| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, April 2, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | MLBPA Exec Board Today To Discuss Acceptance Of All-Star Game Plan |
| • | Martha Burk, County Officials Heading To Court Today Over Protest Location |
| • | Slot Machines Proposal At MD Racetracks Likely To Be Defeated Today |
| • | AVP Tour Adds ChapStick To Sponsor Roster For '03 Season |
| • | Senators Chair Rod Bryden Bids Farewell To Ottawa Fans Last Night |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
PLAYERS MAY ACCEPT ALL-STAR PLAN TODAY ON TRIAL BASIS
The AP reported that the MLBPA Exec Board will hold a conference call today and players "might accept, at least on a trial basis, management's plan to give home-field advantage in the World Series to the league that wins the All-Star game." Blue Jays CF and team player rep Vernon Wells: "I think some of the guys are willing to do it for a couple of years to see how it works out. A bunch of guys have been talking about it and I think that's been the consensus so far. … I can understand where Fox and the owners are coming from" (AP, 4/1).
MARTHA BURK TO PLEAD PROTEST LOCATION TODAY IN COURT
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that the dispute over where NCWO Chair Martha Burk "should conduct her April 12 protest against Augusta National Golf Club is set to go to federal court this morning," as NCWO and Augusta-Richmond County lawyers "are scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Dudley Bowen." While the two sides had "been discussing a compromise location," no deal was reached (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/2).
In a full-page ad in the N.Y. Times, Smith & Wollensky, whose tagline is "A Steakhouse To End All Arguments," offered to bring Burk and Augusta National Chair Hootie Johnson "together for an evening of free food and drink" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/2).
Former President Jimmy Carter, who believes women eventually will be able to join Augusta National, yesterday said, "I think that the present administration of the Masters has not been very wise with the statement. I think it should have been handled in a much more expeditious way and a harmonious way" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/2).
MD SLOT PROPOSAL LIKELY TO FAIL AS PIMLICO OPENS TODAY
The Baltimore SUN reports that MD Gov. Robert Ehrlich's proposal to allow slot machines at MD racetracks "appears headed for defeat" as the House Ways & Means Committee plans to vote on it today. House Speaker Michael Busch, an opponent of the proposal yesterday, "appeared to gain support" during Budget Secretary James DiPaula's defense of the proposal yesterday as DiPaula took an "unbending stand … against any move to tie gambling legislation to major tax increases" (Baltimore SUN, 4/2).
Meanwhile, Pimlico in Baltimore today starts its 50-day meet with a nine-race card. Pimlico COO Lou Raffetto: "Everybody is sitting back and waiting for legislation, but we have to go about our business" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/2). Bay Meadows in San Mateo, CA, also opens its 55-day season today with eight races (L.A. TIMES, 4/2).
CHAPSTICK TO BECOME THE OFFICIAL LIP BALM OF AVP TOUR
The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour and ChapStick will announce today a one-year agreement that will make ChapStick an official sponsor of the AVP Tour. As part of the agreement, ChapStick will receive on-site signage and broadcast units during all NBC and cable televised AVP events. ChapStick will also become the official lip balm of the AVP Tour. Terms of the deal were not disclosed (THE DAILY).
MORNING BRIEFS
The OTTAWA SUN reports that Senators Chair Rod Bryden "stood before the packed Corel Centre in a Sens jacket and brought the crowd to its feet" at last night's Bruins-Senators game, the final home game under his ownership. Bryden "allayed fears about the team's fate, saying it rests in the hands of the fans, not the owner." In turn, the fans "gave Bryden two standing ovations and lingering applause long after he left the ice" (OTTAWA SUN, 4/2).
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports the PGA Tour "plans to experiment with a portable device" at the Western Open from June 30-July 6 that will "measure the trampoline effect in drivers and determine whether they are fit for play." The USGA and Royal & Ancient proposed the portable test, which would take effect at the start of next year (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/2).
Following the Atlantic 10 Presidents Council meeting in DC yesterday, the WASHINGTON POST reports that the St. Bonaventure's men's basketball teams' refusal to play its final two regular season games "will cost the school more than $120,000 but not its place" in the conference. The school will reimburse the Univ. of Dayton and Univ. of MA, the conference and Atlantic 10 television for canceling the games (WASHINGTON POST, 4/2).
NBA Commissioner David Stern met with Rockets C Yao Ming and other league officials yesterday in N.Y. to "talk about the rookie center's debut in the NBA." Stern, on Ming's season: "I just wanted to commend him for the way he's been handling himself this season given the burden that he has, which is to be seen and touched as he travels around our country by so many fans and particularly fans in the Chinese-American community" (AP, 4/1).
The AP reported that total prize money for the French Open will increase 6% to $14.2M. The overall men's increase is 7.7%, and the women's increase is 7.6%. The men's champion will receive $915,180, while the women's champion will earn $892,300 (AP, 4/1).
The TUSCALOOSA NEWS reported that the AL House Tourism & Travel Committee today will consider bills that would "punish errant athletic boosters and give universities more power to deal with the NCAA during investigations" (TUSCALOOSA NEWS, 4/1).
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS cites sources that report representatives for Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, HBO and Showtime are "fine-tuning a deal that could land Lewis and Tyson on a heavyweight twin-bill – possibly at Rich Stadium on June 21 via HBO [PPV]" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/2).
The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reports that Univ. of FL officials have "canceled overseas trips for the women's basketball and volleyball teams because of the war in Iraq." The basketball team was scheduled to play games in France and Switzerland in August, while the volleyball team was slated to play in Germany and Belgium in May (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/2).
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that following a meeting with Johnnie Cochran and NCAA President Myles Brand, Linda Will, mother of late Northwestern Univ. football player Rashidi Wheeler, said that "she will advocate government intervention in college sports if the NCAA can't enforce safety standards" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/2).
Former Notre Dame DT and Bears LB George Connor, the first winner of the Outland Trophy, died Monday in IL at the age of 78 (N.Y. TIMES, 4/2).
World Arena Rugby, which was scheduled to open its inaugural season this summer, has postponed its first season until summer '04, citing the downturn in the economy and recent world events (THE DAILY).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that a record crowd of 43,241 attended last night's Rockies-Astros season-opener at Minute Maid Park (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/2).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The AP reported that Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban "pulled an April Fool's gag during a timeout in the second quarter" of last night's Hornets-Mavericks game, "getting into a shoving match with a phony game official." Cuban went onto the court during the timeout and "began arguing with a man dressed as a game official. Cuban began shoving the man and was restrained by one of the team's equipment managers before it became apparent that the incident had been staged" (AP, 4/1).
Seventy-six-year-old Lebron James of Buffalo is "weary of explaining the coincidence of sharing a name with" unrelated 18-year old LeBron James. On the Hummer the hoopster has been driving, the elder James, "I drove something similar to one in the service when I was in the infantry" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 4/2).
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 |
TODAY'S EVENTS
D'Backs President Rich Dozer and D'Backs Charities President Mike Kennedy will conduct a 9:15am MT press conference at the Southwest Autism Research Center's annual breakfast at the Arizona Biltmore Resort (THE DAILY).
The AHL Philadelphia Phantoms will host their second annual Sports and Entertainment Career Fair from 1:30-5:30pm ET at the First Union Spectrum (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The N.Y. POST reports that Charter Communications Chair Paul Allen "is ready to stake a whopping $300[M] to keep" the company afloat. Facing the triggering of "an avalanche of defaults yesterday on its nearly $20[B] in debt," Allen promised to provide $300M in loans to Charter, of which he owns 54% in stock and 93% of its voting power. The investment "put him a step closer to taking the company private" (N.Y. POST, 4/2).
The AP reports that HealthSouth, "unsure of its own worth because of bogus accounting," can't file its '02 annual report and postponed its shareholders meeting, which had been scheduled for May 15 (AP, 4/2).
USA TODAY reports that CBS' "The Late Show" defeated NBC's "The Tonight Show" in overnight Nielsen ratings for Monday's telecasts as David Letterman returned from his bout with the shingles. It is only the second time in '03 that the "Late Show" has defeated the "Tonight Show" in overnight Nielsen ratings (USA TODAY, 4/2).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that NBC has "cut a deal with Donald Trump and producer Mark Burnett for a 13-episode reality series that promises to pit 20 would-be business moguls in a contest to win a six-figure salary working for Trump" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/2).
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS reports that with SBC Communications and Liberty Media dropping out of the Hughes Electronics race, News Corp. appears to be the "chief suitor" for DirecTV's parent unit (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 4/2).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Words."
"It's the common English word that is pronounced differently when it becomes the name of a language."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "Turns out I have to be here tonight. I'm out of sick days. ... Happy April Fool's Day ... and my mother, God bless my mother and don't get me wrong, I love my mother, but she's nuts. She thinks April Fool's Day is like a real deal. She thinks it's like a real holiday and it happened again this morning. ... She switched my shingles medicine with my Viagra. ... Almost every year (on April Fool's Day), I'm down in Times Square and it turns out my hooker is an undercover cop. ... According to the Pentagon, we may be running out of things to bomb in Baghdad. Earlier today, a cruise missile destroyed the Museum of Rubble. ... Iraqi TV has released some videotape. It's videotape of Saddam Hussein and his three sons. ... He has three sons: Udai, Qusay and Little Joe" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/1).
NBC's Jay Leno: "Today of course is April Fool's Day, the day we traditionally honor the French. ... Today, Dick Cheney walked into the Oval Office and said, 'You want to run things for awhile,' and Bush said, 'Sure.' Then Cheney went, 'April Fool's!' ... Latest reports from Baghdad say that Saddam Husseinis taking a lot of vitamins – B1, B17, B52. ... The U.S. military has kicked Geraldo Rivera out of Iraq. Let me tell you, they thought this was the best way to get the Iraqi people on our side. ... Now they're dancing in the streets. ... Now the tough part for Geraldo is finding another country that will take him. ... Matt Lauer is over in Qatar, and in fact they said today this is the first time a reporter covering a war has ever had a worse haircut than the servicemen fighting it. ... Bush has a new plan to provide everyone with health care, a decent education, it also includes the rebuilding of roads and fixing of bridges, and if it works in Iraq, we may try it here. ... The official (MLB) season started yesterday and did you hear about this? One very embarrassing moment in Detroit. The Tigers showed up. ... Filling in for his son, former President George Bush threw out the first pitch at the (Pirates-Reds) game. George W. could not be there because he was filling in for his dad finishing off the war in Iraq" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/1).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Things You Don't Want To Hear From A Guy At A Bus Stop." The list was read by Will Ferrell and was a video "Top Ten" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/1).
| 10) "You know, if you show the driver some skin he lets you ride for free." |
| 9) "If there aren't any seats you can sit on daddy's lap." |
| 8) "I cannot control my bladder." |
| 7) "Lemme guess – Old Spice?" |
| 6) "You think they're gonna make me pay an extra fare for Mr. Zippy?" Ferrell was holding a hand puppet. |
| 5) "You wanna trade pants?" |
| 4) "This is the first day mommy's let me ride the bus by myself." |
| 3) "You believe I found this in the trash?" Ferrell was eating something while talking. |
| 2) "Here bussy, bussy, bussy, bussy! Here bussy, bussy, bussy, bussy, bussy!" |
| 1) "Tonight I celebrate my love for you." |
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "Bourbon Street is a weird place. Last night I actually stopped into a strip club because I was tired of seeing breasts for free. … And you guys go crazy here in New Orleans. But in L.A., we have people who throw up on the streets too. They're called supermodels. … London Production Co. wants to do a reality show with Mick Jagger. It's called, 'Joe Millionkids'" ("The Late Late Show," CBS 4/1).
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with the resignation of UNC men's basketball coach Matt Doherty, followed by a report UCLA will name Univ. of Pittsburgh men's basketball coach Ben Howland as their next coach.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is Polish?"
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