Names & Faces: Maurice Jones-Drew Partners With Winn-Dixie

Jones-Drew Has Joined Winn-Dixie Ad Campaign

In Jacksonville, Kevin Turner reports grocery store chain Winn-Dixie Tuesday announced Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew as the "new member of its marketing team." Jones-Drew will be featured as part of Winn-Dixie's "Fresh Checked Every Day" ad campaign throughout the NFL season "in television commercials, billboards and on signs in North Florida and South Georgia stores." Winn-Dixie also debuted the $5 footlong "GoMoJo" sub Jones-Drew designed that will be for sale in stores. Jaguars Owner Wayne Weaver and several Jaguars teammates attended Tuesday's formal announcement of the partnership. The event also marked Winn-Dixie's "continued commitment as the 'official supermarket sponsor' of the Jaguars" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 9/16).

BELIEVE IT: Tennis player Melanie Oudin appeared on syndicated talk show "Ellen" yesterday, where she discussed her signature pink and yellow adidas sneakers. Oudin: "adidas actually asked me to make a pair of my own shoes for the U.S. Open and I was going to design them however I wanted, just the colors, and they said I could put my name on the side. But I was like, 'No, I want to put a word that describes me and describes how I want to play at the U.S. Open.'" Oudin said the sneakers "really got me through so well and they were the talk of the tournament." Host Ellen DeGeneres noted that Oudin is turning 18 years old soon, and she gave Oudin a tennis outfit with the phrase "laugh. dance. believe." written on it ("Ellen,” 9/15). Oudin also appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” where she said her publicized move from the Marriott Marquis to an Intercontinental hotel during the tournament "wasn't a big deal." O'Brien: "And that's a great ad for the Intercontinental" ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 9/15).

BONUS BABY: CNBC.com's Darren Rovell reported tennis player Kim Clijsters will receive about $300,000 from shoe and clothing sponsor Fila for winning the U.S. Open. Sources said that Fila "did not" insure the bonus, so it will "come out of the company's coffers" (CNBC.com, 9/15).

NOTES: Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist has joined Bauer Hockey's roster of NHL players. Lundqvist will wear newly-designed Bauer equipment and will be featured in the company's global ad efforts. He also will assist Bauer in future development of goalie equipment (Bauer Hockey)....Clippers F Blake Griffin is selling $35 baseball caps from New Era with the word "Work" written across the front and the phrase "Success is when talent meets hard work" sewn into the bottom of the brim. The 500 limited-edition hats are sold by LockerBlogger (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/16).

CORRECTION: Yesterday's issue of THE DAILY should have stated that Trail Blazers G Brandon Roy will be on the cover of Sony Computer Entertainment America's "NBA 10: The Inside" when it is released on October 6. THE DAILY regrets the error.