| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, May 10, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | NBA Owners Expected To Approve Hornets Move Today |
| • | NFL Establishes Precedent With Ephedra Ban |
| • | ESPN & Touchstone Pictures’ “Ultimate” IMAX Adventure Opens Today |
| • | Making A Splash: Speedo VP Stu Isaac To Be Honored In FL |
| • | McMahon Gets The “F” Out Of The Wrestling Business |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/Final Jeopardy!/TV Monitor |
NBA EXPECTED TO APPROVE HORNETS MOVE TO N.O. TODAY
The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that New Orleans' 23-year professional basketball drought is “expected to end today” when NBA owners vote by teleconference at 1:00pm ET on the Hornets' bid to leave Charlotte. At least 15 of the league's 29 owners must vote for the move to approve relocation (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 5/10).
Meanwhile, the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reports that a “crowd announced as 11,363” showed up at the Charlotte Coliseum last night for Game Three of the Nets-Hornets Eastern Conference Semifinal playoff series (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/10).
NFL & NFLPA AGREE TO TEST FOR EPHEDRA
The N.Y. TIMES reports the NFL “will become the first professional sports league to test for the stimulant ephedra with a testing program to begin July 1.” NFL Exec VP Harold Henderson and NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw announced “an agreement that would allow testing to be conducted under the league’s Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances.” A joint statement from the league and the players union will “be posted in the locker rooms of all 32 teams immediately” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/10).
“ULTIMATE” TRIBUTE TO EXTREME SPORTS OPENS TODAY
ESPN and Touchstone Pictures’ extreme sport feature film “ESPN’s Ultimate X” opens today at IMAX theaters worldwide, and the N.Y. DAILY NEWS writes that it’s a “rare film that makes full use of the overwhelming, you-are-there potential of IMAX,” but also “indulges in some shamelessly in-your-face corporate sponsorship” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/10). Check today’s CLOSING BELL for more reviews of “X” and other movies opening today.
SPEEDO VP STU ISAAC TO RECEIVE PARAGON AWARD
Speedo North America VP/Sales & Marketing Stu Isaac will be awarded the Paragon Award in a ceremony taking place today and tomorrow at the Int’l Swimming Hall of Fame in Ft. Lauderdale. Isaac will receive the award for his dedication and commitment in water polo (THE DAILY).
MCMAHON SLAMS COMPARISONS BETWEEN WWF ENTITIES
WWE CEO Linda McMahon appeared on MSNBC’s “The Abrams Report” last night and discussed the World Wrestling Federation's court battle with the World Wildlife Fund: "It just finally got to a point that … let's be who we are. Let's be entertainment. ... Our marketing campaign to 'Just get the F out' -- if you will -- and be WWE, we think, is a clever campaign." McMahon said the idea that people would confuse the two groups is "a bit on the absurd side" ("The Abrams Report," MSNBC, 5/9).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL reports that an announcement that IN Univ. has signed men's basketball coach Mike Davis to a “lucrative contract extension” could come today. Thad Foucher, Davis’ agent, said that both sides “have agreed to basic terms but he would not reveal the specific numbers,” though the deal reportedly “would put Davis among the highest-paid coaches in the Big Ten Conference” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/10).
The DETROIT NEWS reports that Ilitch Charities for Children, a foundation established by the Ilitch family, has “announced the creation of the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Scholarship program,” which honors a high school male and female athlete and “provides each with a $5,000 scholarship toward the college of their choice” (DETROIT NEWS, 5/10).
The AP reports that religious broadcaster Pat Robertson will “sell his sizable horse racing interests because some of his followers have objected to his involvement in a sport driven by gambling” (AP, 5/10).
The ACHL Jacksonville Barracudas, one of six teams in the newly formed league, “unveiled their team logo and new coach yesterday” (FL TIMES-UNION, 5/10).
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…..
Every Friday, the Morning Buzz will highlight a video clip, chart or piece of information that might have fallen through the cracks. This week, ESPN’s Jay Mohr catches “Curling Fever,” but is it contagious? (THE DAILY).
Click on image to play full clip.
IN OTHER NEWS….
Univision Communications Inc. yesterday released its Q1 financial numbers, which revealed a $900,000 loss due to goodwill write-downs at Entravision Communications Corp., a company in which it holds a 31% stake. Overall, Univision revenues rose 10% to $214.4M, with recently launched Telefutura contributing $13.4M (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/10).
The Toronto Globe & Mail announced yesterday that Ottawa columnist Edward Greenspon will become the next editor of the paper. Greenspon, who joined the paper in ’86, is “expected to take up his new assignment before Aug. 1” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/10).
American Skiing Co. announced yesterday that it has closed on its previously announced sale of Heavenly ski resort in South Lake Tahoe, CA, to Vail Resorts, Inc. SkiCo will use proceeds from the sale to reduce its outstanding debt to $88.5M (THE DAILY).
The N.Y. POST reports Disney Chair Michael Eisner “has put pit bull publicist Zenia Mucha in charge of all its spin.” The Post quotes a “political insider” on Mucha’s expected approach: “If anybody says anything unfavorable about Disney or ABC, she’ll make their life hell.” Previously, Mucha was “the political Svengali, adviser and press officer for former Sen. Al D’Amato and Gov. Pataki until she gave up politics at the start of 2001 in favor of working as a $400,000-a-year senior publicist for Disney in Los Angeles” (N.Y. POST, 5/10).
The BOSTON HERALD reports that former Red Sox CEO John Harrington yesterday “lobbed a sharply worded three-page rebuttal to recent criticism of Harrington’s handling of his new role as head of The Yawkey Foundation” by MA AG Tom Reilly. Reilly spokesperson Ann Donlan said that Reilly and his staff “stand by their comments” (BOSTON HERALD, 5/10).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Pulitzer Prize-Winning Books."
“One of its title studies is Sen. Edmund Ross' 1868 vote against convicting President Andrew Johnson.”
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES: NBC’s Jay Leno: “Luke Jay Helder has admitted to being the pipe bomber. He confessed to making 24 bombs. 24 bombs! That beats Steven Segal's record. ... (Helder's) father said (yesterday) the reason his son did this was he just didn't like the way the government is run. Wait until he sees the way the prison system is run. ... A 19 year-old (CA) woman is claiming that she's the illegitimate daughter of one of seven priests. What church is that? Our Lady of the NBA. ... A naked man ran out on the field during the (Red Sox-Athletics game Wednesday night). Ran naked across the field, and right afterwards, the stadium vendors reported a 100% drop in hot dog sales. ... Janet Reno was in a little fender bender. She was not injured, but she had a little accident with her truck. She bumped another car, and they said Janet Reno's car will need another bumper, which was damaged when she ripped it off her truck and then beat the other driver with it. ... According to a British survey, 50% of men could not tell if a woman's breasts were fake or real. Guys, you know how to tell? It's location. ... See, if the breasts are in (IA), they're real. If they're in L.A., they're fake. Location, location, location" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 5/9).
CBS’ David Letterman: "I had a touching experience on the subway (yesterday). I sat next to a priest. ... Cardinal Law gave his deposition, and he had difficulty with his memory. Under oath, he had difficulty with his memory. He could only recall three commandments. Very embarrassing. Under oath, Cardinal Law said, 'I do not recall' 47 times. 47 times! I'm telling you, this guy is Presidential material" ("The Late Show," CBS, 5/9).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS: Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Things I Would Like To Say To The American People." The list was read by soldiers from Camp Greaves, South Korea ("The Late Show," CBS, 5/9):
| 10) | "Sorry, mom, 1-800-FLOWERS doesn't work over here." |
| 9) | "Would somebody send me a meatloaf?” |
| 8) | "Come say hi -- with the new direct flights, getting to Korea from the U.S. only takes 29 hours." |
| 7) | "I can neither confirm nor deny that I have anything to say." |
| 6) | “Thanks for paying your taxes on time so we don't run out of ammo." |
| 5) | "Ozzy rules!" |
| 4) | "If anyone needs a place to crash during the 2002 World Cup in Seoul, give me a call." |
| 3) | "Can somebody please tape the season finale of 'Friends' for me?" |
| 2) | "Liza, you promised you'd wait!" |
| 1) | "How are the Knicks doing in the playoffs?" |
THURSDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Kings-Mavericks.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is ‘Profiles in Courage?’"
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