Names In The News

In Philadelphia, John Smallwood writes, “How much disconnect there truly is between Eagles owner JEFFREY LURIE and Eagle fans is hard to gauge, but there is no question some exists — even if Lurie hesitates to acknowledge it.” PSLs, “changes in policies on bringing in food and decisions viewed as more about finances than football irked the blue-collar mentality of some of the Philly fan base.” Lurie: “You know you’re not trying at all times to make popular decisions. You’re just trying to make the best decisions you can for the franchise, whether it’s picking a coach, going the way of franchise quarterback, building a stadium where you built it or how you built it. Those are the kind of things that open debate” (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/26).

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The original draft of JACK KEROUAC’s “ON THE ROAD,” for which Colts Owner JIM IRSAY paid $2.5M, will be displayed June 15-September 14 at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum in Kerouac’s birthplace of Lowell, Massachusetts. This summer is the 50th anniversary of the book’s publishing (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/26).

BREAKING AWAY: In San Diego, Jeff McDonald reports a “large group of San Diego volunteers and coaches is withdrawing from SPECIAL OLYMPICS, choosing instead to establish their own nonprofit that will host sporting events for athletes with developmental disabilities.” The breakaway “appears to be a major setback for Special Olympics Southern California, which has been criticized for weeks about how it has investigated potential policy violations by the San Diego staff” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/26).

AWARDS & RECOGNITION: The APSE’s Red Smith Award, a “lifetime achievement distinction and the highest honor in sports journalism,” was posthumously given to Orlando Sentinel Associate Managing Editor for Sports VAN MCKENZIE. McKenzie died January 26 after a three-year battle with cancer (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/26)....Golfer TOM LEHMAN received the inaugural Byron Nelson Award, which will be given annually to golfers who “personify those ideals” exemplified by the late BYRON NELSON (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/25).

John McEnroe And His Wife At Opening Of Tribeca Film Festival

NAMES: N.Y. DAILY NEWS gossip columnists Rush & Molloy report JOHN MCENROE during the party opening the sixth annual Tribeca Film Festival “told Police Commissioner RAY KELLY that he and his brother, PATRICK MCENROE, had been tapped to co-host the morning slot recently vacated by DON IMUS” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/26)....Former MLBer TROY PERCIVAL, who was awarded a full World Series share last year by the Tigers despite not playing due to injury, “responded this year by leasing an 18-seat luxury suite at Comerica Park for Tigers wives” at a cost of $120,000 (DETROIT NEWS, 4/26)....Former open wheel driver AL UNSER JR. pleaded not guilty in a Nevada court to a DUI charge related to a January accident (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/26).