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People and Pop Culture

Names In The News

The HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL notes since Rockets Owner LESLIE ALEXANDER bought the team in ’93, the organization has “implemented a number of community outreach programs and donated more than $10 million to charities.” The Clutch City Foundation “was established by Alexander to provide help, hope and inspiration to those who might otherwise be forgotten.” The recently established Rockets Give Back initiative “was launched around employee volunteerism” and includes “monthly community projects … where Rockets staff volunteer every Tuesday and Thursday at a partner agency” (HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/4 issue).   

STANDING OUT: Flyers Scout PATRICK BURKE, whose brother BRENDAN died in a car crash last year, is “trying to change the homophobic culture of hockey dressing rooms.” Brendan “began speaking about being a gay athlete” after he came out in ’09 while playing on the Miami Univ. hockey team. Patrick and his family, including his dad, Maple Leafs GM BRIAN BURKE, have since “advocated for inclusivity, especially for gay athletes.” Patrick on Saturday spoke “about his brother’s story at the OutSport Toronto 2011 Fall Scrum” (TORONTO STAR, 11/4). The Flyers “have approved” all of Burke’s speaking engagements, “which are focused on the GForce Sports Invisible Athlete Forums, a talk given to various schools about coming out organized by an all-gay hockey team based in Denver” (NATIONAL POST, 11/6).

BORN TO RUN: The Magic had several employees run in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday. Marathon runners included Client Services Coordinator MICHAEL LOULAN (3:59:51) and Dir of Corporate Partnerships MICHAEL FORDE (4:34:30). The following ran the half marathon: Corporate Partnerships Account Managers J.T. MCWALTERS (2:15:49) and ERIN DANIELS (2:24:04); Corporate Partnership Activation SHERI ANDERSON (2:19:47); and Partnership Account Specialist MARY SONIA DEJESUS (2:29:38) (THE DAILY). Meanwhile, celebrity runners at the N.Y. Marathon on Sunday included U.S. speed skater APOLO OHNO (3:25:14), former EPL club Manchester United G EDWIN VAN DER SAR (4:19:16) and former U.S. softball P JENNIE FINCH (4:05:26) (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/7).

BOOK SHELF: Patriots RB DANNY WOODHEAD is the “star of a new kids’ book that’s all about perseverance.” The book, titled “DANNY WOODHEAD: FOOTBALL DREAM COME TRUE,” tells the “tale of a young Danny who wants to play in his team’s championship game, but the coach tells him he’s too small” (BOSTON HERALD, 11/8)....Former NFLer DAN PASTORINI has written an autobiography titled, “TAKING FLAK: MY LIFE IN THE FAST LANE” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 11/8).

NAMES: The Univ. of Minnesota yesterday said that it “will appeal a state Appeals Court ruling that upheld a $1 million award to would-be assistant men’s basketball coach JIMMY WILLIAMS for a rescinded job offer” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/8)….A federal judge has ordered boxer FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. “to perform 40 hours of community service for dodging a deposition” (AP, 11/8)….Former NBAer YAO MING has “started classes at Jiaotong University, one of the top universities in his hometown Shanghai.” He is “studying mathematics, English and modern Chinese history, hoping they will aid his business career” (AP, 11/8)….The Country Music Association said that MLB Cardinals 3B DAVID FREESE will be one of the presenters at “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” tomorrow (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/8)….Under Armour Chair, President & CEO KEVIN PLANK paid $1.5M on Oct. 3 for a four-bedroom townhouse in the Georgetown neighborhood of DC (WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/4 issue).

IN MEMORY: Former Oakland Tribune Sports Editor BOB VALLI passed away last Wednesday of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s related causes at the age of 80. Valli served “on the writers’ committee that selected members to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is widely credited for securing” late Raiders Owner AL DAVIS’ induction (S.F. CHRONICLE, 11/6).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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