| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, December 23, 2004
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | NBA Today To Appeal To U.S. District Court That Arbitrator Has No Jurisdiction |
| • | As NHL Lockout Enters 99th Day, January 14 Appears To Be Drop-Dead Date |
| • | Small Window May Exist For DC Council To Reconsider Ballpark Financing Deal |
| • | Colts Owner Jim Irsay Anticipates Increase In Ticket Prices With New Stadium |
| • | Yankees Set Franchise Record With 234,717 Tickets Sold On First Day Available |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
This is our final Morning Buzz of the year. The Daily will publish today, but our
editorial offices will be closed December 24-31. The Morning Buzz, The
Daily and Closing Bell will return Monday, January 3. Happy Holidays.
NBA CHALLENGING ARBITRATOR’S JURISDICTION IN O’NEAL SUSPENSION
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the NBA this morning in U.S. District Court in Manhattan will appeal arbitrator Roger Kaplan’s decision to reduce Jermaine O’Neal’s suspsension for his role in the November 19 brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills, arguing that Kaplan did not have jurisdiction to rule on the matter. If Judge George Daniels upholds Kaplan’s jurisdiction, O’Neal would be eligible to play in the Pacers’ Christmas Day game against the Pistons (N.Y. TIMES, 12/23).
NHL LOCKOUT HITS DAY 99, IS JANUARY 14 THE DROP-DEAD DATE?
The NHL lockout reaches its 99th day today, and the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reports that according to two hockey sources, if a new CBA is not reached by January 14, the NHL BOG is “expected to recommend to Commissioner Gary Bettman that the season be canceled” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 12/23).
The AP reported that the league yesterday confirmed that the NHL BOG will gather on January 14, but NHL Exec VP & CLO Bill Daly said, “I can’t confirm any particular agenda for that meeting. I think it would be premature to do that, and quite frankly, unfair to the process” (AP, 12/22).
DC BALLPARK FINANCING DEBATE MAY BE REOPENED IN JANUARY
The WASHINGTON POST notes that there “might be a slim chance” that the financing package for a Nationals ballpark along the Anacostia Waterfront in DC could be reopened after three new DC Council members take office January 2. The three incoming members, all of whom have “expressed opposition to a publicly financed stadium,” will be replacing ballpark supporters. However, Sharon Gang, a spokesperson for DC Mayor Anthony Williams, said that the current legislation "would become permanent once it is signed" by Williams, which is expected to happen next week (WASHINGTON POST, 12/23).
MORNING BRIEFS
Following yesterday’s stadium negotiations with acting New Jersey Gov. Richard Codey and NJSEA execs, Giants Exec VP & COO John Mara said, “We met for a couple of hours, and we agreed to meet again after the holidays.” Another official familiar with the meeting said the negotiations “went well” (NEWSDAY, 12/23).
As the team recently agreed to a 30-year lease with the city of Indianapolis, Colts Owner Jim Irsay yesterday said of ticket prices, “I certainly anticipate an increase, but that increase will not be the high, top-priced tickets in this league. We have to price our tickets in a reasonable way” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/23).
The Yankees sold 234,717 tickets for ’05 regular-season games yesterday, a franchise record for the first day of individual game ticket sales (N.Y. TIMES, 12/23).
The IAAF yesterday provisionally suspended Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou and their coach Christos Tzekos, meaning the athletes cannot compete while their doping cases are in process (USA TODAY, 12/23).
NBA TV will premiere its first originally-produced documentary, “Manute Bol: Basketball Warrior,” on December 29 at 5:30pm ET. Djimon Hounsou will narrate the half-hour special (THE DAILY).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM writes, “Taking a dig at Mark Cuban isn't anything new at NBA arenas. It happens at least a dozen times a season, and the Hawks got two shots in Wednesday. At the end of a Bachelor-type set up early in the game, a female fan decided to forgo the date in favor of a secret prize. So, what did she win? The complete first season of ‘The Benefactor.’ On VHS. In the fourth quarter, Cuban and developmental coach Mark Bryant were paired together on the ‘kissing cam.’ Needless to say, they ignored the gag” (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 12/23).
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
Tim Danson, former Avalanche C Steve Moore’s attorney, will host a press conference to discuss Moore’s thoughts on the recent sentencing of Canucks F Todd Bertuzzi. Danson and Moore may appeal the Vancouver court's decision, as Moore wants to "deliver his victim impact statement in person" (CP, 12/23).
IN OTHER NEWS….
A Turner Research analysis of Nielsen ratings through December 19 concludes that for the third straight year, basic cable will top the broadcast networks. According to the study, ad-supported cable captured a 52.7 primetime share, an all-time high and up from 50.5 in ’03. The broadcast networks saw their share decline from 44.5 to 43.1 (MULTICHANNEL.com, 12/22).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “19th Century Speeches.”
“At Harvard, this writer proposed that we work one day and leave six free for the ‘sublime revelations of nature.’”
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS’ David Letterman: “You know it’s the cold and flu season. I was walking through Central Park today, and when you get the cold and flu season in New York, everybody panics about it. So I’m walking through Central Park and I saw a squirrel putting Vick’s Vapor Rub on his nuts. ... I’m doing some Christmas shopping today, and there’s a guy on the street, and I buy a watch from him. I put it on and I said to him, ‘This watch runs slow,’ and he said, ‘So did the guy I stole it from.’ ... You know about the big deal that was going to bring Randy Johnson from the Diamondbacks to the New York Yankees? Well, that has fallen through. They found out that Randy Johnson had two mistresses and an illegal nanny. But it’s probably just as well it fell through because it was a very complicated deal. It would have sent Randy Johnson to the Yankees, three pitchers to the Diamondbacks and me to ‘The Tonight Show.’ ... The Clintons are celebrating Christmas up there in Chappaqua and it’s the same every year. Here’s what happens: Hillary comes downstairs Christmas morning and finds a surprise under Bill” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/22).
NBC’s Jay Leno: “It is so cold back east even some of the red states are turning blue. Man, the stores are crowded. In fact, it was so busy at Wal-Mart, they’re even hiring people with green cards. ... Here’s a Christmas shopping tip: when you leave a department store, make sure you have a bag in both hands so this way you have an excuse not to reach into your pocket and give a donation to the guy ringing the bell. ... According to a new poll, 72% of pet owners buy their pets a Christmas present. In fact, in Las Vegas, Siegfried gave his cats a chew toy: Roy. ... Here’s an update on the Robert Blake murder mystery: there’s no mystery! He did it! Things are not looking good for Robert Blake. Apparently, when he went back to the restaurant to get his gun he called Amber Frey” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/22).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night’s Top Ten List was “Top Ten Least Popular Christmas Carols.” The list was sung on-stage by the “Late Show Carolers” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/22).
| 10) “Here comes Ron Artest, here comes Ron Artest, ready to punch us out.” |
| 9) “You’re beginning to look a lot more attractive, I’ve had too much egg nog.” |
| 8) “Have another dose of steroids, try the cream and try the clear, keep it up a few more months, you’ll break Hank Aaron’s record next year.” |
| 7) “I saw mommy kissing Bernie Kerik.” |
| 6) “I bought no gift, my kids are sad, the house looks like a dump, we can’t afford Christmas because I was fired by Donald Trump.” |
| 5) “O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum why does your name sound Jewish?” |
| 4) “He’s lost Ashcroft and Powell and Evans and Veneman, Abraham, Paige and Ridge and Thompson. Can George Bush forestall losing his cabinet one and all?” |
| 3) “What happened to Kirstie Alley? What happened to Kirstie Alley? What happened to Kirstie Alley? She’s as big as a house.” |
| 2) “I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me, I’ll be home for Christmas, Martha’s busting out of the penitentiary.” |
| 1) “Did you hear ‘bout Cheney’s daughter? Gay gay gay gay gay, gay gay gay gay.” |
LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | “Around The Horn” | Randy Johnson trade falling through | Falcons QB Michael Vick; AP pulling out of the BCS |
| ESPN | “PTI” | Jermaine O’Neal’s suspension reduced | Randy Johnson trade falling through; Dolphins coaching search |
| ESPN | 11:30pm ET “SportsCenter” | 76ers-Pacers | Jermaine O’Neal’s suspension being reduced by ten games; Cavs-Nets |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“Who was Henry David Thoreau?”
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