Names In The News

Armstrong (l) Pens Letter Calling For WADA Chair To Step Down

LANCE ARMSTRONG in an eight-page letter to the IOC wrote that WADA Chair and IOC member DICK POUND “ought to step down or be forced out” of the IOC after an Int’l Cycling Union (UCI) report cleared Armstrong’s name of using performance-enhancing drugs at the ’99 Tour de France. Armstrong claimed that a French lab mishandled his urine samples “at Pound’s ‘direction and insistence’” and asked the IOC to “convene a ‘disciplinary commission.’” WADA has “completely rejected” the UCI report (Alan Abrahamson, L.A. TIMES, 6/17)....Senior IOC member and former Italian Soccer Federation Chair FRANCO CARRARO is among 37 individuals indicted by prosecutors in the national match-fixing soccer scandal (AROUND THE RINGS, 6/18 issue).

WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE: Witnesses said that golfer COLIN MONTGOMERIE “was involved in a brief physical dispute with a New York State trooper near the Winged Foot clubhouse yesterday evening, shortly after his double bogey on the final hole cost him” the U.S. Open championship. Capt. MICHAEL KOPY in a statement said, “This matter amounted to a brief collision in a highly congested area and requires no further action” (Westchester JOURNAL NEWS, 6/19).

RETAIL PRICE: The Finish Line CEO ALAN COHEN will receive a $520,000 base salary in ’06, as well as an $83,234 bonus and 12,000 restricted Class A common shares. The Finish Line President & CMO GLENN LYON will receive $400,000 in base salary, with $51,221 in bonuses and stock options. Last year, Cohen earned $545,000 in bonuses and Lyon received $327,000 (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 6/17).

BEST WISHES: ESPN’s JACK RAMSAY, who is retiring after the NBA Finals, has cancer that has “spread to his chest and lungs.” He is undergoing chemotherapy and the results “have been promising” (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/17)....Ravens President DICK CASS underwent successful surgery to donate a kidney to a friend (Baltimore SUN, 6/18).

RATHER UP: CBS News anchor DAN RATHER is considering an offer from Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN to host a weekly program on HDNet. Meanwhile, Rather said that he has been “suggesting that one particular player be given more minutes” during the Mavericks’ playoff run. Rather: “I’m not going to tell you who he is. But they’re using him more” (N.Y. TIMES, 6/17).

AWARDS: NASCAR team owner JACK ROUSH received the SPIRIT OF FORD AWARD at the company’s HQs in Michigan on Thursday (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/18)....SMI Chair & CEO BRUTON SMITH received the ERNST & YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR award in the Carolinas (SMI).

IN MEMORY: Race promoter FRED BROWNFIELD died Friday at the age of 53 after being hit by a car at the Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/19).