The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, November 1, 2001
9:00am ET
| • | Game Four Becomes Instant Classic |
| • | A New Goodwill Games? U.S. & China Reach Preliminary Sports Agreement |
| • | Stern Gives Views On How NBA Is Helping To Heal The Country |
| • | Not Everyone Has World Series Fever In AZ – Skiles Unhappy With Game |
| • | NASCAR Backs Up Pledge To Review Restrictor Plate Racing |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
ONE FOR THE AGES: GAME FOUR BOUND FOR THE SCRAPBOOK
One out away from facing a 3-1 deficit, the Yankees got a two-run HR from 1B Tino Martinez in the bottom of the ninth inning last night to tie the D’Backs, and then won the game with Derek Jeter’s dramatic two-out HR in the bottom of the tenth inning. The N.Y. DAILY NEWS calls Jeter "Mr. November" on its front page and goes with "Midnight Madness" on its back page, while the N.Y. POST goes with the front page "Stroke of Midnight," and back page, "Mr. November."
After the game, ESPN.com’s Peter Gammons: "It was just an all-around tremendous game. I have to go back to Game 6 in 1975, Game 6 in '86, Game 1 in '88, Games 6 and 7 in '91. This game ranks up there with those classic contests. Let's just call it one of the Top 6 or 8 best World Series games I've ever seen. And we might not have seen anything yet" (ESPN.com, 11/1).
The BOSTON GLOBE’s Dan Shaughnessy: "Halloween was over and the World Series was officially four minutes into its first November when Derek Jeter finished one of the most dramatic World Series games ever played" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/1).
The N.Y. TIMES’ George Vecsey: "With the Series so shockingly tied at two games apiece, the Yanks left their fans roaring in amazement and the owner of the Diamondbacks, Jerry Colangelo, slumped in his seat, quite speechless" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/1).
The TORONTO STAR’s Richard Griffin: "It was a great game, a great sporting event, comparable to the Jim Leyritz home run game in '96 against the Braves. There's nothing like a Yankee Stadium crowd celebrating as if they expected it all along. Not even Elvis had left the building" (TORONTO STAR, 11/1).
SUNS COACH SKILES UPSET THAT D’BACKS GAME IS ON ARENA TV
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports while Suns fans "may have appreciated seeing the World Series on the jumbo screens" during Tuesday night's game against the Nuggets at America West Arena, coach Scott Skiles and his players did not. Skiles called the baseball game airing "a joke." Skiles: "Preseason I’m not so concerned about. I didn’t voice any opinion about that. But even one of the referees said to me it was a travesty" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/1).
POHLAD OFFERS DIRE WARNING ON FUTURE OF BASEBALL IN MN
The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that Twins Owner Carl Pohlad "insisted Wednesday that he has not asked Major League Baseball to buy him out and dissolve the franchise," but did add that "it could happen if baseball's other owners want to do so, perhaps as early as next week." Pohlad: "I’ve furnished a team here for 15 years and put $150 million cash into it, and I'm not going to do it anymore" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 11/1).
U.S. PLANS SPORTS COMPETITION WITH CHINA
The WASHINGTON POST reports that the U.S. and China "have reached preliminary agreement on an unprecedented, multi-event competition that will pit athletes from both countries against each other." The competition would be on an annual basis, opening in Beijing in ’03 and moving to Washington, DC, in ’04 (WASHINGTON POST, 11/1).
STERN SAYS NBA IS DOING ITS PART TO HONOR OUR COUNTRY
Interviewed during last night’s NBA action on TNT, Commissioner David Stern discussed basketball’s return to the court after the September 11 attacks. Stern, when asked what the league is doing to help heal the country, said, "One of the things that we want to do is give people the chance to give -- do something, buy on auction (an autographed basketball) for the Trade Center Fund -- and really, we're dedicating this season to the people that protect us." Stern added, "I think getting to arenas like (American Airlines Arena) gives us the chance to be with each other and think about how lucky we really are." Stern, on arena safety: "We want this to be secure, we want you to come into our buildings (and) feel safe, and we want you to yell and scream and have a little fun" (TNT, 10/31).
RACERS AND CAR OWNERS GATHER TO DISCUSS SAFETY ISSUE
The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reports Joe Gibbs Racing today will host NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs and team owners "to begin working on the riddle of the restrictor plate." On the heels of a 16-car wreck at last week's EA Sports 500 in Talladega, NASCAR "is looking for rules ideas" to increase safety at tracks "where big packs of cars inches apart have created harrowing conditions" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/1).
HERE’S THE BEST WAY TO WATCH THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP AT WORK
USA TODAY reports that golf fans logging on to pgatour.com today and Friday "during the first two rounds of the Tour Championship can see `Liveatthe8th’ streaming video with commentary and analysis." The Internet-only event, scheduled to run from 1:00-4:30pm ET, will "focus on the elite field playing the 177-yard par-3 eighth hole" (USA TODAY, 11/1).
TODAY’S EVENTS
Prior to this weekend’s NASCAR races, the city of Rockingham, NC, will host "Thunderfest 201" this morning at 11:00am ET. The event will feature NASCAR attractions, along with a band and Food Lion Kids’ Zone (THE DAILY).
Sport Chalet stores teamed with adidas last night to offer a special midnight release of the new Kobe Bryant shoe, KOBETWO. Festivities around the event began at 10:00pm PT, and included an opportunity for fans to win the shoes (THE DAILY).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
NBC’s Tom Brokaw closed his news broadcast last night by saying, "For you keen-eyed Diamondbacks fans, those flags (situated behind him in the studio) are Yankee flags, and we have no control over their placement. We wish both teams well" ("Nightly News," NBC, 10/31).
White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, on President Bush’s experience at Game Three of the World Series at Yankee Stadium: "The President told me this morning that his trip to New York and the reaction of New Yorkers was something that he found overwhelming" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/1).
NBC’s Jay Leno, on Bush throwing out the first pitch in Game Three: "It was a perfect strike. After eight years of Bill Clinton, it's good to see a President with good aim. They said tonight it was the best athletic performance by a politician since Janet Reno sacked John Elway at Super Bowl XXXVII" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 10/31) CBS’ David Letterman, on Bush's pitch: "The White House said it was a strike. The Taliban said it missed and killed several innocent people" ("Late Show," CBS, 10/31).
The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports the SLOC "has recorded the anthems of 108 countries, even though less than 85 nations are expected to send athletes" to the ’02 Games. Additionally, "only 15 countries won gold" during the ’98 Winter Games in Nagano (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 11/1).
Paid attendance for last night’s Cavs-Hornets game, the Hornets’ home-opener, was an all-time low of 9,002. The previous low was 11,877, set last December against the Pacers (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/1). The Columbia STATE reports that Hornets co-Owner George Shinn "wore a suit and held a rubber Halloween basketball mask in his hand. There weren't enough fans, officially 9,002, to use up the 10,000 free T-shirts that were given out as an opening-night promotion" (Columbia STATE, 11/1).
The Mighty Ducks suffered a 4-2 loss to the Sharks last night in front of a franchise-low crowd of 9,273 fans (L.A. TIMES, 11/1).
The CALGARY HERALD notes that Flames RW Jarome Ingla, the NHL’s scoring leader in the season’s first month, is not listed among the 115 players on ballots for the February 2 All-Star Game (CALGARY HERALD, 11/1).
D’Backs P Miguel Batista, who will start tonight in Game Five, is "working on a novel." Batista: "There’s a lot of things into it. I had to interview a bunch of people and I still have to interview some more because I’m trying to get this idea out of my mind about the weirdest, I would say, serial killer" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/1).
IN OTHER NEWS……………
The N.Y. TIMES reports that reps for pop star Michael Jackson "have forced ABC to remove a performance by the singer from its taped version of the `United We Stand’ concert only one day before the show was set to be broadcast," despite the fact that the network "had been extensively promoting Mr. Jackson's performance" in the show. ABC execs said that the move "was made to protect a show on CBS that Mr. Jackson is to star in later this month" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/1).
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that the "Seinfeld" episode "in which George’s fiancée, Susan, dies from licking cheap, out-of-date wedding invitation envelopes has been pulled from syndication because of nationwide fears about anthrax and mail" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/1).
Time Inc. Editor-in-Chief Norman Pearlstine, who was speaking at the Folio:Show 201 yesterday in New York City, "said he expected the magazine giant in the future to put greater emphasis on acquisitions and on serving niche audiences while seeking more revenue from circulation." Pearlstine: "I think there will be a lot of magazines for sale" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/1).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes Stephen Chao, "head of Barry Diller's USA Network cable properties, is exiting the company." Chao's position as USA Cable president "will not be filled" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 11/1).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the theme "for a gathering this week of the nation's public relations industry … might have been `Spin physician, heal thyself.’" At the annual int’l conference of the PR Society of America, "calls to reconsider the purpose and practice of public relations in light of how America has changed since Sept. 11 were heard frequently." The conference "drew almost 2,700 attendees, more than had been expected" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/1).
The TORONTO STAR reports that the Canadian dollar "has plunged to an all-time low of less than 63 cents (U.S.)," and the worst "may be yet to come." Economists predict the loonie "is in for a rough few months as currency traders remain spooked about the outlook for the slumping global economy" (TORONTO STAR, 11/1).
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The TORONTO STAR’s Chris Young writes that the "old-fashioned American patriotism" at sports events feels forced and abnormal.
The ATLANTIC CITY PRESS catches up with former 76ers President Pat Croce.
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS on how sports facilities are increasing security efforts.
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC profiles how D’Backs Managing General Partner Jerry Colangelo "hungers for a crown."
The DETROIT NEWS honors sports columnist Joe Falls, who won the 201 J.G. Taylor Spink Award yesterday and will be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall Of Fame next summer.
LAUGH TRACK
NBC’s Jay Leno, on Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi's new baby: "Even though the baby's only a couple of days old, today it still beat Anna Kournikova 6-0, 6-0 in straight sets." Leno, on Michael Jordan's return: "His only problem: the Washington Wizards also returned with him" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 10/31).
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Reasons I, Dave, Love Candy" ("Late Show," CBS, 10/31).
| 10) | "It's delicious." |
| 9) | "It's candy-licious." |
| 8) | "Wasn't it Einstein who said, 'Candy = MC2?'" |
| 7) | "No time to brush? Eat some Junior Mints." |
| 6) | "Sometimes I put on a leotard and pretend I'm the fourth Musketeer, Monte." |
| 5) | "Hilarious 'Who's on first'-type confusion whenever I try to buy a Whatchamacallit." |
| 4) | "Nobel Prize-winning U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan loves candy and what's good enough for Nobel Prize-winning U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is good enough for me." |
| 3) | "Without candy I would never get to ask the question, 'Skittles?'" |
| 2) | "In prison, candy is a fun form of currency." |
| 1) | "Nougat." |
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Words In Poetry."
"The two 'oo' 4-letter words in the poem inscribed in the base of the Statue of Liberty."
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
FSN’s 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" did not air due to "The Best Damn Sports Show Period."
ESPN’s 11:30pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Raptors-Heat.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What are door and poor?"
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