Names In The News

Saints 'Domeland Defense' T-shirts Benefiting Haiti

Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick "for the past week" has been "sending two planes a day to Haiti, transporting medical personnel, search and rescue crews and supplies to the ravaged nation." Hendrick Motorsports Exec VP & GM MARSHALL CARLSON estimated that the company has "already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars sending planes to Haiti, and the efforts will continue long after" the February 14 Daytona 500 (SCENEDAILY.com, 1/20). Saints LB JONATHAN VILMA, whose parents were born in Haiti, is "helping to produce and sell Saints 'Domeland Defense' T-shirts, with the proceeds going to aid victims of the Haiti earthquakes." The T-shirts are available at www.domelandshirt.com (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/21). An auction for a dinner at Univ. of Kentucky men's basketball coach JOHN CALIPARI's home "drew $98,100 for UK's 'Hoops for Haiti' cause." Attendees at the dinner will include Calipari's family and actress ASHLEY JUDD, a UK supporter. Calipari and a "group of local business contributed an additional $500,000" to the cause (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 1/21).

LENDING A HELPING HAND: 76ers C SAMUEL DALEMBERT flew to the Haiti on Monday and returned in time for last night’s game against the Trail Blazers at Wachovia Center. Dalembert, a native of Haiti, last week donated more than $130,000 to UNICEF to aid earthquake relief efforts, and he “hopes to raise an additional $250,000." He also “plans to do more with another trip in the future.” Dalembert: “I know I’m not going to save the whole country. I know I can save a lot of lives and make it just a little it better for some people” (NBA.com, 1/20).

SECRET AGENT: The AP's Chris Talbott profiled Athlete Resource Management (ARM) President JIMMY SEXTON, who "may be the most powerful agent in college football" despite the fact that he "never calls press conferences, seldom agrees to interviews and most fans would be hard-pressed to come up with his name when asked to identify movers and shakers in the sports world." Sexton reps "four coaches each from the SEC and ACC." Talbott noted ARM makes 75-80% of its revenue "representing professional players such as" Chargers QB Philip Rivers and NFL Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams (AP, 1/20).

Ruggiero Seeking To Become Third IOC Member From U.S.

ELECTION NEWS: U.S. hockey player Angela Ruggiero is "among nine current and former athletes standing for election" for "two spots on the IOC athletes' commission." Ruggiero, a Harvard graduate, is "seeking to become the third IOC member from the U.S., joining JIM EASTON and ANITA DEFRANTZ." Other athletes standing for election include Bruins and Slovakia RW MIROSLAV SATAN. All athletes "competing at the Vancouver Games can vote," and the results will be announced February 24 (AP, 1/20)....

NAMES: The Related Cos., which is chaired by Dolphins Owner STEPHEN ROSS, is "nearing an agreement to commit to building over the West Side rail yards, an oft-delayed project that could be Manhattan's single biggest development." The Related Cos. "envisions $15[B] of new office, hotel and apartment towers on a 26-acre site near the Javits Center" (OBSERVER.com, 1/19)....Lakers F PAU GASOL will receive the '09 Sportsman of the Year award at the fifth annual LA Sports Awards on February 19 (L.A. Sports Council)....Dallas Morning News reporter EVAN GRANT has been named Texas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association (NSSA), the "second time in three years Grant has won the award" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/17)....MLB Rangers radio play-by-play announcer ERIC NADEL has been named the Texas Sportscaster of the Year by the NSSA. It "marks the fifth time" Nadel has won the award (DALLASNEWS.com, 1/19)....Vikings Dir of Community Relations BRAD MADSON received the Department of Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars Outstanding Service Award (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/21)….Singer TIM MCGRAW will perform at the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show on February 14 (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 1/20)….This month’s Sundance Film Festival will feature an “animated short about the no-hitter that” late Pirates P DOCK ELLIS pitched in ’70 “after he says he took LSD” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/21).

IN MEMORY: Former NHL Rangers Dir of PR JOHN HALLIGAN passed away in his sleep yesterday at the age of 68. Halligan was a founder of the Rangers Alumni Association (N.Y. POST, 1/21).