Morning Buzz, January 7, 2005

ANGELS AND CITY OF ANAHEIM HEAD TO COURT OVER NAME CHANGE

The L.A. TIMES reports that the city of Anaheim today will ask Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Polos to issue a temporary restraining order that would prevent the Angels from using their new name, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, pending further hearings. The club filed papers yesterday contending that the city “belatedly sought to rewrite a stadium lease ‘to reflect what the city wants the lease to say instead of what the lease actually says.’” The filing also claims that Arte Moreno “would not have bought the Angels … had the lease precluded the name change” (L.A. TIMES, 1/7).

BCS, ACADEMICS LIKELY TO BE AT THE CENTER OF NCAA CONVENTION

The four-day NCAA convention opens today in Dallas, and the DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that it is the “first opportunity for the commissioners of the 11 Division I-A conferences to discuss how to select at least the two representatives to future Bowl Championship Series title games now that the Associated Press has removed” its poll from the process. Additionally, the NCAA’s Committee on Academic Performance may “decide the minimums for avoiding penalties in the new ‘incentives/disincentives’ program that was approved last April” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/7).

The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that the ACC yesterday withdrew its proposal that would have granted college football players five years of eligibility “because it would have been rejected” at the convention (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/7).

Meanwhile, CSTV on Sunday at 9:30pm ET will air an interview with NCAA President Myles Brand on “One2One.” The following are excerpts from the discussion:

Brand, on mandatory interviews of minority coaching candidates: “I don’t think that’s the right approach because, in some ways, I think it’s hypocritical. If you know who you’re going to hire, and you just waste the time of the minority candidate, I think that’s unfair to that candidate.”

Brand, on matching athletic success with academic success: “I think the way to deal with the stability issue and graduation rates is to have long-term commitments from coaches, and make sure that they have a genuine opportunity to succeed. I’m not sure that this market, at least for some schools, is going to permit that in the future” (CSTV).

IRL HOPING TO CONVINCE CHEVROLET TO RENEW ITS CONTRACT

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that IRL execs will meet with engine manufacturers today in Indianapolis. Honda Performance Development GM Robert Clarke said of his recent discussions with IRL, “I told them that keeping Chevy (beyond the 2005 season) should be their top priority.” Chevy IRL Program Manager Joe Negri said that there is “no chance his employer will participate” in ’06, but that it is possible Chevy will return in ‘07 (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 1/7).

MILWAUKEE JUDGE GIVES MITSUBISHI, MILLER PARK DISTRICT DEADLINE

The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reports that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Kitty Brennan has set a 10:00am CT deadline today for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America and Miller Park stadium district attorneys to reach a settlement. Several people involved in the negotiations indicated that "minor logistical issues and some language changes in the final agreement were not believed to be serious enough to prevent" a settlement and announcement today. If a settlement is not reached today, Brennan will "go ahead with a trial" on Monday (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/7).

MORNING BRIEFS

The NHL Board of Governors meeting scheduled for next Friday “was canceled with little explanation yesterday.” In an e-mail, NHL Exec VP & CLO Bill Daly wrote, "We spoke with each of the 30 clubs over the last two days and apprised them of the status of the situation and specifically the lack of any new developments. And the clubs were unanimous in their view that there was no reason to go forward with a meeting" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/7).

Fox has rejected an ad for natural cold remedy Airborne that was to run during its broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIX because it shows actor Mickey Rooney’s backside (USA TODAY, 1/7).

The Seahawks sold enough tickets by 1:30pm PT yesterday to avoid a local TV blackout of Saturday’s NFL Wild Card playoff game against the Rams at Qwest Field. KOMO-ABC, which will air the game locally, “purchased a block of tickets, which it will donate to the military” (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/7).

MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy and Orioles Owner Peter Angelos yesterday resumed compensation talks around the Nationals' relocation to DC, but no deal has been reached.  The two sides are expected to continue meeting next week (WASHINGTON POST, 1/7).

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston police are "launching a citywide effort to crack down on raucous student behavior that has been blamed for vandalism and violence after last year's Super Bowl and Red Sox championships" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/7).

Jefferson District Court Judge F. Kenneth Conliffe yesterday issued a temporary injunction ordering WHAS-AM to "provide feeds of [Univ. of Louisville] broadcasts" to Sirius Satellite Radio, which entered a contract with the school in October (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 1/7).

Sources close to the Carlos Beltran negotiations claim that the Astros’ current offer is seven years and $105M, while the Mets have offered seven years and $112M (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/7).

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

Louisiana legislators will discuss funding possibilities for the $168M renovation of the Superdome at 10:00am CT (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/7).

IN OTHER NEWS….

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the Disney BOD yesterday formally separated the Chair and CEO positions, but it “left the door open for exceptions.” The issue “has been on the front burner” since George Mitchell took Michael Eisner’s role as Chair (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/7).

The S.F. CHRONICLE reported that Microsoft has inked a deal with MTV Networks “to provide video content that could be downloaded to a computer or transported to portable devices. Other video and audio content partners include Discovery Channel, Yahoo, Fox Sports, CNBC, the Food Network and Home & Garden Television” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/6).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was “Europe.”

“After being subdued by the Franks in the 700s, this people formed a kingdom at Pamplona in the 800s.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “I heard a staggering statistic about New York City earlier today. New York City is one of the fattest cities in the United States. I had no idea. People in New York City are apparently among the fattest people in all of America. Apparently it’s true. Guys are now so big, people in New Jersey are aiming laser beams at them. … Here’s some bad news: ladies and gentlemen, crime on the New York subway system is up. It’s true, because just earlier today, teen punks tied me up with my own belt, and yesterday I had to wriggle out of duct tape. … Here’s good news: Bob Barker will be returning for his 34^th season of ‘The Price is Right’ and then in 2009 he’ll be replaced by Conan O’Brien. Bob Barker is 106. … Earlier tonight, maybe some of you saw it, a new psychic crime drama on NBC. How many of you folks have seen it? It’s called ‘Medium.’ Now this should not be confused with the new Kirstie Alley show, ‘Extra Large’” (“Late Show,” CBS, 1/6).

NBC’s Jay Leno: “It was so cold last night, Anna Nicole Smith was hitting on old guys just so she could inherit their space heaters. … It was so cold, pilots are asking people to shine laser beams at them just for the warmth. In fact in Chicago, listen to this, Oprah gave her audience a choice between a new car and an electric blanket. They took the electric blanket. … President Bush has begun working on his inauguration day speech. He says when he’s sworn in, he will swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the treasure map that is drawn on the back of it. … Hey did you know this? At the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, tourists can experience what it’s like to take the Oath of Office as President at a virtual swearing-in station. Your image is up on a giant screen while an actor playing a Supreme Court Justice swears you in. It’s kind of like a fantasy camp for Democrats. … Oh, and speaking of that, Alberto Gonzalez, nominee for U.S. Attorney General, answered some tough questions today from Congress about his role in the Iraqi prison torture scandal. But afterwards he said to make himself relaxed he used that old trick of imagining the audience in their underwear, with hoods over their heads being led around on a dog leash by a woman” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/6).

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who are the Basques?”

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