| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, August 6, 2004
9:00am ET | |
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| • | D’Backs Today To Announce Hiring Of Sports Agent Jeff Moorad To Exec Post |
| • | Newark Commission Meeting Today After Devils, City Reach Lease Agreement |
| • | IOC Exec Board This Weekend To Examine Accusations, Jerome Young Medal |
| • | Joe Chrnelich Today Taking Over Exec VP Role At Champ Car World Series |
| • | “Late Show” Top Ten List Examines Reasons For Slow Construction In Athens |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
SPORTS AGENT JEFF MOORAD JOINING D’BACKS IN EXECUTIVE POST
ESPN.com reported that the D’Backs will hold a news conference today to announce the hiring of sports agent Jeff Moorad to a “high-ranking job.” It is unclear whether Moorad Sports Management associates Brian Peters and Gene Mato “will remain with the firm following their boss’ departure.” Moorad’s current MLB clients include Manny Ramirez, Luis Gonzalez, Shannon Stewart, Darin Erstad and Orlando Hernandez. Meanwhile, D’Backs Chair & CEO Jerry Colangelo by next season “likely will no longer have any significant role with the team – if any at all” (ESPN.com, 8/5).
DEVILS REACH LEASE AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF NEWARK
The Newark STAR-LEDGER reports that the commission evaluating the $310M Newark Arena project will meet this morning to hear details of a lease reached yesterday between the Devils and the City of Newark. Execs familiar with the deal said that it “calls for an annual $2[M] cash payment from the Devils to the city.” Additionally, the city will receive roughly 8% of any naming-rights deal and 12% of luxury suite sales, pushing the value of the deal to nearly $3M annually (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 8/6).
IOC EXEC BOARD THIS WEEKEND TO EXAMINE NEW ACCUSATIONS
The IOC Exec Board will begin the 116th session of the IOC this weekend in Athens. The meetings run through August 12, the day before the Opening Ceremonies. REUTERS reports that the board will “examine new accusations of influence peddling in bidding for the Games and consider stripping the U.S. 1,600-meter relay team” of its ‘00 gold medals for a drug violation by Jerome Young (REUTERS, 8/6).
JOE CHRNELICH TAKING OVER EXEC VP ROLE AT CHAMP CAR
The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reports that Wisconsin State Fair Park CEO Joe Chrnelich today will be named Champ Car World Series Exec VP/Development, Government Affairs & Planning. In his new role, Chrnelich will “find new venues worldwide for the open-wheel series to race, negotiate contracts to sanction races and serve as the series’ primary contact with promoters.” Chrnelich’s last day at State Fair Park is August 15 (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/6).
K.C. ARENA OFFICIALS LOOKING FOR PROJECT MANAGER, ARCHITECT
The K.C. STAR reports that interviews for a project manager for the $250M downtown K.C. arena begin today. Officials also expect to “launch the search for an arena architect early next week, with applications due three to four weeks later and a decision expected in mid-September. Negotiations to hammer a preliminary participation agreement into an enforceable development contract with [AEG] are expected to begin next week” (K.C. STAR, 8/6).
MORNING BRIEFS
NBA Kings execs “walked away from plans for a new downtown arena Thursday night after the City Council capped the city's investment” at $175M (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/6).
The NCAA BOD yesterday approved six recruiting rules changes effective immediately. Among the new rules is the abolishment of the use of private air transportation for recruiting visits (Mult., 8/6).
Nike has “quietly introduced” a new TV spot featuring Marion Jones, “but with a twist: It has been edited to excise” Tim Montgomery (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/6).
The extension of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig’s contract, which is expected to be approved later this month, will be for three years (MLB.com, 8/5).
MLS Utah expansion franchise Owner Dave Checketts yesterday “gave a sneak peek … into what the team will be named.” Among the nicknames presented were Alliance, Glory, Highlanders and Real Salt Lake. Variations on the names are also being considered (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 8/6).
ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones, on Diana Taurasi: “Working with Nike, her shoe provider, there will be a new Taurasi line of sneakers coming out sometime soon, and she tells me that it's going to be a unisex type of shoe” (ESPN, 8/5).
The Raptors late yesterday announced a three-year deal with The FAN 590 to broadcast the team’s games. The station has been the Raptors’ radio broadcast partner since ’98 (Raptors).
After DirecTV reported its Q2 ’04 earnings yesterday, Wall Street analysts said that an “aggressive NFL Sunday Ticket offer and the recent launch of local channel offerings in new markets will boost gains for the rest of the year” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/6).
NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw yesterday “declined to comment on the details” of the Cowboys’ release of Quincy Carter, but confirmed that a player “cannot be released because of a failed drug test” (WASHINGTON POST, 8/6).
USA Today runs a special section devoted to this weekend’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Brickyard 400. Full-page advertisers include NASCAR sponsors Nextel, Domino’s Pizza, Visa, Best Western, as well as Target and Checkers Restaurants.
ATTENDANCE WATCH
A sellout crowd of 23,720 attended yesterday’s opening session of X Games X at Staples Center (L.A. TIMES, 8/6).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Baseball tournament organizer Triple Crown Sports President David King yesterday said in a written statement of Roger Clemens being ejected from his son’s game last weekend for reportedly spitting sunflower seeds at an umpire, “Mr. Clemens was unjustly asked to leave the field of play. For all of this, we apologize to Mr. Clemens. … After reviewing the situation, including the location of the official, it is impossible to believe that a seed was spit at our official by Roger Clemens or anyone” (AP, 8/6).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the independent Pioneer League Missoula Osprey tonight will award 30 fans with one-acre parcels of land on the moon, which were donated to the team by the Lunar Embassy. Meanwhile, the independent Frontier League Richmond Roosters will offer free admittance for fans named Martha Stewart for the rest of the season (N.Y. TIMES, 8/6).
THE BACK PAGES
The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:
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| N.Y. Post | N.Y. Daily News |
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| Philadelphia Daily News | Newsday |
TODAY’S EVENTS
Kenya’s two-month suspension from international soccer is expected to be lifted as FIFA’s emergency committee meets in Zurich (REUTERS, 8/5).
NFL, Boys & Girls Club and Sun Microsystems execs and ESPN NFL analyst Steve Young will host the grand opening of the Forever Young Zone at the NFL Youth Education Town in L.A. at 12:30pm PT. The 15,000-square-foot center will provide youths with technological training as well as ongoing adult educational seminars.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT….
Every Friday, the Morning Buzz highlights a video clip, chart or piece of information that might have fallen through the cracks. This week, on the set of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Tom Cruise gives basketball players everywhere a reason to be envious: a picture-perfect jumpshot (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The N.Y. TIMES reports that Nielsen Media Research and Italian AGB Group are forming a joint venture to offer ratings to 30 countries outside the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed (N.Y. TIMES, 8/6).
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that PepsiCo will introduce two soft drinks, Mountain Dew Pitch Black and Pepsi Holiday Spice, for a limited time. Pitch Black will “appear this month and stick around through Halloween,” while Holiday Spice hits stores November 1 and will be available through Christmas (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/6).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “People On The Map.”
“A European city founded in 1703 has at different times been named for these two people born 1,800 years apart.”
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS’ David Letterman: “The ‘Late Show’ here in New York City has been named to New York City’s top tourist destinations list. We are one of the top tourist destinations in New York City. Now, we’re not very high up on the list, I’ll grant you that. We’re right between the Port Authority bus station and the birthplace of Chuck Schumer. … The city is on a heightened state of alert, which is more than I can say for last night’s audience. But don’t kid yourself, this is serious. Earlier today in the West Village, the color coded threat level was raised to teal. … Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge is doing everything he can to get people settled down. He said go on about your business, just pretend it’s another normal day, do what you would ordinarily do on any given day, just don’t worry about a thing, so that’s what I did. I take him at his word, so earlier today, I went to 7-11, I got a copy of Hustler and a pint of Wild Turkey. … A crowd in Iowa gathered around John Kerry in a cornfield for a half an hour before they realized it was a scarecrow” (“Late Show,” CBS, 8/5).
NBC’s Jay Leno: “Yesterday in Davenport, Iowa, while President Bush and John Kerry were giving campaign speeches they had three bank robberies. Hey, you let Washington politicians into your town you’re going to attract the wrong element. … It seems the latest terror alert that Tom Ridge announced on Sunday was based on information that was four years old. … Of course, since it was four years ago, the color level has now been elevated to rust. Although they were quick to say that four-year-old threats are still very serious, to which Michael Jackson said, ‘Tell me about it.’ … The Republicans are now getting ready for their big convention in New York City. Apparently, they have a plan for going into New York, they just don’t have a plan on getting out. … A baseball company has now come out with these John Kerry and George W. Bush bobblehead dolls. Pretty realistic as the John Kerry bobblehead is huge and the George Bush bobblehead is empty. … The case against Kobe Bryant appears to be falling apart. In fact, did you hear what Kobe said today: ‘Room service!’ Now they’re talking about plea bargaining it down to an intentional foul” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 8/5).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Signs Athens Isn’t Ready For The Olympics” (“Late Show,” CBS, 8/5).
| 10 “Organizers lobbying for new event: yelling at contractor to hurry the hell up.” |
| 9) “Committee still hasn’t selected really gay theme for Opening Ceremonies.” |
| 8) “Makeshift Olympic symbol made of five interlocking poppy seed bagels.” |
| 7) “Yesterday, Athens’ mayor said, ‘Wait, we’re hosting the Olympics?’” |
| 6) “Thanks to mailroom blunder, all the steroids were shipped to Crete.” |
| 5) “Builders brought only one hammer and a box of wood screws.” |
| 4) “Olympic Visitors Center to be ready in early 2006.” |
| 3) “Athletes have to share a gyro.” |
| 2) “All the ‘Greece’ signs have a photo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.” |
| 1) “‘Olympic Stadium’ just a bunch of lawn chairs in an Applebee’s parking lot.” |
LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | “Around The Horn” | Cowboys release QB Quincy Carter | USA Basketball; Ricky Williams possibly returning to NFL |
| ESPN | “PTI” | Quincy Carter | Ricky Williams; Browns TE Kellen Winslow |
| ESPN | 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” | Expos-Cardinals | A’s-Yankees; Kings F Peja Stojakovic seeking a trade |
| FSN | “I, Max” | Ricky Williams | Quincy Carter; Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols |
| FSN | “BDSSP” | Mike Williams returning to USC practice | Ricky Williams; USA Basketball |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“Who are St. Peter and Lenin?”
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