DUNK YOU VERY MUCH: Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Tracy
McGrady, Steve Francis, Jerry Stackhouse and Larry Hughes
will compete in this year's NBA slam dunk contest, to be
held during next month's All-Star Weekend in Oakland
(HoopsTV.com, 1/18)....ESPN's Ric Bucher, on the U.S.
Olympic Basketball team's selection of Ray Allen over
Carter: "They had to send the veterans on this team to
Puerto Rico last summer to earn this Olympic berth, and I
think the committee wanted to reward them for that and not
bring in a guy like Vince Carter, who because of his
stardom, ... might overshadow some of the players that spent
last summer getting them to the Olympics" (ESPN, 1/18).
STILL MAGICAL: BUSINESS FIRST OF BUFFALO's Rick Maloney
writes that despite having "lost his starting position,"
Bills QB Doug Flutie's "value as a product endorser has not
lessened." Kim Zayotti of MA-based Woolf Associates,
Flutie's marketing agency: "We've been getting more calls
than ever. I don't think at this point his not playing the
last couple of weeks has had any effect whatsoever on his
endorsements." Production of Flutie Flakes, "easily the
top-selling product marketed by" PLB Sports, will continue,
and "plans are being discussed about the launch of a third
box" later this year (BUSINESS FIRST OF BUFFALO, 1/17).
'ROUND THE CLUBHOUSE: GOLF WORLD BUSINESS reported that
Hale Irwin has inked a deal with CA-based Carnoustie "to
create his own golf apparel line." Hale Irwin by Carnoustie
will debut its fall 2000 collection of "high-end Italian-
made knit shirts" at next month's PGA Merchandise Show in
Orlando. Meanwhile, Srixon has signed Jean Van de Velde to
a "multiyear ball and glove deal" (GOLF WORLD BUS., 1/18).