NFL Films President STEVE SABOL "has been diagnosed with a primary tumor on the left side of his brain." Sabol was "hospitalized after suffering a seizure nearly two weeks ago in Kansas City," and "extensive tests afterward led to the diagnosis." Sabol is "expected to undergo radiation and chemotherapy treatment" (NFL.com, 3/18).
MOVING ON: Golfer TIGER WOODS and Northwood Univ. student ALYSE LAHTI JOHNSTON, 22, "have been seeing each other for several weeks" (N.Y. POST, 3/20). Johnston was introduced to Woods by her stepfather, former Vice Chair of IMG ALASTAIR JOHNSTON. Alastair Johnston was the "architect of Woods' $60 million deal with Nike in 1996" (N.Y. POST, 3/21).
EARNINGS JUMP: Under Armour execs "saw a big boost in their compensation last year as the company's revenues and profits sharply climbed." Under Armour Chair, President & CEO KEVIN PLANK received $1.3M in total compensation, up from $748,000 in '09. COO WAYNE MARINO earned $4M, "more than half in stock and option awards," up from $534,000 in '09. CFO BRAD DICKERSON earned $585,000, up from $368,000 (Baltimore SUN, 3/19)....DirecTV Chair, President & CEO MICHAEL WHITE earned total compensation in '10 of $32.9M. A "big boost" for the pay package was a "single 'up front' multi-year stock and stock options incentive grant valued at approximately $9.1 million per year over a three-year period" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 3/18).
RIGHT MEN FOR THE JOB: In N.Y., Harvey Araton profiled Yankees GM BRIAN CASHMAN, the "third-longest-tenured GM" in MLB. Araton: "What a long, strange road he has walked, never quite certain of which direction he was going." Cashman: "I've always been a here-and-now guy, but I didn't aspire to do this and I still don't know if this is my lifetime career" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/19)....In Boston, Ron Borges profiles Red Sox GM THEO EPSTEIN, who is "beginning his ninth season on the job." Epstein: "Deep down every big-market GM would like to go to a smaller market and do it. It's just a little bit purer." He added, "Your worst day with a top-notch baseball organization is better than the best day for a defense attorney" (BOSTON HERALD, 3/21).
NAMES: The N.Y.TIMES featured New Era Cap Co. CEO CHRISTOPHER KOCH in its "The Boss" feature. Koch noted about 25% of New Era's business "now is in international sales." This year, the company "will make more than 40 million caps, with some $500 million in revenue" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/19)....ESPN Int'l Exec VP & Managing Dir RUSSELL WOLFF yesterday was "out in support of Sports For Youth at the New York City Half Marathon." Twenty people were running in support of the cause, and "almost $30,000 has been raised as a result this year, following two half marathon runs that raised nearly $150,000" (MULTICHANNEL.com, 3/18)....Former NFLer ORLANDO PACE has "invested in Grand Slam Sports," which owns St. Louis-area KFNS-AM and KSLG-AM and St. Louis Sports Magazine. GSS President & GM DAVE GREENE said Pace's stake is about 15% (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/18)....ESPN Radio 1000 Chicago host HARRY TEINOWITZ is "entering a rehabilitation program voluntarily." Teinowitz, who has worked at the station since '98, was arrested earlier this month for driving under the influence (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 3/18)....Magic C DWIGHT HOWARD on Saturday received the '10-11 Rich & Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award during the annual Orlando Magic Youth Foundation Black Tie & Tennies Gala, the "fifth time Howard won the award" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/20)....The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on Friday announced a "10-year ban" on international track & field agent MARK BLOCK "after an arbitration panel found him guilt of trafficking in performance-enhancing drugs." Block "has been one of the most powerful agents in world track and field over the past decade" and his former agency, Total Sports Management, had "represented dozens of U.S. and international stars" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/20).
KEEPING TABS ON ... Richard Childress Racing VP/Competition MIKE DILLON has been “treated for a blood clot in his lung and released from the hospital” (AP, 3/19)....The N.Y. POST's Bart Hubbuch Sunday on his Twitter feed wrote, "Wow, does PAT BOWLEN look frail and out of it. His right-hand man just had to show him how to get in a car. Sad" (TWITTER.com, 3/20)....Magic Senior VP PAT WILLIAMS on Friday attended the Nuggets-Magic game, his "first game" since learning of his diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a form of cancer of the blood, seven weeks ago. Williams said that doctors "are 'encouraged' with his progress as he endures chemotherapy" and he is "currently off of all pain medication" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/20).
