| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | WNBA Expected To Release Statement Today Confirming Five-Year CBA |
| • | Rose Bowl Operating Committee To Unveil Plans For Redesigned Stadium |
| • | TN Senate Finance Committee To Hear NASCAR License Plate Plan Today |
| • | Dodge Tour De Georgia Begins Today In Savannah With Time Trial |
| • | World Hockey Association 2 To Hold Call Today With Prospective Owners |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
WNBA EXPECTED TO CONFIRM REPORTED FIVE-YEAR CBA TODAY
The HARTFORD COURANT reports that the WNBA today is expected to release a statement "confirming the five-year collective bargaining agreement the [WNBPA] announced Friday," ensuring a seventh season. WNBA Senior Dir of Strategic & Corporate Communications Traci Cook said Friday that league officials told her "they are still working on things and that they wouldn't expect to have an update until sometime (today)." NBA Commissioner David Stern confirmed over the weekend that a deal "should be reached by today" (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/22).
REDESIGNED ROSE BOWL PLANS CALL FOR NFL-CALIBER STADIUM
The Rose Bowl Operating Committee (RBOC) today will host a 9:30am PT press conference to unveil plans for a redesigned NFL-caliber stadium. Speakers include NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Moag & Co. Chair John Moag, RBOC Vice Chair & former Pasadena Mayor Bill Thomson and HOK Principal Dennis Wellner and Senior Project Designer Jon Knight (THE DAILY).
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE reports that the plan "includes cutting capacity of the 92,000-seat Pasadena venue by roughly one-third, adding more enclosed suites for corporate patrons and building an underground parking structure – all moves to please the NFL" (COPLEY NEWS SERVICE, 4/22).
BANKRUPTCY HEARINGS CONTINUE TODAY FOR TWINS SPONSOR
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that hearings continue today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in DE regarding grocery chain Rainbow Foods' sponsorship of the Twins. While Rainbow's cancellation of its Twins sponsorship will save the company $265,000, "officials from both the Twins and Rainbow … hope to find a way for the relationship to continue on some level" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/22).
NASCAR-THEMED LICENSE PLATES BEING SOUGHT IN TN AND NC
The Nashville TENNESSEAN reported that the TN Senate Finance Committee today is expected to hear arguments concerning Chair Douglas Henry's plan "to create a NASCAR-themed specialty license plate that would benefit the financially strapped Tennessee State Museum." Bristol Motor Speedway President & GM Jeff Byrd is working with NASCAR on a licensing agreement, but if a licensing fee is required, "the plate probably would replace 'NASCAR' with 'Race Fan' and a checkered flag or something similar" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/22).
The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reported that NC lawmakers in Charlotte "are pushing the state to authorize official stock car license plates, printed with the car numbers, logos and signatures of drivers." While NC has more than 100 specialty plates, "some lawmakers question this one, since NASCAR would be the first for-profit company to make money" off the plates (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/18).
SIX-DAY TOUR DE GEORGIA KICKS OFF TODAY IN SAVANNAH
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that the Dodge Tour de Georgia cycling race begins today in Savannah with a "time trial similar to qualifying in NASCAR." The trial will determine "who will wear the leader's yellow jersey [tomorrow] for Stage 1, which covers 136 miles from Augusta to Macon." The six-day event concludes Sunday in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/22).
Tour de Georgia Exec Dir Stan Holm: "Our objective is to come out of the box with a mini Tour de France" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/21).
WARONKER EXPECTS 30 PEOPLE FROM 10 CITIES TO JOIN WHA2 CALL
The FLORIDA TIMES-UNION reports that the status of the World Hockey Association 2 (WHA2) "could become clearer today when [prospective] owners and arena officials hold a conference call." David Waronker, who removed his four teams from the ACHL, "said 30 people from 10 cities will participate." Waronker, who is "hoping to receive commitments from interested cities," said that he expects between eight and 12 teams to participate in the inaugural season this year (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 4/22).
FIELDTURF HOPES TO PREVENT CAMP RANDALL INSTALLATION
The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reported that FieldTurf officials as early as today will seek an injunction to prevent the installation of turf by Sportexe at the Univ. of WI's Camp Randall Stadium. FieldTurf CEO John Gilman said that the proposed fields "violated FieldTurf patents." Gilman: "We sent letters out (to UW) last week and identified the patents that would be infringed" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/21).
FieldTurf this weekend was profiled as part of a N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE article on artificial turf (N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE, 4/20).
MORNING BRIEFS
Beijing Olympics IOC Coordination Commission Chair Hein Verbruggen called Chinese officials' acknowledgement of hundreds more cases of SARS Sunday "a very responsible action." Verbruggen: "You can always argue it could have happened earlier. I can understand the country is reluctant. But that is not only China. Many countries might say, 'We are a little bit reluctant to say immediately that the problem is serious'" (L.A. TIMES, 4/22).
The AP reported that the IMTA yesterday urged the ATP Tour "to address Lleyton Hewitt's dispute over a fine" he incurred last year in Cincinnati. Additionally, the IMTA said that the Tour's "distribution of hundreds of pages of documents to players, including the tour's 2002 financial report, was a direct response to the IMTA's request for such materials." The IMTA has secured the support of 58 players since March (AP, 4/21).
The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports that White Sox Owner Jerry Reinsdorf, IL State Sen. Mattie Hunter, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) and IL State Rep. Kevin Duncan will "discuss upcoming legislation that addresses trespassing onto the field at professional sports venues" during a news conference today (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/22). The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that Chicago Alderman James Balcer has proposed raising the city fine for such actions from $100 to $1,000 (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/22).
Fox NFL analyst Troy Aikman, on Annika Sorenstam playing in the Bank of America Colonial: "Having been in Dallas for the past couple of months, ever since it's been announced she's going to be playing in the tournament, there's been a big buzz" ("The Grey Goose 19th Hole," Golf Channel, 4/21).
49ers team doctor James Klint died of stomach cancer April 19 at the age of 60 (THE DAILY).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The Baltimore SUN reports that a crowd of 18,017 attended last night's D'Rays-Orioles game, "the smallest ever to see a game at Camden Yards, lowering the previous mark of 18,470 set on April 3" against the Indians (Baltimore SUN, 4/22).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
NBA Commissioner David Stern joked that workers "at the NBA office haven't been eating as well because the lack of [Mavericks Owner Mark] Cuban fine money 'was a jolt to [the league's] breakfast fund.'" Stern: "We had budgeted for much better" (L.A. TIMES, 4/22).
The BOSTON HERALD reports that Reebok's Terry Tate "collected kisses and high-fives at Heartbreak Hill and Cleveland Circle as he doled out CDs and forehead tattoos" that read, "Reebok … The Pain Train Is Coming" during yesterday's Boston Marathon (BOSTON HERALD, 4/22). As a note, adidas is an official sponsor of the Boston Marathon (THE DAILY).
The BOSTON GLOBE notes that Red Sox VP/Public Affairs Charles Steinberg "has been spotted playing (the piano) after nearly every game" of the Red Sox' current homestand at the .406 Club inside Fenway Park (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/22).
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 |
TODAY'S EVENTS
The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reports that the Chargers will hold a 12:30pm PT news conference to announce that Assistant GM A.J. Smith will be promoted to GM, replacing the late John Butler (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/22).
Dodgers VP & Assistant GM Kim Ng and USC football offensive coordinator Norm Chow will be among those honored at a 10:00am PT ceremony at L.A. City Hall as part of the city's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (THE DAILY).
ESPN will hold a 2:00pm ET conference call to discuss coverage of this weekend's NFL Draft. Senior Coordinating Producer Jay Rothman, host Suzy Kolber and analysts Mel Kiper, Jr. and Dennis Green will participate (THE DAILY).
TNT will host a conference call at 3:00pm ET with Turner Sports Exec Producer Mike Pearl and NBA analysts Charles Barkley, Jeff Van Gundy and Danny Ainge (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The L.A. TIMES reports that as early as today, AOL Time Warner's 50% stake in Comedy Central "is expected to be snapped up by the network's partner, [Viacom] for as much as $1.2[B]. AOL is selling reluctantly to pay off crippling debts" (L.A. TIMES, 4/22).
The WASHINGTON POST reports that the SEC is "investigating millions of dollars of advertising deals involving America Online that go significantly beyond the scope of problems already disclosed by AOL Time Warner." Included in the investigation are "a $100[M] transaction between America Online and Monster.com, as well as smaller deals with Drkoop.com and Catalina Marketing Corp. (WASHINGTON POST, 4/22).
The L.A. TIMES reports that RealNetworks yesterday announced a $36M deal to acquire S.F.-based Listen.com (L.A. TIMES, 4/22).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Scientific Instruments."
"French physicist Leon Foucault gave it its name, which is from the Greek for 'to view the rotation.'"
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
NBC's Jay Leno: "Michael Jackson had his annual Easter egg hunt out at the Neverland Ranch, but you know, fewer and fewer kids are showing up. I think the kids are starting to catch on. Like every year, Michael hides the eggs in the same place: his pants. ... American forces in Iraq found $650(M) in cash hidden in a sealed-up cottage. See, this is why Bush wants to invade Iraq. The entire country is like money and oil. It's like Republican Disneyland over there. ... They also arrested yet another Hussein half-brother. ... This is like, what, the third half-brother? How many half-brothers (does he have)? Was Hussein's father in the NBA? ... It was announced today that on May 29th President Bush is going to host his 35th class reunion from Yale at the White House. Boy, that is every C student's dream come true. Go back to your class reunion as the President. ... Congratulations to (Lakers C Shaquille O'Neal) and his wife Shawnee. They had a baby boy over the weekend. ... A spokesman for the baby announced today the baby will not finish pre-school, but go directly to the NBA. The baby was 6' 3", 181 pounds" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/21).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
CBS' Craig Kilborn: "I was switching channels tonight between Monica Lewinsky's show on Fox and 'CSI: Miami,' and I swore for a split-second I saw the world's biggest chalk outline. … Rodney King crashed his car into a house at 100 miles-per-hour. His lawyers are going to play the video backwards to prove the house hit him first. … Nick Nolte is going to give 60-minute lectures on the evils of drugs. I'm saying just cut out 59 minutes, and just show everyone his mug shot" ("The Late Late Show," CBS, 4/21).
MONDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Avalanche-Wild, followed by Flyers-Maple Leafs.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is a gyroscope?"
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