Morning Buzz, September 29, 2003

NBA TV TO ANNOUNCEDEALS WITH CABLEVISION, TWC & COX

NBA TV today will announce carriage deals with Cablevision,Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications. The MSOs, which combine to serve about 22 million homes, will put thenetwork on premium tiers.  Until now, ithas been available to the 20 million satellite subscribers of DirecTV and DishNetwork (Mult., 9/29). Meanwhile, NBA TV also unveiled a new logo (THE DAILY).

EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TODAY ON REVIVAL OF CANADA’S F1 RACE

The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that Canadian GrandPrix promoter Norm Legault will speak with F1 Management Chair BernieEcclestone again today to “try to hammer out the details” of a deal toreturn the race to the F1 schedule. Legault said that a deal to put the race back on the schedule, which wasdropped from the ‘04 schedule due to anti-tobacco advertising laws, is “90percent” done (GLOBE& MAIL, 9/29).

The Montreal GAZETTE reported that a Montreal Superior CourtJudge today will hear arguments on “why Ottawa’s and Quebec’s anti-tobacco lawsshould be constitutionally retooled to get the Grand Prix race and its economicfallout back in Montreal next year” (Montreal GAZETTE, 9/27).

ACC, MIAMI TOPRESENT ARGUMENTS ON LAWSUIT DISMISSAL

The AP reported that a CT judge today will hear argumentsfrom the ACC and the Univ. of Miami in favor of a dismissal of a lawsuit filedby a group of Big East schools.  Thehearing will include depositions from Miami AD Paul Dee and ACCCommissioner John Swofford.  Thelawsuit, filed June 6, contends that Rutgers, West Virginia, Pittsburgh andConnecticut “spent millions on their football programs based on presumedloyalty from schools with which they had been aligned” (AP, 9/27).

MORNING BRIEFS

The BOSTON GLOBE reports that John Hancock FinancialServices, a TOP sponsor among many other sports partnerships, will be sold toCanada-based Manulife Financial in a $10.9B deal.  Both BODs yesterday approved the deal.  Manulife will pay $37.60 a share for Hancock, an 18.5% premium onlast Wednesday’s close (BOSTONGLOBE, 9/29).  Manulifespokesperson Stephen Burgay said that John Hancock’s sports-relatedmarketing will continue (BOSTONGLOBE, 9/29).

Penguins C/Owner Mario Lemieux, on plans for a newarena in Pittsburgh: “We are making progress, and I think we will know in acouple of months where we are at.  And Ithink everyone realizes that we need a new building to stay here” (USATODAY, 9/29).

The Colorado Springs GAZETTE reported that CO Springs Mayor LionelRivera wants downtown’s Confluence Park renamed “Olympic Park” as “part ofa plan to enhance the [USOC’s] presence” in the city.  The idea is “gaining support from some influential communityleaders,” and a meeting to discuss the issue is set for October 6 (ColoradoSprings GAZETTE, 9/27).

The N.Y. POST reports that an effort to erect a statue of JackieRobinson in Brooklyn “is coming back to life.”  Sculptor William Behrends, who “crafted the Willie Maysstatue at Pac Bell Park,” has completed a design showing Pee Wee Reesewith his arm around Robinson (N.Y. POST, 9/29).

The Nuggets have signed Yuta Tabuse, who will be thefirst Japanese player in an NBA training camp (Mult., 9/28).

The AP reports that Lakers coach Phil Jackson was inEagle, CO, on the night that Kobe Bryant allegedly sexually assaulted ahotel employee.  Jackson, on thecoincidence: “We weren’t aware of the fact. We knew he was looking for medical clinics to appraise his knee and thesituation.  But it caught us bysurprise” (AP,9/29).

ATTENDANCEWATCH:

• A sellout crowd of22,828 attended yesterday’s North Korea-U.S. and Sweden-Nigeria Women’s WorldCup doubleheader at Columbus Crew Stadium. A crowd of 19,132 attended yesterday’s Ghana-Australia and China-Russiadoubleheader at PGE Park in Portland (THE DAILY).

• A crowd of 17,618 attended Saturday’s France-Brazil andArgentina-Germany doubleheader at RFK Stadium. A crowd of 14,356 attended Saturday’s South Korea-Norway andCanada-Japan doubleheader at Gillette Stadium. The following teams have advanced to the quarterfinals: U.S., Norway,Germany, Russia, Brazil, Sweden, China and Canada (THE DAILY).

• The AP reported that nostalgia “ruled the day as anannounced crowd of 58,554” attended yesterday’s Braves-Phillies game, the finalbaseball game at Veterans Stadium (AP, 9/28).

• MLB.com reported that a crowd of 60,988 attendedyesterday’s Rockies-Padres game, the final Padres game at Qualcomm Stadium (MLB.com,9/28).

• The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that an estimated crowdof 120,000 attended yesterday’s U.S. Grand Prix at IMS (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 9/29).

• A crowd of 12,074 attended Saturday’s Kings-Avalancheexhibition game at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas (AP, 9/27).

• The Baltimore SUN reported that a crowd of 6,527attended Friday night’s UNC-Navy women’s soccer game at Navy-Marine CorpsMemorial Stadium in Annapolis, “breaking the NCAA single-game attendance recordfor a regular-season women’s soccer game” (BaltimoreSUN, 9/27).

• The Montreal GAZETTE reported that a record crowd of53,445 “filled the upper reaches” of Olympic Stadium for Saturday’s MotocrossValvoline de Montreal (Montreal GAZETTE, 9/28).

• The AP reported that a crowd of 44,075 attendedSaturday’s New Mexico State-New Mexico game at University Stadium inAlbuquerque, the “largest ever to watch a college football game in New Mexico”(AP, 9/28).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The Nashville TENNESSEAN reportedthat ARCA driver Kim Crosby “picked up a new sponsor” for Saturday’sARCA Food World 300 at Talladega Superspeedway, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste.  The product was “developed by Dr. GeorgeBoudreaux after his own child developed an awful diaper rash.  It worked so well that he decided to sell itat the family’s pharmacy in Covington, LA. He’s now got a deal with Wal-Mart to go national.”  Crosby: “Everyone wants to know aboutBoudreaux’s Butt Paste.  It’s beenfun.  I like making people smile” (NASHVILLETENNESSEAN, 9/28).

WEEKEND RAP…

The following are excerpts from the panelists’ “partingshots” on Sunday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters”:

• K.C. Star columnist Jason Whitlock: "I know what’s the matter with the Oakland Raiders. ... They're not too old or too slow or too undisciplined -- they don't care about each other.  Their locker room chemistry is abysmal, and I'm not just talking about Bill Romanowski.  That's the only explanation for Jerry Rice's corn-over hairstyle. ... Jerry's going bald, but he won't accept it.  He's been wearing some sort of cornrow, dreadlock combination hairstyle that makes him look like a balding chia pet.  If Jerry's teammates cared about him, if they cared at all about the dignity of one of the game's greatest players, Lincoln Kennedy would wrap Jerry in a headlock, while Charlie Garner chopped that mess of Jerry's dome.  But they obviously don't care."

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil: "He was considered one of the top guys when he took the Eagles to the Super Bowl even if he lost to the Raiders.  Then he said he was burned out and went to work in television, and he did it long enough that people thought he'd never come back, but then he did.  And we all thought the Rams were nuts, and that Vermeil was a little nuts even for a football coach.  But this time Vermeil won the big game.  Then he left again. ... Now he's back again with the Chiefs, and seems to have as good a chance as anybody else in the AFC to go a third Super Bowl with a third team."

• ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, on the Univ. of MI seekingpayment from Chris Webber: "You've got to hand it to thesehypocrites in higher education.  Justwhen you thought they run out of ways to embarrass themselves, they createanother level of chutzpah.  The [Univ.of MI], which probably has the endowment bigger than the GNP of most ThirdWorld countries, is asking Chris Webber to pay them $695,000. … Besides beingbad PR, Michigan's move to recover reparations is a stark admission by theuniversity of what we've known all along: Big time college athletes are broughtto school to make money for the school, not get an education.”

• ESPN's John Saunders, on fans suffering injuriesat the Pittsburgh-Toledo game, and a Giants fan killed in the Dodger Stadiumparking lot: "If you don't have a uniform, stay off the field, and if yourbeer consumption equals the points your school has on the board, stay off thefield, get in your car, don't start any arguments, and have someone drive youhome.  We've talked many times aboutwhether the fan is part of the game.  I happento think you are.  What you are not, ispart of the team" (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 9/28).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• Lupica, on the MLB postseason, "I think this has achance to be one of the most interesting postseasons in baseball history. ...We've got the heartbreak Twins, the Boston Red Sox and the Cubs in this.  Yeah, I think something crazy is going tohappen this October" (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 9/28).

• Paolantonio, on the Clarett suit against the NFL:"I think that the NFL eventually will come to some sort of settlement withMaurice Clarett, because I don't think ... Clarett wants to go to along, contracted trial to begin with, and neither does the NFL.  Alan Milstein is already tellingreporters that he will drop the suit if the NFL will settle and allow MauriceClarett in.  This is not a big test casefor college football players" (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 9/28).

• ESPN's Rush Limbaugh, on the Clarett issue:"If the people around Clarett really cared for him as they say they do,they'd convince him to stay in school, get his education with a serious major.... The NFL needs to do whatever it takes to protect its on-field integrity,which is quality of play" ("Sunday NFL Countdown," ESPN, 9/28).

• ESPN's Chris Berman, on the renovated Soldier Field:"Looks like a spaceship landed on the old Soldier Field" ("SundayNFL Countdown," ESPN, 9/28).

THE BACK PAGES

The Morning Buzzoffers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s majormetropolitan tabloids:

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

TODAY’S EVENTS

The Devils will visit President Bush at the WhiteHouse this afternoon in a Rose Garden Ceremony to honor their Stanley Cupchampionship for ’02-03.  NHLCommissioner Gary Bettman and Devils President & GM Lou Lamoriellowill be among the attendees (AP, 9/29).

David Beckham’s autobiography, “Beckham: Both Feet onthe Ground,” co-written by Tom Watts hits retail today (NEWSDAY, 9/26).

The 11^th Annual Int’l Simulcast Conference beginstoday in San Francisco, and the THOROUGHBRED TIMES reported that improvingprocedures to “eliminate any lingering doubts about the reliability ofpari-mutuel wagering on Thoroughbred racing will the be the focus” of themeetings, which run through Wednesday (THOROUGHBRED TIMES, 9/23).

Events around the LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge begin today atthe Lincoln Hills Club in Lincoln, CA, and the SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNALreports that the $1M purse is “the highest this tournament has seen.  Raycom, with Longs Drug Stores as titlesponsor, has raised the purse from $500,000 over the years.”  The average purse on the LPGA Tour is $1.27M(SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL).

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL

This week’s cover story looks at the NHL’s labor situationby looking at both sides: Citing $1.5B in losses the past nine years, theleague is mounting a campaign to make the case for controlling playercosts.  In a Q&A, NHLPA Exec Dir BobGoodenow says that the teams have been hurt by bad business decisions, nota bad business structure.

For these stories and more, see this week's issue of SportsBusiness Journal.

EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Below are this week’s confirmed earnings announcements forsports-business related companies (THEDAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME offers “Mission Not Accomplished: HowBush Misjudged The Task Of Fixing Iraq.” Meanwhile, NEWSWEEKexamines “Farewell ‘Friends’” (THE DAILY).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Fox News Radio Service,which launched last spring with one-minute news updates, plans to expand inNovember, “selling news updates to radio stations around the clock andincreasing its offering to five minutes” (WALLSTREET JOURNAL, 9/29).

FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION

Friday night's"Final Jeopardy!" category was "The Toy Box."  

"Spud & Yamare 2 of the offspring of this toy introduced in 1952." 

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES: 

CBS’ David Letterman: "It's allergy season.  Take a little hint from me: this is the timeof year when I switch from Viagra to Sudafed. ... I have a big weekend comingup.  My scientology group is throwing mea baby shower.  I'm getting ready forthe child.  I'm putting childproof capson all the booze. ... Here's a story maybe you heard about.  It's kind of a long one, but listen to itanyway.  A brother and a sister fromAlabama, they go down to Alabama and they rob their great great-grandfather,and beat him and left him for dead. Well, it turns out he's ok.  AndI'm thinking, is it because I'm getting older and maybe a little toosentimental about this, I still think it's nice that they take the time tovisit their great-grandfather.  Don'tyou? ... Here's a crazy story. ... It's a flight from Thailand toAustralia.   There's a guy on this flight,and what he does is he smuggles snakes by putting them in his clothing on theflight.  And during the flight, they'reabout two hours out.  During the flight,this giant snake starts to squirm in his pants.  And for just a second, the male flight attendant thought that hehad found Mr. Right” (“Late Show,” CBS, 9/26).

NBC’s Jay Leno: "You can really tell how fall isstarting.  This is the time of year whenthe rap singers put on an extra layer of bling bling.  Actually, we don't really have a change of season here.  Every fall we have a change of governors....  At the gubernatorial debateWednesday night, I thought Arnold Schwarzennegger stayed pretty coolduring Arianna Huffington's attacks. Apparently he's still under orders not to kill any humans. ...  I think I figured out why Arianna is runningas an independent: I don't think any party wants her.  I think that's basically what happened.  They said, 'Shut up.' ... What was with Cruz Bustamante?  He seemed kind of out of it, didn't he?  He seemed kind of floating along. Probablythose Indian tribes must have donated some peyotes with the campaign money. ...President Clinton is now denying that he's endorsing General WesleyClark.  You know the differencebetween General Clark and Clinton? Anybody know?  You see the Gen.knows how to control his privates. … God bless Bruce Willis.  He's over there entertaining thetroops.  He took his band overthere.   And Bruce Willis told thetroops in Iraq that he will offer a $1 million bounty to the man who captures SaddamHussein.  And he offered $2 millionfor whoever brings him the head of Ashton Kutcher. ... According toSports Illustrated, O.J. Simpson has been invited to coach an all-starfootball game for college prospects in Florida.  O.J. coaching high school kids. You know just when it looks like California is going to take title forthe dumbest state in the union, Florida turns it around and snatches itback" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 9/26).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

Friday night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Bald GuysPickup Lines" ("Late Night," CBS, 9/26).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 11:30pm, 90-minute edition of “SportsCenter” led withChiefs-Ravens, followed by 49ers-Vikings, and Eagles-Bills.  The first non-NFL report, at 13:02 into thebroadcast, was Dodgers-Giants. The first report on the Women's World Cup was at 48:16.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that overall, “the frame was somewhat of a lacklusterweekend as the total boxoffice for the top 12 films registered around $79.3million – down nearly 14% from the comparable period a year earlier” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 9/29).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"What is Mr.PotatoHead?"

If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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