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Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz, November 21, 2003

The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, November 21, 2003
9:00am ET

MLB, MLBPA Could Announce Today Deal To Send Expos Back To Puerto Rico

Buyout Agreement Between Brewers And Payne Could Be Finalized Today

Interested Parties To File Initiative Today To Allow Slots At CA Racetracks

NFL Says Raiders Who Tested THG Positive Will Not Be Suspended This Season

LPGA To Host First World Congress of Women’s Golf In N.Y. In May

Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy!


EXPOS APPEAR TO BE HEADED BACK TO PUERTO RICO FOR 22 GAMES

The WASHINGTON POST reports that MLB and the MLBPA couldannounce today an agreement for the Expos to play 22 home games in San Juan,Puerto Rico, next season.  The final“major hurdle to the deal was resolved in MLB’s favor when a San Juan promoteragreed to end his insistence that MLB contractually owed him an additional$600,000 in revenue from last season’s Expos games.  That dispute delayed completion of the deal for nearly a month asMonterrey, Mexico, re-emerged as an alternative venue.”  San Juan has guaranteed MLB $9-10M (WASHINGTONPOST, 11/21).


BREWERS, ULICE PAYNE EXPECT TO FINALIZE CONTRACT BUYOUT TODAY

The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reports that negotiations fora buyout of the contract of Brewers President Ulice Payne Jr. “broke offjust shy of an agreement [yesterday], leaving both sides expecting to finalizethe deal today. … The final, critical detail involved agreement on a strictconfidentiality agreement, which contains financial penalties for Payne if hebroaches it.”  The settlement “will payPayne [$2.5-3M], which includes his remaining salary, escalators and 1% equityin the team” (MILWAUKEEJOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/21).


TRACKS, CARD ROOMS HOPING TO HAVE SLOTS BILL ADDED TO BALLOT

The L.A. TIMES reports that corporations that ownhorse-racing tracks and card rooms as early as today will file an initiativewith the California AG’s office “aimed at next November’s ballot to allow themto operate slot machines.”  If passed byvoters, the measure “could open the way for as many as 30,000 slot machines tobe split among five privately owned racetracks and 11 card rooms.”  The proposition “would probably receivefinancial backing from corporations that could benefit from it” (L.A.TIMES, 11/21).


MORNING BRIEFS

The WASHINGTON POST reports that the four Raiders who testedpositive for THG “will not face a four-game suspension this season.”  NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabuedecided taking action against anyone who tested positive before October 6 –about the time THG was discovered – “could have an impact ‘on the requisite competitive fairness for all 32teams’” (WASHINGTONPOST, 11/21).

The K.C. STAR reports that the Jackson County (MO) SportsComplex Authority yesterday unanimously approved $354M in potential publicfunding “for improvements to Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums.  In exchange, the Chiefs and the Royals would commit to spend at least$65[M] for improvements and would agree to extend their leases at the sportscomplex from 2015 to 2029” (K.C.STAR, 11/21).

The AP reports that USOC President Bill Martinyesterday sent a letter to IOC President Jacques Rogge saying that “the annual payment to WADA will likely be madein the next 60 to 90 days, following passage of a Treasury/Transportation billmaking its way through Congress” (AP,11/21).

Former Magic coach Doc Rivers yesterday was hired byABC Sports as lead analyst for its NBA coverage (Mult., 11/21).

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE notes that through eight broadcasts,TNT’s NBA games “are averaging 47,000 households in Houston, the fourth-bestrating in the nation behind San Antonio, Memphis and Sacramento” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 11/21).

The N.Y. TIMES reports that LPGA Commissioner Ty Votawyesterday announced plans for a World Congress of Women’s Golf, to be held inN.Y. in May.  Among the topics ofdiscussion “will be dealing with cultural diversity, developing junior golfers,sponsorships, television, world rankings and that golf will become an Olympicsport” (N.Y.TIMES, 11/21).

TheWASHINGTON POST reports that the Orioles yesterday dropped their rookie-levelGulf Coast League team.  Sincethe debut of Cal Ripken’s Aberdeen IronBirds in the short-season Class ANew York-Penn League in ‘02, the Orioles “had been the only team with sevenaffiliates” (WASHINGTONPOST, 11/21).

The BOSTON GLOBE reports that Tom Baker will stepdown as sports talk radio WEEI-AM GM in January (BOSTONGLOBE, 11/21).

ESPN.com reported that a MastroNet auction from December1-19 will include the football Emmitt Smith carried on his careeryardage record-breaking run with a starting bid of $10,000.  The ball is “expected to break the all-timerecord for a football sold at an auction. That mark is already held by Smith, who sold the ball he carried to hisfirst touchdown for $24,922.”  Alsoincluded in the auction will be the “infamous Steve Bartman baseball andLou Gehrig’s 1936 New York Yankees contract” (ESPN.com, 11/20).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

Following former Mets Assistant to the GM Bill Singerblaming a combination of the Atkins diet and alcohol for slurring the ethnicityof Dodgers Assistant GM Kim Ng, the BOSTON GLOBE contacted Dr. LilianCheung of the Harvard School of Public Health’s Nutrition Source Website.  Cheung, on Singer’s alibi: “Oh,my gosh.  I’ve never heard that one” (BOSTONGLOBE, 11/21).


THE BACK PAGES

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

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

TODAY’S EVENTS

MLS will host an 11:00am PT conference call at the TorranceMarriott in Long Beach to award Wizards M Preki, Fire F Ante Razovor Rapids F John Spencer with the ‘03 Honda MVP award.  All three finalists will attend theconference, along with MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

American Honda Motor, in collaboration with the U.S. Fundfor UNICEF will host a bilingual soccer clinic to kick-off MLS Cup weekend at1:30pm PT at The Home Depot Center. Former MLSer Eric Wynalda will emcee the event.

The deadline to vote on the nameof the Bobcats’ mascot ends at midnight ET.  The team has offered five options – Rufus, Scratch, Fang, Cooland Al E. Cat – though voters may submit a write-in.


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…..

Every Friday, the MorningBuzz highlights a video clip, chart or piece of information that might havefallen through the cracks.  This week,VH1’s “I Love The ‘80s Strikes Back” looks at the phenomenon that is The Waveduring its 1984 segment.  From an angry ScottIan of Anthrax to an annoyed NFL Network anchor Rich Eisen, severaloffer their thoughts on the ballpark and stadium sensation (THE DAILY).


IN OTHER NEWS….

The L.A. TIMES reports that “strong growth in subscribersfor its television recording service” caused TiVo’s revenue to increase 73% inQ3 ’03 to $43.3M, compared to $25M in the same period a year earlier.  TiVo lost $7.4M in the quarter, down from an$11.5M loss last year (L.A.TIMES, 11/21).


FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “People On TheMap.”

“A European city founded in 1703 has at different times beennamed for these two people born 1,800 years apart.”


LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “First Rush Limbaugh.  Now Michael Jackson.  Mom’s whole world is crumbling. ...Neverland Ranch yesterday was liberated. The chimps greeted American forces with flowers.  This couldn’t come at a worse time for CBSbecause next week they were doing the big Michael Jackson special.  So now, CBS has canceled the Michael Jacksonspecial, and now that leaves me as the biggest disgrace on CBS. ... Police swarmedall over the Neverland Ranch for 12 hours; about 60 investigators and theyfound a lot of items that they said need explaining.  Like the wedding photo with Lisa Marie Presley. ... Hisbail was set at $3 million because they consider him a flight risk.  Think about it.  The guy could run off anywhere and blend right in” ("LateShow," CBS, 11/20).

NBC’s Jay Leno: “Let’s see what’s going on withMichael, or as the kids call him, SpongeBob No Pants. ... Yesterday, an arrestwarrant was issued for Michael Jackson and today by mistake, the cops picked upDiana Ross. ... I guess they got Michael on that new California law,three tikes and you’re out. ... Today, during a cavity search they found EmmanuelleLewis. ... Paris Hilton said she is so upset about her sex videothat it’s really made her think about some changes that she wants to make.  You know, better lighting, don’t jiggle thecamera so much, more dialogue. ... President Bush said his visit toEngland is going so well that if time permits, he’d also like to visit theUnited Kingdom and Great Britain as well. ... Lap dancing in L.A. is now legalagain.  God bless him, that ArnoldSchwarzenegger works fast” ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 11/20).

LATENIGHT LAUGHS:

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Perks Of Being APlayboy Playmate,” read on-stage by ten Playboy Playmates ("LateShow," CBS, 11/20).

10) “You’ve got yourself one really impressive passport photo.”

9) “Parts of me count as a tax deduction.”

8) “Get to appear on one of the top four late night talk shows.”

7) “On our birthdays, Hef takes us to Applebee’s for all-you-can-eat riblets.”

6) “How many people can say they’ve skinny-dipped with Jay-Z and Alan Greenspan in the same night?”

5) “A chance for men to appreciate my sparkling wit and enormous breasts.”

4) “I can use this as a springboard to the Supreme Court, just like Sandra Day O’Connor.”

3) “I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket.”

2) “We got to meet Scott Baio!”

1) “I bought a house with the money I saved on pants.”


THURSDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

Net

Show

Lead

Next Items

ESPN

“Around The Horn”

Notre Dame

Knicks; UCLA-USC

ESPN

“PTI”

Freddy Adu

TCU; Notre Dame

ESPN

10:30pm ET  “SportsCenter”

TCU-Southern Miss. NCAA football

Spurs-Mavericks; Magic-Suns

FSN

“BDSSP”

Jay-Z interested in buying the Nets

Browns RB William Green; teammate relationships

FSN

“New England Sports Tonight”

Capitals-Bruins

Patriots FB Fred McCrary; Patriots WR Dedric Ward

Empire Network

“Empire Sports Report”

Sabres injuries

Capitals-Bruins; Maple Leafs-Oilers


FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who were Lenin and St. Peter?”


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

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