The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, August 13, 2001
9:00am ET
| • | Callaway Golf Softening Stance On ERC II Driver |
| • | Van Gundy Thinks It’s No Coincidence That Knicks Open Versus Wizards |
| • | The Ultimate N.Y.-Boston Battle For Control Of The Red Sox |
| • | AOL To Announce More Layoffs |
| • | A Lighter Buzz |
| • | Weekend Box Office |
CALLAWAY GOLF ENDS LAWSUIT OVER ERC II DRIVER
The SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE reported that Callaway Golf has dropped a lawsuit against the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) over its ERC drivers, "perhaps signaling a softening in Callaway’s resolve to battle golf’s rule makers." Originally, Callaway had sought damages from RCGA over its ban of ERC drivers in tournament play. In the settlement "neither side admitted wrongdoing or paid damages." Sales of the ERC II golf club "have faded in recent months as 1,200 golf retailers refuse to sell the controversial club," causing Callaway to cut its 2Q sales forecast (SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, 8/11).
KNICKS COACH DECLARES THAT JORDAN WILL COME BACK
USA TODAY reports that Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy thinks Michael Jordan will be playing with the Wizards this year and that "he’ll be one of the top 10 players in the league." Van Gundy: "He’s definitely coming back and I think its great." The Wizards are scheduled to open the season October 30th against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, prompting Van Gundy to say, "you don’t schedule the Wizards at New York on opening night by the computer" (USA TODAY, 8/13).
RED SOX SALE ENTERS FINAL ROUNDS THIS WEEK
The BOSTON HERALD reported that the Red Sox sale is a battle "between a New York media titan and a group of deep-pocketed Hub business magnates." Cablevision Chair Charles Dolan’s "eye popping wealth" competes against Boston Concessions Group’s Joseph O’Donnell and mall developer Stephen Karp, who "appear to have enough political, corporate and baseball connections to top all the other bidders combined." A group headed by Hollywood producer Tom Werner "may yet turn out to be the dark horse of the bidding" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/12).
AOL READIES FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF JOB CUTS
The N.Y. POST reported that AOL Time Warner "is gearing up for a round of aggressive staff cuts…to meet its annual revenue targets in a slumping market." This would be the third time this year for layoffs in the company, with "experts estimat[ing] up to 1,000 people" losing their jobs (N.Y. POST, 8/11).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The Tracy McGrady Foundation’s T-MAC BOWL benefiting Special Olympics was held Sunday, featuring the Magic’s G McGrady and F Grant Hill along with Lakers C Shaquille O’Neal and other NBA stars. The function raised more than $150,000, with a signed McGrady jersey going for $8,500 in a live auction. AMF made a pair of size 22 bowling shoes for O’Neal for the event (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/13)….The World Wrestling Federation plans to appeal a judgement passed Friday which forces the group to give up its web address to the World Wildlife Fund (USA TODAY, 8/13)….Track star Jackie Joyner-Kersee wrote an op-ed piece in the N.Y. TIMES about the death of Northwestern football player Rashidi Wheeler titled, "Asthma and the Athlete’s Challenge" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/13)….The Royals unveiled a life-sized statue of HOF 3B George Brett Saturday in a ceremony outside Kauffman Stadium (K.C. STAR, 8/12)….Walt Disney Co. reported that theme park and resort revenue remained flat in it’s fiscal 3Q, while Disney World is "bracing for the first decline in visitors in a decade" (L.A. TIMES, 8/11)….NASCAR is expected to announce Monday a shift of the Busch Series race at Watkins Glen, NY to Daytona for the ’02 season (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 8/12)….The Mavericks are offering "Basketball 101, NBA for Women," a two-hour course on basketball basics hosted by Mavericks staff and player wives. The $25 instructional class, supported by Haggar Clothing Co., will be at the American Airlines Center on Monday, October 8th (THE DAILY)….Over 1,000 athletes participated in the first triathlon in N.Y. on Saturday, which included swimming in the Hudson River and racing in Central Park. CA participant Kim Moyer, on the treacherous currents of the Hudson, "I couldn’t breathe. I got swept under. I thought I was going to die basically. It was the scariest thing I’ve gone through in my life" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/13).
LAUGH TRACK
Jay Leno, on America West Airlines losing children who travel alone: "Things not going well for America West Airlines. You know, they have more unclaimed kids now than the NBA." Leno, on the Eagles' cheerleaders suing the NFL and all its players except for Chargers QB Doug Flutie for spying on them in their locker room through peep holes: "Apparently, the holes are too high for Doug to reach" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 8/10).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last Friday night's edition of "Jeopardy" was part of "College Week" and the "Final Jeopardy!" category was "20th Century People."
"David Ben-Gurion described her as 'the only man in my cabinet.'"
SUNDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
All three of the national news shows, FSN’s 10:30pm ET “National Sports Report,” ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” and CNN/SI’s 11:00pm ET “Sports Tonight” led with Yankees-A's.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who is Golda Meir?"
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
| Rank | Film | This Weekend | To Date |
| 1. | American Pie 2 | $45.1 million | $45.1 million |
| 2. | Rush Hour 2 | $31.4 million | $131.8 million |
| 3. | The Princess Diaries | $14.1 million | $51.9 million |
| 4. | The Others | $13.6 million | $13.6 million |
| 5. | Planet of the Apes | $13.3 million | $148.7 million |
| 6. | Jurassic Park III | $7.3 million | $160.2 million |
| 7. | Osmosis Jones | $5.5 million | $5.5 million |
| 8. | America's Sweethearts | $4.6 million | $83.4 million |
| 9. | Legally Blonde | $3.8 million | $78.7 million |
| 10. | Original Sin | $3 million | $12.4 million |
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