great Western Forum to Staples Center next
season, as well as "having a quality product," its financial
"woes would soon be rectified" (O.C. REGISTER, 8/22).
