TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET edition of FSN's
"Primetime" led with Pacers-Rockets, followed by Sonics-
Nets. The first non-NBA story, at 6:18 into the broadcast,
was D'Backs P Randy Johnson winning the NL Cy Young Award.
The first NHL story, at 16:10, was the N.Y. media scrutiny
surrounding the future of Rangers coach John Muckler.
CNN/SI's 11:00pm ET "Sports Tonight" and ESPN's 12:00am ET
"SportsCenter" both led with Spurs-Jazz, followed by Lakers-
Suns. The first non-NBA story on "Sports Tonight," at 2:37,
was Johnson's Cy Young Award, and the first NHL story, at
25:38, was Ducks-Red Wings. The first non-NBA story on
"SportsCenter," at 3:28, was Ducks-Red WIngs (THE DAILY).
NASCAR: In Baltimore, Milton Kent reports that Sunday's
NASCAR Pennzoil 400 on NBC earned a 3.0/7 Nielsen overnight,
the "lowest rating for a Winston Cup race in the four years
that stock car ratings have been measured. Of course, most
NASCAR races don't run opposite NFL games, either"
(Baltimore SUN, 11/16). FSN's Keith Olbermann, promoting
Fox's Sunday NFL schedule: "Join the boys for the pre-game
show. ... Ah, hell, they're just warmin' it up for Fox
NASCAR Saturday, who are we kidding?" (FSN, 11/15). ESPN
Magazine announced plans for its first special issue, a
NASCAR 2000 season preview to be released on February 1. The
130-page magazine will cost $5.99, with 500,000 copies to be
distributed nationally (ESPN Magazine).
NOTES: Times Mirror Magazines "will introduce"
TransWorld Stance, a lifestyle publication "built around"
extreme sports. TransWorld Stance will be published bi-
monthly, with an 84-page issue debuting February 22 (CRAIN'S
N.Y. BUSINESS, 11/15)....DAILY VARIETY's John Dempsey
reports that Showtime has "slotted" Mike Tyson's next bout
for January 15, 2000, though the "location of the fight ...
is not certain" (DAILY VARIETY, 11/16)....In Palm Beach,
Ethan Skolnick reported that the Heat have "apparently
convinced" cable provider Comcast "to carry all games" on
WAMI in the Palm Beach area. Comcast "plans to show" the
games on "whatever channel usually carries" CSPAN2 (PALM
BEACH POST, 11/13)....ABC opened last night's "MNF"
broadcast by showing the cast of the net's "The Practice,"
which is set in Boston, arguing over who was better, the
Jets or the Patriots. The intro ended with actress Kelli
Williams leaping over the conference room table to tackle
fellow actress Camryn Manheim. Actor Dylan McDermott turned
to the camera and said, "Are you ready for some football?"
ABC also debuted a new camera angle during instant replay
challenges, which shows a head shot of both coaches in
separate boxes above a shot of the umpire judging the call,
along with a lower right hand graphic showing the time left
on the challenge ("Monday Night Football," ABC, 11/15).
