Portland-based Brian Berger PR has re-signed Heat F
BRIAN GRANT as a client. The firm will continue to assist
Grant with his media relations efforts as well as oversee
all of his marketing and endorsement deals (Brian Berger
PR)....USA TODAY'S Skip Wood looks at the right-wing leaning
political views of NASCAR officials and drivers. Winston
Cup driver DARRELL WALTRIP: "I don't think it's so much
Republican as it is we're family men, we're men of
integrity, we love our country, we love our God and we have
a lot of common ground with people like GEORGE W. BUSH."
NASCAR COO MIKE HELTON, on the politics of NASCAR drivers:
"Well, I certainly know they want a more open environment
with less restrictions" (USA TODAY, 10/19)....In Chicago,
Jay Mariotti previews Friday night's ANDREW GOLOTA-MIKE
TYSON fight. Mariotti: "Shame on me for covering it. Shame
on you for investing $49.95 in it. For the first time, a
freak show is being sold to the masses as legitimate
athletic competition" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/19)....USA
HOCKEY announced that its total membership has surpassed the
500,000 mark for the first time. During the '99-2000
season, a total of 513,750 players, coaches, and officials
registered with USA Hockey, representing an increase of 3.5%
from the '98-99 season. This number includes 37,028 female
players; 8.4% more than were registered in '98-99 (USA
Hockey)....Former caddie ALFRED (RABBIT) DYER reviews the
new ROBERT REDFORD movie "THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE,"
starring MATT DAMON as a golfer and WILL SMITH as a mystical
caddie. Dyer: "Overall, I enjoyed the movie. The actors
played their parts beautifully, and as a caddie, Smith was
really in the game. He made it seem like an important job.
These days, with all the yardage books and electronic
measuring devices, players could have their wives caddie for
them" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 10/23 issue).
