Names In The News

Warriors Owner CHRIS COHAN is facing claims that he “evaded taxes and owes the government more than $160[M].” Court records show the government claims Cohan “engaged in three potentially abusive tax shelters” when he sold Sonic Communications for over $200M in ’98. Cohan “is not a target” of a N.Y.-based criminal investigation of firms that promoted questionable tax shelters, “but is the subject of an [IRS] demand for taxes owed” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/17).

AGENT SCHEDULED FOR SENTENCE: CHARLES WELLS, the agent for U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist MARION JONES, is scheduled to be sentenced in June for his role in a bank fraud scheme. Wells pleaded guilty earlier this spring in New York federal court to a felony bank fraud charge in a case involving former Olympians TIM MONTGOMERY and STEVE RIDDICK (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/17).

BREWSTER’S MILLIONS: The contract of Univ. of Minnesota football coach TIM BREWSTER states he can earn up to $1.7M annually, including $700,000 in bonuses. In order to max out the bonuses, he must “win the national championship game and the Big Ten title,” as well as reach goals in APR and six-year graduation rates (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/17).

WISE's Sue Rodin (far left) and NBC's Andrea Joyce (far right) honor Orender, Alston, Carillo

NAMES: Women in Sports & Events (WISE) handed out its ’07 Women of the Year Awards yesterday to Gatorade CMO CINDY ALSTON, WNBA President DONNA ORENDER and HBO’s MARY CARILLO (WISE)....NFL Panthers WR STEVE SMITH will serve as honorary starter for the NASCAR Nextel Open on Saturday. Smith was also grand marshal for the Nextel Pit Crew Challenge yesterday (SCENEDAILY.com, 5/15)....The St. Joseph County (IN) Council approved a special ordinance allowing Univ. of Notre Dame football coach CHARLIE WEIS and his wife, MAURA, to build a 30-acre residential center for developmentally disabled adults (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/17)....Pro bowler KELLY KULICK appears in the latest issue of the “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” comic book series. The comic features a bowling theme centered around Kulick (U.S. Bowling Congress).