The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
9:00am ET
| • | Partners In Crime? Rogge Says IOC’s Role Is Not To Criticize China |
| • | The Games Must Go On: Turner Still Bullish On Goodwill Games |
| • | See How The Other Half Lives – Redskins Drop Near Bottom In Payroll |
| • | NeXturf Goes Under Inspection At Veterans Stadium |
| • | And Then There Were None – U.S. Left With No Domestic Ski Makers |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/Final Jeopardy!/TV Monitor |
ROGGE COMPLETES VISIT TO CHINA AND VOWS TO BE GOOD PARTNER
The AP reports that IOC President Jacques Rogge’s trip to China consisted of "visiting venues for the 2008 Olympics and meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin." Rogge commented on the IOC’s controversial choice to hold the Games in China before leaving Beijing yesterday: "With time, we might see difficulties, but it is not the role of the IOC to criticize. The IOC is here to help, to support. We are here as partners" (AP, 8/29).
TURNER TO DO ‘JUST ABOUT ANYTHING’ TO KEEP GOODWILL GAMES
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that Goodwill Games Founder Ted Turner said yesterday "he would consider ‘just about anything’ to keep the games alive, including buying them from AOL Time Warner, where he is vice chairman." Turner: "I'm going to do everything I can to see that the games go on." Top execs at AOL Time Warner "are considering whether to continue the games" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/29).
AFTER APPROACHING $100M IN PAYROLL IN '00, REDSKINS CUT BUDGET
The WASHINGTON POST reports that "after setting an NFL record by spending close" to $100M on players' signing bonuses, salaries and incentives last season, the Redskins are "on course to have the second-lowest player payroll in the league this season." When training camp began, the Redskins had a player payroll of about $58M for their 84 players, and "only" the Cowboys at approximately $50M were lower. The league average payroll is about $71M, and the highest payroll belongs to the Broncos with around $95M, which includes about $50M in signing bonuses (WASHINGTON POST, 8/29).
VETERANS STADIUM TO FACE KEY TURF TEST TODAY
The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that Veterans Stadium "will have the welcome mat out for the NFL today." The Eagles, the Jets and league reps "will test the Vet's new NeXturf field," and if the field "is deemed playable, the Eagles and Jets will play their preseason finale tomorrow night." The field was "converted from its baseball configuration to football Monday night and yesterday. The process was the first using new strategies developed in the weeks since turf problems forced the cancellation of the Eagles' preseason opener against Baltimore" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 8/29).
CO SKI MAKER VOLANT SHUTTERS, LEAVING U.S. INDUSTRY VOID
The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports that CO-based ski maker Volant Sports "shut down operations and fired all of its 95 workers Tuesday after a last-ditch bid to raise cash came up empty." The demise of the company "effectively marks the end to ski manufacturing in the United States. The only other domestic producer, K2 Corp., next month is shifting its remaining mass-market production to China" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 8/29).
ENTERTAINMENT KING CONTINUES TO FACE DROP IN ATTENDANCE
The ORLANDO SENTINEL reports that the "decline in visitors to Walt Disney World is so persistent that Central Florida's flagship attraction could feel the pain well into next summer." With "no major rides or theme parks opening soon, and with the economy in a sour state, Disney World isn't enjoying the repeat business from out-of-state visitors that it previously could count on" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/29).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
TEAM TICKET SALES: The Tigers drew 19,129 for their game last night against the White Sox. It was the 19th time the Tigers have drawn fewer than 20,000 fans this season "after no crowds that small last season" (DETROIT NEWS, 8/29).…Today is the final day to purchase season tickets for the Falcons. The team has sold 31,200 packages so far this year (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/29).
IN OTHER NEWS: The S.F. Port Commission yesterday "created the new ‘no-motoring zone’ behind Pac Bell Park through a unanimous vote," which officially bans motor boats from the McCovey Cove area where home run balls hit the water (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/29)….Pete Sampras, when asked if he had received an invitation to Andre Agassi’s wedding: "I haven’t been home in weeks so I haven’t gotten my mail. But I’d be a little surprised"
(N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/29)….NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium for last night’s Blue Jays-Yankees game (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 8/29)….The Jets will attend a benefit luncheon for the Alliance for Lupus Research today at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in N.Y. before heading to Philadelphia for their Thursday game versus the Eagles (N.Y. TIMES, 8/28).
WELCH DETAILS PASSION FOR RED SOX: Outgoing GE CEO Jack Welch’s upcoming book, "Jack: Straight From The Gut" talks about his love for the Red Sox. Welch writes about then-NBC News President Larry Grossman hosting a high-powered dinner party, including Welch and his wife, on the night of Game Six of the ‘86 Red Sox-Mets World Series game. Welch: "I was shocked by Larry’s insensitivity to the game’s importance." Welch, profiled in an upcoming Vanity Fair issue said "he decided against trying to buy the Red Sox because handling salaries, negotiating contracts and dealing with the press would ‘take the romance out of the team’" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/29).
GM SAYS NO $1M PRIZE: Michael Grimaldi, who hit a $1M hole-in-one shot in a charity golf tournament Sunday, will not receive the prize due to his employer General Motors, whose policy "prohibits employees from obtaining a personal windfall while acting on behalf of the company." GM sponsored the tournament and paid Grimaldi’s entrance fee. Instead, the money will be donated to charity (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/29).
OTHER NEWS FROM MOTOR CITY: Ford Motor Co.’s top execs will not receive bonuses in ’01, "as the automaker struggles to right its course after a series of costly setbacks" (DETROIT NEWS, 8/29).
LAUGH TRACK
David Letterman, on Bronx P Danny Almonte: "It turns out now he may be a little older than 12. Turns out at one point he roomed with Pete Rose. ... The kid likes talking about a brawl he had at the Copa with Billy Martin." Letterman: "They asked the kid, 'Now Danny, are you 12-years old?' And Danny said, 'Look, I've been married 34 years. I've made a lot of mistakes. I'm not a perfect man'" ("Late Show," CBS, 8/28).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's edition of "Jeopardy" was part of "Teen Week" and the "Final Jeopardy!" category was "State Capitals."
"One of the two U.S. state capitals that begin with the names of months."
TUESDAY 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 Indians Manager Jerry Manuel undergoing surgery and an injury update on Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra, followed by Red Sox-Indians.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is Juneau, (AK) or Augusta, (ME)?"
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