Names & Faces: Tiger Skipping This Year’s Disney Event

Tiger Woods has elected to skip this year’s PGA Tour Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort, a tournament he won in ’96 and ’99. It will mark the first time Woods will miss the event, with the exception of ’04 when he was on his honeymoon. In Orlando, Steve Elling noted with the tournament moving into the “less-emphasized” Fall Series as the final event of ’07, Woods “might not ever [be] seen at Disney again” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/14). Woods’ endorsement deal with Disney expired last year (THE DAILY).

Bears’ Success Leading To Off- Field Opportunities For Players

TO THE VICTORS: The Bears’ 5-0 start is “making a big impact off the field” for the team’s players. This month, more than two dozen personal appearances have been scheduled, including a paid autograph signing for K Robbie Gould and QB Rex Grossman appearing at a telecom store next week. Grossman and WR Muhsin Muhammad shot an ad for the NFL to promote Pro Bowl voting. Grossman “wasn’t paid, but he’s looking forward to doing more of this kind of work now that he has become more marketable.” Other than his Reebok endorsement, “the only regular gig he has now is an appearance Sunday nights on Fox’s ‘Final Word’” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/15).

SOUL SHINE: In N.Y., Lee Jenkins wrote, “Anyone familiar with the career of [Cardinals LF] Scott Spiezio could predict his postseason marketability.” When Spiezio makes it to the postseason, “he goes from bench warmer to trend-setter. His red soul patch is in style because his swing is in playoff form. Many fans are coming to each game at Busch Stadium looking as if they have drawn a red line down their chin” (N.Y. TIMES, 10/15). Lite Up the Night novelties is selling $3 stick-on red soul patches, and they sold 300 Saturday night and 500 last night. Lite Up the Night’s Brandy Braun said, “If we had more we would sell more. We can’t keep up with demand.” Vendor Jackie Manning is selling separate soul patches at the price of $5 for two (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/16).

FOOT HOLD: In Houston, Jonathan Feigen reports Rockets C Yao Ming, whose foot problems coach Jeff Van Gundy blamed on his Reebok shoes, “launched into an unsolicited testimonial” for the company yesterday. Yao wore to practice “the model he wore throughout the offseason, as opposed to the tweaked version that had arrived last week.” Yao: “I was back in the shoes, the same shoes I used in the World games. I trained in the same shoes all summer long. Also the toe doctor told me it’s not the shoes, it’s something else” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/16).