Morning Buzz, January 28, 2003

JOHN McCAIN TO SUMMON WARD, USOC EXECS TO CAPITOL HILL

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will conduct a hearing at 2:30pm ET today to discuss recent allegations of ethical violations at the USOC.  Members of the USOC Ethics Committee on the tentative witness list include Chair Kenneth Duberstein, Vice Chair Thurgood Marshall, Jr. and Counsel Fred Fielding.  Other witnesses on the list include USOC CEO Lloyd Ward, USOC President Marty Mankamyer, Athletes' Advisory Council Chair Rachel Godino and former USOC Ethics Compliance Officer Patrick Rodgers.  U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) chairs the committee (THE DAILY).

SELIG AND DUPUY WILL NOT ATTEND RELOCATION SESSIONS TODAY

The WASHINGTON POST reports that delegations from DC and Portland today "are scheduled to meet separately" in N.Y. with members of the MLB Relocation Committee, as the "first official step in baseball's plan to relocate" the Expos as early as '04.  A delegation from Northern VA is scheduled to meet with the committee tomorrow.  While MLB has solicited bids from other cities, Lewis & Clark College law professor Stephen Kanter, who "has been heavily involved" with the Portland delegation, said, "My understanding is that [metropolitan] Washington and Portland are 1 and 1A" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/28).

The AP noted that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and President & COO Bob DuPuy "did not plan to attend the meetings, which were described as 'get-to-know-each-other' sessions rather than formal presentations" (AP, 1/27).

FORMER UNIV. OF CT STARS TO ATTEND MOHEGAN SUN CONFERENCE

The WNBA has scheduled a press conference featuring WNBA President Val Ackerman, CT Lt. Governor Jodi Rell and former Univ. of CT women's basketball players Sue Bird, Rebecca Lobo, and Nykesha Sales for 4:00pm ET at the Mohegan Sun Arena to announce that the Orlando Miracle will relocate to CT (HARTFORD COURANT, 1/28). 

The N.Y. TIMES reports that it is "believed that the Mohegan tribe will pay about $5[M]" for the franchise, which it will rename the Mohegan Suns.  The franchise "will play most home games at the casino's 9,700-seat arena, [but] … some games are expected to be played at the Hartford Civic Center, 45 miles away" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/28).  BLOOMBERG NEWS, however, reports that the Mohegan tribe will pay $10M for the franchise (BLOOMBERG.com, 1/28).

LEGO OFFERING REWARD FOR RETURN OF STANLEY CUP REPLICA

The AP reports that a replica of the Stanley Cup made from 6,000 Lego bricks "is missing, and the toy company is offering a reward for its return."  The replica apparently was stolen from the Super Show/20-03 at the Sands Expo Center – Venetian Convention Complex in Las Vegas last week.  The Cup was supposed to be shown in FL this week at the NHL's All-Star festivities (AP, 1/28).

INDICATIONS HAVE CFL RE-UPPING WITH TSN ON TV DEAL

The annual CFL winter meetings begin today, and the EDMONTON SUN reports that a "new television contract and the 2003 schedule top the agenda."  There is a "strong indication the league plans to re-up with TSN, which is reportedly prepared to broaden its partnership with CBC Sports."  TSN signed a five-year deal worth an estimated C$35M with the CFL in '98.  Winnipeg Blue Bombers President & CEO Lyle Bauer: "Obviously, the TV contract is a big one.  The same with the NFL agreement.  We'll go through a whole raft of things" (EDMONTON SUN, 1/28).

TAMPA BAY AREA CELEBRATES BUCS' SUPER BOWL VICTORY

A parade to celebrate the Bucs' victory in Super Bowl XXXVII is scheduled to begin today at 3:30pm ET, and the TAMPA TRIBUNE reports that 65,000 attended a welcome celebration last night for the team at Raymond James Stadium (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/28).  The TAMPA TRIBUNE also notes that Hillsborough County yesterday "reported more than 1,000 teacher absences – double the usual number in a work force of 12,000."  The county could not fill 428 requests for substitute teachers (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/28).

Meanwhile, USA TODAY notes "more than $7[B] was illegally wagered" in the U.S. on Super Bowl XXXVII.  In Nevada, bettors legally wagered $70-80M.  The volume at the MGM Mirage sportsbook "was up about 20% over last year … if you don't count the $5[M] someone bet" on the Rams to win last year's game.  The largest bets at the MGM Mirage this year were $130,000 on the Raiders and $250,000 on the Bucs (USA TODAY, 1/28).

METS OWNER FRED WILPON TO KICK OFF WINTER CARAVAN TODAY

The N.Y. TIMES reports that Mets Owner Fred Wilpon, Exec VP & COO Jeff Wilpon and manager Art Howe today "will gather in midtown Manhattan" with a group of players to kick off the team's winter caravan, which is designed to promote the team.  It is "one more stop in the busy schedule" the team has arranged since Wilpon bought out his partner, Nelson Doubleday, last summer (N.Y. TIMES, 1/28).

MORNING BRIEFS

WBC Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis and his business manager Adrian Ogun met with HBO execs yesterday to discuss the boxer's future.  Although there were negotiations for an April fight against Vitali Klitschko, a deal couldn't be reached, and Lewis' attorney Judd Bernstein said, "Lennox has a contractual obligation to consider Mike Tyson as his June opponent, and looks forward to seeing how Tyson performs" in his February bout against Clifford Etienne (THE DAILY).

Meanwhile, the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL reports that ticket sales for the February 22 Tyson-Etienne fight at The Pyramid have surpassed the 7,000 mark (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 1/28).

The Eclipse Awards took place last night in Beverly Hills, and the WASHINGTON POST reports that Azeri became the "third female to win American racing's highest honor when she was named" Horse of the Year (WASHINGTON POST, 1/28).  Other winners include:

The Digital Edge Awards from the Newspaper Association of America's New Media Foundation were presented yesterday and the winners for the Best Sports Site categories are as follows (THE DAILY):

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that Pete Rose's "campaign for reinstatement is in jeopardy, as baseball officials investigate whether Rose is still gambling heavily on sports."  Two high-ranking baseball officials said that they have received information that Rose has gambled on sports "as recently as last week in Las Vegas casinos" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/28).

As noted in yesterday's Closing Bell, the T'Wolves distributed 7,498 Kevin Garnett Celebriducks before last night's Spurs-T'Wolves game.  One of said Celebriducks is being auctioned on eBay, and as of presstime, the highest bid was $26.51 (THE DAILY).

The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that a "Wall of Honor" listing the names of every SLOC 2002 team member will be unveiled in the Olympic Legacy Plaza at The Gateway shopping center on February 7 (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/28).

12-year-old Brianna Pucko and 8-year-old Cody Ferris will participate in the NHL All-Star Weekend as winners of the Nick GAS/NHL All-Star Stick Kid Sweepstakes (THE DAILY).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

DAILY VARIETY reports that the BBC is launching "Born to Win," a TV show that documents the search for a "new sporting talent" in the U.K.  Sixteen 16-18-year-olds "will take part in the final broadcast," and two winners "will receive a tailor-made bursary fund to give them the opportunity to realize their sporting potential" (DAILY VARIETY, 1/28).

THE BACK PAGES

The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of the nation's major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Post	N.Y. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News	Boston Herald

TODAY'S EVENTS

NBC Sports will host a teleconference featuring AFL play-by-play broadcaster Tom Hammond and game analyst Pat Haden at 12:30pm ET (THE DAILY).

Winter X Games VII athletes and officials will be available for a teleconference at 2:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe will host a teleconference today to name the '03 U.S. Davis Cup Team at 1:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

The SIA SnowSports Show continues today at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, featuring 500 exhibitors and 1,200 brands (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. POST reports that Jimmy Kimmel and his guests – rapper Snoop Dogg and actor George Clooney – drank liquor on air during the premiere of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."  Beer and wine was also "distributed to the studio audience before the show hit the air."  As Disney CEO Michael Eisner and ABC Chair Lloyd Braun were in the audience, the show is "already in hot water with the network" (N.Y. POST, 1/28).

While the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER yesterday noted that the estimated total from the top 12 films this past weekend was up nearly 6% from Super Bowl weekend last year, "the total for the 103 films tracked … came to $100.3[M], a scant 1% improvement" from last year (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/28).

The N.Y. POST reports that "some high level AOL Time Warner executives and major shareholders are hoping to get (former Chair) Steve Case" off the company's BOD (N.Y. POST, 1/28).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "The Tower of London."

"Only prisoners of high rank were executed on Tower Green, and this woman was the first Queen beheaded there."

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES: 

NBC's Jay Leno: "48-21, or as they call that in Hollywood, the second marriage. ... Do you know on Super Bowl Sunday, Americans eat more food than any other day of the year, except Thanksgiving?  Of course, the only difference is on Thanksgiving, there's usually a better game on. ... The whole city of San Diego was like a giant party.  Everywhere you went in San Diego, there was a party.  It was amazing.  In fact, it was so big people sneaking across the border from Mexico were asked to bring the chips and salsa with them. ... I actually watched the Super Bowl from Tijuana with Raiders (C) Barret Robbins. ... Robbins went AWOL on Friday, two days before the game.  Went to Tijuana, I guess, on a drinking binge or something.  Had his stomach pumped, missed the Super Bowl.  Even worse, after that he then missed the toilet bowl. ... Not a good day for the Raiders.  During the game, Oakland used a no-huddle offense.  They did that and then they also used the no-rushing offense, no-passing offense and, of course, the famous no-scoring offense. ... I saw a lot of Raiders fans crying after the game.  Well, that was mostly from the police tear gas. ... You think the Raiders players are too old?  That was the complaint.  I mean Jerry Rice is what, 64 now.  Rich Gannon is 51, 52. ... You know why the pirate wears a patch: glaucoma. ... On the back of Rich Gannon's helmet, did you see that sticker?  It said, 'Ask me about my grandchildren.' ... At one point it got so bad yesterday, there was talk of penalizing Tampa Bay for preying on the elderly. ... Did you hear Gannon's excuse today?  He now says the truth is just a few weeks ago, he was a construction worker making only $19,000 a year and wound up in the Super Bowl. ... How about the commercials?  A little disappointing. ... Like six of the top ten ads for the Super Bowl were beer commercials.  Why?  Do we really need to advertise beer during the Super Bowl?  Are guys sitting around going, 'Do we want Fresca, Tab?'  I don't know.  What do you think?" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 1/27).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

Bucs WR Keyshawn Johnson and QB Brad Johnson appeared on last night's edition of NBC's "Tonight Show" to talk about their Super Bowl victory.  Brad Johnson, on being called slow-footed and having a weak throwing arm: "They've been saying that about me since fifth grade.  I'm kind of used to it."  Keyshawn Johnson, on saying he won't talk to the media anymore: "They can't make up their minds."  Keyshawn said that "right after the end of the game" he decided to talk to the media again.  Leno compared the old Bucs logo to the new one, and said the old one "looks like something from the Village People."  Brad Johnson: "The hardest part about a Super Bowl … there's about a 45-minute break before we actually stepped on the field with all the hoopla, and then at halftime there was a 30-minute break.  So, Keyshawn and I were both taking naps before the game, before a Super bowl."  Keyshawn: "I was really asleep.  I was snoring" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 1/27).

Comedian Mitch Fatel reported from the Super Bowl for NBC's "Tonight Show."  Fatel asked Steve Young, "Why do you think there are so few gay people in the NFL? ... I would totally cuddle with you after the game, if you wanted to."  Fatel asked ABC Sports' Melissa Starks and John Madden, in separate interviews, "If I put my arms around you, would you call me for holding?"  Stark: "God, I don't think I've ever been asked that."  Madden told Fatel "your arms wouldn't fit around me."  Fatel asked Celine Dion as she was leaving the field, "Will you teach me how to be a diva?"  Dion: "You go girl."  Fatel yelled to Sting, "If I save the rainforest will you talk to me!?"  Fatel presented Leno with a solid chocolate football that was given to him by the NFL ("Tonight Show," NBC, 1/27).

MONDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR

ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Pacers-Heat, followed by Suns-Wizards and Spurs-T'Wolves.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"Who was Anne Boleyn?"

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