Reebok CEO PAUL FIREMAN is featured in a FORTUNE story
titled, "CEOs In Denial." FORTUNE's Patricia Sellers calls
Fireman a "boastful" salesman who has "major credibility
problems with investors. [He's] held on thanks to cronies
and unwavering supporters on [his board]" (FORTUNE, 6/21
issue)....Starzz coach FRANK LAYDEN is "intent on making" his
players "better, more well-rounded adults and providing them
with a family atmosphere." He has started a book club with
the players and plans on taking them to "various cultural
events." He recently cancelled practice to take them to see
"The Phantom Menace" and arranged for them to see singer
Sarah Brightman. Layden: "I'm just looking for ways to make
them curious about something and maybe they'll find a new
hobby" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/16)....Amid reports that Univ.
of RI F LAMAR ODOM is rethinking his decision to become
eligible for the NBA Draft, his N.Y.-based agent JEFF KLEIN
told the SportsBusiness Journal's Josh Gotthelf that he
resigned yesterday morning as Odom's rep (THE DAILY)....76ers
President PAT CROCE and team physician JACK MCPHILEMY will
leave from Ocean City, NJ, tomorrow on a motorcycle trip to
CA. Croce, on the journey: "Ocean to ocean, that's what
we're calling it" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/16)....Actress
ASHLEY JUDD "showed up ... hand in hand" with CART driver
DARIO FRANCHITTI at her sister WY's "Kmart show" in TN
(Nashville TENNESSEAN, 6/16)....On last night's "Fox Sports
News Primetime," Jeanne Zelasko reported that EARL WOODS is
quoted in the June issue of ICON magazine saying Scotland is
for "white people. ... People had better be happy the Scots
live there instead of these soul brothers. The game of golf
would have never been invented" ("FSNP," 6/15). Woods said,
"I absolutely, unequivocally, flat-out deny having ever said
that to anybody. It's false" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 6/16).