| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, April 17, 2003
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | WNBA, WNBPA To Enter Bargaining Session This Morning At 9:30am ET |
| • | Senators To Seek Additional US$4M In Interim Financing From Court Today |
| • | F1 Team Bosses To Meet With FIA President Max Mosley Today In Italy |
| • | Marlins To Begin Program Today That Will Offer 75,000 Free Tickets |
| • | All Four Major Leagues Make It Into Lycos' Weekly Top 50 For First Time Ever |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
The Morning Buzz will not publish Friday or Monday due to the holidays.
We will return Tuesday, April 22.
WNBA BARGAINING SESSION COULD DETERMINE FATE OF LEAGUE
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the WNBA and WNBPA will meet today at 9:30am ET in N.Y. "in a bargaining session that may determine whether the league will play this season and whether it will stay in business." During a conference call yesterday, WNBPA officials "sounded optimistic, saying a deal might be 'within arm's reach.'" WNBPA Dir of Operations Pam Wheeler: "We will make concessions in certain areas. If the league has serious intention of having a season, they have to have room for concessions." WNBA Senior Dir of Strategic & Corporate Communications Traci Cook said that the league will have no comment until after today's session (N.Y. TIMES, 4/17).
Meanwhile, the L.A. TIMES notes that NCWO Chair Martha Burk spoke on yesterday's WNBPA conference call (L.A. TIMES, 4/17).
COURT APPROVAL OF SENS' INTERIM FINANCING "A SURE THING"
The CP reports that lawyers for the Senators "hope to score nearly [US$4M] more in interim financing today to keep the cash-strapped NHL club playing through to early June." The request comes "as a potential sale of the money-losing team is becoming less certain" with suitor Eugene Melnyk having missed an April 11 deadline to make a binding offer and pay a deposit on the bid. A source said that court approval of the financing "should be a sure thing," bringing the total amount borrowed to US$21.4M (CP, 4/17). The Senators lead their first round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Islanders 3-1 (THE DAILY).
FEW CHANGES EXPECTED AS F1 BOSSES MEET WITH MOSLEY TODAY
REUTERS reported that F1 team bosses will meet today in Imola, Italy, with FIA President Max Mosley "to consider what needs changing" in the racing series. The answer is likely to be "very little" as the meeting is "expected to be about fine-tuning more than substantive change." Mosley: "But we will look at anything put on the table. It's a general discussion to see how the first three races have gone" (REUTERS, 4/16).
MARLINS TO BEGIN PROGRAM TODAY THAT OFFERS FREE TICKETS
The Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reports that the Marlins today will begin "circulating 75,000 special dimes that can be turned in at the Pro Player Stadium box office for a free Terrace Box seat to a Marlins game" to honor the team's 10th anniversary. Some of the dimes, which will be painted teal with the team's black "F" logo on one side, "will be given to school children at Fienberg Fisher Elementary School in Miami Beach this morning." The others will be distributed at different spots throughout South FL in the coming weeks (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 4/17).
MORNING BRIEFS
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, responding to Tuesday night's on-field incidents at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, issued the following statement: "Our security experts are presently on the scene and will work with their White Sox counterparts and with the local authorities to make sure our on-field personnel are safe and well protected. Also, [MLB] will re-examine the security efforts at all of our ballparks to prevent such incidents from occurring elsewhere" (THE DAILY). Meanwhile, USA TODAY reports the White Sox announced that they will add two security officers down each foul line and ushers will now check tickets more often (USA TODAY, 4/17).
USA TODAY reports that Lycos.com's weekly measurement of Internet search topics saw all four major sports leagues rank in the top 50 "for the first time." MLB led the way in 18th, followed by the NFL in 24th, NBA in 39th and NHL in 46th (USA TODAY, 4/17).
Yankees manager Joe Torre, on MLB's idea for a World Cup of baseball: "They are busy. They tell you how long your pants can be. They tell you you can't throw inside. The winner of the All-Star Game gets the homefield advantage [in the World Series]. Busy" (NEWSDAY, 4/17).
The L.A. TIMES reports that the 36 teams in German soccer league Bundesliga are a combined US$648M in debt, "with about three-quarters of that amount owed by the 18 first-division clubs." The 36 teams had a combined income of $1.4B in '02, but "that figure is expected to drop by $200[M] this season because of the bankruptcy of KirchMedia," which held the league's TV rights (L.A. TIMES, 4/17).
USA TODAY reports that WV Univ. (WVU) plans to eliminate rifle, men's tennis, men's cross country and men's indoor and outdoor track beginning with the '03-04 school year to save $591,230 per year (USA TODAY, 4/17).
Chicago Sun Times columnist Jay Mariotti on The Tennis Channel's chances of success: "It would have worked (25 years ago). Nobody cares about men's tennis. Women's tennis is dominated by Serena. What would you talk about? Tennis racquets?" ESPN's Max Kellerman: "A Tennis Channel can work. The next big rivalry or huge star can make a Tennis Channel work" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 4/16).
Frito Lay has renewed its sponsorship of the FLW Outdoors series of fishing tournaments. In addition to running its Go Snacks ad featuring Tony Hawk on Outdoor Life Network's "FLW Outdoors" TV program, Frito Lay will receive tournament signage, sponsor angler-award programs and be included in tour promotional material (THE DAILY).
The CP reported that Magna Entertainment "has completed its purchase of Flamboro Downs, a harness racetrack near Hamilton, after finally receiving provincial regulatory approvals for the deal announced last June." The deal is worth about US$47M (CP, 4/16).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- Of the 21,257 fans in attendance at last night's Wizards-76ers game at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, presumably Michael Jordan's final NBA game, the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that "anybody who's anybody in Philadelphia showed up … to say one final goodbye" to Jordan (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/17).
- The CONTRA COSTA TIMES reports that a crowd of 20,234 attended last night's Lakers-Warriors game at The Arena in Oakland, "the largest crowd ever at the Arena" (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 4/17).
- The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that a crowd of 15,571 attended last night's Braves-Expos game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/17). Puerto Rico Tourism Company Exec Dir Jose Suarez: "These games are generating tremendous news in the [U.S.] and throughout Latin America. That's advertising you can't buy. We're very happy with the results" (USA TODAY, 4/17).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The BOSTON GLOBE reports that Somerville resident Mike Connolly "unofficially became the first to be injured by a ball hit into the Monster seats" after a ball during Red Sox batting practice broke his nose. Following medical attention, Connolly returned in time for the game and was given "the offending baseball," which was signed by Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/17).
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
The Phillies at 12:15pm ET will reveal a tribute to MLB HOFer and former team announcer Richie Ashburn that will be included in the team's new ballpark. Speakers during the ceremony, to be held at the Phillies Ballpark Preview Center, include Phillies President & GM David Montgomery and team broadcaster Harry Kalas (THE DAILY).
SLOC President Fraser Bullock will host a press conference today to discuss a "downtown legacy" in remembrance of the '02 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Additionally, the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency Board will meet today to "decide whether to accept" plans for a 103-foot Gallivan tower (DESERET NEWS, 4/16).
The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that officials from the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission will be in Atlanta today to "inspect artificial turf replacement samples for the Metrodome next year" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/17).
IN OTHER NEWS….
THE N.Y. POST reports that the "bitter fight over pension dollars" between SI Managing Editor Terry McDonell and his former boss, Rolling Stone Founder Jann Wenner, is "close to an out of court settlement" (N.Y. POST, 4/17).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Coca-Cola profited in Q1 '03, but "weak sales appeared to unnerve investors," and the share price fell 6.2%. Net income for the quarter totaled $835M. Revenue rose 10% to $4.5B from $4.08B. In Q1 '02 the company reported a $194M loss (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/17).
BLOOMBERG NEWS reports that Oakley's Q1 '03 earnings dropped 42% "as sales of sunglasses fell," but profit was "better than expected, and shares rose as much as 15% on that news." Net income for the quarter fell to $3.21M from $5.56M for the same period a year earlier. Overall sales increased from $109.6M to $111.2M (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/17).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "The Secret Service."
"This 20th century U.S. president was the first to receive official full-time protection from the Secret Service."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "It's such a nice a day ... and I took my lunch and I'm walking through Central Park, and I saw a beautiful spring sight here in (N.Y.). It was a robin, like one of the first robins of the spring, building a nest out of duct tape. ... We're learning more and more about Saddam Hussein and his family than we did before the war, and U.S. troops have busted into many of the family palaces. Listen to what they found. They break into one of the family palaces. Here's what they find: tequila, Viagra and Prozac, or as I call it, a pre-show cocktail. ... You can tell that the war is nearly over. Tonight on ABC, they have a two-hour special, 'Dick Clark's Rocking Downfall of Baghdad.' ... Even though Iraq has been liberated now, we have to teach them about democracy and the election process because there's still some confusion about democracy and the election process. ... No, wait a minute. That's Florida. ... I won't be seeing mom this Easter. She is still embedded with the 101st Airborne. ... I was looking at my calendar and this year we have a late Passover. We also have a late Easter and a late Saddam Hussein" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/16).
NBC's Jay Leno: "According to the latest poll just out today, 71% of the American people approve of President Bush and well Bush is very, very happy. Of course he's happy. It only took 49% of the vote to win the election. ... Now that the war in Iraq is over, a lot of people want President Bush to focus on the economy. You know who really wants Bush to focus on the economy? Syria. ... Today, the Iraqis sat down for talks on how to put together a post-war government. They would have sat down yesterday, but somebody stole all the couches. ... All of Iraq's oil fields are now under U.S. control, which is kind of ironic since all the gas stations here are run by Middle Easterners. ... Last night at a White Sox home game with K.C., a fan ran on the field and attacked the umpire. See, this is not fair because umpires make easy targets because with their eyesight, they can't pick people out of a lineup. ... Earlier tonight, Michael Jordan played his last game, and everyone in the stands all had that same thought: 'Oh man, how bad are the Wizards going to suck next year?'" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/16)
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Excuses From The Guy Who Attacked The Umpire" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/16).
| 10) "I thought it was 'Attack A Defenseless Umpire Night.'" |
| 9) "Let's see you drink 15 beers and not do something stupid." |
| 8) "Look at all the endorsements the shirtless father and son lunatics got." |
| 7) "I wanted to impress Royals shortstop Angel Berroa." |
| 6) "Umpire? I thought he was a vampire." |
| 5) "It was a Royals-White Sox game – somebody's gotta make it exciting." |
| 4) "You never heard of a little thing called 'Spring Fever.'" |
| 3) "Pete Rose bet me I wouldn't do it." |
| 2) "You're just not yourself when you've got shingles." |
| 1) "From my angle, he looked exactly like Uday Hussein." |
WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 12:30am ET 90-minute edition of "SportsCenter" led with Wizards-76ers.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who was Theodore Roosevelt?"
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