OSCAR DE LA HOYA, on pressure to save boxing: "There's
no pressure because this is who I am. ... I want to be a
role model; I choose to be a role model. So, the pressure
is not there, having that image, the Golden Boy" ("ET,"
9/11). ...ESPN's David Aldridge, on the late RON GRINKER:
"In an era where agents are as responsible for the ills of
basketball as anyone, Grinker was an old-fashioned,
passionate advocate for professionalism and for the game.
He will be missed" ("SportsCenter," 9/11)....WNBA MVP
CYNTHIA COOPER was featured on the "Late Show" last evening.
Cooper: "They've compared me to Michael Jordan a lot as far
as my style of play and the success I've had in the WNBA, so
hopefully I'll be compared to Michael Jordan as far as my
salary goes also." More Cooper: "Some of our sponsors,
Nike, for example, they've really stepped up and made an
effort to renegotiate my contract. I told the Nike
representative, I said, 'Look, I'll accept what you guys are
going to pay me this year, but after you see my game, we'll
see what you say after that.' And they've really come back
and said, 'OK, OK, we believe you. We'll negotiate.'"
("Late Show," 9/11).....A memorial service for L. PATRICK
MELLON, who was Senior VP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing at
ESPN, will be held on September 18 at 10:30am at Town Hall,
123 West 43 Street, in N.Y. (ESPN).
