In a special to the N.Y. TIMES, Suns F and Duke alumnus GRANT HILL responded to comments former Michigan players made during ESPN's documentary "THE FAB FIVE," which debuted on Sunday. Hill wrote, "It was a sad and somewhat pathetic turn of events ... to see friends narrating this interesting documentary about their moment in time and calling me a bitch and worse, calling all black players at Duke 'Uncle Toms.' ... I caution my fabulous five friends to avoid stereotyping me and others they do not know in much the same way so many people stereotyped them back then for their appearance and swagger." Hill added he "should have guessed there was something regrettable in the documentary" when he received an apology on Twitter before it aired from ESPN NBA analyst and former Michigan G JALEN ROSE, who made the "Uncle Tom" comments (NYTIMES.com, 3/16).
TRANSITIONING FROM HOOPS TO GOLF: In a special to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, former WNBA President and PGA Tour exec DONNA ORENDER writes the LPGA is "worth watching," and the golf industry "needs to continue rolling out the welcome mat." Orender: "Buying tickets and sponsorships and watching on TV send messages that are not lost on girls or boys." Meanwhile, Orender notes she is "fortunate to be involved in a film project that will open in the fall," titled "FROM THE ROUGH." The film is "based on the true story of CATANA STARKS, an African-American women who coached the predominantly white men's golf team at Tennessee State to success." Orender writes the film "showcases the power that golf has to transform people's lives" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 3/21 issue).
GUEST STAR: Colts TE DALLAS CLARK has been "written into an April 13 episode" of CBS' "CRIMINAL MINDS," in which he will play a San Diego detective named AUSTIN KENT. Clark: "I have two lines. I ask a couple of questions to the main cast and that's it." Clark said the "first script had me getting killed," but writer RICK DUNKLE "rewrote it, and now I'm a detective" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/17)....Lakers G DEREK FISHER and G SHANNON BROWN appeared on NBC's "Minute to Win It" last night, where they attempted 10 challenges for $1M that would be split between the Univ. of Arkansas-Little Rock Foundation and the Shannon Brown Foundation. The players won $75,000 and will split that amount between the two charities. Lakers C PAU GASOL, F RON ARTEST, F LAMAR ODOM and G KOBE BRYANT gave their teammates a pep talk in recorded messages ("Minute to Win It," NBC, 3/16).
NAMES: Sports Illustrated writer and TSN contributor MICHAEL FARBER announced that he is “taking a leave from those duties to battle cancer” (GLOBE & MAIL, 3/17)....Top Rank Chair BOB ARUM "insists his company has a valid contract" with NONITO DONAIRE JR., despite Golden Boy Promotions announcing yesterday that it has signed the boxer. The signing occurred "not quite a month after the biggest victory of his career." Arum said, "We have a valid, enforceable contract, and we'll pursue our legal rights against Donaire, Golden Boy and anyone else who is involved" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/16)....UFC Chair & CEO LORENZO FERTITTA and President DANA WHITE before a press conference yesterday at Radio City Music Hall spoke with N.Y. City Council Majority Leader JOEL RIVERA (LAS VEGAS SUN, 3/17)….Artists OMRI AMRANY, JULIE ROTBLATT-AMRANY, GARY TILLERY and ERIK BLOME have had their names added to plaques of the sculptures they created outside Staples Center (LATIMES.com, 3/15)….MSG Network’s MIKE KEENAN, N.Y. Times writer DAVE ANDERSON and NBA Senior Communications Advisor to the Commissioner BRIAN MCINTYRE will be honored Tuesday at the Halligan-McGuire Irish American Good Guy Awards luncheon (THE DAILY).
