| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, March 1, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Hornets To Update Baton Rouge Business Community Today |
| • | Security Measures An Issue As NASCAR Gears Up For Vegas |
| • | Ravens Make Deal To Buy Back Naming Rights From PSINet |
| • | Are Technology Improvements Making Augusta National Obsolete? |
| • | Not A Grinch In The Bunch: Athletes Celebrate Dr. Seuss's Day |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor |
TICKETS, PLEASE: HORNETS UPDATE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ON SALES
The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that Hornets' New Orleans Dir of Business Operations Alex Martins and co-Owner Ray Wooldridge today will "make a presentation to business leaders in Baton Rouge," in an effort to attract corporate sponsors for the team. Meanwhile, the Hornets also will release their latest counts of season-ticket deposits and luxury-suite sales. Last week the team "announced it had 4,104 season-ticket deposits and had sold 22 suites. Martins expects the season-ticket deposits to range near 5,000," but he did not give an estimate of suite sales (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 3/1).
NASCAR PULLS INTO LAS VEGAS WITH OPTIMISM, ADDED SECURITY
The LAS VEGAS SUN reported that there will be additional security for Sunday's UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Speedway GM Chris Powell, on what to expect Sunday: "There will be some added security in light of Sept. 11. We will be checking bags, and we're encouraging fans to leave early." Powell suggests that fans "leave their homes or hotel rooms by 7 a.m. to ensure that an estimated crowd of more than 135,000 is in the stands" in time for the 12:30pm PT race (LAS VEGAS SUN, 2/28).
Powell, who predicts a sellout at the 135,000 track: "I think the sport is strong in the western half of the United States. I think people are starved out here. And I think we've done a pretty good job of marketing" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 3/1).
JUDGE APPROVES SETTLEMENT IN RAVENS NAMING RIGHTS CASE
The Baltimore SUN reports the Ravens "are closer to severing their ties to PSINet Inc. after a federal bankruptcy judge approved a settlement yesterday that returns the naming rights … to the team in exchange for a cash payment to the bankrupt Internet services company." The deal calls for the Ravens "to reimburse PSINet $5.9 million and terminate the sponsorship and suite agreements worth $76.3 million" (
Baltimore SUN, 3/1).
GENUITY TO PLUG SECURE NETWORKS DURING PGA TOUR SPOTS
AD AGE reported Genuity "breaks an estimated $25 million [ad] campaign [on Saturday], highlighting its secure computer networks." The ads will debut during the Genuity Championship PGA Tour event on NBC. The Genuity ads will also run on CNN, CNN Headline News and MSNBC (AD AGE, 2/28).
USA TODAY reports Augusta National Chair Hootie Johnson says that "he may have to consider restrictions on equipment used in future tournaments," as advancements in golf equipment have necessitated additional length being added to the course and Augusta National "is running out of room." Johnson: "If technology brings about change in the next several years like we've seen in the past several years, then we'll have to consider restrictions in equipment specifications for The Masters tournament" (USA TODAY, 3/1).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The N.Y. POST reports that Devils play-by-play announcer Mike Emrick, who turned down a chance to broadcast the Olympics to care for his dog, returns to work for tonight's Maple Leafs-Devils game. Emrick: "I know that my decision was seen by some as strange, and I dearly wanted to do the Olympics … But the dog stood a chance if we got her to that clinic in California, so we gave it a shot." The Emrick's 4-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Katie, died after undergoing a kidney transplant (N.Y. POST, 3/1).
The K.C. STAR reports that Knicks F Latrell Sprewell "is making his debut as an IRL team owner this weekend" at the Grand Prix of Miami, with rookie driver John de Vries. The Sprewell Racing car "had a tough day as its top practice speed … was almost 9 mph slower than" leader Tomas Scheckter's (K.C. STAR, 3/1).
The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that "after eight years of failing to draw a respectable audience in Atlanta, the U.S. indoor track and field championships return to New York tonight for two days of competition before a sellout crowd." The event will be held at the 5,000-seat Armory track and field center in Manhattan (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/1).
TODAY'S EVENTS
Several teams are participating in Dr. Seuss's Read Across America Day:
- Chargers CB Scott Turner and S Jason Perry will read to students at Muirlands Middle School in La Jolla, CA, at 9:15am PT, and at Rosebanks Elementary School in Chula Vista, CA, at 10:00am PT.
- Redskins DT Dan Wilkinson, K Brett Conway, OL Ross Tucker and WR Darnerien McCants will read to 100 local elementary school students at 11:30am ET in the team's locker room at FedEx Field.
- Bills LB Brandon Spoon will visit the students at School 82 in Buffalo at 2:00pm ET.
- 76ers GM Billy King, team mascot Hip-Hop and Comcast SportsNet reporter Dei Lynam will read to children in Philadelphia.
- Monarchs G Ruthie Bolton will visit the UC Davis Medical Center Children's Hospital and read with 35 kids from 10:00-11:00am PT.
- Liberty G Teresa Weatherspoon will read to 100 N.Y. students at the Barnes & Noble Upper East Side store at 4:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
Warriors VP/Assistant GM Al Attles, former teammate of Wilt Chamberlain, will answer fan questions in a live chat on NBA.com and Warriors.com at 3:30 pm in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Chamberlain's 100-Point Game (THE DAILY).
Knicks Cs Travis Knight and Felton Spencer will participate in an interactive storytime event for children at Barnes & Noble Bay Plaza in the Bronx at 3:30pm ET, as part of the "Knicks Reading Zones" (THE DAILY).
Mystics G Markita Aldridge will speak to 430 elementary school students on the importance of literacy at Bells Mill Elementary in Potomac, MD, from 1:00-2:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
The NHL Kings and the L.A. Dept. of Water and Power will unveil a "Royal Reading Garden" for the children of Vermont Avenue School in L.A. at 7:45am PT (THE DAILY).
The AHL will hold a news conference at 11:00am ET. The conference will be held in the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, ME and all media and general public are welcome to attend (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that Coca-Cola had the "poorest U.S. growth of any major carbonated soft drink company" in '01. Coke's market share declined 0.4 points to 43.7% of the U.S. market, while Pepsi-Cola "gained ground --- partly on the strength of new products --- and now holds 31.6 percent of the market, up 0.2 points" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 3/1).
Forbes' annual list of the world's richest people showed that "despite losing $6 billion, Microsoft's Bill Gates, with $52.8 billion, was the world's richest person for the eighth year in a row" (USA TODAY, 3/1). The Forbes list shows that the world's billionaires "lost 11 per cent of their wealth last year, and 83 people fell out of the billionaire club altogether" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 3/1). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes AOL Time Warner Chair Steve Case and AOL Vice Chair Ted Turner are two of the people who fell from the rank of billionaires in the latest Forbes list (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/1).
View the entire Forbes List.
The N.Y. TIMES reports ABC has "made a strong bid this week to lure David Letterman, the CBS star, in a move that would displace Ted Koppel and 'Nightline'" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/1).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "TV & Literature."
"'The Fugitive' was based in part on this 1862 novel in which a detective relentlessly pursues the fugitive hero."
LAUGH TRACK
NBC's Jay Leno: "Michael Jordan of the Washington Wizards just had knee surgery [this week], and they say he'll miss five games, if he's lucky. I say if he's lucky, he'll miss the whole season" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 2/28).
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Reasons I'm Proud To Be In The United States Navy." The list was read by Naval shipmen and officers. ("Late Show," CBS, 2/28).
| 10) | "The Navy is my favorite branch of the armed forces and my favorite color." |
| 9) | "The way people stare when you pull up to the marina in a fast-attack submarine." |
| 8) | "It's fun to be seasick." |
| 7) | "Best chance I'll ever have to meet Popeye." |
| 6) | "You didn't hear it from me, but we've got flying submarines." |
| 5) | "Remember that game Battleship? We get to play it with real ships." |
| 4) | "Best chance I'll ever have to meet Olive Oyl." |
| 3) | "You can fish off the stern of the ship -- try doing that in an F-16." |
| 2) | "I look sweet in uniform." |
| 1) | "I'd like to see some skinny late night talk show host drive a submarine." |
THURSDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Univ. of OR-Univ. of Southern Cal men's college basketball.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is 'Les Miserables?'"
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