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Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz, March 20, 2003

The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, March 20, 2003
9:00am ET

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Begins Today With 16 Games

MLB Relocation Committee Begins Meetings In Phoenix Today

NBA Halts Or Delays Game Starts Last Night As War Against Iraq Begins

Avalanche To Unveil New Season-Ticket Plan Tonight

ATP COO Larry Scott Confirms He Is At Top Of WTA's Hiring List

Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy!


NCAA TOURNEY BEGINS; ESPN AND ESPN2 READY FOR COVERAGE

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament begins today with 16 first-round games at four sites across the country and USA TODAY notes that the "usual festive atmosphere (is) muted to some degree by the war in Iraq."  The first round continues with 16 more games tomorrow at four other sites (USA TODAY, 3/20).  ESPN.com reported that CBS has reached an agreement to move tournament games to ESPN and ESPN2 "if it goes to full-time news coverage" of the war (ESPN.com, 3/19). As of presstime, however, no decision has been made as to whether CBS will pre-empt the first-round games.


ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL NOT ATTEND MLB RELOCATION MEETINGS

MLB.com reports that the MLB Relocation Committee will meet with the three groups interested in the Expos today and tomorrow in Phoenix.  MLB told the Portland, Northern VA and DC groups that they "understand if elected officials couldn't attend the individual meetings at Bank One Ballpark because of local homeland security issues."  DC Mayor Anthony Williams and Portland Mayor Vera Katz will not be present at today's session, while VA Gov. Mark Warner "was a late cancellation" for tomorrow's meeting (MLB.com, 3/20).

The Portland OREGONIAN notes that the general format of the meeting "will be a presentation, lasting an hour or so, followed by questions from the committee." The main line of questioning will be stadium financing (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/20).

In DC, Thomas Boswell previews the meetings by writing that MLB "is trying to peddle an overpriced team to financially strapped local governments."  One DC-area ownership group source said, "Everybody is finally looking hard at the numbers.  They don't add up.  Not for baseball.  Not for the cities.  Not for us" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/20).


NBA HALTS GAMES DURING PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH LAST NIGHT

The AP reported that all NBA games "came to a halt or had their starting times delayed" last night at 10:15pm ET during President Bush's speech announcing that the U.S. had launched air strikes against Iraq (AP, 3/19).  Meanwhile, ESPN.com has devoted a section of its homepage to war coverage, providing multiple links to sister Web site, ABCNews.com. SI.com also has a section on its Web site, which directs users to CNN.com (THE DAILY).

The WASHINGTON POST reports that the '03 DC Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, has been canceled because of "security concerns and runners' fears," making it the second sports event to be cancelled because of the war against Iraq.  Organizers said that "entry fees will not be refunded but will be deferred for entry" in '04 (WASHINGTON POST, 3/20).


AVALANCHE TO UNVEIL NEW TICKET PLAN DURING TONIGHT'S GAME

The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports that the Avalanche tonight will unveil a new season-ticket plan between the first and second periods of the team's 5:00pm MT game against the Sharks.  Both the game and ticket announcement were postponed last night because of the snowstorm in Denver (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 3/20).


MORNING BRIEFS

Ted Turner, on buying the Braves back from AOL Time Warner, "I can't afford them.  They've gone up in value anyway" (REUTERS, 3/19).

The Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reports that ATP COO Larry Scott yesterday "confirmed reports that he is at the top of the WTA's hiring list, though he wouldn't discuss the job further until a decision is made" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/20).

The Bay Hill Invitational at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando begins today, and the N.Y. TIMES reports that Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer will play in the same field for "perhaps the last time on the PGA Tour."  Nicklaus and Palmer will tee off from the first and tenth hole, respectively, at 1:00pm ET today (N.Y. TIMES, 3/20).

USA TODAY reports that Chris Harn, Derrick Davis and Glen DaSilva, the men involved in last year's Breeders' Cup Pick Six betting scandal, will be sentenced today in U.S. District Court in N.Y. (USA TODAY, 3/20).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

  • The MIAMI HERALD reports that a crowd of 11,069 attended yesterday's opening session of the Nasdaq-100 Open at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayane, FL (MIAMI HERALD, 3/20).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

PGAer John Daly appeared on last night's edition of FSN's "BDSSP" wearing a motion capture suit after filming his part for EA Sports "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004."  Daly: "I look a hell of a lot skinnier in that video game than I do right now" ("BDSSP," FSN, 3/19).


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

TODAY'S EVENTS

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is hosting the Hoops, Horses & Hopes fundraiser at Turfway Park at noon ET.  The event will feature 16 big-screen TVs with satellite feeds so that all NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament first-round games can be watched (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 3/20).

Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler and Charlotte-area civic leaders will host a press conference at 2:00pm ET at the Speedway to unveil plans for a cultural entertainment event (THE DAILY).


IN OTHER NEWS….

Viacom today announced that it has entered into new employment agreements with CEO Sumner Redstone and President Mel Karmazin, effective May 5.  While the length of Redstone's agreement was not disclosed, Karmazin has a three-year term.  Today's L.A. TIMES notes that Redstone is "expected to take back powers he ceded reluctantly" to Karmazin as part of the Viacom-CBS merger in '00 (L.A. TIMES, 3/20).

The AP reports that ABC has postponed its annual Barbara Walters Academy Awards interview special on Sunday – "which was set to feature nominees Nicolas Cage, Renee Zellwegger and Julianne Moore – because of the confrontation with Iraq" (AP, 3/20).

The N.Y. TIMES reports Continental Airlines yesterday said that it would "eliminate 1,200 jobs over the next several months as part of a broad cost-reduction plan that would try to cut expenses $500[M] a year" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/20).

The L.A. TIMES reports that nine of Disney's 13 BOD members did not attend yesterday's meeting in Denver due to the weather.  Disney Chair Michael Eisner "addressed fewer than 50 people, a far cry from the hundreds, and even thousands, who have attended Disney's annual meetings in the past.  Flights to Denver were canceled amid snow drifts as tall as 12 feet in some areas" (L.A. TIMES, 3/20).

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that HBO is expected to start production on the fifth season of "The Sopranos" early next month "now that dueling lawsuits between the network and … James Gandolfini have been dropped."  HBO expects to start shooting "in the first week of April, but a specific start date has not been set" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/20).


FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "All God's Creatures."

"Edison proposed a flying machine based on the flight of this creature, also the subject of a musical work."


LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES: 

Bonnie Hunt was the guest host for last night's edition of CBS' "Late Show."  Hunt: "How exciting (is hosting the 'Late Show') for me?  It really is.  It's an absolute thrill. ... I was excited when Tom Dreesen called me last night and said he was taking a vacation, and could I come in. ... I was backstage getting ready to come out and Maria Pope, one of the producers, said to me, 'You look great in Dave's suit.'  It's this hairpiece of his I'm trying to get used to. ... Actually, I'm here because I'm a friend of Dave's, and I would like to set the record straight now because people are always saying we've dated, and we haven't despite what he keeps telling people. ... Of course, because you're the guest host, you get to the airport and there's no limo because they don't care if you show up or not.  Because they can throw a re-run on of Dave, which is an advantage, and then I tried getting a cab which is almost impossible because you know that most of the cab drivers today are on CNN as Mideast experts. ... We did 22 shows and it was the big season finale, which 22 is a big change for me because usually my season finale was the second episode. ... Big movie weekend because the Oscars are going to be on and they are canceling the red carpet interviews.  They're eliminating them, which is groundbreaking really because that's the first thing they've eliminated since they eliminated Dave" ("Late Show," CBS, 3/19).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

CBS' Craig Kilborn: "Russell Crowe is going to marry his girlfriend Danielle Spencer; Russell Crowe getting married.  Here's how the seating will work: On one side, friends of the bride. On the other, Ron Howard.  Did you hear about this?  There is a new telephone support group for fat people. … It's called 1-800-stop-sprinkling-salt-on-the-phone.  Of course, the Oscars are coming up this Sunday and there was a big pre-Oscars luncheon and there was an awkward moment.  Wow.  Wynona Ryder and Robert Blake showed up wearing the same ankle bracelet" ("Late Late Night," CBS, 3/19).


WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR

ESPN's 11:30pm ET "SportsCenter" led with NBA arenas announcing to the fans the beginning of hostilities against Iraq, followed by Celtics-Pacers and Bucks-Nets.


FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"What is a bumblebee?"


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

The Morning Buzz provides an early update of the news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 9:00am ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Morning Buzz, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.

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