Names In The News

Red Sox GM THEO EPSTEIN is appearing every other Tuesday in a segment titled “State of the Nation” on rock station WAAF-FM’s morning show. WAAF is owned by ENTERCOM, which holds the Red Sox’ radio rights. Entercom is making a contribution to Epstein’s charity, “A Foundation to be Named Later” (BOSTON HERALD, 5/17).

Bush Hosts Orender (r) And WNBA Monarchs At White House

WNBA AT THE WHITE HOUSE: PRESIDENT BUSH welcomed the MONARCHS and WNBA President DONNA ORENDER to the White House to recognize the team’s ’05 championship and the WNBA’s tenth anniversary. Bush: “A lot of people were speculating that the WNBA wouldn’t last. ‘They couldn’t possibly make it,’ they were saying. Well the truth of the matter is, the WNBA has not only lasted, it’s thrived, and American sports are better for it” (White House Press Office).

TRAVEL BY MAGIC: MAGIC JOHNSON has partnered with ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES and GOGO WORLDWIDE VACATIONS to form the MAGIC JOHNSON TRAVEL GROUP, which aims to bring “more minorities into the rapidly growing business of selling travel from home” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 5/16).

TV TIMEOUT: Saints draft pick REGGIE BUSH appeared on NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” last night, where he said visiting New Orleans for the first time “was a humbling experience.” Bush, on playing in New Orleans: “This is more than just football. You’re playing for a whole city, you’re carrying a whole city on your back” (“Last Call with Carson Daly,” NBC, 5/16)....T’Wolves F KEVIN GARNETT appeared in a taped segment on Monday’s episode of “Oprah” wearing an adidas shirt to talk about his monetary donation to OPRAH WINFREY’s charity, “Angel Network” (“Oprah,” 5/15)....Heat C SHAQUILLE O’NEAL and his wife, SHAUNIE, appeared on yesterday’s episode of “Oprah,” which featured GAYLE KING visiting their home as part of an episode trying to find the best cake in America. The three of them tried several types of cake that King brought with her (“Oprah,” 5/16)....Nets G JASON KIDD will appear on Sunday’s season-finale of ABC’s “EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/17).

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS: The Univ. of Massachusetts Department of Sport Management presented the ’06 Professional Sport PRISM AWARDS to the FLYERS and Triple-A Int’l League ROCHESTER RED WINGS. The awards are presented annually for excellence in strategic mission, innovative marketing, community relations, customer service and employee relations (THE DAILY)....The Rotary Club of Denver awarded Dodgers Special Advisor to the Chair TOMMY LASORDA the BRANCH RICKEY AWARD. The award recognizes exceptional community service (Dodgers)....CBS SportsLine Senior Writer DENNIS DODD became the first Internet-only journalist to receive the All-American Football Foundation’s FRED RUSSELL OUTSTANDING SPORTSWRITER AWARD (CBS).