ROBERTS BREAKS THE SILENCE ON ERVING: In N.Y., Selena
Roberts wrote on RDV Sports VP JULIUS ERVING's relationship
to ALEXANDRA STEVENSON under the header, "Doctor J's Amazing
Free Pass." Roberts wrote that when pressed about his
connection to the young girl, Erving's "reaction was to
lie." Roberts: "He did it without regard for the impact it
might have on the vulnerable psyche of an 18-year-old girl."
Roberts, on press coverage of Erving's actions: "Somehow, no
one wants to blame Erving for cheating on his wife.
Sometimes, icons like Erving just get a free pass on
responsibility. ... What credibility does Erving have now?"
(N.Y. TIMES, 8/28). ESPN's Mitch Albom called the media
attention on Alexandra Stevenson during the U.S. Open
"completely wrong. ... Stevenson -- Dr. J's kid, basically
-- hasn't won anything, hasn't done anything except be part
of a very ugly 'Who's the daddy' story" (ESPN, 8/29).
OTHER NAMES: DENNIS RODMAN's part-time bodyguard KELLY
DAVIS said he worries about Rodman now that he has parted
with agent DWIGHT MANLEY. Kelly: "Dwight felt the more
outrageous stuff Dennis did, the more endorsements would
come. The more endorsements, the more millions. Dennis
didn't mind" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/30).....FSN's CHRIS MYERS
is recovering after suffering a torn ACL while playing touch
football (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/29).....More than 600 fans
waited at Dick's Clothing and Sporting Goods outside
Pittsburgh to see BRANDI CHASTAIN. Some began lining up
four hours before the scheduled autograph session
(PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 8/28)....In Sunday's N.Y. TIMES
MAGAZINE, James Gorman profiled the BASS FISHING TOUR. BASS
is a "profit-making organization that encompasses several
magazines, a TV show, conservation organizations, a network
of fishing clubs and more than one professional tour (N.Y.
TIMES MAGAZINE, 8/29)....KEVIN COSTNER had to be "forced to
see a doctor during production" of "FOR LOVE OF THE GAME"
due to the toll his arm took from throwing "80 mile per hour
pitches for 20 days straight." The film opens in three
weeks ("ET," 8/27)....A film crew used PSINet Stadium and
the crowd at Saturday's Panthers-Ravens preseason game as a
backdrop for scenes in the movie, "THE REPLACEMENTS"
(CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/29). During coverage of the game,
Charlotte's WBTV-CBS interviewed the film's star GENE
HACKMAN (THE DAILY)....The N.Y. TIMES' Bruce Weber examines
Spurs C DAVID ROBINSON's $5M gift to build a school in San
Antonio. For his efforts, Robinson will receive the
Montblanc de la Culture Award Wednesday (N.Y. TIMES, 8/30).
YOU WANNA BE A COWBOY? In Dallas, Drake Witham reports
that Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES was arrested yesterday for
"fleeing the scene of a traffic stop" in Highland Park, TX.
Jones and his family were driving to Highland Park United
Methodist Church and he "ignored an officer's instructions
not to drive the stopped vehicle" until the officer had
finished ticketing another driver. Jones issued a statement
last night apologizing for his actions (DALLAS MORNING NEWS,
8/30). In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw, on Jones: "Another
unofficial trifecta for the Cowboys -- the only organization
to have had Pro Bowl players, a head coach and an owner
arrested this decade" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/30). FSN's
Keith Olbermann, on Jones' arrest: "God and the Cowboys are
much more important than a traffic ticket. That's the only
possible conclusion today" ("Primetime," FSN, 8/29). Fox's
James Brown also noted Jones' arrest following the network's
Broncos-Cowboys telecast (THE DAILY).
