Morning Buzz, August 18, 2004

THE ATHENS SUMMER GAMES, DAY 6: TODAY’S HEADLINES

The Kathimerini (Greek English-language newspaper):

• Opinion: The Doping Debate.
• Commentary: Awkward Guardians.

More Headlines:

• Race Of The Century One Day Later Than Expected (L.A. TIMES, 8/18).
• Daggett And Costas Not Immune To Tumbles (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/18).
• Must-See TV Lacks Must-Have Buzz (N.Y. TIMES, 8/18).
• Blame Game Begins As Greek Sprinters Quit Olympics (LONDON TIMES, 8/18).
• Greeks Quickly Taking To Baseball (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/18).
• One Day Later, Phelps Resumes Gold Standard (WASHINGTON POST, 8/18).
• Games Return To Village Where They Began (USA TODAY, 8/18).

Quotes from Athens:

“Everything here has gone remarkably well. We have a long way to go, I understand
that, but the first few days of these events are always very important.”

GE Chair & CEO Bob Wright (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/18).

“What’s changed after eight years is her public image,
from teddy bear-wielding teen to Olympic sex symbol.”

NBC’s Bob Costas, on U.S. swimmer Amanda Beard
competing in her third Olympics (NBC, 8/17).

“If anyone’s looked through these magazines, you know they’re a little skimpy
but I have fun with it. I’m pretty confident with myself and my body.”

Beard, on posing in “Men’s Fitness” and “FHM” (NBC, 8/17).

“It really shows him to be a good teammate too,
another likable aspect of Michael Phelps.”

Costas, on Michael Phelps’ emotional interview following
the 4x200m Freestyle Relay Gold Medal swim (NBC, 8/17).

“Johnny Weissmuller must be rolling over in his grave.”

NBC’s Jim Lampley, on the U.S. swimming team failing
to qualify for the 100m freestyle (NBC, 8/17).

Athens Blog Highlight of the Day:

Several athletes, media outlets and other people are conducting blogs from Athens. The following is an excerpt from today’s featured blog:

U.S. women’s soccer player Brandi Chastain: “At this stage, the players are qualified, but it is in these moments when you will find out what the players are really made out of. The 'moment' can make the best of players lose their cool, or the shyest rise above. That is why it is key for our team to take that variable out of the equation immediately.”

View other Athens blogs.

NEWS FROM THE ATHENS SUMMER GAMES: RETURN TO ROOTS

The men’s and women’s shot put was held earlier today in Olympia, the site of the original Games in 776 BC. The AP notes that if they “closed their eyes and ears for a moment, the spectators could imagine the priestess of Hera sitting on her stone throne -- that is, if they could block out the dozens of TV cameras, incessantly ringing cell phones and canned Greek mood music during breaks (AP, 8/18).

ESPN.com noted that in “keeping with the spirit of the ancient Games,” 15,000 tickets were given away for today’s two sessions – 7,500 to people who purchased track and field tickets for August 20 and 24 in Athens; 2,500 to national Olympic committees; and 5,000 to the Greek public (ESPN.com, 8/16).

USA TODAY notes that no bleachers “have been installed on the stadium’s grassy slopes for spectators. There will be 10,000 fans for the morning qualifying, then another 10,000 for the late-afternoon finals. Seating will be provided only for dignitaries” (USA TODAY, 8/18).

The LONDON TIMES reports that Greek sprinters Kontstantinos Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou today withdrew from the Olympic Games during an IOC hearing and “apologized for a drugs fiasco that has marred the return of the world’s greatest sporting festival to its ancient homeland” (LONDON TIMES, 8/18).

The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS reports that the sprinters were “named in an e-mail exchange between BALCO Laboratories Owner Victor Conte and a Greek track and field coach” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/18).

N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg will depart for Athens today, where he will be having “private meetings with IOC members and spending some time in the hospitality booth of the NYC2012 bid near the Olympic Stadium. He is scheduled for press availability on Thursday” (AROUND THE RINGS, 8/18).

The U.S. men’s basketball team defeated Greece yesterday 77-71, and the close game has sparked more discussion around the country. A USA TODAY editorial stated, “The NBA’s encouragement of flamboyant slam-dunking individual stars with great fan appeal has hurt U.S. play” (USA TODAY, 8/18).

In an opposing op-ed, NBA Commissioner David Stern writes, “The impact that the 1992 ‘Dream Team’ has had on the development of international basketball is demonstrated anew in Athens” (USA TODAY, 8/18).

USA Network’s Jim Lampley, on yesterday’s game: “Greek organizers got the sell-out they needed at the Opening Ceremony. Tonight, they get the sell-out they wanted” (USA, 8/17).

NBA VP/Basketball Operations & USA Basketball Chair Stu Jackson, on the make-up of Team USA: “We had to go deep into our player pool after some guys elected not to join the team, but certainly the NBA is strong enough that these players are capable of winning a gold medal. That’s been our expectation from day one and it’s still our expectation” (USA, 8/17).

U.S. men’s basketball coach Larry Brown, on the team’s shooting woes: “Believe it or not, I think we’ll make an outside shot sometime in this tournament” (USA TODAY, 8/18).

SELIG’S CONTRACT AND CABLE CHANNEL EXPECTED TO GET THUMBS UP

The annual MLB owners meetings begin today in Philadelphia, and USA TODAY notes that the vote on a three-year contract extension of Commissioner Bud Selig’s contract is expected to be unanimous. Selig currently earns $5M annually, excluding bonuses and perks, and the extension “does not include a salary increase” (USA TODAY, 8/18).

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that the owners also are expected to “approve the launch of a league-owned cable channel … no later than fall 2005, but preferably in the spring.” A decision on the Expos’ relocation will not be made, and the baseball World Cup is “unlikely to get the green light” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/16 issue).

MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy said a relocation committee meeting is scheduled for today and that a move “will still be done in time for next season” (MLB.com, 8/17).

NFL MEETING WITH ROSE BOWL OFFICIALS OVER RECONFIGURATION

The L.A. TIMES reports that NFL execs will meet today with Rose Bowl officials to “review their reconfigured architectural plans, designs expected to be released later this week.” L.A. Coliseum officials yesterday presented league brass with a term sheet, but neither side has “released details of the term sheet.” There are no “immediate plans to meet with the Carson group” (L.A. TIMES, 8/18).

COCA-COLA SET TO UNVEIL LeBRON JAMES POWERADE FLAVOR

USA TODAY reports that Coca-Cola today will unveil Flava23, a LeBron James inspired red Sourberry PowerAde. James helped develop the drink, and said he “picked a color close to the Cavaliers’ road jersey. I chose Sourberry because I like the fruity taste” (USA TODAY, 8/18).

L.A. JUDGE TO RULE AS EARLY AS TODAY ON BOXING REALITY SKEINS

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reports that L.A. Superior Court Judge Lisa Cole could rule as early as today and block Fox’ boxing reality show “The Next Great Champ” from premiering September 10 for violating California boxing regulations. Cole yesterday agreed to consider an injunction filed by DreamWorks Television and Mark Burnett, whose rival boxing series “The Contender” debuts in November on NBC. NBC is not a party in the suit (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/18).

MORNING BRIEFS

NHL Exec VP & CLO Bill Daly released a statement on yesterday’s CBA negotiations that read in part, “I can’t report that we made any progress today, because we didn’t. We asked the Players’ Association directly what their response was with respect to the six proposals we made to them, and they were very clear that they’re not amenable to any of those proposals, so they’ve been rejected” (NHL).

NHLPA Senior Dir of Business Affairs Ted Saskin: “We've made it clear that we are not interested in any of their six concepts. … At this point we don't think throwing out proposals is the way to go. We need to get some common understanding and common ground before we fashion our next proposal” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 8/18).

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is “boycotting the BBC in protest of a documentary that turned the spotlight on links between” him and his son, Jason, who is a soccer player agent (London GUARDIAN, 8/18).

YankeeNets yesterday completed it’s restructuring to Yankee Global Enterprises, and the N.Y. POST reports that YES Network will name a new CEO in the next two weeks. The search process “had been held up by the pending restructuring” (N.Y. POST, 8/18).

FSN Florida has named former ESPN broadcaster Dave Strader as play-by-play announcer for the net’s NHL Panthers games (FSN Florida).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

Terrye Jackson yesterday at Universal Orlando Resort broke the Guinness World Record for consecutive television watching by viewing 50 hours and seven minutes of NBC’s Olympic Coverage (Guinness).

Bravo’s Mary Carillo, on the final contestants in the Guinness Olympics viewing marathon: “They’re hanging tough, and then there’s me. I keep thinking, ‘I’m watching dancing horses.’ No, I am – that’s dressage. I keep seeing fish too, but that’s okay because Mardy Fish is playing tennis against Juan Carlos Feraro” (Bravo, 8/17).

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

ESPN will conduct a 2:00pm ET conference call to preview its NFL coverage. “Sunday Night Football” Senior Coordinating Producer Jay Rothman, “Sunday NFL Countdown” Senior Coordinating Producer Stephanie Druley and analysts Tom Jackson and Joe Theismann will participate.

The Orioles will host their annual DC Fanfest, which includes autograph sessions and fan forums, from 11:00 am-2:00 pm ET at their team store at Farragut Square.

ESPN RANKS THE TOP 25 SPORTS SPOTS OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS

Last night ESPN aired “ESPN25: Who’s #1?; Best Sports Commercials,” a ranking of best sports commercials from the last 25 years (ESPN, 8/17):

IN OTHER NEWS….

Nielsen Monitor-Plus yesterday reported that ad spending rose 6.4% in the first half of the year, “led by gains in cable TV and local magazines.” Factory-sponsored automotive and political advertising “sparked the growth, which came atop an increase of 5.1%” for ’03. As the largest advertiser so far this year, Procter & Gamble spent nearly $1.4B in the first half of the year, up 10.6% compared to the year ago period (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/18).

REUTERS reports that marketers are “going digital to track the delivery of commercials into U.S. homes” by using Ad-ID. Ad-ID “gives advertisers a centralized Web-based system that helps assign unique codes to their properties.” In the immediate term, Ad-ID will “cut out costly code replications that have led to the wrong commercials being aired” (REUTERS, 8/18).

The N.Y. POST reports that fashion designer A’lone Alakazia yesterday filed a RICO civil suit against Russell Simmons and wife, Kimora, alleging they “ripped him off after he helped create a new clothing line and accessories for their urban-wear firm Phat Fashions” (N.Y. POST, 8/18).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

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

“It’s the only national capital city in the Americas to have hosted the Olympic Games.”

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

HOT TOPIC: Last night’s edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with a 5:12 report on Team USA defeating Greece, with 5:54 of total Olympic coverage.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is Mexico City?”

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