| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, July 11, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Tiger Woods Increases ESPY Awards Total To Record-Setting 14 Last Night |
| • | Without Naming Names, Selig Says Team In Danger Of Missing Payroll |
| • | Will Internet Group's Call For MLB Boycott Tonight Prove Successful? |
| • | ESPN Great Outdoor Games Get Underway In Lake Placid Today |
| • | How Would Some Fans Have Solved The All-Star Standoff? Try “Sausage Race” |
| • | In Other News/Today's Events/TV Monitor/Lighter Buzz/Final Jeopardy! |
TIGER'S TRIO OF TROPHIES ADDS TO DOMINANCE OF ESPY AWARDS
At the 10th Annual ESPY Awards in Hollywood last night, Tiger Woods added to his cumulative ESPY Award total by winning three additional trophies, including Best Male Athlete for the third straight year. Woods also was awarded Best Male Golfer and Best Record-Breaking Performance for his four straight Major championships. The three ESPY Awards brought Woods' total to a record 14. View a complete list of the '02 ESPY Award winners (THE DAILY).
ESPY Awards host Samuel L. Jackson began the show with, "Welcome to the 10th Annual ESPY Awards, where every single nominee can kick your ass. … We are going to have a good time here, and I want to reassure everyone tonight's show will not end in a tie." Presenter David Spade said to Lakers G Kobe Bryant and C Shaquille O'Neal, "When I'm sitting on the court, you need to acknowledge I'm there so the chick with me will think I'm cool. ... It's not like they're giving those court seats away. I'm on eBay bidding my ass off all day, so when I get there, I want some props" (ESPN, 7/10).
In L.A., Tom Hoffarth writes, "Much of the night with host [Jackson] was irreverent, but some moments were poignant, especially the presentation of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award." The presentation "brought together three widows and one mother of the four men who lost their lives stopping hijackers on Flight 93" over PA on September 11 (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/11).
WILL SOME MLB PLAYERS BE IN FOR A SURPRISE NEXT PAYDAY?
On Wednesday, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said that "one team is in danger of being unable to pay its players Monday when checks are scheduled to be distributed." The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that if the club were to miss its payroll payment, it "likely would be forced out of business, thereby throwing baseball into turmoil at a time when the owners and players are engaged in increasingly angry labor negotiations" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/11).
However, USA TODAY reports that Selig "toned down" Wednesday night his claim that one team "might have trouble meeting payroll." Selig: "When I responded to that question, I said there was a possibility this one particular club would have trouble Monday. But I also said I think they're going to make it" (USA TODAY, 7/11).
INTERNET GROUP CALLS FOR FAN BOYCOTT OF MLB GAMES TODAY
Mlbfanstrike.com is calling for a fans' strike of all 13 MLB games scheduled for today. MLB Fan Strike co-Founder Don Wadewitz: "We're trying to get (baseball's) attention and let them know there is a third party that they may not be aware of" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/11).
MLB FAN STRIKE's boycott includes the following: "Don't go to any MLB games on July 11, 2002. Don't watch ANY game on TV, or purchase any MLB Properties products. Don't listen to ANY games on the radio. Don't use any MLB internet services" (MLBFANSTRIKE.com, 7/11).
Meanwhile, BASEBALL PROSPECTUS' Gary Huckabay called the boycott effort "arrogant, whiny and ill-conceived." The fact that MLB receives public subsidies doesn't "entitle potential customers to play amateur facilitator because their feelings are hurt" (BASEBALLPROSPECTUS.com, 7/9).
THE GREAT OUTDOORS: ESPN COMPETITION OPENS IN LAKE PLACID
USA TODAY reports that the third annual ESPN Great Outdoor Games "will be held in Lake Placid, N.Y., today through Sunday as participants from 39 states and six countries compete in sporting dogs, fishing, target sports and timber events." The Games will be replayed on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC from July 20-23, and a preview of the event can be found at www.greatoutdoorgames.com (USA TODAY, 7/11).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
In an interview that aired on FSN last night, Giants OF Barry Bonds admitted that he uses creatine. Bonds: "Definitely, I take supplements. I have taken creatine, protein pills and amino acids. To replenish your body is very important" ("Best Damn Sports Show Period," FSN, 7/10).
Bonds also appeared on last night's edition of NBC's "Tonight Show" where he said about the All-Star Game, "You feel for the people, but in today's era, with the amount of money that a lot of us athletes are making, it would be a very sad thing if someone got hurt during that time." Bonds, on a possible work stoppage: "I don't know if it's going to hurt the game because I believe people enjoy entertainment, so I believe people will come back out and watch baseball" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 7/10).
NEWSDAY reports that during the conversation with Bud Selig on the decision to call the game, AL manager Joe Torre expressed concern that Mariners manager Lou Piniella would be upset if Garcia continued to pitch. The Commissioner's "response was deliciously proper. 'Lou? Who's Lou?'" (NEWSDAY, 7/11).
Last night's ESPN's "SportsCenter" poll question asked, "How should they have decided the outcome of the MLB All-Star Game?" 30.1% said "position players pitch"; 28.8% said "recycle pitchers"; 18.1% said "Bob Brenly/Joe Torre sausage race"; 18.1% said "Home Run Derby"; 2.3% said "Warren Spahn/Rollie Fingers pitch"; and 2.3% said "Bud Selig coin toss." There were 101,416 total votes ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/10).
Eagles QB Tim Hasselbeck married "Survivor" contestant Elisabeth Filarski on Saturday (USA TODAY, 7/11).
TODAY'S EVENTS
The NJ Sports & Exposition Authority will announce a nine-member advisory committee to shape a plan to remake the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Commissioner Carl Goldberg said the committee would include legislators, mayors, and union officials from Bergen County (THE DAILY).
NASCAR on NBC & TNT Producer Sam Flood will join announcers Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach for a media teleconference to preview the nets' coverage of the '02 NASCAR season. The call begins at noon ET (THE DAILY).
WUSA Freedom F Mia Hamm, F Abby Wambach and G Siri Mullinix will visit Camp Lighthouse in Washington, DC, from 1:30-2:30pm ET. The camp is for blind and visually impaired children from the ages of 6-12 (THE DAILY).
The fate of the ECHL New Orleans Brass will be decided at today's City Council meeting. If the "Council passes a resolution … in favor of a lease agreement for the Brass to play at Municipal Auditorium," the team may be able to play next season. If not, "Brass owners have said the team will be dormant next season" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 7/11).
IN OTHER NEWS….
AD AGE reports that Wieden & Kennedy has lost its Pizza Hut account. In an interview Wednesday, Pizza Hut spokesperson Patty Sullivan confirmed the agency's work was "done" (ADAGE.com, 7/10).
The N.Y. POST reports, "Vivendi Universal is, as expected, the topic du jour for Allen Conference conferees this week." The "juiciest story" of the first day was that deposed Chair Jean-Marie Messier, who had "originally been invited but was then disinvited, was spotted in Salt Lake City this week after arriving … on a commercial Delta Airlines flight with his family" (N.Y. POST, 7/11).
Magazine writer and best-selling author Michael Gross will join the N.Y. Daily News as a columnist. His column, The Word, "will begin in the Sunday Daily News next month" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/11).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Historic People."
"He once said, 'If I can make a deaf-mute talk, I can make metal talk.'"
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "I'll tell you how hot it's been in (N.Y.). Yesterday, I'm driving to work and the tollbooth guy is wearing just a towel. ... Congratulations to George W. Bush. Earlier (yesterday), the Supreme Court declared him the winner of (Tuesday night's) All-Star Game. ... In the 10th inning, it got so desperate (because) they were running out players, the (AL) started to defrost Ted Williams. ... Bush said we're going to go after white-collar criminals and I'm thinking, 'Gee, I wish the Catholic Church would do that.'" ("The Late Show," CBS, 7/10).
NBC's Jay Leno: "I taped it (MLB All-Star Game), but I fell asleep at about the 11th inning, so don't tell me how it ends, okay. I'm going to watch it. ... They ran out of pitchers. No pitchers? Hey, that never stopped the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. ... You know they went through 60 athletes in one evening. 60 athletes in one night. That hasn't been done since Madonna's last world tour. ... Fans were furious. They wanted to thaw out Ted Williams and send him out there. … President Bush said (yesterday) he is ready to send corporate CEOs to prison, and he means tough prisons. You know, the ones that only have the nine-hole golf course. ... The state of (NV) said (yesterday) they are considering legalizing small amounts of marijuana. But opponents of the measure say they are concerned that marijuana might attract the wrong element to (NV). You wouldn't want anybody smoking a joint in front of the whorehouse. ... In a mix-up in a British fertility clinic, black twins were accidentally born to white parents after some sperm from a black male was implanted in this woman's egg by mistake. Or at least that's the story she told her husband. Better hope that kid doesn't look like Jesse (Jackson). ... Did you know this was Nude Recreation Week? ... How does that work with bowling? Do you still have to wear the shoes?" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 7/10).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's "Top Ten" was "Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig" ("The Late Show," CBS, 7/10).
| 10. | "Only guy in Milwaukee who's never had a beer." |
| 9. | "Just told Martha Stewart to unload her Montreal Expos stock." |
| 8. | "Went to Las Vegas a couple of days ago and put 10 grand on a 'tie.'" |
| 7. | "Eats rosin bags like they're peanuts." |
| 6. | "Won't stop sending flowers to Mike Piazza." |
| 5. | "Has actually sat through a Tampa Bay Devil Rays game." |
| 4. | "His nude seventh inning stretches were sort of funny the first couple of times." |
| 3. | "Refuses to recognize Ted Williams as top cryogenically-frozen ballplayer of all time." |
| 2. | "Wife keeps complaining about 'contraction,' if you know what I mean." |
| 1. | "Throws like a girl." |
NBC's Conan O'Brien: "(Tuesday) night, the commissioner of baseball decided to end the All-Star game in a 7-7 tie because both teams ran out of pitchers. Afterwards the players said, 'We didn't quit because we ran out of pitchers. We quit because we ran out of steroids.' … After 20 years of marriage, Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli announced they're getting a divorce. Not surprisingly, Van Halen has decided to replace her with Sammy Hagar" ("Late Night," NBC, 7/10).
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "This is kind of nice for the L.A. Lakers. Shaquille O'Neal helped apprehend a suspect while he was on a L.A.P.D. ride-a-long. The guy apparently dropped his gun when Shaq yelled, 'Stop or I'll rap.' … A cartoon Mick Jagger appeared on one of the episodes of 'The Simpsons.' And the weird part is now Marge and Lisa are both pregnant" ("The Late Late Show," CBS, 7/10).
Jon Stewart: "(Tuesday) night's (All-Star) game was indeed emblematic of baseball's troubled state. First in a long line of woes is the looming threat of yet another strike. The player's union met in Rosemont, (IL), Monday to discuss the likelihood of a walkout as soon as next month. Now should a strike come, it would hit everyone hard, with hundreds of players out of work. Although the Milwaukee Brewers can always fall back on their first love, of course, brewing. It'd be a lot tougher actually for the Pirates. You really hate to see them going back out to sea. It's a tough life. … Also plaguing the game is the increased concern over steroid use. A recent report claimed nearly half of (MLB) players regularly use anabolic steroids. Most major leaguers agree that testing is a good idea and according to a USA Today poll, 79% said they'd be willing to undergo independent testing, 4% said it depends on approval of the union, and the remaining 17% said, 'Fine, but I will not pee with the Phillie Phanatic staring over my shoulder like that. He's creeping me out.' Awareness of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball has jumped in light of the recent rash of offensive records and in the increase in the number of injuries. Trainers have been instructed to look for the signs of steroid use, including mood swings, shriveled testicles, acne on the back and a perfectly sculpted body. Wow, if I got a perfectly sculpted body, people would think I'm taking steroids. I've got the other stuff" ("The Daily Show," Comedy Central, 7/10).
WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 1:00am ET "SportsCenter" led with the aftermath of the MLB All-Star Game.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who was Alexander Graham Bell?"
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