BETTMAN LIKELY TO RE-OPEN SABRES BIDDING IF DEADLINE PASSES

The BUFFALO NEWS reported that prospective Sabres Owner Mark Hamister has until 5:00pm ET today to "obtain long-awaited financing to purchase the team," as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "hinted Saturday he would not grant … a fifth deadline extension" for exclusive purchase rights. If the deadline passes, Bettman will likely re-open bidding for the team. Sources said the Hamister "had little chance" of obtaining the necessary financing before today's deadline (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/2).

U.S. CELLULAR SECURES COMISKEY PARK NAMING RIGHTS

Chicago-based U.S. Cellular and the White Sox will hold a press conference today to officially announce a 23-year, $68M naming rights agreement for Comiskey Park, which will take on the name, "U.S. Cellular Field." The White Sox issued a press release on Friday highlighting the deal, and stated that the team plans to use the money to renovate the 12-year-old ballpark. As part of its deal, the White Sox also signed a 15-year lease extension to continue playing at the ballpark through '25 (THE DAILY).

ARMSTRONG TO PITCH SUBARU FOR FIVE YEARS, $12M

USA TODAY reports that Subaru will announce today that it has signed four-time defending Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to a five-year endorsement contract that "industry experts estimate is worth upward of $12[M]." Armstrong shot a series of commercials for the company in January for the $180M ad campaign, which will begin airing in mid-April. The campaign features the company's new slogan, "Driven by what's inside" (USA TODAY, 2/3).

BILL WOULD FORCE CABLEVISION TO CARRY YES NETWORK

The Bergen RECORD reported that the NJ Assembly Telecommunications & Utilities Committee today will review a bill "that would force Cablevision to carry the YES Network" in NJ. The bill, and a similar measure introduced in the state Senate last week, "would find a cable company in violation of the [NJ] Antitrust Act if it owned a sports team and a sports programming channel in a competitive market and then refused to offer a competing channel." The bill's sponsor hopes for a February 10 vote before the full assembly (Bergen RECORD, 2/1).

AUGUSTA OFFICIALS TO REVIEW DEMONSTRATOR ORDINANCE TODAY

The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reported that Augusta government officials "will take another look (today) at a proposed law that its supporters say would expand the rights of protestors at this year's Masters golf tournament, but which opponents say could be restrictive." The proposed ordinance would "require demonstrators to give at least 30 days notice to the city of their plans to conduct a public picket." Any request to demonstrate would then be considered by the County Sheriff's Department (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/1).

LEBRON'S ATTORNEY TO SEEK INJUNCTION OF OHSAA RULING

St. Vincent-St. Mary's AD Grant Iccocenzi tells the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL that he expects LeBron James' attorney Fred Nance "to seek an injunction today that would allow the Irish superstar to return to the court" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 2/3). This comes after James was ruled ineligible by the OH High School Athletic Association Friday for accepting two throwback jerseys from a Cleveland clothing store. Meanwhile, 64 media credentials were issued to Sunday's St. Vincent-St. Mary's-Canton McKinley game, the first game James did not play due to the ruling (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 2/3). For more on James, see Weekend Rap.

NHL ALL-STAR GAME PROVES QUITE A SHOW WITH SHOOTOUT

The NHL West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 6-5 yesterday before a sellout crowd of 19,250 at the Office Depot Center in Sunrise, FL (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/3).

The NHL altered its pregame activities to include a moment of silence for the victims of Saturday's space shuttle Columbia crash (THE DAILY).

The 6-5 game was the fourth overtime All-Star Game in NHL history, the first ever decided by a shootout. Unlike MLB, the NHL "has had a contingency to have a shootout in the All-Star Game since 1994 but never needed it until yesterday." Flyers C Jeremy Roenick: "No way does our game end in a tie" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 2/3).

In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Joseph writes, "The final minutes of this affair – especially the four-on-four overtime and shootout – seemed to more than make up for the first 50 minutes" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 2/3).

In N.Y., Larry Brooks writes, "Every sport should be so fortunate to have an All-Star Game as entertaining as the one staged … by the NHL. Honest, it was just terrific" (N.Y. POST, 2/3).

Also seen and heard over NHL All-Star Weekend:

• A board inside the Office Depot Center that posts weather conditions in FL and the visitor's city yesterday read: "South Florida, perfect, 76 degrees. … St. Paul, wintry, 31 degrees." St. Paul is the host of the '04 NHL All-Star Game (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/3).

• The Goo Goo Dolls performed during the first intermission and Sheryl Crow performed during the second intermission yesterday. As noted in Friday's Closing Bell, Crow also performed before the game at the NHL All-Star Block Party (THE DAILY).

• The NHL is now taking applications for the "7^th Man Award," a search for the NHL fan of the year. As announced over the weekend, people in the U.S. and Canada can submit an essay of up to 250 words describing their qualifications. The winner will be named "Commissioner for a Day" and will participate in a ceremonial face-off at Game 1 of the '03 Stanley Cup Finals (THE DAILY).

For a complete recap of the All-Star Weekend, see today's issue of The Daily.

NJSEA TO INSTALL FIELDTURF AT GIANTS STADIUM

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reported that the NJ Sports & Exposition Authority is "expected to announce this week that FieldTurf … will be installed to replace the beat-up grass field at Giants Stadium." The $700,000-FieldTurf replacement is "expected to be installed by April, in time for the start of the MetroStars' season" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/2).

MORNING BRIEFS

The S.F. CHRONICLE reported that Oakland "had a rally for the … Raiders on Friday, and no Raiders showed up." City officials said that "they called the Raiders but got no calls back." Raiders Senior Assistant Bruce Allen denied that the city called the team, saying: "I think the only thing the city invited us to was Al's (Davis) deposition" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/1).

U.S. Senators John Kerry (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Tom Daschle (D-SD) and U.S. Representatives Richard Neal (D-MA) and Pete King (R-NY) will file legislation today to award a Congressional Gold Medal to former MLBer Jackie Robinson (THE DAILY).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The DENVER POST reported that 18,500 people attended Saturday's Winter X Games, the "biggest crowd in the two years the Winter X Games have been staged at Buttermilk." The event ended yesterday (DENVER POST, 2/2).

• The AP reported that 30,303 people attended Saturday's Univ. of Pittsburgh-Syracuse Univ. NCAA men's basketball game at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, the "third largest (crowd) in the nation this season" (AP, 2/1).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

Fulton County Center to End Adolescent Sexual Exploitation Alesia Adams and other critics said that "they will meet (today) to plan protests and target" event supporters of "The World's Famous Players Ball," an event designed for "people who call themselves pimps." The event, hosted by "pimp turned preacher" Bishop Don Juan and rapper Snoop Dogg, will take place Saturday at Club Mirage in Atlanta. Although the event is in Atlanta during All-Star Weekend, NBA Senior VP/Communications Tim Andree "disavows any connection" with the Players Ball, adding, "We're not aware of – or sanctioning – any event by this group" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/1).

WEEKEND RAP…

The following are excerpts from the participants' "parting shots" on Sunday's edition of ESPN's "The Sports Reporters":

• Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan, on the NHL All-Star Game and the Pro Bowl: "The hockey game is very bad because it truly isn't hockey. They should put on figure skates. ... The Pro Bowl makes no sense, but at least it's somewhat recognizable as football. ... I really don't understand why the owners sign off on this" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 2/2).

• ESPN's Jeremy Schaap: "It's the gridiron equivalent of a royal wedding. ... Giants (TE) Jeremy Shockey ... is dating Britney Gastineau, daughter of Mark. ... The only more fitting coupling would be (49ers WR) Terrell Owens and Tonya Harding" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 2/2).

• Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon: "There was no fanfare, ... even before (Michael) Jordan had been named to the (NBA All-Star) team, when (76ers G) Allen Iverson phoned Jordan and offered his spot in the starting lineup. ... Iverson's league-first attitude is much more than a gesture, and something that a lot of people with better reputations should take note of" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 2/2).

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica: "Just to muddy the waters even more, the Mohegan Sun casino is allowed to buy a WNBA franchise. It's an awful idea for dying league. ... Once you're in business with a casino, gambling is sponsoring your sport. If the Mohegan Sun is this hot to sponsor women's sports, tell them to take that $10(M) they're spending and spread it around under Title IX" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 2/2).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• ESPN's Tony Kornheiser, on MLB umpire Bruce Froemming referring to MLB Umpiring Senior Coordinator Cathy Davis as a "stupid Jew bitch": "We're probably not going to have the Froemming's over for Passover Seder" ("PTI," ESPN, 1/31).
  
  
• ESPN's David Aldridge, on LeBron James being ruled ineligible for the remainder of his high school basketball season: "I spoke with two teams ... who will in all likelihood be in the high part of the lottery and neither one expressed any reservation about LeBron James' future in the NBA or taking him if he were available. He's going to be taken first overall" (ESPNews, 1/31).
  
  
• Akron Beacon Journal reporter David Lee Morgan, on James: "Most NBA people will tell you this is kind of a relief for them because now they can kind of concentrate their efforts, and LeBron maybe will be able to concentrate his efforts on doing what he's going to do next" ("The Early Show," CBS, 2/1).
  
  
• Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Tim Rogers, on James: "To blame the media is ludicrous. I mean, all we do is report what we see, what we know, what people tell us. In essence, we just do our jobs" ("OTL," ESPN, 2/2).
  
  
• Colts QB Peyton Manning, on the derogatory comments made by Colts K Mike Vanderjagt about Manning and head coach Tony Dungy: "We're talking about our idiot kicker, who got liquored up and ran his mouth off. ... He has ruined kickers for life. ... If he is still a teammate, we'll deal with it" ("Pro Bowl," ABC, 2/2).
  
  
• Lupica, on the NFL banning Las Vegas ads from the Super Bowl telecast: "The stated reason was the league didn't want to give the appearance it was endorsing gambling. Right, and Hollywood doesn't want anybody to get the idea it endorses plastic surgery" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 2/2).
  
  
• Flyers C Jeremy Roenick, who was miked-up dring the game, after Thrashers RW Dany Heatley, who is missing several teeth, scored his third goal during the NHL All-Star Game: "The bad thing is, you're going to be smiling on TV, and it isn't going to be pretty" (ABC, 2/2).

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

The Marlins '03 Caravan kicks off today at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL, and will continue through Friday. View the Caravan schedule for today and tomorrow (THE DAILY).

The Pirates will host their PNC Park Event Staff Job Fair today (THE DAILY).

EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Below are this week's confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

This week's cover of TIME offers "The Columbia Is Lost." Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK also examines the shuttle disaster, under the header, "Not Again" (THE DAILY).

The N.Y. TIMES notes that Time and Newsweek "hastily made over their magazines, which had Saturday night deadlines," following Saturday's space shuttle Columbia disaster. Time published 17 pages of disaster coverage, while Newsweek published 20 pages. U.S. News & World Report was not able to change its plans, but is "expected to produce a 50-page special issue about the shuttle that will be on newsstands Wednesday" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/3).

USA TODAY reports that WorldCom will "announce as early as today that it will cut 7% to 10% of its workforce, or about 4,000 to 6,000 jobs" (USA TODAY, 2/3).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Authors."

"In September 2002 he offered $10,000 to help capture the person who burned down Iowa's Cedar Bridge."

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

NBC's Jay Leno: "It's the beginning of sweeps. This is the huge, the big, the giant ratings period in TV. It seems a lot of celebrities are going to be appearing on shows they don't normally appear on to get big ratings. Like Minnie Driver is going to be on 'Will and Grace,' Jeff Goldblum is going to be 'Friends,' Saddam Hussein hopefully on 'Six Feet Under.' ... Once again today, President Bush said, 'The war is not about oil.' I don't know. Like today he said first we have to mobilize, than exxonize, than chevronize. ... Colin Powell also said we don't know what toxic chemicals are in Iraq. Iraq? We don't even know what toxic chemicals are in Whitney Houston. ... Richard Reid, the convicted shoe bomber, got life in prison yesterday. Well in court, he spoke out about his beliefs. He said he made it clear he is an enemy of America, that he was a disciple of Osama bin Laden and he would destroy America any chance he could get or as they call that in the Arab countries, a moderate. ... In Delray Beach, (FL), marijuana was found growing on the roof of a Baptist Church. Boy, they've changed. When I was a kid, Baptists didn't even believe in dancing. ... You thought the Gospel singers were fat before. Wait until they get the munchies. ... The state of (TX) has executed its third prisoner this week. Third guy this week! In fact, they don't even have a last meal anymore. Now it's a buffet. ... Sears has a new slogan. It's 'Sears: Where else?' Where else? How about anywhere else. Home Depot, garage sales, dumpsters. ... HBO has a new reality series they're developing called 'Trailer Park.' The whole thing is set in a trailer park. Don't we have this already? It's called 'Cops'" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 1/31).

SUNDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR

ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Duke-Florida St. NCAA men's basketball.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER estimates that the "total for all films this weekend to be in the [$110-115M] range, down from the $130.7[M] racked up during the comparative non-Super Bowl weekend in 2002" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 2/3).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"Who is Robert James Waller, author of 'Bridges of Madison County?'"

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

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