| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, June 21, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Sin Duda! Pan Am Games Site Evaluators Impressed With San Antonio |
| • | Will Fans In Miami Get Behind Luis Castillo As He Chases DiMaggio's Record? |
| • | Confidence Game: Sonics Owner Worried About Potential MLB Strike |
| • | NHL Award Winners Receive Their Honors Last Night |
| • | World Cup Headquarters: Latest Headlines, Schedules & Sites Of Interest |
| • | In Other News/Today's Events/TV Monitor/Lighter Buzz/Final Jeopardy! |
SAN ANTONIO IMPRESSES PAN AM SITE EVALUATION COMMITTEE
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that the Pan American Sports Organization's (PASO) site committee "wraps up its four-day visit" to San Antonio today. Next up for the committee will be a trip to Rio de Janeiro. Then the group "travels to Mexico City, where it will prepare a report for every PASO nation on its impressions" of the two cities vying to host the '07 Games (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/21).
CASTILLO EXTENDS STREAK DESPITE RAIN-SHORTENED GAME
The MIAMI HERALD reports that Marlins 2B Luis Castillo "stretched his remarkable hitting streak to 34 games, lashing a single to left in his first at-bat." Despite Castillo carrying the fourth-longest streak since '45, only 8,045 fans showed up for the Indians-Marlins game at Pro Player Stadium. The game was played under threatening weather conditions, which caused a 17-minute rain delay at the start of the game and forced the game to be called after just six innings (MIAMI HERALD, 6/21).
SONICS OWNER WORRIED BASEBALL STRIKE TO HURT OTHER SPORTS
Sonics Owner Howard Schultz, delivering the keynote address at the AP Sports Editors convention at the West Coast Grand Hotel in Spokane, WA, said that "another baseball strike would cause damage beyond that sport." Schultz, on a potential MLB work stoppage: "That will be catastrophic to baseball and, moreover, it will be catastrophic to professional sports. I can't think of anything worse for the level of trust and confidence on an ongoing basis than for there to be a strike in major-league baseball." Schultz also mentioned his efforts with the Sonics and said, "We have to try everything we can to rebuild the fracturing of trust in this community. We are respecting people who have not been respected for a long time." Ending his speech to "loud applause," Schultz concluded, "If sports lets us down, then shame on us" (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/21).
WORLD CUP, DAY 22: MLS EAGER TO CAPITALIZE ON U.S. SUCCESS
With the U.S. advancing further than expected in the '02 World Cup, MLS Commissioner Don Garber tells USA TODAY: "We will work to make post-World Cup help us grow our attendance and our TV ratings. We can't allow it to be an opportunity lost." Sports & Sponsorships President Scott Becher agrees, saying, "The World Cup is a strong boost to MLS' credibility, especially abroad. But ... they need a boost at home. Right now (U.S.) soccer is seen as cool. That's incredible progress. But being cool is inherently fleeting. MLS needs to seize the moment. Anything less is a missed opportunity" (USA TODAY, 6/21).
Today's Headlines:
- Sepp Blatter Blasts Officials For Performance (AP, 6/21).
- Soccer Referees On The Run, And They Can't Hide (N.Y. TIMES, 6/21).
- Refs Reject Claim Of Poor Officiating (USA TODAY, 6/21).
- Counting Real Cost Of Staging World Cup (LONDON TIMES, 6/21).
- Soccer Auctions Score Big (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/21).
- Soccer Is Kicking At The Wrong Door (L.A. TIMES, 6/21).
- World Cup Play Affects Trading Activity In Asia (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/21).
- Football-Mad Drivers Admit Being Overcome By World Cup (LONDON TIMES, 6/21).
- Japanese Label Irish Fans The Best (LONDON TIMES, 6/21).
Soccer Sites of Interest:
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The NHL held its annual Awards Show last night in Toronto. Canadiens G Jose Theodore was the big winner, capturing both the Hart Memorial Trophy as the MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the outstanding goaltender. Click here for a complete list of award winners (THE DAILY).
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that despite "several last-minute efforts to raise operating capital for the 2002-03 season," the CHL San Antonio Iguanas franchise "could cease operations today" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/21).
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that Mets Ps Shawn Estes and Al Leiter joined N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a meeting with first-graders in the Bronx yesterday "to kick off a library-sponsored summer reading program." The program, "Splish, Splash, Read! 2002," encourages children to read at least 10 books. Members of the program "are eligible to win some of the 4,000 game tickets donated by the Mets to the libraries" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/21).
ABC Radio's Keith Olbermann was honored last night with the World Gold Medal at the 19th annual N.Y. Radio Festivals in the category "Sports Commentary/Analysis" (THE DAILY).
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, Craig Kilborn shows a little bit of "Fenway Magic" from Father's Day, while squeezing in a barb at Red Sox diehards with a reference to Bill Buckner and Game Six of the '86 World Series (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S EVENTS
The Expos are partnering with the American Academy of Dermatology and the Canadian Dermatology Association to help strike out skin cancer. Players, coaches and front office staff of the Expos will undergo screening for skin cancer at Olympic Stadium in Montreal from 2:30-5:30pm ET (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The ORLANDO SENTINEL reports that some analysts are lowering their outlook for Disney because of "poor film results, fewer international tourists visiting its theme parks and exposure to the financial woes of Adelphia Cable." Jessica Reif Cohen of Merrill Lynch said that she "lowered her operating income estimate for the June quarter by $50 million to $830 million," and her earnings per share (EPS) estimate from $0.20 cents to $0.17 cents. For the year, Cohen cut her EPS estimate from $0.65 cents to $0.61 cents (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/21).
Meanwhile, the $1B deal recently struck between Disney and OMD USA has "become a subject of much controversy in the clubby world of media advertising." OMD Worldwide President & CEO Joe Uva said the far-ranging pact "represents a critical shift in the way media will be bought and sold," but competitors "question whether [the deal] has delivered anything quite so revolutionary" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/21).
The N.Y. TIMES reports, "At a time when viewership and attendance are either flat or shrinking in virtually every form of pop-culture entertainment, Hollywood is enjoying one of the biggest bursts of popularity and profitability in its history." Box-office revenues for '02 are "up at least 20 percent over that period in 2001, which was already a record year" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/21).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Taco Bell "has struck an advertising and sponsorship deal with the MTV network valued at $15 million" that gives the eatery a "strong platform with which to reach its primary 12- to 34-year-old demo" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/21).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "The Emmy Awards."
"It's the only primetime TV show – comedy or drama – to win the Emmy for Best Series five times."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "Out in Queens, (NY), a priest over there was stealing money from the school candy drive so he could buy expensive gifts for his live-in boyfriend, who was an exotic dancer. I read that (yesterday) morning and said, 'Oh come on, we've all done that. What's the big deal?' ... (Wednesday), an airplane flew into restricted airspace over Washington, and they had to evacuate the White House. I know you folks know all about this. I'm just letting the FBI know. ... You folks got World Cup fever? (Friday), the (U.S.) plays Germany, and that's going to be very exciting. If the (U.S.) wins, they go to the final four, and I'm very optimistic about this because so far, if you think about it, the (U.S.) record over Germany (is), well, we're 2-0. ... Soccer is a fascinating game. You know, it has two 45-minute halves and perhaps a sudden death at the end of that. It's kind of like a Jennifer Lopez marriage. Of course in soccer, you can use your head and you can use your feet, but you're not allowed to use your hands. Coincidently, that's President Clinton's technical definition of sex" ("The Late Show," CBS, 6/20).
NBC's Jay Leno: "Let me give you an idea how hot it was (yesterday), I saw a woman in Beverly Hills drinking a botox slurpie. ... The bad news (is) 40 Al Qaeda terrorists are headed towards (L.A.). The good news is they're stuck on the Ventura Freeway. They won't be here until 2010! ... President Bush called the U.S. soccer team Sunday before their win against Mexico. He told the team he was rooting for them, even though he knows nothing about soccer. He was very honest. When that phone call was over, he called Ariel Sharon and told him he was rooting for him, even though he knows nothing about the Middle East." Leno, on Southwest Airlines charging heavyset passengers for two tickets: "This is not a new policy. Airlines have done this for years. I was on a flight a while back where a guy was so fat he had to buy two tickets. How fat was he? Both seats were window seats. ... Earlier this week, the House passed a preliminary bill that will allow pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. And (yesterday), Southwest Airlines pilots said because of all the heavyset passengers, they need elephant guns. ... I guess the (U.S. National Team) plays Germany a few hours from now ... (and) Germany is a slight favorite. Yeah, they said that back in 1940, also. ... Kmart announced this week a $1.5(B) loss last quarter ... so apparently Winona Ryder has been shopping there, too. ... In London, England, British engineers announced this week they have invented a cell phone so small that it can be implanted in a tooth by a dentist. Isn't that amazing? I didn't know England had dentists. ... Jodie Foster's new movie opened this week, 'The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys,' or as priests call it, 'There's Something About Timmy.' ... Britney Spears is doing a movie about NASCAR racing. It's going to be called the 'Winston D Cup' ... Over 10 million voted and purple is the new M&M color. Here's the embarrassing part. Al Gore finished second again" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 6/20).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's "Top Ten" was "Top Ten Ways To Get Americans Excited About Soccer." The list was read by ten members of the U.S. National World Cup team via satellite ("Late Show," CBS, 6/20).
| 10. | "Rename the sport 'Deathball 3000.'" |
| 9. | "From now on, you can't use your feet either." |
| 8. | "Constitutional amendment stating if U.S. wins World Cup, every American gets a brand new car." |
| 7. | "More players who look like Mia Hamm – fewer players who look like Davor Vugrinec." |
| 6. | "Instead of 'Gooooal!' have that announcer yell, 'Yahtzee!'" |
| 5. | "Printed on every red card, a collectible Star Wars photo." |
| 4. | "Drunken monkey goalies." |
| 3. | "Find a way to involve that hilarious San Diego Chicken." |
| 2. | "You mean millions of Americans aren't getting up in the middle of the night to watch us play?" |
| 1. | "Give Tiger Woods a soccer ball, America will never lose again" |
THURSDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Indians-Marlins.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is 'Frasier?'"
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