| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Tuesday, December 11, 2001
9:00am ET | |
| • | “Collusion” Bandied About At MLB’s Winter Meetings |
| • | Delaying The Inevitable? Contraction May Be Put Off Until ‘03 |
| • | IOC Checks In On Winter Games, Demands Progress Report From Athens |
| • | Would You Like Fries With Those Olympic Rings? |
| • | The Only Thing Better Than One Sportsman Of The Year Is Two |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
THAT DIRTY ‘C’ WORD, AS IN COLLUSION, EMERGES IN BOSTON
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS’ Bill Madden writes from the MLB winter meetings in Boston, "Feel the pulse of these winter meetings and you get the feeling Bud Selig wasn't lying. Baseball really is financially bereft – with the exception of the Yankees. … Otherwise, just about every team's general manager here has come with the same dictum from ownership: Cut payroll or hold the line on it. That's why there is no market for Barry Bonds outside of San Francisco and apparently no market at all for Juan Gonzalez" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/11).
The WASHINGTON POST reports that player agents believe the soft market "is a temporary condition, one that will inevitably evolve into the usual uncontrolled spending spree." Agent Jeff Moorad: "Once the first major free agent signs, it tends to loosen up the market" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/11).
Asked if the market was slower this winter, Moorad said, "I'm not certain if you can say the market is slower than in past years. Keep in mind that everything's starting later (because of the late start to the World Series due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks) and then toss in all the talk about contraction and (labor negotiations)" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/11).
But one prominent agent told FOXSports.com, "I do think there is some collusion, but I also believe there are some clubs that are hurting (economically)" (FOXSports.com, 12/11).
MLB CLOSES IN ON AGREEMENT TO DELAY CONTRACTION ONE YEAR
USA TODAY reports MLB "players and owners were close to an agreement Monday night that would delay the elimination of two teams until at least 2003." The two sides negotiated throughout the day yesterday, but "the attorneys couldn’t quite close the deal that would preserve the jobs of at least 50 major leaguers next season." Talks are scheduled to resume today (USA TODAY, 12/11).
PROGRESS REPORTS FOR ’02, ’04 GAMES DUE TO IOC BOARD
The Exec Board of the IOC will meet today through Thursday to receive a final report from the SLOC on the’02 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, UT, and a progress update from the Organizing Committee for the ’04 Olympic Games in Athens. The IOC also "will review the latest plans for keeping athletes and spectators safe from terrorism in Salt Lake City" (TORONTO STAR, 12/10).
MCDONALD’S SET TO UNVEIL NEWEST OLYMPIC CAMPAIGN
USA TODAY reports McDonald’s today "will reveal its Olympic ad and marketing plans, which will feature 400 McDonald’s crew members from around the world." Longtime McDonald’s icon Ronald McDonald "will be front-and-center at the Games. A detailed corporate plan aims to raise Ronald’s profile with more face time" (USA TODAY, 12/11).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
D’Backs Ps Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling have been chosen as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsmen of the Year. The Sportsmen of the Year issue, dated December 17, 2001, will hit newsstands tomorrow. The ARIZONA REPUBLIC notes that Schilling and Johnson "are the first twosome from the same team to win" the award (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 12/11).
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that for "the first time, the Olympic torch … will snake through the streets of San Antonio" today, and will "travel 24.7 miles by a relay procession of 91 torchbearers" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 12/11).
The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that the letter "that ignited the Olympic bribery scandal and resulted in a federal indictment against Tom Welch and Dave Johnson came from none other than Welch's own personal secretary." Stephanie Pate said that she "felt pressured by [Olympic trustee Ken] Bullock and his friend, the late Dave Watson, a high-placed lobbyist for Pate's employer, Olympic sponsor US West" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 12/11).
The Newark STAR-LEDGER reports that NFL Giants co-Owner Wellington Mara, 84, "shocked" team players when he "arrived at the team meeting just after noon and told them he was speaking to them ‘as an owner and a fan.’" Mara offered "encouragement for the final four games" and warned the 5-7 team against "wasting an opportunity" while "in the prime of their lives" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/11).
The LPGA Tour has authorized the WSGA "to be its official senior tour, with four events planned next season for women who are 44 and older." The licensing agreement, expected to be announced today, gives the LPGA Tour "a developmental tour … and senior tour to complement the regular tour" (AP, 12/10).
World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former British title holder Henry Cooper will be present for the first screening of Michael Mann’s "Ali" tonight at London's Empire Leicester Square (REUTERS, 12/10).
The Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL reports that the Grizzlies "have issued 203 press credentials," which is "double the usual number," for tonight’s game against Michael Jordan and the Wizards (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/11).
TODAY’S EVENTS
Several members of the Seahawks will be out in the community today, as coach Mike Holmgren will appear at Marvista Elementary School in Seattle at 11:00am PT, while QB Matt Hasselbeck will be at Garfield High School at 10:00am PT. Finally, WR Koren Robinson and others will be "Celebrity Chestnut Roasters" at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel starting at 11:30am PT (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 12/11).
Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe will be at the Brophy School in Framingham, MA at 10:00am ET to recognize the first winners of Fleet’s All-Star program, which rewards kids for their volunteering efforts (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/11).
The Capitals and their wives have produced a calendar, which goes on sale today, called "A Capital Tribute: The Washington Capital Wives’ Club 2002," with proceeds going to the Pentagon Relief Fund (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/7).
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that Vikings Owner Red McCombs "will travel today to New York City to accept a gold medal from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame" at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. McCombs: "I’ll be the most humbled that I’ve been for anything I’ve ever received" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/11).
Vikings OT Lewis Kelsey will join Kelci Stringer to present a check for $20,000 to Bancroft Elementary School in Minneapolis. The money comes from "Korey’s Crew," named for former Vikings OT Korey Stringer, who visited the school regularly in past seasons (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/7).
The Thrashers will visit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at the Egleston and Scottish Rite sites, as well as Hughes Spaulding Children’s Hospital to spend time with the children (THE DAILY).
The Pistons and Star Theatre will treat 300 metro-Detroit school children to a holiday reading party and special screening of "Harry Potter" today beginning at 3:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS…..
Last night, A&E Network aired its "Biography of the Year 2001," and host Harry Smith announced the top ten nominees: 10) British Prime Minister Tony Blair; 9) U.S. Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; 8) VP Dick Cheney and Sec. of State Colin Powell; 7) National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice; 6) Pakastani leader Gen. Pervez Musharraf; 5) Osama bin Laden; 4) the civilian heroes of September 11; 3) the uniformed heroes of September 11; 2) President George W. Bush; and 1) N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani (A&E, 12/10).
AOL Time Warner CEO Gerald Levin, speaking at the National Press Club on Monday, said he is retiring early because the recent terrorist attacks pointed out "the fragility of life," reinforcing the need "to bring joy to my family" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/11).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports Microsoft "is expected to announce today that it will license viewer profiling software from Predictive Networks Inc. in its set-top boxes for interactive television." The software "gives each viewer a personal profile, without a name, that can be passed along to advertisers so that pitches can be tailored to the viewer" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/11).
The N.Y. POST reports CNBC "is reaching out to capture business viewers where they spend a lot of time – in airports." The cable network "is opening as many as 100 airport shops," complete with "sleek screens mounted among newsstands and merchandise shelves." Additionally, CNBC will sell "products such as hats, golf tees, electronics, business books, videos and other items emblazoned with the CNBC logo" (N.Y. POST, 12/11).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports "total spending on advertising in all media in the U.S. declined by 7.8% during the first three quarters" of ’01. The decline was caused as "61 of the 100 biggest clients in advertising spent less than they did during the same period a year earlier" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/11).
The WASHINGTON POST reports NPR’s "All Things Considered" anchor Linda Wertheimer "is leaving her hosting duties to take on new responsibilities as the network’s first ‘senior national correspondent’" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/11).
The N.Y. TIMES reports Viacom "consolidated its two network television operations yesterday." CBS President Leslie Moonves took over control of UPN, which resulted in the resignation of Paramount Television Group Chair Kerry McCluggage (N.Y. TIMES, 12/11).
LAUGH TRACK
NBC’s Jay Leno, on the Lions losing to the Buccaneers: "They lost in (FL) by such a small margin that even Al Gore feels sorry for them." Leno: "Things are so bad now, Detroit fans are yelling, ‘Oh yeah, wait until the year after next year.’" Meanwhile, Leno asked, "Do you know what you call the Detroit Lions if they win just one game? The Carolina Panthers" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 12/10).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "The Oscars."
"One of four men nominated twice for playing the same character."
MONDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
FSN’s 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" led with the MLB winter meetings.
ESPN’s 12:00am ET "SportsCenter" led with Colts-Dolphins.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who were Paul Newman (in "The Hustler" and "The Color of Money"); Al Pacino (for "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part II"); Bing Crosby (for playing Father O’Malley); and Peter O’Toole (for playing Henry II in two films)."
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