Morning Buzz, September 19, 2003

MLB ASKS EXPOS PLAYERS TO SHIFT ABOUT QUARTER OF ‘04 GAMES

The AP reported that MLBPA Associate General Counsel Gene Orza today “plans to discuss a split schedule with Expos players,” after MLB yesterday asked all MLB players “to shift about a quarter of the Expos’ home games next year from Montreal to San Juan or Monterrey.”  Despite MLB’s intention to decide on a relocation site by the end of the season, “it appears no long-term solution will be made for the 2004 season.”  Orza: “The handwriting on the wall is pretty stark” (AP, 9/18).

THE BOSS, ANGELOS TRADE BARBS OVER CALL TO PLAY YESTERDAY

The Yankees and Orioles attempted to play a 12:05pm ET game yesterday at Camden Yards despite Hurricane Isabel approaching.  Following a rain delay at the end of the fifth inning, the game was eventually halted as a 1-1 tie.  While the attendance was announced at 29,093, the “crowd was estimated at 1,200” (N.Y. POST, 9/19).

Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner commented on the decision to play, saying, “Schools, businesses, athletic events – virtually everything was called off – and for them to proceed was stupidity at its worst” (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN, 9/18).

Orioles Owner Peter Angelos responded, “There goes George again.  He didn’t get his way.  Like a spoiled child, he berates and insults others, never realizing that his tirades strongly suggest that he may very well be the one who’s suffering from the condition he attributes to others” (Baltimore SUN, 9/19).

NFL BLACKOUT WATCH: SEAHAWKS GRANTED EXTENSION

The SEATTLE TIMES reports that the Seahawks “received a 24-hour extension on the local television blackout deadline from the NFL” and now need to sell about 3,000 tickets by 1:00pm PT today for Sunday’s game against the Rams to be shown on local TV.  The team “sold a little more than 6,000 tickets over the past two days,” and close to 10,000 since defeating the Cardinals 38-0 last Sunday (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/19).

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that “despite a late rush for tickets, local Colts fans will face a TV blackout Sunday for the second game in a row and the fourth time in the past five regular-season home games.”  About 5,400 tickets remained at yesterday’s deadline for the game against the Jaguars.  By last night, the “count had dipped to 3,900” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/19).

STARS TO UNVEIL NEW TX LICENSE PLATE DURING GAME TONIGHT

The Stars and the city of Dallas will hold a ceremony during the first intermission of tonight’s 7:30pm CT exhibition game against the Rangers to officially kick off sales for the new Stars license plate.  The plates are now available from the TX Department of Transportation for a $30 annual fee, plus $40 if personalized.  Of the $30 fee, $22 will be used by the city of Dallas for having spent public funds for the construction and renovation of the American Airlines Center (Stars).

MORNING BRIEFS

Nike yesterday released its Q1 ‘04 earnings, and the AP reported that the company “boosted earnings per share 21[%] from the same period last year, while revenue increased 8[%] to a record $3[B] from $2.8[B]” in Q1 ‘03 (AP, 9/18).  Nike shares closed yesterday at $52.75, and REUTERS reported that shares rose 4% in after-hours trading following the announcement (REUTERS, 9/18).

The L.A. TIMES reports that the ‘06 Turin Olympics men’s hockey tournament “will feature 12 teams and won’t include a qualifying round to get into the main draw, a change from the format used” at Nagano in ‘98 and Salt Lake City in ‘02.  The format “will be implemented regardless of whether NHL players take part” (L.A. TIMES, 9/19).

HBO runs a full-page ad in USA Today promoting Saturday’s re-air of the Shane Mosley-Oscar De La Hoya super welterweight title bout (THE DAILY).

The AUSTRALIAN AP reports that David Beckham’s autobiography, “My Side,” sold “86,000 copies in two days, … [and] is expected to sell 1.5 million copies” (AAP, 9/19).

The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reports that NASCAR has “eliminated the practice of racing back to the yellow, ending the controversial ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ with a rule that bans all passing once a caution flag is displayed” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/19).

The Nationwide Tour Albertsons Boise Open continues today, and the AP reported that Michelle Wie began her first round with a birdie, but finished with a seven-over 78.  She will “need a stellar round [this] morning to make the cut” (AP, 9/19).  The IDAHO STATESMAN notes that her appearance “drew an estimated 12,000 fans.”  Tournament organizers handed out 2,500 “Go Michelle” buttons (IDAHO STATESMAN, 9/19).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that the paid attendance for yesterday’s Marlins-Phillies game, which was moved from its scheduled 7:05pm ET start to noon ET, was 20,950, “but there were only about 12,000 in the stadium” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/19).

• The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that the announced attendance for Reds-Pirates yesterday, which was also moved up because of the storm, was 10,390, “but it looked as if only a fraction of that amount was in the seats” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/19).

• The AP reports that with “rain and wind from the fringes of Hurricane Isabel soaking through parkas and bending back umbrellas, … all 65,115 seats at Lane Stadium were sold out last night” for the Texas A&M-VA Tech football game (AP, 9/19).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, whose rental car was struck by lightning the last time he was covering a VA Tech home game: “The last time lightning, this time a hurricane.  I’m worried the next time will be an earthquake” (USA TODAY, 9/19).

THE BACK PAGES

The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:

Philadelphia Daily News	Philadelphia Daily News
N.Y. Post	N.Y. Post Magazine

N.Y. Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

NCAA President Myles Brand will appear at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, at 4:00pm ET to deliver a lecture on the ethical and academic challenges of college sports.  The event is open to the public and free of charge (Albany TIMES UNION, 9/19).

The MLS Burn have called a 2:30pm CT news conference to name Greg Elliott their new President & GM.  Elliott was formerly a VP of San Jose-based Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, which briefly operated the MLS Earthquakes (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/19).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…..

Every Friday, the Morning Buzz highlights a video clip, chart or piece of information that might have fallen through the cracks.  This week, on “Live! With Regis & Kelly,” Kelly Ripa informs the general public that high-definition TV will be the end of actors, while Regis Philbin makes good on a bet, sporting a Michigan football jersey after his Fighting Irish were throttled 38-0 by the Wolverines last Saturday (THE DAILY).

Click Here To View Clip

IN OTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. TIMES reports that AOL has paid an undisclosed fee to the N.Y. Post for “nearly a million copies of [the newspaper to] be distributed without charge” next Wednesday, as part of the company’s promotion of that night’s free concert by the Dave Matthews Band in Central Park.  The newspapers will “feature a CD-Rom with a trial of AOL’s Version 9.0, as well as several songs” by the band (N.Y. TIMES, 9/19).

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that for a tenth consecutive year, Microsoft co-Founder Bill Gates remained No. 1 on the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 9/19).  View the entire list.  The following details the top five (FORBES.com):

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Adventurers.”

“On his deathbed in 1324, he reportedly said, ‘I have not told half of what I saw.’”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES: 

NBC’s Jay Leno, on Hurricane Isabel: “Did you see those 100 mile-per-hour winds?  Is that incredible?  Thank God all our kids are obese and they couldn’t get blown away. ... MSNBC is covering this hurricane with what they call imbedded reporters.  They’re imbedded in trees, they’re imbedded in walls, sides of buildings. ... It was so wet today in Washington, John Ashcroft ordered the Justice Department to put raincoats on all the nude statues.”  More Leno: “Gubernatorial candidate Gary Coleman is having trouble raising funds.  He’s now flying around California in a crate. ... Yesterday, in an interview, former President Bill Clinton said he believes New Yorkers would release Hillary from her commitment to serve six years in the Senate if she wanted to run for President.  I’m shocked.  A Clinton who doesn’t believe in commitment. ... Seattle voters voted overwhelmingly to reject a $0.10 a cup coffee tax.  I’m glad that got defeated because if that had passed, there would have been riots, people tipping over BMWs, looting Pottery Barns, police subduing yuppies with fresh ground pepper spray” ("Tonight Show," NBC, 9/18).

THURSDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s “Around The Horn” and “PTI” were pre-empted due to the net’s coverage of the PGA Tour 84 Lumber Classic of PA.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who was Marco Polo?”

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