| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
9:00am ET | |
| • | Ali Floats Like A Butterfly, Stings Like Caffeine For Coca-Cola |
| • | Jack Roush To Carry Torch Today, While More Stars Await Their Turn |
| • | World Series Shares Continue Their 3-Year Decline |
| • | Several No-Shows Greet An Ailing Jordan In San Antonio |
| • | Vancouver 2010 Bid Chief Conducts First Meeting With Jacques Rogge |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
COCA-COLA LANDS MARKETING PUNCH, INKS ALI TO TWO-YEAR DEAL
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that Coca-Cola and boxing great Muhammad Ali will announce today that they have inked a two-year marketing deal, and that Ali "will become involved in community and marketing initiatives to build Coca-Cola's brands worldwide." Coca-Cola Chair Doug Daft called it "an innovative marketing agreement that connects us with consumers all around the world and will benefit the communities of which we are a part" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/5).
STARS COME OUT TO HELP SLOC PASS TORCH TO SALT LAKE CITY
NASCAR team Owner Jack Roush, who was invited by Coca-Cola to join the cross-country relay, "will carry the Olympic torch today as it passes through" Charlotte, NC (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/5).
Roush is just one of several celebrities participating in the 65-day Olympic torch relay, as USA TODAY reports that the SLOC "lined up" former NFL QB Steve Young, Yankees manager Joe Torre, Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and NASCAR’s Dale Jarrett to each run a segment of the event (USA TODAY, 12/5).
Meanwhile, the DETROIT FREE PRESS reports that an "average of 180 torchbearers will carry the flame for 12 hours a day, supported by a caravan of 50 vehicles and support staff from the Salt Lake committee and torch-relay sponsors Chevrolet and Coke" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 12/5).
The DENVER POST reports that to "ensure the focus" stays on torch sponsors Coca-Cola and Chevrolet, "front crews" for the SLOC "have and will continue to scout for any signs of Pepsi and Ford that might crop up prior to the relay." Chevrolet Olympic spokesperson Mary O’Connor: "The Olympic committee will have people advancing a week, several days and hours before the relay to clean up" (DENVER POST, 12/5).
ESPN's Michael Wilbon, on the Olympic torch arriving from Greece: "For some reason, I am just not into this. ... There's no buzz. I've covered seven Olympics and I'm wondering where's the sizzle?" ESPN's Tony Kornheiser: "It has lost us in this case clearly because of what happened on (Sept. 11) and the fright, the billowing effect of the fright of even having these Olympics" ("PTI," ESPN, 12/4).
WORLD SERIES SHARES ANNOUNCED, SHOW FURTHER DECLINE
MLB announced that a full World Series share for the World Champion D'Backs was $279,260. The players' pool, formed from 60% of the gate receipts from the first three games of the Division Series and 60% of the gate receipts from the first four games from the LCS and World Series, was divided among 12 clubs: the World Series participants, the LCS and Division Series runners-up, and the second-place finishers in each of the six divisions that were not wild card participants. The following lists the complete breakdown of player shares, with figures rounded to the nearest dollar (THE DAILY):
| TEAM | ACCOMPLISHMENT | AMOUNT |
| D'Backs | World Series Champion | $279,260 |
| Yankees | AL Champion | $201,014 |
| Mariners | ALCS Runner-Up | $105,020 |
| Braves | NLCS Runner-Up | $91,668 |
| Astros | NLDS Runner-Up | $27,914 |
| Athletics | ALDS Runner-Up | $24,897 |
| Indians | ALDS Runner-Up | $24,491 |
| Cardinals | NLDS Runner-Up | $20,594 |
| Twins | Division Runner-Up | $9,255 |
| Phillies | Division Runner-Up | $9,177 |
| Giants | Division Runner-Up | $8,893 |
| Red Sox | Division Runner-Up | $7,910 |
Note: Players' shares vary due to number of full and partial shares for each team.
|
JORDAN ACKNOWLEDGES FANS’ DISAPPOINTMENT OVER BENCHING
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that the Spurs sold 35,052 tickets to last night’s game against the Wizards, but "had at least a few thousand no-shows in the Alamodome's upper deck" after Wizards F Michael Jordan announced he would not play due to a sore knee. Jordan: "When I heard about the tickets, and how many people were coming to the game, I was very disappointed. I know they want to see their team win, and they want to see me score 50" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 12/5).
NBC’s Jay Leno, on Jordan's sore knee: "Michael's doctor said today (that) the knee was not designed to carry the entire team every night" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 12/4).
LET’S DO LUNCH: VANCOUVER BID CHIEF, ROGGE MEET INFORMALLY
The TORONTO STAR reports that Vancouver 2010 bid chief Jack Poole "had lunch in Lausanne, Switzerland, with IOC president Jacques Rogge, their first head-to-head meeting." Bid spokesperson Sam Corea: "They had a very friendly discussion. It was basically a courtesy call to start a relationship that will be going on for another 19 months" (TORONTO STAR, 12/5).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The FL TIMES-UNION noted that Packers fans in town for Monday night’s Packers-Jaguars game gave Jacksonville "mixed reviews on its preparation" for the Super Bowl in ‘05. Packers fan and Appleton, WI, resident Susan Trams: "Blanket first impression was there's not a damn thing to do in this town" (FL TIMES-UNION, 12/5).
The WASHINGTON POST cites sources as saying the MLS Mutiny, Fusion, Wizards and Rapids "are considered to be in the greatest danger" of being contracted. One source close to the management of several MLS teams said, "It's a 50-50 chance there will be contraction" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/5).
The NHL re-launched a reformatted kids’ section. The interactive site is designed for those between the ages of seven and 15 (THE DAILY).
Steelers QB Kordell Stewart is featured on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated, with the tagline: "Steelers Football … In Your Face" (SI, 12/10 issue).
The Jazz drew their smallest crowd of the season for Tuesday’s game against the Hornets, as only 17,115 were in attendance for the club’s 11th straight non-sellout (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 12/5).
The Downtown Athletic Club announced four finalists for the ’01 Heisman Trophy Award yesterday. Univ. of NE QB Eric Crouch; Univ. of Miami QB Ken Dorsey; Univ. of FL QB Rex Grossman and Univ. of OR QB Joey Harrington are eligible for the 67th Heisman, which will be awarded December 8. Heisman Memorial Trophy Trust Exec Dir Rudy Riska, on the selection process: "As the remaining ballots are counted, we may have a fifth finalist by the end of the week" (THE DAILY).
TODAY’S EVENTS
Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra and former Bruins RW Cam Neely will ring the closing bell at the Boston Stock Exchange (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/4).
IN OTHER NEWS…..
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports NBC "is close to striking a deal to have Discovery Communications Inc. handle the programming for the network’s Saturday morning lineup" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/5).
A report by the Internet Advertising Bureau shows Q3 online ad revenue totaled $1.79B, down from $1.97B from a year ago and $1.87B in Q2 of this year (REUTERS, 12/5).
AD AGE reports Miller Brewing Co. is reorganizing its marketing department into two groups. The first unit will be "responsible for all Miller trademarked brands," while the second group "will focus on developing regional brands." Additionally, Zyman Marketing Group "presented an architecture and framework for Miller’s marketing strategy" on Monday (AD AGE, 12/5).
The AP notes that R&B singer R. Kelly "won big Tuesday night at the Billboard Music Awards, taking home six awards while Destiny's Child and country singer Tim McGraw picked up five apiece." Click here for a full listing of award winners.
LAUGH TRACK
NBC’s Jay Leno, on American John Walker fighting for the Taliban: "(His parents) were pretty upset, but they said, 'Thank God. At least he's not playing for the Detroit Lions.'" Leno, on Raiders DT Darrell Russell being suspended for violating the NFL's drug policy: "In a related story, the Detroit Lions' (QB) tested positive for misery." Leno, on the Lions 0-11 record: "You realize the last time the Lions won they faced the Christians" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 12/4).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Climate Terms."
"From the Latin for 'restraint,' these zones extend 900 miles north and south of the tropics."
TUESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
FSN’s 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" did not air.
ESPN’s 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Illinois-Arizona men’s college basketball.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What are temperate zones?"
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