Names In The News

Mulcahy To Receive More Than $500,000 More From Contract

Rutgers Univ. (RU) said that the school is "obliged to honor the remainder" of fired AD ROBERT MULCAHY's five-year contract, which runs through June 2010, and will pay Mulcahy more than $500,000 (Bergen RECORD, 1/7).

TOM & JERRY: In Charlotte, Tom Sorensen writes about having lunch yesterday with NFL Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON, who is awaiting a heart transplant, and notes Richardson at one moment was "somber, quiet and reflective," and then "would suddenly tell a story that was laugh-out-loud funny." Other patrons in the restaurant approached their table to tell Richardson "how thrilled they are" about Saturday's Cardinals-Panthers NFL Divisional Playoff game. Sorensen notes Richardson is "tired; he will take a nap after lunch." But "every time a visitor approaches, he stands," because "he's a gentleman" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/8).

CHARITY STRIPE: Mavericks F JOSH HOWARD's namesake foundation will serve as the presenting sponsor of the N.C. Scholastic Classic, a six-game high school basketball event at the Greensboro Coliseum on Martin Luther King Day, the first time Howard's foundation has lent its name to the event (Greensboro NEWS-RECORD, 1/6)....Pro Football HOFer DICK BUTKUS has made Chicago the HQs for his namesake foundation, which is "devoted to fighting the use of steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing substances among teenage athletes" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 1/6).

NAMES: Mets execs, including COO JEFF WILPON, GM OMAR MINAYA and Assistant GM JOHN RICCO, yesterday hosted agent SCOTT BORAS at Citi Field, which included lunch and a tour of the new ballpark (Bergen RECORD, 1/8)....The S.F. BUSINESS TIMES' Eric Young writes new MLB Giants Managing General Partner BILL NEUKOM is a "Person to watch" in '09, while the WPS, which is scheduled to launch in March, is a "League to watch" (S.F. BUSINESS TIMES, 1/2 issue)....Redskins TE CHRIS COOLEY has signed on to produce a "paranormal thriller" filmed in the D.C. area and titled "GHOSTS DON'T EXIST." Cooley this weekend will host a private party at the Shadow Room nightclub in D.C. to "court potential investors" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/8)....In Boston, Fee & Raposa report Eagles QB A.J. FEELEY got engaged over the holidays to WPS Boston Breakers D HEATHER MITTS (BOSTON HERALD, 1/8)....Golfer NATALIE GULBIS Tuesday celebrated her 26th birthday with a party at Blush at Wynn Las Vegas (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/8)....IndyCar driver RYAN BRISCOE and ESPN "NASCAR Now" host NICOLE MANSKE are "engaged to be married." Briscoe proposed to Manske in Australia over the holidays, and the couple is "planning a wedding next December in Hawaii" (AP, 1/8).