Morning Buzz, June 16, 2004

PISTONS WIN THIRD NBA TITLE LAST NIGHT; T-SHIRTS HIT RETAIL TODAY

The Pistons won their third NBA Title last night, defeating the Lakers 100-87 to close out the series in five games in front of 22,076 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The win gives Palace Sports & Entertainment Owner Bill Davidson control of the Stanley Cup and NBA title, marking the first time a majority owner has won titles with two major sports franchises in the same year (Mult., 6/16). Palace Sports also owns the WNBA defending champion Detroit Shock.

The DETROIT NEWS reports that American Silkscreen & Embroidery printed 10,000 “Bad Again” T-shirts Monday, and the shirts “should be in local malls today and sell for about $15. The Palace will sell the ‘locker room’ clothing, car flags and pennants” starting at 8:00am ET today (DETROIT NEWS, 6/16).

Wheaties will issue a commemorative package honoring the Pistons in the next two to three weeks (Wheaties).

The DETROIT FREE PRESS reports that while fireworks exploded outside The Palace, “celebratory gunshots rang over Detroit. In downtown Royal Oak, hundreds of fans poured into the streets.” Detroit police “made a dozen arrests, and the crowd was boisterous but controlled” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/16).

Detroit will host an 11:30am ET parade tomorrow to celebrate the championship and a separate celebration will be held at 4:00pm ET at The Palace (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/16).

IMG, INDIA TO UNVEIL MASTER PLANS FOR IMG ACADEMY IN HYDERABAD

IMG and the Government of India will hold a 9:30am ET press conference at The Asia Society in N.Y. to unveil plans for the IMG Academy in Hyderabad, India. IMG Senior Corporate VP Peter Johnson, IMG Academies North America VP Ted Meekma, Consul General of India Pramathesh Rath and Arquitectonica Principal Bernardo Fort-Brescia will attend. The N.Y. TIMES reports that IMG is not an investor in the project, “but it is licensing its name and providing expertise, coaching and staff members for 10 years.” The first phase of construction will cost $120M (N.Y. TIMES, 6/16).

JETS OWNER TO HONOR JAMES DOLAN AT LUAU FOR LUPUS FUNDRAISER

The Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR) today will host its annual fundraiser, the Luau for Lupus, at the N.Y. Marriott Marquis, and the N.Y. OBSERVER reports that Jets Owner & ALR Chair Woody Johnson will give a speech lauding Cablevision CEO James Dolan “for his philanthropic efforts and contributions to [N.Y.’s] economy.” The pairing “would seem to be an odd one,” as the Dolans are “bankrolling a fierce public attack against” the West Side stadium (N.Y. OBSERVER, 6/14 issue).

DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS EFFECTS OF COWBOYS STADIUM

The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reported that the Dallas City Council today will discuss in executive session how pursuing a stadium deal with the Cowboys will “affect its contract with the American Airlines Center, [which is] funded partially by Dallas tax dollars. Under the lease agreement with the center, the city cannot build another arena that would compete for events that the center hosts” (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/15).

K2 TODAY ACQUIRES THREE ADDITIONAL SPORTING GOODS COMPANIES

K2 today announced the signing of three acquisition agreements in which Volkl Sports Holding AG, The Marker Group and Marmot Mountain Ltd. would become wholly owned subsidiaries of K2. The transactions are expected to be completed by mid-July.  Volkl is a ski manufacturer, Marker manufactures ski bindings and Marmot is in the premium technical outdoor apparel and equipment market (K2).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that the deals are for over $200M and signal that K2 is "continuing an acquisition spree that has included more than a dozen sporting-goods companies since Richard Heckmann became" CEO in '02 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/16).

FORMER HABS RADIO ANNOUNCER FILING WRONGFUL TERMINATION SUIT

The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that former Canadiens radio announcer Dino Sisto will file a wrongful termination lawsuit against CJAD this morning after being fired by the station yesterday. Sisto was “suspended by the radio station because of harassment complaints from a woman who works as a hostess at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens’ home arena.” Sisto disputes the claims (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 6/16).

MORNING BRIEFS

The L.A. TIMES reports that BALCO Founder & President Victor Conte is “willing to plead guilty to federal charges of distributing steroids and testify against his former clients” in exchange for a plea bargain, according to a letter he sent to President Bush, Attorney General John Ashcroft and others (L.A. TIMES, 6/16). View the letter.

The S.F. CHRONICLE reports that a federal prosecutor claimed in a recent letter that 71-year-old Jane Landucci helped Barry Bonds’ trainer, Greg Anderson, “in laundering the proceeds of his steroid sales to athletes” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/16).

The N.Y. TIMES reports that MSG Network broadcaster Marv Albert is leaving the network, and a source said he was told by MSG “to be less critical” of the Knicks. Albert: “It stopped being enjoyable for me. … I decided to move on” (N.Y. TIMES, 6/16).

The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS reports that the Sharks yesterday laid off 13 employees in advance of a possible NHL lockout (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 6/16).

With the WHA beginning this fall, Lightning RW Martin St. Louis said of possibly playing for the league, “Sitting at home or making $5[M], it would be very tempting.” Red Wings C Kris Draper: “(Playing in Europe) would be difficult, leaving the family behind for who knows how long. This (WHA) would be an option” (USA TODAY, 6/16).

Blue Jackets LW Rick Nash: “I am prepared to go over to Europe to play.” The TORONTO SUN reports that Nash has an offer from Swiss League club Bern (TORONTO SUN, 6/16).

Starleaf Sports Entertainment COO Max Chambers said that the $100,000 “good faith” deposit his company paid David Waronker for the WHA franchises in Jacksonville and Orlando “was put into escrow on Monday and that ‘all that is left is for the lawyers to hammer out the details’” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 6/16).

NFL Network has hired Kenny Albert as play-by-play announcer for its three preseason telecasts. Albert will be joined by former “MNF” analyst Dan Fouts and former Broncos RB Terrell Davis (NFL Network).

REUTERS reports that Callaway Golf cut its Q2 ’04 and full-year revenue and profit outlook yesterday, partly “because of declining titanium driver sales.” The company also cited a “continuing drop in its Japanese business and a bigger-than-expected loss in its Top-Flite operation” (REUTERS, 6/16).

BLOOMBERG NEWS reports that Smarty Jones “probably will be retired for breeding after running three more races this year” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/16).

The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that the Hornets will “complete the restructuring of their basketball operations staff, perhaps by the end of the week, by adding” Willis Reed, Bob Lanier or Clyde Drexler (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 6/16).

Pittsburgh will host the ’05 Citgo Bassmaster Classic presented by Busch Beer from July 29-31, and the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that the event is “expected to lure 70,000 visitors and add [$20-30M] to the Pittsburgh economy" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/16).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that a crowd of 26,281 attended last night’s CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders-Toronto Argonauts game at SkyDome, the Argonauts’ largest home crowd in almost four years (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 6/16). The attendance figure was “inflated when a bank [yesterday] bought out the entire upper level” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 6/16).

ESPN RANKS THE TOP 25 TEAMS FROM THE PAST 25 YEARS

As part of its ESPN25 programming, ESPN aired "Who's #1: Best Teams" last night, ranking the top 25 teams over the last 25 years (ESPN, 6/15):

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
Philadelphia Daily News	Newsday

TODAY’S EVENTS

The Ravens will unveil a third uniform, which will be worn during the November 7 game against the Browns at M&T Bank Stadium, during a 12:30pm ET news conference at the team’s weight room at its Owings Mills Facility. Ravens LB Ray Lewis and QB Kyle Boller will model the uniforms. Lewis was involved in the uniform design. The Baltimore SUN reports that the uniform is all-black (Baltimore SUN, 6/16).

The Athens Olympic torch arrives in L.A. for a one-day relay across the city (L.A. TIMES, 6/16).

John Hancock will donate 4,000 tickets to the John Hancock All-Star FanFest to Houston inner-city youth through the Roger Clemens Foundation and Houston Mayor Bill White’s office. John Hancock VP/Community Relations Carol Fulp, Houston Mayor Pro-Tem Carol Alvarado, Astros Owner Drayton McLane and Astros P Roger Clemens will participate in a 2:00pm CT ceremonial ticket giveaway at Minute Maid Park.

NBC Sports will conduct a 1:00pm ET conference call to preview the net’s coverage of the U.S. Open, which begins tomorrow at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY.

The Harlem Globetrotters will perform at noon ET during the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports Sponsors Healthier U.S. Fitness Festival celebration on the National Mall in DC.

IN OTHER NEWS….

USA TODAY reports that UPN’s upfront ad sales rose 40% to $350M, compared with $250M a year ago. CBS President of Network Sales JoAnn Ross, who oversees ad sales for CBS and UPN: “We stole money from WB. We stole money in terms of share from ABC. We attracted over 20 new advertisers.” UPN tied CBS for the highest ad rate surge – 9% – during the upfront (USA TODAY, 6/16).

The AP reported that Wall Street Journal writers “plan to withhold their bylines from stories” for today and tomorrow, as contract negotiations with their employer, Dow Jones & Co. “turn increasingly rancorous” (AP, 6/15).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Classic Literature."

"'Did I request thee, maker, from my clay to mould me man...' is the epigraph to this 1818 novel."

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

CBS' David Letterman: "Let me give you an example how hot it is. Today, Jennifer Lopez married Ben & Jerry. It's so hot today in New York City, Puff Daddy changed his name from P Diddy to P Sweaty. It's so hot today, in Central Park I saw a squirrel packing his nuts in ice. ... It's Jennifer Lopez's tenth day of being married to salsa heartthrob Marc Anthony, and today at the Pentagon, Donald Rumsfeld promised to begin rotating in fresh husbands. ... Donald Rumsfeld said the White House sees no wiggle room in the definition of torture. I don't think the White House has had a wiggle room since Clinton left. ... President Clinton's official portrait was unveiled yesterday at the White House. Don't get too excited because already there's trouble. Clinton's portrait was hitting on the Dolly Madison portrait. ... If the U.S. does give up Saddam Hussein, he would be the biggest jerk to change hands since NBC handed me over to CBS" ("Late Show," CBS, 6/15).

NBC's Jay Leno: "Yesterday, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the FBI has arrested a Somali man involved in an al Qaeda plot to blow up a shopping mall in Columbus. I sleep better at night knowing our mall security guards are among the best-trained, best-equipped killing machines in this country. ... These shopping malls are not taking this threat lightly. Today, Pottery Barn raised their terror warning code to magenta, and it could go to teal. ... People are now criticizing the FBI and CIA for failing to work together despite the fact that they're on the same team. You know what we call that in L.A.? The Lakers. ... Yesterday at the White House, they unveiled the official portrait of former President Bill Clinton. It's very classy. It's on black velvet. ... There was one embarrassing moment today when they found the portrait on top of the picture of Dolly Madison" ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 6/15).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Real Reasons John Kerry Is Running For President" ("Late Show," CBS, 6/15).

CBS’ Craig Kilborn: “As we’re taping, the Pistons are trying to eliminate the L.A. Lakers in the NBA Finals, and I’m telling you, the Lakers are not playing very well in this series. Karl Malone, the Mailman, is actually moving slower than a real postal worker. Big Lakers fan Jack Nicholson is so desperate to see a Lakers win, he bought courtside seats to Kobe’s trial. Let’s face it, the only way Kobe’s going to get a ring is if he cheats on himself. … Tonight TBS begins airing cleaned up episodes of ‘Sex in the City.’ TBS now has ‘Sex in the City’ in reruns. They had to clean it up. They’ve actually renamed it to, ‘Third Base in the City’” (“The Late Late Show,” CBS, 6/15).

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"What is 'Frankenstein?'"

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