JOE MONTANA is joining former 49ers teammates HARRIS
BARTON and RONNIE LOTT as a GM in Champion Ventures, the CA-
based venture capital fund for pro athletes. In addition,
Champion Ventures will announce today that it has raised
$150M from 250 investors for its second fund. The latest
investors include ANDRE AGASSI, MICHAEL JOHNSON, OSCAR DE LA
HOYA, MIKE KRZYZEWSKI, STEVE MARIUCCI and RICK PITINO.
Barton said there is a minimum $500,000 investment, although
there were a "few waivers" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/18).
NAMES: In an Op-Ed in the London TELEGRAPH, JOHN
MCENROE wrote on the WILLIAMS sisters: "What they have
achieved is great but they have no respect for anyone in the
game. ... Where's their humility?" McEnroe: "They are all
as cold as ice. Would it kill them to say hello to people
in the locker room? Is it that hard? And do we really want
the father dancing on court all the time?" (London
TELEGRAPH, 9/17)....FSN's Chris Myers reported that "despite
rumors" that Jets President of Football Operations BILL
PARCELLS "is further from coaching than ever before, he has
hired JIMMY SEXTON, a high-profile football agent, who
represents ISAAC BRUCE and REGGIE WHITE" (FSN, 9/17).
Parcells was represented by the late ROBERT FRALEY (THE
DAILY)....In Ottawa, Don Brennan profiled NHL agent MARK
GANDLER, who is considered "the most outspoken and
controversial player agent in the NHL." NHLPA Exec Dir BOB
GOODENOW: "Mark is an aggressive agent who vigilantly works
on behalf of his clients. Some people have disagreed with
his judgment and tactics as they relate to hockey and
business issues. But, in the end, the results will speak
for themselves." One agent: "He's giving us all a bad
name." One former client said that Gandler's take on
contracts is 5% (OTTAWA SUN, 9/17)....CBS SportsLine's Len
Pasquarelli reported that WILLIAM "TANK" BLACK "gave up his
fight" against the NFLPA and agreed to accept the sanctions
imposed by the union's Disciplinary Committee for his
alleged recruiting tactics. The discipline includes a
revocation of Black's certification as an NFL agent, with
the right to apply for reinstatement after three years (CBS
SportsLine, 9/15).
