In Dallas, Katie Hairopoulous profiles Texas Tech AD KIRBY HOCUTT, who says that he will “strive for sustained excellence in guiding an up-and-coming athletic department.” Hocutt, 39, served a three-year tenure as Ohio Univ. AD, where he “made the controversial decision to cut four varsity sports for budgetary reasons and to comply with Title IX.” In ’08, he became Univ. of Miami AD, where he “launched a plan to improved facilities and struggled to improve the U’s relevance in a diverse, cosmopolitan city.” Hocutt in ’10 was included on SportsBusiness Journal's “Forty Under 40” list. Hocutt in moving to Texas “wanted the challenge of taking Tech to the next level” while letting his children “grow up closer to their cousins and his parents” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/8).
DRIVING RATINGS: Speed has signed a deal with “Wipeout” Exec Producer and co-Creator SCOTT LARSEN and his production company, Hey Larsen Inc., to produce 13 episodes of "Whipped," a one-hour competition game show where contestants get the chance to show off their driving skills, personalities and courage on an extreme obstacle course (Speed).
DETHRONED: Miss Sprint Cup PAIGE DUKE has been “stripped of her title after racy photos of her emerged online.” Duke said that she sent the photos “to her then-boyfriend” during her freshman year of college. Duke “looked to be nude” in the photos. Her contract included “a ‘morality clause’ that prohibits Miss Sprint Cups from dating drivers or harming Sprint’s image” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/8).
THE FINAL FRONTIER: Russian Deputy Prime Minister ALEXANDER ZHUKOV told the IOC on Thursday that the nation plans to “send the Olympic torch into space ahead of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.” Zhukov said that his country “aims to be the first to take the torch beyond the earth’s atmosphere as part of the longest Olympic relay” (AP, 7/7).
NAMES: Canadiens D P.K. SUBBAN and former NHLer GEORGES LARAQUE spent three days this week “visiting earthquake-ravaged Haiti” on behalf of Hockey For Haiti, a joint effort by the NHLPA and Christian relief organization World Vision (CP, 7/7)....CBS NFL analyst BOOMER ESIASON is scheduled to run Saturday in the NYRR Boomer’s Cystic Fibrosis Run to Breathe 10K in Central Park, which benefits his foundation (THE DAILY)....The British Film Institute is scheduled to bring ALFRED HITCHCOCK’s “early, rarely seen, movie masterpieces to a whole new audience as an official part of the London 2012 Festival next summer, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad.” In a “series of one-off shows, the silent films will be accompanied by newly commissioned orchestral music scores from established and fresh British musical talent” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/4)....Knicks F CARMELO ANTHONY this summer spent time “doing a photo shoot for the Italian edition of Vogue magazine” (NBCSPORTS.com, 7/6).
BOXING LOSES A LEGEND: Longtime boxing writer GEORGE KIMBALL died Wednesday at the age of 67. Kimball was “diagnosed with cancer in 2005, about four months” after he retired from the Boston Herald, where he was a columnist for 25 years (BOSTON HERALD, 7/8). HBO Sports President ROSS GREENBURG said, "George Kimball had a special presence in the boxing world. He was a splendid writer, a gifted storyteller and an engaging personality. Everybody who crossed paths with him undoubtedly has a great memory to cherish" (NYPOST.com, 7/8). In Boston, Charles Pierce wrote, "He knew and loved boxing far more than boxing ever deserved to be known and loved" (BOSTON.com, 7/7). Newsday's Bobby Cassidy on Twitter wrote, "RIP George Kimball, one of the most prolific sports writers of this era." The Guardian's Ian Prior: "RIP George Kimball, a wonderful boxing writer in the finest, irascible traditions of the breed." SI's Joe Posnanski: "A remarkable man." Boxing promoter Lou DiBella: "George Kimball, brilliant writer and fascinating man, has died. He was my dear friend; I loved him."
