| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Comprehensive Olympic Coverage: Today's Headlines, Schedules, Forecasts |
| • | Rumsfeld Meets With Athletes During Brief Salt Lake City Stop |
| • | NBC's Hicks, Carillo Picked To Co-Host Closing Ceremony On Sunday |
| • | Liberty Bowl Extends Broadcasting Contract With ESPN |
| • | Chris Berman Brings Nickname Schtick To Disney Shareholder Meetings |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor |
THE SALT LAKE CITY WINTER GAMES, DAY 13: TODAY'S HEADLINES
Salt Lake Tribune:
Salt Lake TV
KSL Radio
National News:
QUOTE FROM THE GAMES…
“I would just like it if kids see me here and it helps to expand their minds. Maybe they'll step outside the box.”
– U.S. Gold Medalist speed skater Derek Parra, the first Mexican-American to win a Gold Medal in a Winter Olympics
(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/20).
TODAY'S UT WEATHER
The forecast calls for morning snow showers, with a high of 47°F.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
NBC's TV COVERAGE
TODAY'S VISITOR INFORMATION
SALT LAKE CITY MEDIA GUIDE (requires Adobe Acrobat)
Click on the buttons below for additional Olympic links:
TODAY'S EVENTS: RUMSFELD MEETS ATHLETES, PICABO E-MAILS
The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld "is scheduled to attend a breakfast with [UT Gov. Mike] Leavitt and Olympic athletes" today, and hold a media briefing before departing Salt Lake City tonight. Rumsfeld, on his visit: "This is so exciting. I've never made it to an Olympics before. I'm absolutely thrilled to be here." The athletes "appeared equally enthusiastic about brushing into Rumsfeld," who gave Games organizers "a big thumbs up." Rumsfeld added, "There's just no question, these folks have done a world-class job" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/20).
Former Olympian Bonnie Blair and Nagano Gold Medalist Eric Bergoust will honor the five winners of the Samsung "Spirit of the Sport Contest" in a ceremony at the Olympic Rendezvous @ Samsung in the Salt Lake Olympic Square (THE DAILY).
Olympians Jim Shea Jr., Lisa Kosglow, Evan Dybvig, Lindsey Weier and Krissy Wendell will be the first recipients of the Samsung Style & Innovation Award, which is presented to athletes demonstrating a distinctive expression of style and substance in their respective sports. The ceremony will be held at the Olympic Rendezvous @ Samsung at 1:00pm MT (THE DAILY).
U.S. downhill skier Picabo Street and Bergoust will send e-mail messages to U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan at 10:00am MT today, part of a promotion by OPUS sponsor Gateway (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/20).
NBC ASSIGNS HICKS, CARILLO TO CLOSING CEREMONY BROADCAST
NBC Olympic host Dan Hicks and reporter Mary Carillo have been named to co-host the network's live coverage of the Closing Ceremony from Rice-Eccles Stadium at 8:00pm ET on Sunday. NBC's primetime host Bob Costas will anchor the coverage from NBC's studio in Salt Lake (THE DAILY).
OLYMPIC NOTES: TRACKING NBC'S ADS, ATHLETE PROFILES
Last night's NBC 8:00-11:30pm ET primetime Olympic broadcast aired two "Watching Ellie" promos; two for "Frasier;" four for NBCOlympics.com; one for "West Wing;" one for "Ed;" one for "Friends;" one for "Crossing Jordan;" two for "Scrubs;" one for "Will & Grace" and one for "Leap of Faith" (THE DAILY).
Day 12 of NBC's Olympic coverage included two athlete profiles: Michelle Kwan, U.S., figure skating and Eric Bergoust, U.S., freestyle aerials (THE DAILY).
Meanwhile, the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that a Salt Lake '02 Torch Relay Chevy Tahoe, "emblazoned with the 'Light the Fire Within' logo, was parked directly in front of the American Bush strip club on 300 West in downtown Salt Lake City Monday at 10:30 p.m." (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/20).
LIBERTY BOWL EXTENDS LENGTHY CONTRACT WITH ESPN
The Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL reports that the AXA Liberty Bowl football game will announce today it "has extended its contracts with ESPN, the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA." The television contract with ESPN "has been extended seven years through the 2008 game and is one of the network's longest bowl contracts." The Liberty Bowl is in its 44th year, making it the seventh oldest bowl (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 2/20).
DISNEY HOLDS ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS IN CT
The N.Y. POST reports the Walt Disney Co. "bared its soul yesterday to more than 2,400 shareholders and announced the company was on the rebound after a year marred by advertising recessions and terrorist acts." ESPN host Chris Berman introduced Disney's Chair as "Michael More than Meets the Eisner," and Eisner "lauded the newly hatched deal with ABC, ESPN and the [NBA]" (N.Y. POST, 2/20).
The L.A. DAILY NEWS reports the shareholder meeting in Hartford, CT, "was short on new financial information and heavily sprinkled with show-biz dazzle" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 2/20).
USTA VISITS HOUSTON IN SEARCH FOR DAVIS CUP SITE
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports USTA officials, including Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe, visited Houston as the first of six sites "in a whirlwind tour this week," to determine the host city for the quarterfinal tie in Davis Cup action between the U.S. and Spain in April. Westside Tennis Club Owners Jim and Linda McIngvale "took the group on a tour of the facilities, and then had a lunch meeting to answer questions." Jim McIngvale "agreed Thursday to cover the $200,000 rights costs and other expenses" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/20).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
ESPN's Norman Chad, on S.I.'s annual swimsuit edition, which was released last night: "The moment it hits the newsstands, Gloria Steinem runs down the street yelling, 'Flagrant foul.'" ESPN's Tony Kornheiser: "It's hard to believe in 2002 that people are still completely up in arms about this and you know what, I don't think they are" ("PTI," ESPN, 2/19).
The TAMPA TRIBUNE reports that, following the announcement that Jon Gruden had accepted the Bucs' coaching position, some fans "spent Tuesday snatching up Chucky, the slasher doll whose scary stare and evil grimace resemble [Gruden] in the heat of a game." Spencer Gifts assistant manager Jill Stahler: "Ten people called [Tuesday] morning. Twenty called [Monday]. Five people have come in asking for Chucky dolls. We're sold out. We've ordered six more that should be here Monday" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 2/20).
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports the Texans' "first eight draft picks in Monday's expansion draft visited several area schools Tuesday" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/20).
USA Today columnist Christine Brennan will speak at the American Press Institute's sports editors seminar, April 21-26, 2002. Brennan will lead a discussion about women and sports (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S EVENTS
Sugar Ray Leonard will hold a press conference in Buffalo to announce he has reached a deal to promote undefeated heavyweight Joe Mesa (AP, 2/19).
Magic coach Doc Rivers and Miracle F Nykesha Sales will read to more than 60 children at Montsho Books in celebration of Black History Month as part of the Magic's "Read to Achieve" program. The event takes place from 2:00-3:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
Action Performance Companies, Inc. will hold an analyst meeting to discuss its move from the Nasdaq to the NYSE. The meeting, to be held at noon ET at the NYSE, will be Webcast by CCBN and can be accessed at Action's Web site (THE DAILY).
HERSHEYPARK Arena/Stadium GM Matthew Ford and MLL Exec Dir Matthew Pace will host a press conference to announce a joint marketing initiative at noon ET at the HERSHEYPARK Arena. Additionally, MLL Founder Jake Steinfeld will be available for interviews via teleconference (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The WASHINGTON POST reports that a federal appeals court yesterday "nullified two long-standing government rules limiting the size of the world's largest media companies, opening the door to a new wave of mergers among cable television conglomerates and broadcast companies" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/20).
AOL President of Worldwide Interactive Marketing Robert Friedman, on the proliferation of online advertising, said: "It's not going to be annoying. … If we throw up more banner ads and annoy the hell out of people, the medium will never reach its potential" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/20).
The N.Y. TIMES reports CNN "reshuffled its executive lineup," which was "seen both inside and outside CNN as a reaction to the stiff competition from Fox News." Teya Ryan was named Exec VP & GM of the CNN domestic network, succeeding Sid Bedingfield, who was appointed Exec Editor of all CNN networks (N.Y. TIMES, 2/20).
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports CNN execs "don't expect the moves to bring about any dramatic shift in what CNN puts on the air" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/20).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Food Superstitions."
"Sold on Good Friday, they were once used as charms against evil, and were said to last without getting moldy."
LAUGH TRACK
NBC's Jay Leno, on Olympic ticket scalping: "It's just unbelievable. Did you know they're getting $5 a piece for curling tickets? Do you understand curling? Doesn't it look like something played by the employees of Bed, Bath & Beyond after the store closes?" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 2/19).
CBS' David Letterman, "I heard today [that] from now on, all figure skating scores will be authenticated by Arthur Andersen. … Here now is the new system for judging figure skating. Contestants will be judged on how they move, they will be judged on the difficulty of the move, and of course, the execution. It's the same system Clinton used to judge interns."
During last night's edition of CBS' "Late Show," Gold Medalist Casey FitzRandolph discussed his performance at the Salt Lake Games. Letterman, holding a pair of clap skates, said Rupert G, who owns the Hello Deli in N.Y., "uses these when he's making sandwiches." Letterman asked FitzRandolph, "Would you ever consider putting these on and going down the bobsled track?" FitzRandolph: "We skated in the Netherlands, and in Norway prior to the Games, and they were sold-out for both of them, and people [were] leaning over the pads, banging on them. It gets pretty wild over [there]." Letterman: "Is that because Europeans learned how to freeze water earlier than Americans?" ("Late Show," CBS, 2/19).
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Celtics-Lakers.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What are hot cross buns?"
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