Vice President AL GORE along with Redskins Owner DANIEL
SNYDER, Falcons RB JAMAL ANDERSON, Redskins CB DARRELL
GREEN, Titans QB STEVE MCNAIR, Ravens OT JONATHAN OGDEN, and
Giants DB JASON SEHORN visited a DC-area junior high school
yesterday as part of NFL Play Football Day, a national
celebration of the league's community youth programs
(WASHINGTON POST, 9/15). Gore also appeared on ESPN's "Up
Close" to promote the program (ESPN, 9/14)....Cowboys QB
TROY AIKMAN is participating in an anti-tobacco campaign
geared toward Dallas-area schools. Aikman, who quit chewing
tobacco in '97: "I know what these young kids go through,
the peer pressure they face with not just tobacco, but
alcohol and drugs" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/15)....Patriots
Owner BOB KRAFT has "partnered" with MA-based "horror theme
park" Spookyworld to build a $4M, 60-acre park near the old
Foxboro racetrack (BOSTON HERALD, 9/15)....ESPN's Mike
Greenberg reported on "NBA Today" that NBA players,
including KEVIN GARNETT, GARY PAYTON and HERSEY HAWKINS,
taped appearances on "Wheel Of Fortune" last week. Proceeds
will go to each player's charity of choice (ESPN,
9/14)....FOX SPORTS will open its third Fox Sports Sky Box
restaurant this weekend in Concord, NC, located just outside
of Charlotte (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/15)....SHEIK MOHAMMED
BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM spent a "record" $3.9M yesterday on a
yearling at Kenneland. The colt is a son of KRIS S., which
is related to MENIFEE (LEX. HERALD-LEADER, 9/15)....Several
Olympic hopefuls were interviewed on the "Today" show,
including high jumper AMY ACUFF, who wore an outfit designed
by Anne Klein, and softball player Dr. DOT RICHARDSON.
NBC's KATIE COURIC, on the "Track Girls 2000" calendar in
which Acuff appears: "There are some absolutely,
breathtakingly beautiful photographs in here." Matt Lauer,
on the outdoor set which included a high-jump and pole vault
area: "Our own little 'SportsCenter'" ("Today," NBC, 9/15).
