Steelers coach BILL COWHER and Dolphins coach JIMMY
JOHNSON will appear in ADAM SANDLER's next film, titled "The
Water Boy." The coaches will play themselves (PITTSBURGH
POST-GAZETTE, 3/16)....JOE & GENE SILVERBERG, who along with
MICHAEL JORDAN's Restaurant own his "name, likeness, voice
and persona," are "asking a court to limit Jordan's
appearances at his new restaurant." Gene Silverberg:
"Michael is a human billboard, and anywhere he goes ...
people know it." Jordan will not be at the opening of his
new restaurant this week ("The Edge," CNBC, 3/13)....Cubs
broadcaster CHIP CARAY told the team that he is willing to
take his grandfather, HARRY CARAY's place singing "Take Me
Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch this
season. Caray: "If it's a healing thing that makes people
think of my grandfather, I'm willing to do it. I've told
them I will do whatever they think is right." Cubs
President ANDY MACPHAIL said that it "won't happen
initially," but could "if that's what the fans want"
(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/16)....The career and marketing of
JEFF GORDON is one of the features on HBO's "Real Sports,"
airing tonight at 10pm. Gordon, on what he thinks attracts
sponsors to him: "I didn't know I attracted sponsors."
HBO's Sonja Steptoe: "NASCAR sees Jeff Gordon as a way for
stock car racing to shed its moonshine, cowboy hat,
confederate flag image, and become a slick marketing and
entertainment enterprise along the lines of the NBA" (HBO,
3/16)....In N.Y., Neal Travis reported that Warner Books has
a "standing offer" of $4M for the life story of JOE
DIMAGGIO, but Dimaggio "continues to hold out" for $6M (N.Y.
POST, 3/16)....Country music star GARTH BROOKS made a pinch-
run appearance for the Padres yesterday during a spring
training game. Brooks nearly got picked off at first base,
before being forced out at second base on a double play
(AP/DETROIT NEWS, 3/16).
