Morning Buzz, October 22, 2002

NBA AND TV PARTNERS TO DISCUSS SEASON AT TODAY'S LUNCHEON

A luncheon will be held today from 11:15am-1:30pm ET at the NBA Store in N.Y. to discuss the upcoming NBA season as well as unveil production and programming plans of the league's TV partners.  Turner Sports will give a presentation with President Mark Lazarus, VP & Exec Producer Mike Pearl, broadcasters Ernie Johnson and Marv Albert, and analyst Danny Ainge.  NBA Commissioner David Stern, Lazarus, ESPN President George Bodenheimer and ABC Sports President Howard Katz will present next.  Finally, the ESPN/ABC Sports segment will feature Bodenheimer, Katz, Coordinating Producer of Remote Production Jamie Reynolds, analysts Bill Walton and Tom Tolbert, and broadcasters Brad Nessler and Mike Tirico (THE DAILY).

MEHRI TO MEET TODAY WITH NFL EXECS ABOUT MINORITY HIRING

The WASHINGTON POST reports that civil rights attorney Cyrus Mehri will meet with NFL Exec VP/Labor Relations and Management Council Chair Harold Henderson and NFL Exec VP & Chief Administration Officer/General Counsel Jeff Pash today in N.Y. "in an attempt to ensure that the league considers and hires minority candidates for head coaching positions as soon at this season ends"  (WASHINGTON POST, 10/22).  The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that attorney Johnnie Cochran, who is also lobbying the league on the hiring issue, will not be present and that NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue "is not expected to attend, either" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/22).

COACHES THREATEN BOYCOTT OVER MINORITY HIRING ISSUE

USA TODAY reports the Black Coaches Association (BCA) today will warn "colleges it will steer prospects away from institutions that do not improve minority hiring practices."  The group "has set a timetable and list of incentives that would inform recruits which universities failed to establish evidence of diversity in the hiring process."  BCA Exec Dir Floyd Keith said that the group's plan "will establish goals in the areas of knowledge, accountability, political influence and financial influence to be reached by August 2003, 2004 and 2005" (USA TODAY, 10/22).

THIRD IN A SERIES OF TITLE IX HEARINGS BEGINS TODAY IN CO

USA TODAY notes that the third of four hearings on the future of Title IX will begin today and conclude tomorrow in CO Springs, CO.  The sessions will "focus on Olympic sports.  The final public hearing is November 21-22 in San Diego" (USA TODAY, 10/22).

DESPITE EARLIER PRONOUNCEMENTS, JORDAN PLAYS IN PRESEASON

Wizards F Michael Jordan, who earlier said he would not play in any preseason games, played 15 minutes in last night's exhibition game against the Nuggets at Pepsi Center.  The WASHINGTON POST reports Jordan said that his decision to play "wasn't financially motivated, even though Denver agreed to pay the Wizards $200,000 if Jordan played, $50,000 if he didn't" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/22).  The DENVER POST reports the Nuggets "will pay a discounted amount because of the late notice" of Jordan's participation in the game.  The exact amount of compensation "is expected to be agreed upon soon" (DENVER POST, 10/22).  Meanwhile, Wizards coach Doug Collins said Jordan was "ultra-sensitive" to the money issue.  Collins: "He didn't want it looking like he was playing (for) the money" (USA TODAY, 10/22).

MLB'S MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS MADE INTO A VIDEO

MLBP and Q Video will release today "The 30 Most Memorable Moments in Baseball History" on video and DVD.  USA TODAY notes the release corresponds with the announcement of the Most Memorable Moment during Wednesday's pregame ceremony before Game Four in S.F. (USA TODAY, 10/22).  The L.A. TIMES calls the release "a series of entertaining and informative vignettes" (L.A. TIMES, 10/22).  However, the HOUSTON CHRONICLE's 16-member panel of experts "came up with almost a dozen worthy moments that didn't make the final list" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/22).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that former Flyers C Eric Lindros "is expected to testify today" in Atlantic County Civil Court in ex-Flyer D Dave Babych's lawsuit against the team, its corporate parent Comcast Spectacor and its former orthopedist, Arthur Bartolozzi (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/22).

The S.F. CHRONICLE notes that about 2,500 people attended a party for MLB personnel and local VIPs at the Ferry Building last night.  Partygoers "were served no less than 680 pounds of prawns, along with a load of oysters, smoked salmon, tacos, carved meats, Peking Duck and sushi" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/22).

The AP reports the FDA "is cracking down on decorative contact lenses … calling them illegal products that could cause blindness."  Lenses printed with sports logos are included in the embargo, which began yesterday at U.S. borders.  Additionally, the FDA "will seize unapproved lenses sold in convenience stores, flea markets and other spots" (AP, 10/22).

TODAY'S EVENTS

Commissioner Ken Podziba of the NYC Sports Commission will be a guest speaker at the N.Y. chapter of the National Sports Marketing Network's "NYC 2012: What a Winning Bid Would Mean to Local Sports Marketers!" meeting from 8:00-10:15am ET at Mickey Mantle's Restaurant (THE DAILY).

The Bills will hold several events today, including:  Team rookies will accompany 110 second graders from Windom Elementary School on a trip to the Buffalo Zoo from 10:30-11:30am ET; LB London Fletcher will sign autographs from 5:00-6:00pm at the Boulevard Mall Verizon Wireless location as part of the Verizon Wireless HopeLine campaign; and TE Dave Moore, P Brian Moorman and WR Peerless Price will host winners of the School is Cool essay contest at the Bills training facility from 6:00- 7:30pm (THE DAILY).

The Vancouver '10 Bid Corporation will hold their weekly media briefing, detailing areas of interest related to their bidding for the '10 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, from 11:00-11:30am PT at the Vancouver '10 Information Centre (THE DAILY).

Lions DE Kalimba Edwards, TE Mikhael Ricks and LB's Chris Claiborne and Barrett Green will visit students at the Detroit Lions Academy, a Detroit public school for students who have had difficulties in traditional middle school settings, at 1:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

MLS MetroStars President and GM Nick Sakiewicz will hold a press conference at the Club Bar and Grill at Madison Square Garden beginning at 2:00pm ET, where he is expected to announce the signing of new coach Bob Bradley (THE DAILY).

As part of the NBA's "Read to Achieve Week," the following teams will be hosting events:

Celtics F's Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce, along with coach Jim O'Brien, will visit the Condon Elementary School in Boston at 8:30am ET to read with students and help make bookmarks (THE DAILY).

The entire Rockets team, along with WNBA Comets C Tiffany Johnson and F Kelly Gibson, will read to 250 kids from area elementary schools on the Rockets practice court from noon to 2:30pm CT (THE DAILY).

Nuggets C Marcus Camby, F Juwan Howard and other players will read from a Rainbow Fish book in front of the life-size fish tanks at CO Ocean Journey beginning at 1:30pm MT (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

United Airlines "plans to slash 1,250 jobs and turn more service over to commuter affiliates."  The cuts will save an estimated $100M annually (USA TODAY, 10/22).

MEDIAWEEK reports that Discovery Networks President Billy Campbell gave his friend Joe Abruzzese a "Godfather-type offer" to leave his post as CBS President of Sales to oversee sales at Discovery.  Abruzzese reportedly will receive a $1M-plus salary "at least $200,000 more than he was said to be earning at CBS" (MEDIAWEEK, 10/21 issue).

NEWSDAY reports that the Charles B. Wang Center, "an Asian-inspired cultural center on SUNY Stony Brook's campus" built and donated by, and named after the Islanders co-owner, will host its Grand Opening today.  The $40M-plus center is the "largest donation from an individual to the SUNY system" (NEWSDAY, 10/22).

The N.Y. POST reports that a CA judge sentenced 38-year old Dwayne Kellum to "more than seven years in prison for pretending he was the son" of L.A. Lakers Owner Jerry Buss in a "scheme to steal a tax refund" (N.Y. POST, 10/22).

The N.Y. TIMES' Stuart Elliott reports that advertising execs this year are "exorcising many of the spooky, ghoulish and violent elements from Halloween advertising. … The more monstrous images are disappearing from most Halloween marketing, replaced by smiling ghosts and pumpkins and phrases like `Playful fun' and `All treats!  No tricks!'" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/22).

The L.A. TIMES reports, "In a effort to save their proposed $18[B] satellite-TV merger, EchoStar Communications Corp. and Hughes Electronics Corp. filed a revised plan Monday with federal regulators that will clear the way for new competition" (L.A. TIMES, 10/22).

The N.Y. TIMES notes that this past weekend's edition of Saturday Night Live hosted by U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) earned a 5.8/14 Nielsen overnight rating, down 2% from the 5.9 rating the week before, when Sarah Michelle Gellar hosted (N.Y. TIMES, 10/22).

FINAL JEOPARDY

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "People."  The answer was, "A British airport recently named for him features a logo with the words, 'Above Us Only Sky.'" 

LAUGH TRACK

All of the late night favorites, Letterman, Leno, Kilborn, Conan and "The Daily Show" are in repeats this week.  It must be nice!  Look for the laugh track to bounce back fresh next week.

MONDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR

Monday night's 12:00am ET edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" led with F Michael Jordan playing in the Wizards-Nuggets preseason game, followed by a World Series report and Colts-Steelers.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"Who was John Lennon?"

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