| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
9:00am ET | |
| • | MISL To Announce Planned Merger With WISL |
| • | Issel To Makes Another Apology To Denver's Latino Community |
| • | MLB Arbitrator Shyam Das' Contraction Ruling Not Expected Until Next Year |
| • | Technical Difficulties Prevent Morton From Appearing On “Tonight Show” |
| • | Vince Carter Tops Michael Jordan In All-Star Vote Balloting |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
MISL, WISL TO FORM ONE SOCCER LEAGUE BY NEXT YEAR
The Baltimore SUN reports that the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) has scheduled a press conference for 1:00pm ET today to "announce expansion plans involving the" World Indoor Soccer League (WISL). MISL Commissioner Steve Ryan and WISL President Gordon Jago "are expected to attend" (Baltimore SUN, 12/19). Meanwhile, the AP reports that the MISL has agreed to merge with the WISL to "form a single entity for the 2002-03 season," which will leave "just one national indoor professional soccer league for the first time since 1983" (AP, 12/19).
ISSEL TO MAKE ANOTHER APOLOGY TO LATINO COMMUNITY TODAY
The DENVER POST reports that Nuggets President & coach Dan Issel "will make a public apology to the Mexican community [today] at Luna's restaurant in north Denver." Though Issel apologized publicly last week for his racially insensitive remarks to a heckling fan, local Latino leaders said "the Mexican community deserved a nod since they were the most slurred" by Issel's remarks. A "closed-door meeting of Nuggets management and Latinos will follow Issel's apology" (DENVER POST, 12/19).
Meanwhile, TNT's Peter Vecsey said last night, "The rumblings out in Denver are they would love him to resign. They feel they made a mistake by not firing (Issel). They're going to have to live with this the whole season – him trying to overcome what he did. But I don't think he's going to resign. ... He will be gone by the end of the year" (TNT, 12/18).
MLBPA'S GRIEVANCE AGAINST CONTRACTION TO GO INTO NEW YEAR
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that MLBPA Associate Counsel Michael Weiner "continued his testimony as hearings" on the union's grievance to block contraction continued in N.Y. yesterday. But "further dates have not been scheduled, making it virtually impossible for arbitrator Shyam Das to issue a ruling before the end of this year" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/19).
JORDAN CURRENTLY SIXTH IN ALL-STAR BALLOTING
The WASHINGTON TIMES reports that Wizards G Michael Jordan, "expected to be the top vote-getter in the 2002 NBA All-Star balloting, is sixth overall and third in the Eastern Conference with 271,598" votes. Raptors F Vince Carter leads all players with 471,255 votes (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/19).
Meanwhile, Nuggets G Nick Van Exel was not pleased with the fan balloting, which has him in eighth place among guards in the Western Conference with 51,006 votes. Van Exel: "That's a bunch of garbage. I'd rather get the votes from my peers - the coaches and the players. That's more important to me. If the NBA puts you out there every day on the commercials, that's what the fans are going to see and that's who they're going to vote for. It's a popularity contest" (DENVER POST, 12/19).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Lions WR Johnnie Morton was scheduled to be a guest, via satellite hookup from the Silverdome, on last night's episode of NBC's "Tonight Show" and was introduced as Johnnie "Kiss My Ass" Morton. Morton was bumped until tonight due to technical difficulties. Host Jay Leno, on the Lions winning their first game: "People were really excited. In fact, Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting a Lions jacket." Leno, looking at his watch said, "(It's a) Lions watch, but the guy told me you got to wait 12 weeks before it starts working" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 12/18).
Meanwhile, the DETROIT FREE PRESS reports that Morton, "after waiting out in the cold at the edge of the parking lot to make his appearance, … had one thing to say: 'Now Jay Leno can kiss my frozen ass'" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 12/19).
This week's issue of Sports Illustrated, the magazine's special year-end double issue, features a cover by Walter Iooss Jr. of four members of the N.Y. Fire Department with the tagline, "EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICANS" (SI, 12/24 issue).
The Baltimore SUN reports that "no seats remain for the Jan. 2 Orange Bowl featuring No. 6 Maryland and No. 5 Florida at Pro Player Stadium in Miami." The Univ. of MD "sold the remainder" of their ticket allotment yesterday, while the Orange Bowl "sold out Friday." The game will be played in front of a sellout crowd of 75,540 (Baltimore SUN, 12/19).
The WASHINGTON POST's Lloyd Grove reports Muhammad Ali "told a couple of off-color jokes at the Washington premiere party for 'Ali'" in the presence of politicians and D.C. Mayor Tony Williams. As the former heavyweight champion "took the microphone … Ali's fourth wife, Lonnie, was overheard pleading: 'No, no, no, don't.'" After making a joke about Jewish people, Ali told a sensitive joke about African Americans, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans. Afterward, Mayor Williams' Communications Dir Tony Bullock said, "I think I can speak for the mayor when I say: 'Yikes!'" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/19).
'N Sync, Sheryl Crow, Brooks & Dunn, Train and Marc Anthony will join Creed and the Foo Fighters as performers at the '02 Winter Games (USA TODAY, 12/19).
TODAY'S EVENTS
Mavericks G Steve Nash, F Dirk Nowitzki, and C Wang Zhizhi will host a fundraising event for the children of Afghanistan at the Pier 1 Imports Store at the Dallas Galleria from 5:00-6:30pm CT. The Mavs players will sign autographs for monetary donations to UNICEF's fund for Afghan children (THE DAILY).
Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich will join Gs Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and C Kelvin Cato to serve lunch to 250 homeless men and women at SEARCH from 10:30am-12:30pm CT (THE DAILY).
Grizzlies C Isaac Austin and Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton are "distributing 500 food baskets today at the Mid South Fairgrounds" beginning at 9:00am CT (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/19).
Two groups of players from the Heat and Sol will visit Jackson Memorial Hospital and Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital at 3:00pm ET, where they will meet with patients and distribute Heat holiday gift bags to the children (THE DAILY).
Sparks G Tamecka Dixon will host a holiday reading event at 4:00pm ET at the NBA Store in N.Y. for 35 children from the Children's Aid Society after school programs as part of the NBA's "Read to Achieve" program (THE DAILY).
Jaguars Owners Delores and Wayne Weaver "will present grants totaling $25,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations served by outstanding local volunteers as part of a luncheon" at The River Club (FL TIMES-UNION, 12/19).
Bruins players will distribute "more than 800 toys today to children at six shelters and hospitals throughout Boston" (BOSTON HERALD, 12/19).
IN OTHER NEWS…..
The N.Y. TIMES reports that "amid a late push" by AOL Time Warner, AT&T's board "is to meet in Manhattan today to decide whether to sell the company's cable television operation or instead spin it off as an independent company." AOL Time Warner, Comcast and Cox Communications "have each submitted bids to acquire AT&T's cable business, the nation's biggest" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/19).
The AP reports that a subsidiary of Walt Disney Co. "has filed suit to prevent satellite TV company EchoStar Communications from dropping the ABC Family channel from its service" as of January 1. EchoStar notified its customers last week that it would drop the channel, as well as ESPN Classic, "because the channels have not delivered high enough ratings" (AP, 12/19).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Paul Allen "has sold a third of his stake" in USA Networks. Allen, a USA Networks Dir since '97, "sold eight million USA Networks shares in November for about $162 million, or $20 to $20.50 a share – well below the company's recent share price of nearly $27" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/19).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that in '01, "the worst year in recent memory for most retailers, there appears to be one small bright spot: the Internet." While department stores prepare for decreased revenues, Internet sales "are expected to increase by about 30 percent" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/19).
The N.Y. POST reports Motorola "dropped a large bomb on its work force just in time for Christmas, announcing layoffs for 9,400 employees, or 8 percent of its staff, during the next 12 months." Citing "greater than expected losses," Motorola announced the cuts "in hopes of returning to profitability next year" (N.Y. POST, 12/19).
Last night, NBC aired "People Magazine's Most Intriguing People of 2001," which included Julia Roberts, Rudy Giuliani, Mariah Carey, Barry Bonds, George W. Bush, the cast of "Friends," Prince Harry, Kelly Ripa, David Letterman and firefighters nationwide. One of "People" magazine's "breakthrough" personalities was tennis player Andy Roddick, called one of "the up and comers you may see on next year's 'Most Intriguing' list" (NBC, 12/18).
LAUGH TRACK
Steelers RB Jerome Bettis appeared on last night's episode of CBS' "Late Show," and discussed many issues including his groin injury. Bettis asked David Letterman, "I don't know if you've ever had a groin injury?" Letterman: "Well, sure I have. What kind of guy do you think I am? I got an injured groin right now."
Meanwhile, last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Osama bin Laden Complaints." David Letterman said, "Here to present tonight's 'Top Ten' list, live via satellite from his cave in Tora Bora, is Osama bin Laden." Video of bin Laden was shown with a voiceover reading the "Top Ten" ("Late Show," CBS, 12/18).
| 10. | "Can't get premium channels in the cave, only basic cable." |
| 9. | "New laundry guy using too much starch on my turbans." |
| 8. | "I wash and wash and wash, but at the end of the day I still smell like a camel." |
| 7. | "You try to remember four wedding anniversaries." |
| 6. | "Itchy beard." |
| 5. | "With Giambi, the Yankees are going to win another four damn World Series!" |
| 4. | "You just can't trust those unfaithful Pashtun tribesmen. Am I right, people?" |
| 3. | "MTV never plays videos anymore." |
| 2. | "Mullah Omar answers the phone, 'Yello.'" |
| 1. | "What the hell do I have to do to get on 'Oprah?'" |
| |
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Colonial Trade."
"The Dutch traded New York to the British for a tiny island producing this, now mainly used at Christmastime."
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
FSN's 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" led with Jazz-Heat.
ESPN's 11:30pm ET "SportsCenter" led with KY-Duke.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is nutmeg?"
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