| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, November 27, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | IOC Meetings Continue Today In Mexico With Votes Set For Later This Week |
| • | Heat Group Today Expected To Announce That Sol Will Cease Operations |
| • | Portland Family Entertainment Expected To Miss Rent Payment Deadline Today |
| • | Alpine Canada Sponsor Summit To Begin Today In Alberta |
| • | Jimmy And Jerry Sit Down For Two-Part Interview Tomorrow And Sunday |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
The Morning Buzz will not publish on Thursday, November 28 or Friday, November 29 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will return on Monday, December 2. Have a safe, enjoyable Thanksgiving.
BASEBALL ELIMINATION VOTE TO PROCEED AS SCHEDULED FRIDAY
The IOC continues meeting today in Mexico City, and USA TODAY reports that members will consider the reinstatement of member visits to Olympic bid cities, which were banned after the Salt Lake City Olympic bid scandal. While members could vote for reinstatement as early as Thursday, "several top IOC members say they believe the ban on visits will remain" (USA TODAY, 11/27).
Meanwhile, the AP reported that despite speculation that a vote on eliminating baseball, softball and modern pentathlon would be postponed, the Exec Board yesterday said that the vote "would proceed as scheduled Friday." Leaders from each sport "will be given 10 minutes each to make their case to the full IOC general assembly" before a secret ballot vote is taken (AP, 11/26). MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations Sandy Alderson: "We're optimistic. "But this body is unpredictable at best. The recommendations themselves came out of left field, if you will" (MLB.com, 11/27).
MIAMI SOL TO BE RETURNED TO WNBA FOR RELOCATION
The Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reports that Heat Group President/Business Operations Eric Woolworth is expected to announce today "that the organization and the WNBA have decided to cease operations in Miami," effectively returning the franchise to the league for relocation. Woolworth is expected to cite "financial difficulties and a need to concentrate" on the Heat as the reasons for ending the Sol's three-year run in Miami (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 11/27).
CITY OF PORTLAND TO TAKE CONTROL OF MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS
The PORTLAND TRIBUNE reported that Portland Family Entertainment is expected to miss today's 5:00pm PT deadline for making a $576,000 payment to the city, likely ending "their direct involvement with the stadium's operations this week." The default would mean that the "city, starting next week, must crunch several options for operating" the Triple-A PCL Portland Beavers and the A-League Portland Timbers – "including hiring new managers or running the stadium itself" (PORTLAND TRIBUNE, 11/26).
SPONSOR SUMMIT'S GOAL: CREATE ANNUAL FORUM OF IDEAS
The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that Alpine Canada President Ken Read "has called together 30 corporate representatives for an innovative sponsor summit" beginning today in Lake Louise, Alberta. The summit "involves actively cultivating networks among the companies that will link them with each other and … Alpine Canada for its long-range plan of being the dominant ski country in the world in 2010." Read: "Our objective out of this is that it will be an annual undertaking that will create a forum of ideas and discussions with some very tangible outcomes" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/27).
JIMMY AND JERRY INTERVIEW LEADS THANKSGIVING SCHEDULE
Fox will run part one of Jimmy Johnson's two-part interview with Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, their first public discussion since the two parted ways in '94, during tomorrow's Thanksgiving edition of "Fox NFL Sunday." Part two of the interview will air during Sunday's pregame show on December 1. During the interview, Johnson says, "Right before and after my departure there were a lot of things said and most of it didn't bother me, but there was one thing you said before I left that really hurt me and something that I could never forget when you said that 500 guys could coach this team. That put me over the edge." Jones: "Obviously that is something I regret saying because I certainly didn't believe it then and don't believe it now" (THE DAILY).
Meanwhile, NBC will look to take advantage of its "large lead-in" from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade by scheduling "The National Dog Show" at noon ET to counter CBS' Patriots-Lions NFL offering. Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson predicts "as many as 10 million viewers for the dog show," which would mean an estimated 6.0-7.0 Nielsen rating (USA TODAY, 11/27).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Newly-named 28-year-old Red Sox GM Theo Epstein was interviewed this morning amid a snowy Fenway Park by NBC's Matt Lauer on the "Today" show. Asked if he was feeling pressure in his new post, Epstein said, "A little bit of pressure. It's been a great public reaction here in Boston. I grew up in the city, so I know what people want. The fans only want to win, the media really only wants you to win, and that is what we want too, so in a way, we are all pulling together, and it's a good feeling." Lauer: "You're being called the Ben Affleck of baseball, because you're single and young, and there are bumper stickers I understand in Boston where it says, 'Our General Manager was Student of the Month at Brookline High School'" ("Today," NBC, 11/27).
The Islanders will debut a third jersey during tonight's game against the Senators. The team will wear the third jersey 11 times at home this season and four times on the road (
THE DAILY).
As noted in yesterday's Morning Buzz, Patriots Vice Chair Jonathan Kraft served as guest DJ on Boston's WBCN-FM yesterday, and the BOSTON HERALD reports that Led Zeppelin's 'Misty Mountain Hop,' Police's 'Walking on the Moon' and Aerosmith's 'Last Child' were on his playlist (BOSTON HERALD, 11/27).
Serena and Venus Williams are the featured guests on today's edition of "Oprah." Check local listing for broadcast time (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes, "In a last-ditch effort to save their rejected $18.5[B] merger proposal, EchoStar and DirecTV are expected to offer proposed alterations in the transaction today to make it palatable to federal regulators" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 11/27).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that "the television season's first ratings sweep … has provided the strongest evidence yet that ABC may be pulling out of its two-year-long slide," suggesting that Disney's "efforts to turn itself around may finally be gaining some traction." Meanwhile, Fox "appears to be falling sharply" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/27).
The L.A. TIMES reports that Donald Trump completed his $27M purchase of Ocean Trails Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA yesterday. Trump said that he "may spend as much as $30[M] upgrading the course before" opening it in the second half '03 (L.A. TIMES, 11/27).
The ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH reports that A-B has "applied to register a trademark for a product called '180 Sport,' which is described as an 'enhanced water beverage'" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/27).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Politicians."
"Name the man who would serve as chief executive if President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were incapacitated."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "It's a great week to be in N.Y. The tourism has never been higher. It is so crowded that Michael Jackson cannot get a hotel room to dangle his kid. … The second season of 'The Osbournes' debuted. I saw the first episode of the second season. The kid with the purple hair gets whacked. I like to watch 'The Osbournes' with Mom. Every time they bleep a word, she taps her hearing aid. … UN weapons inspectors are in Iraq, but they didn't find any bio-terror labs. They did, however, shut down an Olive Garden. … Everyone needs to go down to Rockefeller Center and look at the enormous [Christmas] tree. The tree is cut down and brought into town on a flatbed truck. Then it's placed on a harness, and a crew gently lifts it into position. Coincidentally, this is the same team used to help President Clinton have sex ("Late Show," CBS, 11/26).
NBC's Jay Leno: "Wow, what a crowd! That ovation lasted as long as Nicolas Cage's last marriage. Do you believe this? After three months, our good friends Lisa Marie Presley and Nicolas Cage filed for divorce. In fact, today Jennifer Lopez said, 'Three months? What's your secret? How do you keep the spark? How do you keep it going?' … Do you realize that the most stable marriage in Hollywood now is Ozzy Osbourne's? … Do you believe these Santa Ana winds? It was so windy that the Hair Club for Men was selling chinstraps. That's how windy it was. It was so windy Kevin (Eubanks, who is bald) had a bad hair day. That's how windy it was. It was so windy today, everybody's face looked like Joan Rivers'. In fact, it was so windy, so many people lost power … they felt like Democrats. That's how bad it was today. … Yesterday President Bush signed a law to create the Department of Homeland Security. Their first job is to protect Americans from Ohio State football fans" ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 11/26).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Signs You're On A Bad Cruise" ("Late Show," CBS, 11/26).
| 10) "As you board, a personal injury attorney hands you his business card." |
| 9) "Didn't realize Carnival cruise crew was actually carnival workers." |
| 8) "During a light breeze, the captain issues order to abandon ship." |
| 7) "Your 'cabin' is a steel cargo container full of spare oil rig parts." |
| 6) "No matter what you order from the bar, it tastes salty." |
| 5) "The ship makes an unscheduled top in Columbia to pick up 'supplies.'" |
| 4) "It's day three and you're still docked." |
| 3) "Every time you see the crew, they're wearing life preservers." |
| 2) "Captain stares out at sea, mumbling 'He's out there. I can feel it.'" |
| 1) "Nightly entertainment – Cockfights." |
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:30pm ET "SportsCenter" (late due to Indiana-Gonzaga men's college basketball) led with Lakers-Heat.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who is Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert?"
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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