RUNNERS NEED SPONSORS? U.S. Olympic hopefuls "without a
major sponsor" cited by 800-meter runner Mark Everett
include Olympic Gold Medal decathlete Dan O'Brien, 400-meter
hurdles Gold Medalist Derrick Adkins and 400-meter world-
record holder Kim Batten. Everett, who has deals with Puma
and PowerBar, said, "A lot of people with sponsors are
getting clothes but not money. ... There are a lot of
athletes -- especially the young ones -- who are talking
about quitting the sport" (Mult., 7/15).
NAMES & FACES: KidzBiz.com has "begun a partnership"
with Cubs RF Sammy Sosa "to sell a computer game" called
"Slammin' Sammy Presents: At Bat," an interactive comic
book. The "plan" is for youth organizations to sell the
product for fundraising purposes, with some proceeds going
to the Sammy Sosa Foundation. The product "could start
popping up" at Wrigley Field and other parks next month
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/18)....In N.Y., Kruti Trivedi profiles
Skechers USA and Founder & President Michael Greenberg, who
said that his company is "now the third-most-popular brand
among teenagers, after" Nike and adidas (N.Y. TIMES, 7/18).
