Names In The News

The Baseball HOF BOD has created the BUCK O'NEIL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, and O'Neil will posthumously be given the inaugural award during the '08 HOF inductions. The award will be given out no more frequently than every three years (THE DAILY)....In Forbes magazine's Best 200 Small Companies, UNDER ARMOUR ranked third and HIBBETT SPORTS was No. 49. A write-up of Under Armour states their price/earnings ratio "is on the high side, but it reflects gains in sales and profits" (FORBES, 10/29 issue)....The MOTOR RACING NETWORK opened its new HQs in Concord, North Carolina, and named a studio the BARNEY HALL STUDIO, in honor of the announcer, who next year will celebrate his 50th season with NASCAR Radio (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/25).

OLYMPICS: COCA-COLA donated $2M to the Hellenic Olympic Committee to help restore its Ancient Olympia site, which was damaged by forest fires this summer (Coca-Cola)....Actor JACKIE CHAN has recorded "WE ARE READY," an officially-endorsed song written by PETER KAM which will count down to the '08 Beijing Olympics. Kam said an English-language version of the song is planned (AP, 10/24).

NAMES: Cowboys CB NATE JONES is producing a TV pilot called "JOCK ITCH," a sitcom about two high school friends and football teammates who leave their small Texas town after graduation to live in Dallas and pursue "off-field careers." Jones said, "I think 'Friday Night Lights' and 'Playmakers' prove that sports-themed shows appeal to viewers, but I wanted to take a funnier approach to the idea." Jones is working on the project with his agent, EVERETTE SCOTT, and writer-producer ANDRE' BARNWELL (SPORTING NEWS, 10/29 issue)....The inaugural INDY CLASSIC MARATHON, scheduled for November 3, is "all but canceled," and runners have received refunds. The marathon lost "several hundred" volunteers recently, but organizers said that they might hold a "scaled-down" version of the race if they can obtain enough volunteer support (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/24).