| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | CBS Likely To Announce Plan Today For ESPN To Carry Tourney Games |
| • | San Diego City Council To Hold Meeting On Chargers Issues Today |
| • | Review Of Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission’s Finances Dropped |
| • | Jury To Deliberate $27M Civil Suit Against Lowe’s Motor Speedway Today |
| • | Univ. Of AL Study Shows Further Negative Effects Of Supplements |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
ESPN WOULD CARRY GAMES IN EVENT CBS MUST PRE-EMPT FOR WAR
NEWSDAY reports that a deal between CBS and ESPN is likely to be announced today for ESPN to carry many of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first-round games if CBS News pre-empts them to cover a U.S.-led war against Iraq. ESPN yesterday was “preparing to clear its Thursday and Friday schedules to accommodate CBS, but there could be conflicts on the weekend with other sports” (NEWSDAY, 3/18).
CBS Sports President Sean McManus and Senior VP/Programming Mike Aresco will host a conference call to preview the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship at 2:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
Meanwhile, the AP reports NCAA President Myles Brand yesterday acknowledged “for the first time that the NCAA was checking the availability of arenas and hotels for the days after first and second-round games are scheduled to be completed. That would give the officials more flexibility in making a decision about postponements” (AP, 3/18).
CITY COUNCIL WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO ACCEPT TASK FORCE PLAN
The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reported that the San Diego City Council today will hold a 10:00am PT meeting at which the Citizens’ Task Force on Chargers Issues will deliver its report. A public hearing will follow. The council will “decide whether to accept a task force recommendation to negotiate with the team on a new stadium. The council also will have to develop a negotiation strategy on a new stadium while verifying the Chargers’ right to force renegotiation within a 90-day deadline imposed by the lease.” Additionally, several special-interest groups are “expected to call on the council to negotiate with the team” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/17).
REVIEW DROPPED AFTER NEW CHAIR PUTS TWINS ANALYSIS ON HOLD
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that a plan by the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission to pay for an analysis of a Twins ballpark site by design firm HOK "was put on hold” by new Chair Roy Terwilliger, as State Rep. Mark Buesgens prepared to hold a hearing today on the commission’s finances. While the commission last month approved up to $400,000 to pay for the analysis, it didn't follow its own procurement rules in selecting HOK. Terwilliger explained his decision, saying, “I thought it would be appropriate for me to have an opportunity to look at it with fresh eyes.” The commission was due to review other bids today (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/18).
JURY TO BEGIN DELIBERATIONS TODAY IN SPEEDWAY CIVIL SUIT
The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reports that a jury will begin deliberations this morning in a $27M civil suit brought by a VA family against Lowe’s Motor Speedway following a pedestrian bridge collapse in May ’00. The suit, which seeks “damages from the speedway as well as from Tindall Corp, the Spartanburg (SC) construction company that designed and helped install the bridge’s concrete support beams,” is the first of dozens to make it to trial (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/18).
INT’L MEN’S TENNIS ASSOCIATION TO HOLD FIRST MEETING TODAY
The L.A. TIMES reports that the Int’l Men’s Tennis Association is scheduled to have its first meeting today in Miami. On the eve of the meeting, the ITF and the ATP “coincidentally … released statements on the game’s future.” In its statement, the ITF “opened the door to a possible ‘new governance partnership’” with the ATP and WTA, adding that it favors a “longer off-season for players and a series of combined or back-to-back events, lasting seven or eight days.” The ATP and WTA jointly issued a response indicating that they “disagree with the suggestion that no tournament other than the Grand Slams should be longer than eight days” (L.A. TIMES, 3/18).
MORNING BRIEFS
The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports that the Mariners and A’s will find out today if they are going to play their opening games in Tokyo March 25-26 as scheduled (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 3/18).
The CP reports that MLBPA Exec Dir Don Fehr told Blue Jays players yesterday that “more information from the commissioner’s office is needed before a decision can be made” on a case for collusion against MLB owners. The decision is expected to be made this week (CP, 3/18).
As NFL owners prepare to meet Sunday in Phoenix, NEWSDAY reports that the measure to change the overtime policy “will not get the necessary 24 votes.” The owners also will “seriously consider increasing the number of playoff teams from 12 to 14” (NEWSDAY, 3/18). The L.A. TIMES adds that the viability of the Rose Bowl will be discussed at the meetings, but “there will be no formal presentation touting the stadium” (L.A. TIMES, 3/18).
The AP reported that the WNBA “endorsed a minority report submitted by the presidential commission on Title IX” written by Julie Foudy and Donna de Varona. The league has invited fans to sign a petition on its Web site. WNBA President Val Ackerman: “The WNBA would not exist were it not for Title IX” (AP, 3/17).
ESPN.com reported the findings of Univ. of AL researchers will be published today in a scientific journal stating that chromium picolinate, “a popular supplement perceived to trim fat and build muscle, could cause sterility in a user’s children and grandchildren” (ESPN.com, 3/18).
The WASHINGTON POST reports that workers in MD’s horse industry “flocked to the plaza in front of the State House yesterday to demand that legislators adopt a measure to bring slot machines to the state’s racetracks” (WASHINGTON POST, 3/18).
ESPN.com reported that during the ’02 World Cup, stadiums were, “on average, 94[%] full.” FIFA said, “There were only four matches out of 64 in which empty seats (were) a problem, and this was only a comparatively small percentage of the capacities of the stadiums concerned” (ESPN.com, 3/17).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Baseball HOF inductee Bob Uecker will throw out the first pitch at the Giants-Brewers game, the Brewers home opener, on April 4 at 1:05pm CT (THE DAILY).
The AKRON BEACON JOURNAL reports that the Naismith Memorial Basketball HOF has asked LeBron James “to donate one of his game-worn jerseys” to the museum. HOF Assistant Curator Matt Zeysing said that the HOF “would be receiving a No. 23 St. V-M jersey, a pair of shorts and tennis shoes for a display that might be showcased by mid-April” (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 3/18).
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
Churchill Downs Inc. CFO Michael Miller will present the company’s growth strategy at the 15th Annual Roth Capital Partners Growth Stock Conference in Dana Point, CA, at 5:30pm ET (THE DAILY).
HOF P Phil Niekro, nine members of the original All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, former CO Silver Bullets P Julie Croteau, Cubs manager Dusty Baker and RF Sammy Sosa will participate in the “Women in Baseball” electronic field trip at Wrigley Field. Baker and Sosa will appear from the Cubs’ spring training facility in Mesa, AZ (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The L.A. TIMES reports that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC on Monday stuck “to the script that the Oscars will air as planned. Events will dictate their final decision, which will come later this week” (L.A. TIMES, 3/18).
USA TODAY notes that the media industry “stands to lose billions in ad revenue if the shooting starts in Iraq.” MasterCard says it will pull its ads from all media if the war begins, while Procter & Gamble, Pepsi and Visa say they plan to cancel most or all TV ads (USA TODAY, 3/18).
The WASHINGTON POST reports that Joseph Coors died March 15 from lymphatic cancer. Coors’ grandfather founded Adolph Coors Co. in 1873, and “many credit Joseph Coors’ engineering innovations and often-controversial business tactics with transforming the company from a regional brewery into one of the nation’s largest” (WASHINGTON POST, 3/18).
CABLEWORLD reports that Turner Broadcasting is “preparing a huge new research project designed to convince advertisers to shift more of their money to cable from broadcast.” CNN President/Sales & Marketing Larry Goodman said that it “could help cable grab an extra 10% of the $9[B] upfront” television ad buying season (CABLEWORLD, 3/18),
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Jeffrey Offsay will resign from his post as Showtime Programming President at the end of the year. The search for his replacement “is expected to begin in the next few weeks” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/18).
DAILY VARIETY reports that the “march to war led to four straight days of gains” as the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 281 points, or 3.6% last week. Outperforming the broader market, Vivendi Universal rose 6% to $15.02; AOL Time Warner and Viacom each rose 5.4% to $11.73 and $39.09, respectively (DAILY VARIETY, 3/18).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Science.”
“As it has no mass, this particle travels at about 186,000 miles per second.”
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
Brad Garrett was the guest host for last night’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show.” Garrett: “Welcome to another episode of ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.’ This is exciting. I think I’m going to vomit. ... I called Mr. Letterman last night, and I said, ‘Dave, what an honor, but why me?’ He was so sweet. He said, ‘Because Carrot Top missed the train.’ ... Then Dave said, ‘And also Brad, in accordance with St. Patrick’s Day, we wanted to be able to find the biggest Jew out there.’ So here I am. ... Thank you for that (applause), but please save it. I have a weak finish. ... How many of you folks recognize me from ‘Everybody Loves Raymond?’ For those of you who have seen the show, I play Robert, Raymond’s brother, and for those of you who haven’t seen the show, I play Raymond. ... On the show, I play a very lonely guy with mother issues. No wait a minute, that’s Dave. I’m sorry. ... I never understood (St. Patrick’s Day) myself. It’s just 24 hours of overeating and excessive drinking, and I think once and for all the Irish people should just be honest and call it Monday” ("Late Show," CBS, 3/17).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. appeared on last night’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show,” where he talked about his love of hockey. Gooding: “I’m going to the Rangers game tonight – and I have a friend who joined the team – because I’ve been playing for like nine years now. I’m a huge fan and people say, ‘Black people don’t skate. It’s too cold for the ice.’ (RW) Anson Carter is on the (Rangers now) and Anson is so black, he’s blue.” Garrett: “That’s because of the ice. ... You see a Jew on ice, he’s in a morgue” ("Late Show," CBS, 3/17).
MONDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with the NCAA announcing it will consider postponing men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament games in the event of war.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“What is a photon?”
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