Morning Buzz, July 9, 2004

DOPING CLOUD LOOMS OVER U.S. OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD TRIALS

The U.S. Olympic track & field trials begin today at Sacramento State Univ., and the WASHINGTON POST writes, “Drugs are the No. 1 story in U.S. track & field. … Before the trials begin they’ve been reduced if not flat-out tainted. It’s certainly no way to stage your marquee event” (WASHINGTON POST, 7/9).

USATF CEO Craig Masback: “Even with the BALCO issues, we are poised to have one of our strongest Olympic trials ever, and we have one of the most promising groups of young, under-22 athletes in recent history” (L.A. TIMES, 7/9).

More than 1,200 media members, including 77 from foreign outlets, will cover the trials, 25% more than the ’00 trials at the same location (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/9).

USA Network and NBC will air live coverage for eight of the next ten nights, starting tonight on USA from 11:00pm-1:00am ET. Sam Flood will produce NBC’s coverage (THE DAILY).

NBC’s Bob Costas said that the net will not “shy away from drug probes involving top U.S. runners.” Costas: “If we don’t cover that thoroughly, then we’re missing a big part of the story” (USA TODAY, 7/9).

Meanwhile, the L.A. TIMES notes that a federal appeals court yesterday “rejected a legal challenge to the [USADA’s] procedural rules, apparently clearing the way for hearings involving a number of top U.S. sprinters accused of doping” (L.A. TIMES, 7/9).

Also, USADA attorneys today will ask U.S. District Judge Susan Ilston to give them the sealed grand jury testimony of six track athletes involved in the BALCO scandal (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/9).

80,000 EXPECTED TO ATTEND FIVE-DAY MLB ALL-STAR FANFEST

The John Hancock MLB All-Star FanFest begins today at 8:30am CT at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, and the HOUSTON CHRONICLE noted that the festival “includes more than 50 exhibits, interactive games, baseball clinics for children and free autograph signings by former major leaguers. Vendors also will be hawking baseball cards and other collectibles.” More than 80,000 people are expected for the five-day event (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/7).

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE also reports that about 10,000 revelers are expected at Houston’s downtown block party throughout the All-Star week. State officials have predicted that “29,000 out-of-state fans will attend the game and will each spend about $316 a day. The game will pump about $48[M] in the local economy and bring about $1.5[M] in sales tax revenue” to Houston (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/9).

MLBP yesterday began selling the official 2004 All-Star Game Program, which features two separate covers, one with Astros P Roger Clemens, the other with Nolan Ryan (MLB).

Clemens Cover	Ryan Cover

NO. 1 NBA SELECTION DWIGHT HOWARD CLOSE TO ADIDAS SHOE DEAL

FLORIDA TODAY reports that the father of No. 1 NBA Draft selection & Magic F/C Dwight Howard said that a shoe deal with adidas for more than $30M could be finalized as soon as today. Howard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, characterized the talks with adidas as being “real close,” but noted that Reebok “is also in the running” (FLORIDA TODAY, 7/9).

MLB CONTENT TO BE AVAILABLE IN MICROSOFT’S PORTABLE MEDIA CENTERS

The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports that Microsoft today will announce a deal with MLBAM that will make downloadable MLB content available “through subscription or [PPV] on Portable Media Centers, forthcoming hand-held audio and video players based on” the company’s software. The Portable Media Centers have 20 gigabytes of storage and will retail for $499 (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/9).

CFL INKS TV RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH COMCAST SPORTS SOUTHEAST

The CFL today announced a TV rights agreement with Comcast Sports Southeast/Charter Sports Southeast to carry live game action during the ’04 season beginning with tonight’s Ottawa Renegades-Montreal Alouettes. The net will also air playoff games and the Grey Cup. CSS has coverage in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia (CFL).

MORNING BRIEFS

The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports that Altitude Sports & Entertainment could seal its first major carriage deal “within days,” as the net’s talks with EchoStar, Adelphia and Charter are close to being finalized (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/9).

The BOSTON HERALD reports that Bruins C Joe Thornton has signed a deal to play next season for the Swiss Elite League’s HC Davos, but his agent J.P. Barry said that it would not “preclude him from playing for the Bruins should A) the [NHL CBA] get worked out and B) a contract with the B’s get hammered out” (BOSTON HERALD, 7/9).

The AP reported that Lance Armstrong will skip the Athens Olympics to spend more time with his children (AP, 7/8).

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig “strongly indicates” that next season the league will alter interleague rules, with pitchers batting in AL parks and DHs batting in NL parks. Selig: “We need to tweak that. I think that’s reasonable” (SPORTING NEWS, 7/12 issue).

The Yankees have broken their ticket-sales record of 3,562,711 set last season (Mult., 7/9).

The WASHINGTON POST reports that the Redskins and LB LaVar Arrington “have failed to resolve a $6.5[M] contract dispute,” forcing an arbitration hearing next month (WASHINGTON POST, 7/9).

The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that the Xcel Energy Center is “trying to land Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova for its annual tennis showcase late this fall,” but it could cost $150,000 for an appearance. Sharapova has “received nearly 200 product endorsement offers” since her Wimbledon win (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 7/9).

USA TODAY notes that NCAA President Myles Brand yesterday endorsed the NABC’s proposed recruiting and eligibility changes for men’s basketball. The proposal will be submitted July 19 to the NCAA Management Council for final approval (USA TODAY, 7/9).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The DETRIOT FREE PRESS reports that Ford Senior Players Championship fans who sat behind the par-three 12^th hole at the TPC of Michigan yesterday received a prize whenever a player birdied the hole. The prizes – T-shirts, towels and caps – were selected by spinning a wheel a la “Wheel of Fortune” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/9).

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

Flames President Ken King, coach Darryl Sutter and D Robyn Regehr will serve as grand marshals for the Calgary Stampede, which begins at 9:00am MT.

Tennis Canada will move its offices to the new Rexall Centre at York Univ. in Downsview, Ontario.

SI and NYC2012 will host “Youth Sports Day” at the USTA National Tennis Center, where nearly 2,000 children from the N.Y. Parks & Recreation, YMCA and N.Y. Sports Commission to participate in sports clinics and demonstrations. Yankees P Mariano Rivera, U.S. Olympic women’s soccer player Carla Overbeck, U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe and track & field Olympic hopefuls Diane Dixon and Otis Davis will participate.

Fan voting for the ’04 ESPY Awards ends. The show, taped next Wednesday, will air July 18 at 9:00pm ET.

NCAA ANNOUNCES SITES FOR ‘07 & ‘08 MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNEY

The NCAA yesterday released first-, second- and regional-round sites for the ’07 and ’08 men’s basketball championships (NCAA):

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, Will Ferrell tries his hand as an anchor for CNBC’s live daytime show, “Power Lunch,” prior to his appearance on the net’s inaugural telecast of John McEnroe’s talk show (THE DAILY).

Click Here To View Clip

IN OTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. TIMES reports that according to a N.Y. Post employee, News Corp. Chair & CEO Rupert Murdoch, whose company owns the Post, reportedly was the source for the paper’s exclusive report that had Dick Gephardt as John Kerry’s running mate Tuesday. The source “demanded anonymity, saying senior editors had warned that those who discussed the Gephardt gaffe with other news organizations would lose their jobs” (N.Y. TIMES, 7/9).

Jurors in the federal fraud trial of four former Adelphia Communications execs yesterday found John Rigas and his son, Timothy, guilty of some fraud and conspiracy charges and Michael Mulcahey and Michael Rigas not guilty of conspiracy (Mult., 7/9).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Fictional Characters."

“After a 58-year flirtation, this woman called it off temporarily in issue No. 720.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

NBC’s Jay Leno: “So our vice-presidential choices are John Edwards and Dick Cheney, the heart throb versus the heart attack. Democrats consider this Kerry-Edwards ticket a dream team, and of course dream teams never lose, isn’t that right Laker fans? Let me ask you something, have you seen Kerry and Edwards together? Don’t they look a little too friendly? I think their new campaign slogan is, ‘Hey guys, get a room.’ That’s why their wives are right behind them the last few days. They don’t want to leave these two guys alone. … President Bush said today he is ‘this close’ to naming a new head of the CIA. In a related story, agents at the CIA said, ‘what, Tenet is leaving?’ And the other day at the White House, President Bush met with the Prime Minister of Iceland. You see this is where President Bush is not good. I don’t think he understands a lot about these foreign countries. Like afterwards, he thanked the Prime Minister of Iceland for keeping all our drinks so cool during the summer” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 7/8).

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who was Lois Lane?”

Ken Jennings won his 27^th consecutive “Jeopardy” episode last night, bringing his total earnings for the show to $868,960.

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