The N.Y. POST examines new Nets Coach John Calipari's
efforts to sell and promote the team. Calipari: "We've been
losing a long time. I've got to change a culture, which means
some drastic things" (N.Y. POST, 9/18). Calipari was a also a
guest on the Bloomberg Business News "Bloomberg Forum"
("Bloomberg Business News," 9/18)....Only "about" 6,000 fans were
in attendance at Kauffman Stadium Monday night for Paul Molitor's
3,000th hit. The Royals announced a crowd of 16,843, "largely
based" on tickets sold after the game as mementos of the event.
2,500 tickets were bought Monday night and 5,600 yesterday
(Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE, 9/18)....The Bucs will participate in
a FL state-wide campaign urging parents to pay their child
support. In the Tampa area, 21 billboards will be erected
featuring head coach Tony Dungy, QB Casey Weldon, LB Hardy
Nickerson and their children. Radio and TV ads will also begin
appearing (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 9/18).... ESPN's Peter Gammons says Jim
Leyland's resignation in Pittsburgh was due in part to the team's
unwillingness to compete financially: "Frankly, from (Pirates
Owner Kevin) McClatchy's standpoint, Leyland is, justifiably, one
of highest paid managers in the game. There is no reason for him
to keep him on there just to rebuild the team" ("SportsCenter,"
ESPN, 9/17). More Gammons: "McClatchy is going to look around.
If the team can't draw people, they can't get a ballpark, than he
is going to move on, whether it's Washington, Charlotte,
Monterrey ... there is no sense continuing in Pittsburgh at this
rate" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 9/17)....Ex-J.Geils Band member
Peter Wolf, who wrote the "Sky High" theme song for the UMass
men's basketball team, sings "This Train is Bound for Glory" in
the Celtics new TV spots which begins airing today. Nine Celtics
players are featured in the ad. Celtics Marketing Dir Stuart
Layne: "It's very cutting edge. It's very different than what
we're used to seeing from Boston sports teams" (BOSTON GLOBE,
9/17).
