Morning Buzz, September 12, 2002

SOLEMN AND TOUCHING CEREMONIES HIGHLIGHT DAY

MLB commemorated the one-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorists attacks on the U.S. by conducting various tributes during the league's 16 games held yesterday, and the N.Y. TIMES notes the theme of "We Shall Not Forget" was prevalent in the "solemn and touching ceremonies" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/12). The AP's Steve Wilstein writes that the memorial ceremonies, "if too heavy on military symbolism in some cases, seemed generally tasteful and fulfilled a need for the athletes and the fans" (AP, 9/12).

Prior to each game, an anniversary letter written by President Bush was read to fans. The letter stated, "Throughout its rich history, the game has played a significant role in our society. During this past year, baseball helped to bring Americans together. In the aftermath of the attacks, an exciting pennant race and World Series were an important part of the healing process. As families and friends have continued to gather and enjoy this great game, we have shown that the spirit of America is strong and that we stand united" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/12).

Fans and players alike wore "special white T-shirts issued by [MLB] with the inscription: 'Sept. 11, 2001, We Shall Not Forget'" (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 9/12). Teams "toned down their usual game presentation" and "suspended scoreboard advertising between innings" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/12).

Commenting on the decision to play games on the anniversary, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said, "It's the right thing to do. You can see in people's reactions that they want to share in the emotion of the ceremony and the day" (AP, 9/12).

In N.Y., Jay Greenberg writes that baseball "actually earned its place in yesterday's observances by how well it behaved during last September's time of severe need" (N.Y. POST, 9/12).

In Newark, Mike Vaccaro writes that it was right for baseball "to keep its doors open yesterday" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 9/12).

In Atlanta, Mark Bradley writes, "Baseball on the stark anniversary felt right" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/12).

In Washington, Thomas Boswell writes, "Sports has many purposes. But one is clear on a day like 9/11. They provide a place to go when things are too much to bear or too hard to solve. But we don't hide there. 'Escape' is the wrong word. We just recuperate. It's time to move forward. And now, as was the case a year ago, sports will be one of the most valuable players in that process" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/12).

The AP's Jim Litke writes, "What stood out on a day set aside to mark the way our lives have changed is how familiar the games still feel" (AP, 9/12).

Blue Jays 3B Eric Hinske: "No way we could have been out on strike today. You see now why it was talked about so much during contract negotiations. There's not much we can do for the families or anyone else, except do something that might help people feel a little better for a little while. That's what we're doing tonight" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/12).

Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon: "The emotions last year were so powerful. Today was almost a ceremony to make you feel good. Last year, it was so devastating and eerie" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 9/12).

ESPN TO SHOWCASE FOCUS GROUPS IN PRIMETIME SHOW

ESPN today will announce a new primetime show, "The Focus Group," featuring regular viewers discussing topical sports issues of the day. The first show will be taped Monday, to air Tuesday as part of ESPN Original Entertainment's block of programming. Meanwhile, ESPN will also announce today that it is entering the scripted-show genre, although show concepts and new partners have yet to be finalized (THE DAILY).

JAZZ TO ANNOUNCE JOINT VENTURE WITH TICKETMASTER

The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that the Jazz today "are expected to announce an agreement with Ticketmaster to add online services." Jazz VP/Marketing Jay Francis said that the partnership is "an attempt to make the cost of season tickets a more reasonable investment, and ultimately increase new and renewed season-ticket sales" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 9/12).

SPORTS WORLD MOURNS THE PASSING OF JOHNNY UNITAS

NFL HOF QB Johnny Unitas died last night of a heart attack at the age of 69. In a front-page piece, the Baltimore SUN calls Unitas a "legendary quarterback whose cool demeanor and pinpoint passing brought championships to the Baltimore Colts and popularity to the NFL." NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said, "Johnny Unitas will always be a legendary name in NFL history. One of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, he epitomized the position with his leadership skills and his ability to perform under pressure" (Baltimore SUN, 9/12).

USA TODAY has Unitas as its sports cover story, and reports that the while the Ravens already had a tribute planned for its home opener against the Bucs this Sunday, the team is "considering whether to honor Unitas on Monday Night Football on Sept. 30, when the team makes its only home national TV appearance" (USA TODAY, 9/12).

In Baltimore, Michael Olesker writes, "Unitas didn't just play football, he defined a generation of Baltimoreans. Baltimore was no longer that marble-step city stuck somewhere on a railroad track between New York and Washington. Now it was the place where John Unitas orchestrated miracles across 17 autumns" (Baltimore SUN, 9/12).

In Boston, Dan Shaughnessy writes Unitas "threw flat, hard passes and had more confidence than anyone who had ever played the game. He called his own plays. And he became the greatest quarterback in NFL history" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/12).

In DC, Zielinksi & Barnes write that Unitas' "leadership of the Colts coincided with a period of popular ascendancy for the NFL" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/12).

In N.Y., Bob Glauber writes, "Unitas was revered by his teammates and coaches for his cool, decisive leadership and a passing arm that helped change the direction of NFL offenses" (NEWSDAY, 9/12).

View Unitas' career highlights.

TODAY'S EVENTS

The Amherst (NY) Chamber of Commerce will meet today with Sabres officials, including GM Darcy Regier and coach Lindy Ruff, to initiate a season-ticket push that "calls for selling 4,000 tickets in 40 days, or roughly 100 season ticket packages between now and the end of October" (BUFFALO BUSINESS FIRST, 9/9 issue).

NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon will be at F1 Boston, a public racing facility, in Braintree, MA, from noon-2:00pm ET to test the track (BOSTON HERALD, 9/11).

IN OTHER NEWS….

The L.A. TIMES reports that N.Y. investment banking company Providence Capital, "tapping impatience among some investors in Walt Disney Co.," is calling a meeting next week of institutional shareholders to discuss "critical issues" surrounding the company's performance (L.A. TIMES, 9/12). Meanwhile, the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Disney execs "are holding a series of meetings with institutional investors and analysts" in N.Y. this week. The round of briefings, described by company officials as "routine investor relations," will conclude tomorrow (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 9/12).

AD AGE DAILY reported that "consumers are shunning shopping malls, making fewer trips to the store." NPD Fashion World President Marshal Cohen said that "mall traffic is down 10% year over year" and "trips to the store for apparel and footwear, have dropped from 43 per year to 39 per year" during the past five years (AD AGE DAILY, 9/11).

The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that AEG won the right yesterday to take over operations at NextStage Performance Theater "when it was the only company to submit a bid at a federal bankruptcy court auction" in Dallas. AEG will pay Grand Prairie, which owns the seven-month old theater, "$200,000 upfront and then pick up the NextStage lease payments, estimated at $1 million a year" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/12).

The N.Y. POST reports that AOL Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons dropped "a bombshell in a London speech," saying that, "If [AOL] is going to live, and I think it is, it will be somewhat like HBO." Responding to Parsons' remarks, AOL Time Warner spokesperson Tricia Primrose said, "He was using that phrase just as a colloquialism. It wasn't a death sentence for AOL" (N.Y. POST, 9/12).

FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION

Last night's edition of "Jeopardy" was pre-empted yesterday (THE DAILY).

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

CBS' David Letterman: "Well, it's been six months. We haven't heard anything from the guy. We haven't seen the guy. We don't know where the guy is. We don't know whether he's dead or alive. It's like he's dropped off the face of the planet. But enough about (Dir of Homeland Security) Tom Ridge. ... It's good to see (N.Y.) laughing again and, of course, I'm talking about the Mets." When Letterman finished his monologue and sat at his desk, he talked about 9/11 anniversary: "Like everybody else, I've had a year to think about what this day would be like, and if you have a (TV) show you have to consider what you're going to do on your show. It's a very difficult decision. It's hard to know exactly what the right thing might be to do on this night. So, forgive me if I'm about to drag you through something maybe you feel like you've been through enough already today. I understand it, if that's the case, but I hope it's not." Letterman said that "it's difficult not to be very, very proud" of N.Y. and it's "getting very close to the way it used to be in" N.Y. Letterman: "A guy is in a cab at an intersection ... and he's got the window down and he waves (and says), 'Dave, Dave, Dave.' So, I'm a man of the people. I go over to the guy (and) he says, 'Dave, both you and your show suck'" ("The Late Show," CBS, 9/11).

NBC's Jay Leno began his monologue discussing the anniversary of 9/11: "I've been watching (TV) all day. You know, this has been quite a day for everyone. A day to reflect and remember. You've listened to the interviews and you've watched all the ceremonies. You've heard stories from people who can comment much more eloquently, of course, than I can about these things. So, tonight we're going to do our best just to try to have an entertaining show. We'll certainly talk about what's happening in the news and we'll try to tell some jokes and be as respectful as we can. But it kind of starts now and hopefully, we'll give you a little bit of a smile before you go to bed and that's why we're here. Let's start out with some happy news. I am proud to announce, ladies and gentlemen, I am the new Miss (NC). ... Roseanne told People magazine that she saw President Bush at a recent fundraiser and thought he was a babe ... (and) very sexy. Now before that goes to Bush's head, he should realize she also once said the same thing about Tom Arnold. ... Disney World in (FL) is now raising their ticket price by $2 (to) $50 a person. ... In fact, they have a sign out front that says, 'Your wallet must be this big to get in.' ... For that kind of money, I want Tinkerbell to give me a lap dance. ... Two male wrestlers (on WWE 'Smackdown') named Chuck and Billy will marry on TV. Like from headlock to wedlock. ... A German psychologist says that women talk more than men because they have a bigger vocabulary and know twice as many words as men do. ... Women have a lot of words men don't know – commitment, monogamy, cuddling. ... I told you the jokes would be stupid. ... Authorities in Medford, (OR), say that inmates at the local jail there are shouting through the toilets to communicate with each other. They're using the toilets like a telephone. ... Now what do you do if your cellmate is on the john? 'I'm expecting an important call! You're tying up the line!'" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 9/11).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

Wednesday's "Top Ten" was "Top Ten Reasons New York Is The Greatest City In The World" ("The Late Show," CBS, 9/11).

WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR

ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with the death of Johnny Unitas, followed by the ceremonies at Yankee Stadium commemorating 9/11.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

The Morning Buzz provides an early update of the news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 9:00am ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Morning Buzz, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.