| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | Hootie Johnson To Hold Traditional Eve Of The Masters Press Conference Today |
| • | Churchill Downs Inc. Today To Announce Partnership With Pittsburgh Developer |
| • | Debate Regarding Padres' "Profit" Off Condemned Land Today In San Diego |
| • | NHL To Debut New TV Campaign Today As '03 Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin |
| • | David Stern Sets April 18 Deadline For Completion Of New WNBA CBA |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
HOOTIE JOHNSON TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AT AUGUSTA
Augusta National Chair Hootie Johnson today will conduct the traditional eve of The Masters news conference and the AP noted that it "figures to be the most highly charged press conference in the 67-year history" of the tournament. While Johnson is expected to defend the club's all-male membership, "if tradition holds form and tradition is everything at The Masters the answers will not break any new ground" (AP, 4/8).
In N.Y., George Willis writes, "With the attention of the worldwide media, Johnson would be smart to take this opportunity to halt Burk's posse of protesters by announcing plans to admit the club's first female member by the 2004 Masters. Such an announcement would be the ultimate checkmate on Burk" (N.Y. POST, 4/9).
Meanwhile, the N.Y. City Council is expected to vote today on a proposal urging CBS and other media outlets not to broadcast The Masters (THE DAILY).
The AUGUSTA CHRONICLE reports that the NCWO and Rainbow/PUSH Coalition today are expected to submit an appeal of Monday's protest site ruling to the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 4/9).
NCWO Chair Martha Burk appeared this morning on NBC's "Today" in the 7:45am ET block. SI writer Alan Shipnuck also appeared in the segment. Shupnick, on Tiger Woods not being more vocal about his stance on Augusta's membership practices: "He did come out on the tour in '96 with all this fanfare and a big Nike ad campaign saying, 'There are courses I can't play because of the color or my skin.' It's convenient for him to play the discrimination card when he wanted to sell Nike product, and now people want him to stand up on this issue and he's kind of run away from it" ("Today," NBC, 4/9).
Burk also appeared on Monday night's edition of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart. Burk, on the protest site granted to the NCWO: "They got us way off in what we're calling 'The Pits.' It's 12-feet below the grade of the road. It's out of sight of the club. Folks there are keeping your free speech rights under control." Stewart: "I think that's called a ditch." At the conclusion of interview, Stewart told Burk, "If you get in, see what you can do for Jews" ("The Daily Show," Comedy Central, 4/7).
CHURCHILL DOWNS TO PARTNER ON PITTSBURGH RACETRACK
The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that Churchill Downs Inc. today will announce that it has agreed to be a partner and investor with developer Charles Betters on Pittsburgh Palisades Park, "a proposed $500[M], mixed-use development featuring a thoroughbred racetrack and gaming facilities, such as slot machines, in the Hays section of the South Side." Churchill Downs Dir of Investor Relations Mike Ogburn: "We would develop and manage the racetrack operation. Obviously, Mr. Betters is well regarded in the community as a developer" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/9).
SAN DIEGO REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO HOST PADRES DEBATE
The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reported that the Centre City Development Corp. (CCDC), the city of San Diego's downtown redevelopment agency, will host a 2:00pm PT meeting at City Hall to debate "whether the Padres should be able to 'profit' from public land condemned for the new downtown ballpark district." While the original ballpark agreement "requires that any such profit be reinvested in the ballpark district," opponents claim the Padres "still benefit" as any reinvestment would have been money spent by the team. The CCDC "likely won't take a position in the dispute until next week at the earliest" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/8).
AVRIL LAVIGNE FEATURED IN NHL TV CAMPAIGN STARTING TODAY
The NHL today will debut a new TV ad campaign, "It's All About The Cup," for the start of the '03 Stanley Cup Playoffs, featuring singer Avril Lavigne. In the documentary-style spots, the Stanley Cup shows up unexpectedly in places such as Niagara Falls, a college campus and a subway station. The ads, via Toronto-based Grip Limited in cooperation with NHL Productions, will air on ESPN, CBC and TSN. The playoffs begin today with four first-round series: Islanders-Senators, Bruins-Devils, Maple Leafs-Flyers and Oilers-Stars (THE DAILY).
Included in today's edition of USA Today is a bonus section previewing the '03 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs (THE DAILY).
MORNING BRIEFS
Bears Chair Emeritus Ed McCaskey died yesterday at his home in Des Plaines, IL. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue released a statement, which read in part: "For decades, Ed and Virginia McCaskey were a special team that made the Bears exemplary partners with every other member of the league." McCaskey was 83 (THE DAILY).
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that NBA Commissioner David Stern yesterday set a deadline of April 18 for completion of a new WNBA CBA "to avoid cancellation of the league's seventh season." Stern added that the NBA BOG agreed to "subsidize the league for 2003 at an expected cost" of $12M (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/9).
The LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL reports that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that he "will reintroduce a sports betting ban bill 'soon,' although he declined to give a date." McCain: "I was waiting until the war kind of quieted down. We had originally planned to do it during March Madness" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/9).
FIFA yesterday reported a revenue surplus of $82.9M for the four-year period from '99-'02. FIFA President Sepp Blatter, on the organization's recent financial troubles: "FIFA has proved it can weather the stormiest circumstances" (THE DAILY).
BLOOMBERG NEWS reports that Topps' profits "rose 38[%] in its most recent quarter as its European soccer and 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' Japanese cartoon products led sales higher." Net income increased from $1.45M to $1.99M from the year ago period (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/9).
The AP reported that the governing bodies of triathlon, amateur boxing and chess have formally adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) proposed anti-doping code. Additionally, the WADA said that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports and the Australian Olympic Committee "have also formally adopted the code" (AP, 4/8).
The ECHL BOG yesterday unanimously approved a transfer of ownership of the Mississippi Sea Wolves from Mississippi Hockey, LLC to Princeton-based Wolf Pack, LLC. Additionally, the Lexington Men O' War announced that the team will suspend operations following its elimination from the league playoffs Saturday (THE DAILY).
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that U.S. District Court judge Robert Blackburn dismissed the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by former USOC Drug Control Dir Dr. Wade Exum, who claimed he "was passed over for the director's job of the anti-doping agency because he is black" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/9).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- A crowd of 28,210 saw Connecticut defeat Tennessee in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship last night at the Georgia Dome (THE DAILY).
- The WASHINGTON POST reports that a "rare sellout crowd of 20,562" attended last night's Wizards-Cavaliers game at Gund Arena, Michael Jordan's final game in Cleveland. LeBron James, who had a baseline seat near the Cavaliers' bench, "exchanged greetings (with Jordan) after the game outside" the Wizards' locker room (WASHINGTON POST, 4/9).
- The Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW reports that while the Pirates sold 36,003 tickets for Monday's postponed home opener against the Brewers, a crowd of 24,002 attended last night's rain-delayed makeup game (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 4/9).
- MLB.com noted that Yankees manager Joe Torre told LF Hideki Matsui to take a curtain call during the team's home opener against the Twins after his fifth inning grand slam "causing the fans in attendance to cheer their new slugger again. Matsui's parents and brother were among the 33,109 in attendance" (MLB.com, 4/8).
- The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that 29,138 people "showed up on a day better suited for building snow forts" at Wrigley Field for yesterday's Expos-Cubs game (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/9).
- The SEATTLE TIMES reports that a sellout crowd of 45,931 attended the Mariners' home opener against the Angels yesterday at Safeco Field (SEATTLE TIMES, 4/9).
- The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that a crowd of 18,594 attended last night's Reds-Astros game, the Astros "smallest crowd ever at Minute Maid Park since it opened" in '00 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/9).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Of the nearly one million entrants, WI resident Joe Lange won the ESPN Men's Tournament Challenge, winning $10,000. Lange was "among 7,397 entrants who picked Kansas and Syracuse for the final, and was among 1,663 who had Syracuse to win. Lange had the Final Four correct and seven of the Elite Eight" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/9).
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 (front) | N.Y. Daily News (front) |
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| N.Y. Post | N.Y. Daily News |
TODAY'S EVENTS
The USOC will host a conference call at 8:00am ET with USOC Acting President Bill Martin and Chief of Sport Performance Jim Scherr (THE DAILY).
The Daily's Editor-at-Large Terry Lefton will moderate a panel discussion for a Wharton class entitled, "Corporate Sponsorship, Promotions and Event Marketing" on the Univ. of PA campus. Panelists include Velocity Sports & Entertainment Principal Harlan Stone, Erlick Group President Jim Erlick and Jed Corenthal Marketing President Jed Corenthal (THE DAILY).
U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe will host a news conference at 1:00pm ET to discuss the U.S.' first-round opponent, the Slovak Republic (THE DAILY).
WUSA Freedom F Mia Hamm will join 5th graders from Benjamin Murch Elementary School in DC in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for "Largest Simultaneous Lesson" at 9:45am ET. The lesson will be mirrored in more than 100 countries, including China, Afghanistan and Brazil (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the GM BOD is "planning to meet today to approve a deal worth about $7[B] that would give control of its Hughes Electronics unit and the DirecTV satellite operation" to News Corp. If approved, the deal could be announced as early as today (N.Y. TIMES, 4/9).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that AOL Time Warner said that it "has paid $812.5[M] in cash to buy back nonvoting preferred shares in AOL Europe previously owned by Vivendi Universal" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/9).
USA TODAY reports that Pepsi today will announce details of "Play for a Billion," a game show special to air on WB in September. Pepsi "provided the idea and prize – a chance to win $1[B] – and will be an integral part of the two-hour, live show built on a bottle cap sweepstakes." Pepsi CMO Dave Burwick: "It's so much more difficult for a 30-second ad to stand out these days. … When you control the content, you develop the exact message you want" (USA TODAY, 4/9).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Oscar-Winning Films."
"This 1995 double Oscar winner takes its title from a line used by Claude Rains in 1942's 'Casablanca.'"
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "We got, I think, a pretty good group here tonight, except for some sporadic light resistance. ... I just saw some interesting information from Iraq's Minister of Information. He's a lot of fun, isn't he? He says that Saddam Hussein is not dead. He's just out with the shingles. ... Last night, the U.S. dropped four 2,000-pound bombs on Saddam Hussein. I don't know anything about explosives, but my God, do those things even need to explode? ... I haven't seen bombs that big since the CBS Saturday night line-up. ... They say Saddam Hussein's three ex-wives have already fled into Syria. Three ex-wives! I heard that and I said, 'Geez, God, maybe he's faking his own death.' ... The Pentagon says that Saddam Hussein is still alive but come on, a week ago they were saying the same thing about me" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/8).
NBC's Jay Leno: "It was 85 (degrees) in L.A. I was sweating like Peter Arnett at a VFW convention. ... It was so hot, Robert Blake was walking around his house today wearing nothing but the ankle bracelet. ... Over the weekend, I'm watching some war footage, and I see a bunch of men in uniform waving white flags and surrendering, then I realize it's the Detroit Tigers. ... The military said we will be able to confirm Saddam is dead through DNA testing. We actually have a sample of his DNA. Isn't that amazing? So apparently, Monica Lewinsky is working for the CIA. ... The Post Office has chartered two cargo jets to deliver mail to our troops in the war zone. Boy, if the Iraqis think our military is heavily armed, wait until they see our postal workers. ... Syracuse beat Kansas 81-78. Big disappointment. People in Kansas (haven't been this upset) since they found out Bob Dole was on Viagra. ... Cubs home opener against the Montreal Expos was snowed out the other day. It shows you how frustrated people are with the Cubs. It was manmade snow" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/8).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Things Overheard At Saddam Hussein's Dinner Last Night" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/8).
| 10) "Uday, are you going to eat that pickle?" |
| 9) "Bunker for six, please?" |
| 8) "You have some shwarma in your mustache." |
| 7) "A double for me and a double for my double." |
| 6) "I know we're winning the war, but there do seem to be an awful lot of American tanks around." |
| 5) "What was I thinking putting 5,000 dinars on Kansas?" |
| 4) "Can we still have these weekly dinners when we're in hell?" |
| 3) "What do you mean Bloomberg won't let us smoke in here?" |
| 2) "Ka-boom!" |
| 1) "More salad, Geraldo?" |
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "Tonight I watched the Cher farewell tour on NBC, and I got sick babe. … Support Our Troops celebrities are now tying yellow ribbons out of crime scene tape. … Saddam Hussein may have been killed when an Iraqi restaurant was bombed. I feel for the chef. You make the perfect port wine production sauce and the bomb turns it all smoky" ("The Late Late Show," CBS, 4/8).
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with the NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship: Tennessee-UConn.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is 'The Usual Suspects?'"
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