In N.Y., Lenn Robbins cites a source as saying that
former St. John's Univ. G ERICK BARKLEY "recently received"
$50,000 in up-front money from former Univ. of KY basketball
player BRET BEARUP, who runs ProTrust, a financial services
firm. The source added that Bearup "steers" players toward
agent ANDY MILLER, "who reimburses Bearup for his
investment, plus a cut of Miller's take, should he sign
Barkley" (N.Y. POST, 3/29)....U.S. Senator HARRY REID (D-NV)
clarified his opposition to the MUHAMMAD ALI BOXING REFORM
ACT "in the wake of accusations" that boxing promoter DON
KING "was influencing his stance." Reid said that he "first
voiced objections" to the bill "early last year, long
before" Don King Productions contributed $50,000 to Reid
(LAS VEGAS SUN, 3/28)...Bulls rookie F ELTON BRAND, on the
trials of going pro: "I never thought a lot of people I
wasn't close to or really haven't been in my life would
actually ask for large sums of money. Acquaintances, people
whose faces I know, saying, 'I need $6,000 for something.'
But it did happen and it was like, 'Whoa'" (Vancouver
PROVINCE, 3/24)....Univ. of MN Press published this week
"STADIUM GAMES: FIFTY YEARS OF BIG LEAGUE GREED & BUSH
LEAGUE BOONDOGGLE," by Minneapolis Star Tribune sports
business writer JAY WEINER. Excerpts run in today's Star
Tribune (THE DAILY)....In Boston, Gregg Krupa, under the
header "Fans Cry Foul," examines the efforts of sports fans
to "assert their stake in teams" as they feel "marginalized
by the sports industry machine" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/29).
