In Utah, Lisa Riley Roche notes the 10th anniversary of Salt Lake City's Winter Olympics "will be celebrated in February with a variety of events, including a free sports festival and a special 'Stars on Ice' show." The events will begin Feb. 8 "with the relighting of the Olympic cauldron at Rice-Eccles Stadium." The "big day for marking the 10-year anniversary will be Feb. 18," when a "free Olympic sports festival will be held at the Gateway entertainment and shopping complex downtown, including athlete demonstrations and exhibits promoting the upcoming 2012 Summer Games in London." That evening, the "2002 Stars on Ice" show "will be held at EnergySolutions Arena and include highlights from the Salt Lake Games." 2002 Winter Games COO FRASER BULLOCK said that sponsors are "being sought to cover the estimated $300,000 to $350,000 price tag" (DESERET NEWS, 12/1).
PAY THE PIPER: In London, Oliver Kay reports EPL clubs paid US$112.8M "to agents this year, the highest such figure in the three seasons since payments were first made public." Manchester City's US$15M in agent payments "was the most among the 20 Premier League clubs in the 12 months to September 30, followed by Tottenham Hotspur" at $11.9M. Swansea City, "who were in the npower Championship last season, spent only [US$389,508], while Wigan Athletic, who spent the whole year in the top flight, paid" US$1M (LONDON TIMES, 12/1).
ON THE BOOKSHELF: SI's Alexandra Fenwick reviewed MARK RIBOWSKY's "HOWARD COSELL: THE MAN, THE MYTH, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICAN SPORTS," and notes the "doorstop of a book at 477 pages ... is exactly the kind of hefty tome that Cosell would have agreed his career deserved." Ribowsky's "clear-eyed take on the broadcaster who built his career on 'telling it like it is' reveals the insecurities that fueled Cosell's bravado." The book's "widely sourced account of Cosell's career, including over 40 new interviews with figures like MUHAMMAD ALI cornerman ANGELO DUNDEE, lends the book an authoritative, academic air." But Fenwick notes it is "also a treatise: Ribowsky makes the case that Cosell ... deserves credit for elevating sports to the level of news by putting them into the context of world events" (SI, 12/5 issue)....In Providence, Bill Reynolds reviewed MICHAEL HOLLEY's "WAR ROOM" and wrote the book "tells you more about BILL BELICHICK than his press conferences ever will." The book also "gives insight into both Belichick's football philosophy and how he's used that to become one of the great coaches in NFL history" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 11/30).
NAMES: Baseball America named Brewers VP & GM DOUG MELVIN its major-league exec of the year. Melvin will receive the award next week at MLB's winter meetings in Dallas. Melvin was previously recognized by Sporting News as its co-exec of the year, sharing the title with Tigers President & GM DAVE DOMBROWSKI (JSONLINE.com, 12/1). U.S. Olympic sprinter LASHAWN MERRITT has signed with Ella Bee Media Group for representation in PR, social media and marketing management (Ella Bee PR)....The Packers and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield "are partnering this year to promote the team's Fit Kids program, including sending fourth-grade students to a game at Lambeau Field (GREENBAYPRESSGAZETTE.com, 11/30)....Boxer AMIR KHAN has invited President BARACK OBAMA to his world title fight against LAMONT PETERSON on Dec. 10 in DC (London TELEGRAPH, 12/1)….Vikings Owner ZYGI WILF purchased a $19M luxury apartment in one of N.Y.’s Park Avenue co-ops (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/1)….Bears QB JAY CUTLER is again engaged to reality TV star KRISTIN CAVALLARI. No wedding date has been set (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/1).
