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Leagues and Governing Bodies

BOTH SIDES CAST THEIR EYES TOWARD AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

     When Acting MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "waves his magic wand
today, tomorrow or Wednesday," he will "cast the future of the
game -- short- and long-term -- into a sea of doubt" (Joel
Sherman, N.Y. POST, 9/12).  "Baseball has had seven previous work
stoppages but never has known the kind of chaos that will ensue
if it enters the off-season" without an agreement (Phil Rogers,
DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/10).
     POINT OF NO RETURN:  Weekend reports in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE
had Selig set to make the "formal announcement" today that he was
calling off the rest of the season, the playoffs and the World
Series (Jerome Holtzman, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/10).  But MLB denies
that any decision has been made (USA TODAY, 9/12).  Bob Costas
said, while the strike "may not be fatal" to the game, there is
already "long-term damage":  "I don't think that baseball will
ever be, in our lifetimes, what it once was" ("Meet the Press,"
NBC, 9/11).
     CENTER OF THE STORM:  ESPN's Peter Gammons:  "The [MLBPA]
now believes that Bud is far more powerful than they ever
thought. ... Now the question is, is Bud going to be the hero and
just close this down and resume the season or is he going to let
it go?" ("SportsCenter", 9/10).  In Dallas, Phil Rogers writes,
"Here he sits, for all intents and purposes willing to become the
Man Who Killed the World Series" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/11).
Selig:  "A lot of people have been taking shots at baseball and
me ... but they haven't seen the numbers, they don't understand
the problems" ("SportsCenter", 9/11).  NBC made a point of
showing Selig in attendance at the Green Bay-Miami game in
Milwaukee.  Selig was interviewed briefly during the 3rd Quarter:
"I hope there will be talks tomorrow, but there is nothing
planned" (NBC, 9/11).
     ON THE SAME PAGE?  Orioles owner Peter Angelos said he was
not in the loop on the decision to reject the players offer,
despite Selig's claims that all owners were apprised of the
players' position.  Orioles Vice Chair Joe Foss said he talked to
two other teams who were not contacted either (Peter Schmuck,
Baltimore SUN, 9/10).
     NOT TOO TORN UP:  Smith Barney media analyst John Reidy
called the strike a mere "distraction" for ABC and NBC:  "You are
much better off to be doing your regular season programming.
Sure, baseball gets some great ratings, but it doesn't build a
schedule" ("Nightly Business Report," PBS, 9/9).  In Boston, Jack
Craig concurs:  "The entertainment divisions of the networks will
take over the time periods, allowing them to keep all the revenue
in what is currently a booming advertising market" (BOSTON GLOBE,
9/11).

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