League Notes

Heat F LeBron James Thursday said that he "will probably attend next month's collective bargaining session" between the NBA and the NBPA during All-Star Weekend in L.A. James: "It's definitely something that's going to be a huge focus of All-Star Weekend. Even though the game is huge, I think the labor agreement will be one of the biggest meetings that we have that weekend, so hopefully we can get some things across." James also "attended another meeting last summer in New York." James: "I've been there, pretty much I've had an active role, went to a few meetings." The league and the union scheduled the All-Star break meeting last week "as they try to work toward a new deal to replace the one that expires on June 30" (AP, 1/27).

IRISH EYES ARE SMILING? In Ireland, Susan Falvella Garraty reported the Steelers might be "Ireland bound for a ... 2011-2012 regular season game." Some "groundwork has already been laid for a regular season game" at the Gaelic Athletic Association's Croke Park stadium in Dublin, which "has a seating capacity in excess of 80,000." A spokesperson for Ireland Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin indicated that discussions "have already been held at the official level on the potential of a NFL regular season game being played in Ireland in the fall" (IRISH ECHO, 1/26). Steelers Chair Emeritus Dan Rooney is currently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.

HEADING TO THE TEE BOX: GOLFWEEK's Matt Nelson reported the "mammoth PGA Merchandise Show will expand to Beijing on March 18-20 and Guangzhou on Oct. 20-22." Officials said that the PGA Merchandise Shows in China "will have a 'business to business' focus ... offering golf-playing equipment, apparel, golf business products and services, and golf accessories, as well as golf course construction, design and maintenance products, services and equipment." Education "will also be a component" (GOLFWEEK.com, 1/27)....Golfers David Duval, Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar "have been voted to the PGA Tour Players Advisory Council for 2011" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 1/27).

MISSING THE POINT: In Las Vegas, Jeff Wolf writes NASCAR's new points system "might be more simple, but only a simpleton would think it will make racing more exciting." NASCAR "continues to incorrectly put too much emphasis on the championship and its last 10 races it calls a playoff." Wolf: "No matter how much [NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian] France wants NASCAR to be like the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball, it never will be" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/28).