| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, September 26, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | Brewers Become First MLB Team With Black President |
| • | Ryder Cup Ceremonies Open Today Amid Tight Security |
| • | Mariners Expect To Break Year-Old Attendance Mark Today |
| • | Did Mayor Bloomberg Hurt N.Y.'s Olympic Hopes With Remarks In Athens? |
| • | And The Winners Are: NCAA Graduation Rate Champions Announced Today |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
AFTER TEN LOSING SEASONS, BREWERS SHAKE UP EXEC LINEUP
The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reports the Brewers announced late Wednesday that Milwaukee attorney Ulice Payne Jr. will replace Wendy Selig-Prieb as the team's President & CEO. Payne, who was given a five-year contract, becomes the first African-American to be named president of an MLB club. In the announcement that was originally "scheduled for today," the team also named Doug Melvin as its new GM, replacing Dean Taylor (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/26).
RYDER CUP'S EXISTENCE AS SAFE HAVEN UNDER THREAT?
USA Network will broadcast the Ryder Cup Opening Ceremonies live from The Belfry from 10:00am-noon ET (THE DAILY).
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that "security is tight" at the Ryder Cup, as "police with machine guns guard the front gate, and others patrol the grounds." Additionally, 24 uniformed officers are "monitoring the golfers during play" and undercover officers are "mingling with the crowd" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/26).
The London TELEGRAPH notes that the Ryder Cup's existence as a safe haven is "under threat," and perhaps that is why organizers chose the manufacturers of Viagra as one of the sponsors. After all, they are the "masters of keeping spirits up" (London TELEGRAPH, 9/26).
MARINERS CLOSE IN ON ALL-TIME ATTENDANCE RECORD
The SEATTLE TIMES reports the Mariners today expect to set an attendance record in the final home game of the season, as "a near sellout is expected," and the team is "just 13,140 fans from breaking" the record. The mark was established last year, when the club drew 3,507,976 fans. The Mariners, who lead the majors in average and total attendance, will give the record-setting fan a gift pack, tickets to the commissioner's box and allow him or her to throw out the first pitch (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/26).
N.Y. MAYOR UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR COMMENTS IN ATHENS
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that the USOC today is reviewing allegations that N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg "violated Olympic rules by promoting the city's bid for the 2012 Summer Games during his trip to Athens last week." USOC Chief Communications Officer Mike Moran said, "Our compliance officer is looking into issues regarding the mayor's trip to Athens. This is something we are reviewing. We have reached no conclusions at this time." Both USOC and IOC rules prohibit cities "from engaging in 'any international promotional activities'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/26).
NCAA GRADUATION RATES RELEASED TODAY
The second annual USA TODAY/NCAA Academic Achievement Awards will be distributed today. The awards are based on a school's freshman athletes who began college in the '95-96 academic year, and the top academic performers are:
| Division I-A | Rice |
| Division I-AA, I-AAA | Davidson |
| Division II | Hawaii-Hilo |
| Division III | Regis (MA) |
The top school for the four divisions will receive $25,000 (USA TODAY, 9/26).
TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…
Which NFL journalistic guru who pens a weekly insider column complete with high school field hockey updates would make the NFL an international league if he were commissioner? To find out, see today's Sports Industrialists section for "THE DAILY Goes One-On-One With..."
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The Newark STAR-LEDGER reports that Jets Owner Woody Johnson consulted with Giants co-Owner Wellington Mara "about how to deal with losing." Johnson: "I asked Wellington last week, 'Does losing get any easier as you've been around (the game) all your life? He said, 'No, I think it gets harder'" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 9/26).
A Northern League team moving from Duluth, MN, to Wyandotte County, KS, is hosting a name-the-team contest. The winning entry will receive four box seats for the team's home opener, among other prizes (K.C. STAR, 9/26).
The FLORIDA TIMES-UNION reports that Wolfson Park, home of the Double-A Southern League's Jacksonville Suns, "could begin to be demolished today." Suns VP & GM Peter Bragan Jr. said the team agreed to the razing as negotiations on a lease for the new $34M ballpark under construction to replace Wolfson "were progressing well" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 9/26).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The MLS opened its playoff season last night with three games: The Rapids-Burn in Dallas drew 6,360. The Crew-Earthquakes in San Jose drew 8,069 and the Wizards-Galaxy drew 14,585 (THE DAILY).
NFL BLACKOUT WATCH:
- The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER reports that Sunday's Bucs-Bengals game at Paul Brown Stadium is "not expected to sell out" by 4:00pm ET today, and as a result, it will not be shown on local TV. The Bengals have only sold out six of 18 games in the stadium (CINCINNTATI ENQUIRER, 9/26).
- The SEATTLE TIMES reports that the Seahawks "need to sell 2,100 tickets" by 5:30pm PT tomorrow to avoid a local TV blackout of Sunday's game against the Vikings (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/26).
TODAY'S EVENTS
TNT Sports will host a 1:00pm ET conference call to make a programming announcement concerning Charles Barkley (THE DAILY).
Yankees manager Joe Torre and MLB VP/Community Affairs Tom Brasuell will launch a Partnership For A Drug Free America program, to distribute drug-free pledge cards to all N.Y. public elementary school students at 2:00pm ET at City Elementary School #73 in the Bronx (THE DAILY).
Celtics F Paul Pierce, NBA Community Relations representative Tiny Archibald and representatives from the Fannie Mae Foundation will participate in a 10:00am ET ribbon-cutting ceremony for the refurbished Project Hope Children's Center in Dorchester, MA (THE DAILY).
The Clippers Foundation will host its Charity Golf Classic at Ocean Trails Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, today. VP/Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor, coach Alvin Gentry, assistant coach Dennis Johnson and G Eric Piatkowski will attend (THE DAILY).
Women in Sports and Events (WISE) will host a panel discussion called "Managing Your Message in a More Competitive Market" from 6:00-8:00pm ET in the N.Y. Times Building. Panelists include NHL Group VP/Communications Bernadette Mansur, Meadowlands Sports Complex VP/Event Marketing Helen Strus, CBS Sports VP/Communications LeslieAnne Wade and Ketchum Sports Network Senior VP & Dir Ann Wool (THE DAILY).
The U.S. Figure Skating Association's site selection committee will visit the Target Center today, as Minneapolis is one of four finalists to host the '06 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The visit comes after a two-day stop in Cleveland (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that Congress yesterday "threatened television with new legislation … to compel the transition to digital broadcasting in four years if the industry can't resolve its differences" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/26).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Movie Mountains."
"This peak is featured in the 1959 Disney film 'Third Man on the Mountain,' where it's called 'The Citadel.'"
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "How many of you folks were here last night? Anybody here last night? Good, because whoa! Talk about losers in the audience last night. Nasty. Remember, Paul? Here's how ugly the audience was last night: Not ten minutes into the show, they demanded we return the Emmy award. … All summer there's been a drought in N.Y., and nobody cares, because we are not exactly growing wheat here. … Because of the drought, there is a marijuana shortage in N.Y. I'm telling you, things just keep on getting worse and worse for the Mets, don't they? … Excited about the new fall season? The big news earlier tonight on ABC, remember "The Bachelor?" Started up again earlier tonight, with one big change: The Bachelor is a Catholic priest. … Former President Clinton is in Africa, and it is sad, because I didn't realize he's gained so much weight. The entire time he was there, he was stalked by ivory poachers. … There was a guy who had been lost at sea for several months, did you read about this? Well, they finally rescued him yesterday, and revived him, and he's doing all right. Do you know what his first words were? His first words to the rescuers were "How's Dave doing on ABC?" ("Late Show," CBS, 9/25).
NBC's Jay Leno: "Thanks for coming out on such a hot day. What was it, 102 today? It was so hot that guys were dating Anna Nicole Smith just for the shade. It was so hot; in Beverly Hills last night at a Botox party, people were injecting their foreheads with Gatorade. I was sweating like Saddam Hussein listening to the B-52's. … If you looked outside today, you'd know that the air quality in (L.A.) is very, very poor. There's so many wildfires going on around us, the sky is just filled with smoke. In fact, the smoke is so thick; you can't even see the smog. They said if you have respiratory problems, you should stay indoors. In fact, do you know what part of L.A. has the biggest danger of choking? Dodger Stadium. … President Bush said it is now time for change in Iraq, and he wants them to have a western-style democracy like ours. So right now in Iraq, the economy is collapsing, businessmen are corrupt, and Hussein wants his son to take over the presidency. Sounds like mission accomplished. …Soon to be 100-year-old Republican Senator Strom Thurmond bid farewell to his colleagues on the Senate floor yesterday. He's retiring at 100. Who retires at 100? What are you going to do, go skiing? … Here's a scientific question, this is one of those questions people mull over, they have scientist work on for years, but never come up with an answer: why doesn't Al Gore fall asleep during his own speeches?" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 9/25).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's "Top Ten" was "Top Ten Shirtless Father and Son Explanations" ("Late Show," CBS, 9/25).
| 10) "He was obstructing our view." |
| 9) "Autographed Tom Gamboa baseball would be worth more if he were dead." |
| 8) "We're sorry, you'll have to talk to our shirtless lawyer." |
| 7) "You try staying in your seat during a White Sox-Royals game." |
| 6) "Dr. Phil says fathers and sons form stronger bonds when they commit senseless acts of violence." |
| 5) "When two shirtless idiots can't attack anyone they want, the terrorists have won." |
| 4) "People do crazy things after nine beers." |
| 3) "For generations our family has proudly beaten first-base coach Tom Gamboa." |
| 2) "Getting in shape for hockey dad season." |
| 1) "A couple Mets players gave us some crazy weed, man." |
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "I'm driving to work today, and I hear about this prostitution ring being run out of a car repair shop. I was so shocked that I swerved to hit a tree. … A convicted murderer was executed in (OH) today after enjoying the last meal he requested: a single unpitted black olive. Boy, those people on the Zone diet don't kid around. … This is true, I don't know if you heard this, but there's a new perfume that's a combination of rancid beer, cigarette butts, and sweat. I believe it is called 'Eau de Nolte.' … The ratings are so high on 'CSI: Miami' that David Caruso is thinking of quitting ("Late Late Show," CBS, 9/25).
Jon Stewart: "A funny story from the Emmys I forgot to relate the other day. I have dermatitis (a dry-skin condition on his hands). ... Oprah walked by me and the hem of her garment touched my hand ... and healed it. ... She's magic." Stewart, on reports that Saddam Hussein could launch an attack using chemical and biological weapons in 45 minutes: "Now don't be frightened. Put that 45 minutes in perspective. If they should attack, you still have time to boil a three-minute egg, get eight-minute abs, listen to Strauss' minute waltz, enjoy 15 minutes of fame, solve a five-minute mystery, that's 32. Have sex, that's 33. Make ten helpings of minute rice, and RUN!!!" Stewart: "A national survey of public school students has shown that it is easier for kids today to buy marijuana than cigarettes or beer. And nearly 63% of students age 12-17 told researchers there were no drugs at all in their schools, adding, do you have any?"
NBC's Conan O'Brien: "At a Democratic fundraiser Al Gore asked the crowd, `Are you better off than you were two years ago?' Most people in the crowd said, `No, but at least we're better off than Al Gore.'"
WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 2:00am ET "SportsCenter" led with NL West division and wild card updates.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is the Matterhorn?"
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