| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | NJSEA To Announce Continental Airlines Redeveloper Selection Today |
| • | Toyota Today To Announce Long Anticipated Alliance With NASCAR |
| • | Congressional Leaders Expected To Further Criticize USOC Today |
| • | Rockies Owners To Meet Today To Consider Team's First Ever Capital Call |
| • | NCAA Officials To Continue Site Selection Process For Women's Final Four |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
NJSEA SETTLES ON "XANADU" FOR ARENA AREA REDEVELOPMENT
The Newark STAR-LEDGER reports NJSEA President George Zoffinger will recommend at a 10:00am ET board meeting today that the authority "select the Mills Corp./Mack-Cali Realty Corp. partnership to transform the Continental Airlines Arena site into the region's top retail and family entertainment destination." The $1.2B plan, called "Xanadu," will feature North America's "first indoor skiing facility," a state-of-the-art aquarium, office buildings and more than one million square feet of high-fashion retail and restaurants. The NJSEA has scheduled a 12:30pm ET press conference to make the announcement (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/12).
TOYOTA TO BE FOURTH CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES MANUFACTURER
The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Bill King reports that Toyota will announce a long anticipated alliance with NASCAR this morning at the 2003 Chicago Auto Show. The automaker will hit the track next season as the fourth manufacturer in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series, a move that many expect will open the door to participation by other import manufacturers. Toyota will begin its support of the series immediately with advertising on Speed Channel's truck telecasts this year. It will be the first import automaker to run in one of NASCAR's top three divisions. NASCAR President Mike Helton will represent the sanctioning body at today's announcement. NASCAR is expected to follow with its own press conference tomorrow in Daytona Beach.
CONGRESS STILL NOT SOLD ON USOC REFORM
The WASHINGTON POST reports that congressional leaders will meet with USOC VP Paul George today, and "are expected to make it clear that Congress simply doesn't trust the current management and leadership of the USOC with fixing the organization." Today's meeting comes before the U.S. Senate Committee for Commerce, Science and Transportation meets tomorrow to "address the restructuring of the USOC" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/12). U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) said in a statement yesterday: "The events of this weekend serve as a case in point that more needs to be done to reform the USOC. The USOC's allowing [CEO Lloyd Ward] to stay while taking away his bonus is contradictory. It is as if the USOC is trying to label him 'sort of unfit' for the job. Either you are fit for the job or you aren't" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 2/12).
ROCKIES OWNERS CONSIDERING USING OWN MONEY TO HELP TEAM
The DENVER POST reports that Rockies Majority Owners Dick Monfort, Charlie Monfort and Jerry McMorris are scheduled today to meet with team's minority partners, including Coors, to discuss "the possibility of a capital call – the first in the franchise history" – as '03 projected operating expenses are expected to exceed projected revenue (DENVER POST, 2/12).
BREWERS TAP COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR IDEAS ON RUNNING TEAM
The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reports that a group of more than 50 students from the Univ. of WI-Milwaukee gathered last night to give Brewers reps "ideas on how to run the ballclub," marking the first time the team has "sought advice from a college-age crowd." Suggestions included bring back the mug Bernie Brewer used to slide into after a home run, more fireworks, more entertainment appealing to a younger crowd, and pre- or post-game concerts (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/12).
TAMPA AREA FIRST STOP ON NCAA FINAL FOUR SITE SELECTION TOUR
The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reports that NCAA officials yesterday concluded a two-day visit to the Tampa area, the beginning of a "tour of seven cities bidding" for the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in '08, '09 and '10. The site selection committee will also complete visits to San Antonio, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Denver, Philadelphia and San Jose by early May (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 2/12).
HEAT PROMOTION DRAWS A FEW LAUGHS, NOT MANY FANS
As noted in yesterday's edition of the Closing Bell, the Heat last night ran a promotion centered on former Heat dancer and ABC's "The Bachelorette," Trista Rehn. In Miami, Jeff Miller notes, "The highlight of the promotion came when three blindfolded men were on their knees near mid-court groping for the woman. The crowd laughed. Had this occurred outside the arena, the crowd would have been subpoenaed" (MIAMI HERALD, 2/12).
During the game, Trista sat with Heat broadcaster Mike Fratello. Rehn, on being a Heat dancer: "I remember sitting in the dressing room, like two years ago with the girls saying, 'I'm going to be on this little show called 'The Bachelor.' It's going to be a new reality show, and I'm flying out to L.A., so I'll be gone for a little bit, and now all this'" (Sunshine Network, 2/12). Attendance for the game was 14,484, down slightly from the team's season average of 15,275 (THE DAILY).
MORNING BRIEFS
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that it "has been 10 months since Vikings Owner Red McCombs announced he had retained" JPMorgan and "recent talk of a possible sale has been scarce." Vikings President Gary Woods said, "It's all very quiet," but added that the process remains "open" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/12).
NBPA President Michael Curry, on upcoming talks about extending the NBA CBA: "I think (NBA & NBPA) realize that this a perfect time to go ahead with this. There are some things hopefully that we can change and some things hopefully that they want to change. Hopefully we can agree on those things and get an extension this summer and be far away from any possible talk of labor disputes in the future" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/12).
ESPN's Tim Legler, noted last night's attendance of 7,096 at the Warriors-Hawks game at Philips Arena, and said, "It's sad. There's more players at that game than fans." ESPN's Kevin Frazier: "Boy, did a lot of folks forget to show up for this game because it was packed for the All-Star Game" ("NBA Fastbreak Tuesday," ESPN2, 2/11).
The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reports that "momentum continued to build (yesterday) toward a possible announcement that Annika Sorenstam will be invited to compete in the Bank of America Colonial, giving her the opportunity to become the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA Tour event" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/12).
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that NASCAR driver Bill Elliott is "expected to announce today that he's withdrawing his name from the circuit's Most Popular Driver contest." Elliott has won the contest 16 times (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/12).
The AHL officially announced its return to Toronto as the league's newest franchise, the Toronto Roadrunners, was introduced. The team, which will be affiliated with the Oilers, "has sold just 600 season tickets and will release single-game tickets in the next few weeks." The team, which will play at the Ricoh Coliseum at Exhibition Place, also released their new uniforms (EDMONTON SUN, 2/12).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
ESPN.com reported that BoDog Sports Book & Casino has set odds on which company will land a shoe endorsement contract with LeBron James. Nike is the current favorite at 1-to-2, while adidas is at 3-to-2. All other shoe companies are 3-to-1. Since posting the odds on Friday, the online casino has "taken in more than 750 bets, ranging from its minimum prop bet of $5 to its maximum of $300" (ESPN.com, 2/11).
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES updates the latest hearing in the Karla Knafel/Michael Jordan suit involving their decade-old relationship. Yesterday, lawyers representing Knafel filed a copy of a photo in Cook County Circuit Court, and "using language unusually casual for a legal filing, Knafel's attorneys wrote, 'Lest there be any doubt about Jordan chasing Karla's skirt until he first bedded her only weeks after his 1989 marriage, an enlargement of a snapshot taken early in their relationship is attached as 'Exhibit A'" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/12). The CHICAGO TRIBUNE today prints a photograph that was submitted in court (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/12).
The 127th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show concluded last night, and the N.Y. TIMES reports that Ch. Torums Scarf Michael, a Kerry blue terrier, won best in show in front of "one of the largest (crowds) in years" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/12).
THE BACK PAGES
The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of the nation's major metropolitan tabloids:
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| N.Y. Post | N.Y. Daily News |
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| Philadelphia Daily News | Boston Herald |
TODAY'S EVENTS
49ers GM Terry Donahue will hold a news conference to formally announce Dennis Erickson as the team's new coach at noon PT at the Four Seasons Hotel in S.F. (THE DAILY).
AFL Crush co-Owner John Elway and AFL Avengers Owner Casey Wasserman, whose teams play each other this Sunday at 3:00pm ET on NBC, will participate in the 2:30pm ET AFL teleconference (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
As Coca-Cola prepares to release '02 earnings today, the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that it is "eliminating 1,000 staffers … (as) just one part of a massive 'cultural change.'" However, Coca-Cola North America President Jeff Dunn said, "We have real momentum with us" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/12).
USA TODAY reports that Yahoo could announce as early as today the development of Platinum Yahoo, a fee-based video service that is one of the company's "most ambitious endeavors yet to generate new types of revenues." Yahoo is negotiating with CBS to show excerpts from the CBS' "Survivor" and is "in discussions with a division of Fox" (USA TODAY, 2/12).
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that America Online "plans to offer high-speed subscribers free access to CNN's video news services beginning today, its first move to reignite growth by tapping the popularity of sister divisions at AOL Time Warner" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/12).
Pepsi has agreed to a multi-million-dollar donation to rapper Ludacris' foundation, "averting a boycott threatened by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons." The agreement calls for Pepsi to make a donation over several years (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 2/12).
The L.A. TIMES reports that "irate fans complained to the Fox network and KTTV-Fox … that on-air promotions led them to believe they were watching the final episode" of "Joe Millionaire" on Monday night. Instead, the show featured scenes from previous episodes, which angered some viewers and led to Web sites being "peppered with anti-Fox chatter" (L.A. TIMES, 2/12).
Execs of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. today are "expected to warn that the media giant is not prepared to be drawn into a bidding war for DirecTV" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 2/12).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Fictional Characters."
"In works written about 300 years apart, Nick Bottom and Pinocchio find themselves transformed into these."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "It's cold here in (N.Y.). ... Here's how cold it was in (N.Y.). The hookers down in Times Square were charging $50 just for a hug. ... We're on an orange alert, and it's really paying off. They rounded up that stoned Dell guy. ... How many of you are excited about Fashion Week? It's a big deal. It's designers from all around the world with the exception of France and Germany. ... I went down to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on my lunch, and I'm looking around, and I go into the green room where the dogs wait before they go out to be judged, and I actually saw at a table right there, dogs playing poker. ... There has not been this many fleas in one place since Osama bin Laden had lunch with himself. ... The Academy Awards this year, by the way, will be telecast live to a 113 nations, all of which hate us" ("Late Show," CBS, 2/11).
NBC's Jay Leno: "It was pouring rain today in L.A. Flooding was so bad, on Hollywood Boulevard, I saw a guy pick up a hooker on a jet ski. ... Give you an idea how much rain there was today, Diana Ross was ordering Mai Tai's just for the tiny umbrellas. ... Michael Jackson was seen wearing a raincoat, and he wasn't anywhere near a schoolyard. ... It looks like we've moved a step closer to war. Not with Iraq. With France and Germany. ... Colin Powell announced there is a new Osama bin Laden tape. Well sure, it's in the middle of sweeps. They always come out with this stuff. ... The Homeland officials said everyone should have a roll of duct tape and plastic sheeting to protect your house in the event of a terrorist attack. Who came up with this idea, MacGyver? ... The Pentagon is now saying there is a sudden rise in suicide attempts by al Qaeda prisoners down in Guantanamo Bay. I didn't realize they could get the Clippers games down there" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 2/11).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Signs It's Fashion Week In New York" ("Late Show," CBS, 2/11).
| 10) "Local newscasters describe the national security level as 'desert sunset orange.'" |
| 9) "Hans Blix confessed to 'The New York Times' that he only buys sexy underwear." |
| 8) "Statue of Liberty showing more leg than usual." |
| 7) "Winona Ryder has been researching what she'll be shoplifting next season." |
| 6) "The terribly shy Puff Daddy has decided to throw a party." |
| 5) "Confused models strutting down runways at LaGuardia." |
| 4) "Honey, in New York it's always Fashion Week." |
| 3) "Surge in restraining orders against Regis." |
| 2) "Three words: rats in gowns." |
| 1) "Subways smell like urine and perfume." |
NBC's Conan O'Brien: "Big night in Hollywood tonight, the Oscar nominations came out. It's exciting. The Oscar nominations were announced this morning and the musical 'Chicago' was nominated in thirteen categories. Isn't that amazing? Apparently, it's expected to win in the category 'best movie not seen by straight men.' By the way, I thoroughly enjoyed it. … Earlier today, an audiotape was released, allegedly from Osama bin Laden, and it tells the Iraqi people not to give up and that they will succeed. Experts say the voice on the tape is either Osama bin Laden or Tony Robbins. … In a recent interview, Ben Affleck says he's changed. He no longer goes out every night and gets drunk. In another interview, Jennifer Lopez says she's changed, and she no longer goes out every night and gets married. … This is a true story. I didn't make this up; I'm not smart enough. A man in Virginia has been arrested and sent to jail for holding up a 7-11 with a banana. That really happened. The employee said he didn't realize the man was holding a banana because he had never seen fresh fruit inside a 7-11. … I've got to mention this before we go: This weekend it was reported that the Michael Jackson documentary would be rerun on VH-1. After hearing this Michael said 'Damn, I was hoping they would show it on Nickelodeon'" ("Late Night," NBC, 2/11).
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "How about the rain today in L.A.? Flooding was so bad, the Coast Guard rescued twelve boys when Michael Jackson's bed capsized. … Got some good news for you, a lot more stars will be attending the Academy Awards this year because of prison overcrowding. … Wow, this is kind of interesting. Men are just as likely to spread gossip as women. At least that's what I heard Bob tell Hank, who by the way has a crush on Patti. … This is very fascinating. A city is now testing the world's first talking parking meters. The very first words: "Oh my God, Billy Joel! Watch out!" ("Late Late Show," CBS, 2/11).
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Wizards-Kings, followed by Spurs-Trail Blazers and Mavericks-T'Wolves.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What are donkeys?"
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