| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Tuesday, August 6, 2002
9:00am ET | |
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| • | Attorneys Seek Indictment Of Webber For Lying To Grand Jury In Martin Case |
| • | Fehr Concludes Updates With Red Sox Talk, Strike Authorization To Follow? |
| • | Chick Hearn Passes Away At Age 85 Due To Brain Hemorrhaging After Fall |
| • | Patriots Power: Super Bowl Champs Practice In Dark After Outage At Stadium |
| • | AOL Time Warner Poised To Nominate New CEO Of America Online Today |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/Final Jeopardy!/TV Monitor |
WEBBER FACES POSSIBLE INDICTMENT FOR EDDIE MARTIN DEALINGS
The DETROIT NEWS reports that the U.S. Attorney's Office "is expected to seek an indictment as early as Wednesday" of Kings F Chris Webber for "allegedly lying to a federal grand jury about his dealings with banned University of Michigan basketball booster Eddie Martin." Conviction on a single charge "could bring a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine" (DETROIT NEWS, 8/6).
MLBPA EXEC BOARD TO DISCUSS SETTING STRIKE DATE
USA TODAY reports that negotiations between the MLBPA and MLB will resume today in N.Y., while the MLBPA "will hold a conference call of its executive board today to be updated" on the talks. Topics to be discussed include gaining authorization to "approve a strike date," and whether it is "necessary to hold an in-person meeting Monday in Chicago" (USA TODAY, 8/6).
The BOSTON GLOBE reports that MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr is expected to meet with Red Sox players "as early as today for a review of the negotiations." The Red Sox are the last team to hold a live meeting with Fehr, who "was expected to wait until he had briefed every team before the Players Association sought authorization to set a strike date" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/6).
YOU'VE GOT MILLER: AMERICA ONLINE EXPECTED TO GET NEW CEO
The N.Y. TIMES reports that AOL Time Warner is expected to announce today that Jonathan Miller has been hired as the next CEO of its "troubled" America Online division. Miller "will have to sort through several competing strategies that are being put forward inside and outside AOL to revive the service." From '88-93, Miller worked at the NBA, "largely to develop a home video business and create marketing arrangements" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/6).
LAKERS LOSE LONGTIME BROADCASTER CHICK HEARN
In a front-page piece, the L.A. TIMES reports, "Chick Hearn, the legendary broadcaster who provided the lively soundtrack to more than four decades of Los Angeles Laker basketball, inventing a new vocabulary along the way, died Monday." Hearn passed away at age 85. The voice of the Lakers broadcast 3,338 consecutive games from '65-01, which ended "when he suffered a series of medical setbacks that began late last year" (L.A. TIMES, 8/6).
NBA Commissioner David Stern remembered Hearn by saying, "Generations of fans were brought to the NBA by the voice and vision of Chick Hearn. From Wilt and West to Magic and Kareem to Shaq and Kobe, Chick was a fixture as the 'Voice of the Lakers' and a legend in his profession" (AP, 8/6).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The BOSTON HERALD reports that the Patriots "went through their first formal practice at newly christened Gillette Stadium last night in gathering darkness, as a power failure caused electricity to shut down in the $350 million stadium." The blackout occurred in front of 6,000 people, as last night "marked the first time all the box and club areas were in full use for an event" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/6).
The Tigers held a "Silent Night" promotion yesterday for their game against the Angels, and the team used no electronic or video presentations. The DETROIT FREE PRESS called the promotion "fitting since the Tigers didn't give the small Comerica Park crowd much reason to make noise." The team announced a crowd of 18,546, but "many of those fans evidently found something else to do" rather than watch the Tigers lose for the eighth time in their last nine games, as they fell to the Angels, 6-3 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/6). ESPN's Karl Ravech, "This is a very depressing game to watch. Not for the errors, but the amount of people in the stands. This was one of the great baseball cities in America" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 8/5).
A second sports-radio station debuts today in Indianapolis, as WXLW-AM, formerly an all-religious station, begins carrying ESPN programming. Meanwhile, WNDE-AM, which used to offer ESPN shows, will now air Fox Sports Radio (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/6).
USA TODAY reports that on the heels of the figure skating scandal in the '02 Winter Games, U.S. Olympic officials "are urging an investigation into allegations that the taekwondo judging at the 2000 Sydney Olympics was manipulated" (USA TODAY, 8/6).
TODAY'S EVENTS
ESPN personality Tony Kornheiser returns to his 10:00am ET radio show after a three-week hiatus due to suspension and vacation (THE DAILY).
Ravens LB Peter Boulware, a spokesperson for the Covering Kids & Families Coalition, will visit a junior football training camp to encourage local families to participate in the MD Children Health Program, which allows them to enroll in a low-cost or free health insurance program (THE DAILY).
Former Dolphins RB Larry Csonka will be the guest speaker at the Bronco Nagurski Charlotte Touchdown Club's 11:45am ET luncheon at the Adam's Mark Hotel (THE DAILY).
CBS Sports will host a media day press conference and post-party at "The NFL Today" outdoor studio in N.Y. to launch the '02-03 NFL season. The event runs from 3:00-7:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
Moody's Investors Service said Monday that it "may cut Walt Disney Co.'s long-term credit ratings because theme park attendance is falling and fewer people are watching or buying advertising" on ABC. The news "helped drive Disney's shares to a new eight-year low," as shares of the company stock slid $1.04 to close at $14.27 yesterday (REUTERS, 8/6).
The Interpublic Group of Companies said yesterday that it "would postpone the release of its second-quarter earnings report by a week, sending the company's stock tumbling nearly 24 percent." Shares closed at $14.99, down $4.69, on Monday (N.Y. TIMES, 8/6). The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports "some investors interpreted the delay as a possible signal that one or more of the five independent directors who serve on the committee have concerns about how Interpublic intends to report its results" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/6).
According to an Ad Age survey, 51% of U.S. consumers "believe marketers should go dark" on the one year anniversary of September 11. Zenith Optimedia Group Americas CEO Rich Hamilton: "The first anniversary of Sept. 11 is not a good day to sell hamburgers" (ADAGE.com, 8/5).
The AP reports that bookings are down as Aspen resorts head into the final month of "a season marked by wildfires, a sluggish economy and a lingering reluctance to travel" in the wake of September 11 (AP, 8/6).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that federal regulators "will require TV-set makers to include digital tuners in all new sets by 2006, a move that broadcasters have been pushing" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/6).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "The Internet."
"This search engine was co-founded by Sergey Brin, a math major who chose the name to imply a vast reach."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
NBC's Jay Leno: "It happened again over the weekend. Another gigantic train wreck. Did you see it? But enough about the 'Anna Nicole Smith Show.' ... Did you see that thing on the E! Channel? I think the E stands for enormous. Put that thing on the Food Channel. ... They call it a reality show. That's what I love about L.A. It's the only place where a woman with bleached blonde hair, collagen lips (and) fake boobs is considered reality. ... President Bush visited those rescued coal miners in Pittsburgh and Bush really connected with the men, and he's good at that kind of stuff. I mean he told them, 'I know what's it like to go to work everyday and be totally in the dark.' ... The government now is trying to increase the population of the fish that produces caviar. They're doing this by putting the fish on the endangered species list. They hope this will help the fish reproduce faster. You know, you want to increase the population of these fish? Stop eating its eggs! ... Virgin Airlines unveiled a new jet that is 247-feet long. The longest jet in the world, 16-feet longer than a 747. In fact, this plane's so big, after taking off the pilots can actually go for a walk to sober up. ... Police in (FL) say they arrested a jewel thief who had a $150,000 diamond necklace in his stomach. The guy swallowed the diamond, so they took the guy to the hospital and waited until he passed it. I'm sure the owners are thrilled to have that back. ... Britney Spears is now saying the reason she walked off stage after only four songs at a concert in Mexico last week (was because) of lightning. ... So apparently, not even God is buying that virgin story anymore" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 8/5).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "I watched Anna Nicole's new reality show (Sunday) night, and now my TV has stretch marks. … Happy birthday to Martha Stewart. She turned 61 (Sunday) and she spent the day like any other – trying to change the subject. … (L.A.) police have set up 11 hidden cameras they hope will stop illegal graffiti. Here are the results so far – 11 stolen cameras" ("The Late Late Show," CBS, 8/5).
MONDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with the death of Chick Hearn.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is Google?"
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