In N.Y., Andrew Keh noted when Mets OF ANDRES TORRES "reports to spring training in February, a camera crew will follow, putting the finishing touches on a documentary about his life, 'GIGANTE,' which he and the filmmakers hope will increase awareness about" Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which Torres continues to overcome. The film was conceived by MLB Giants Principal Partner & MLS club DC United Owner WILLIAM CHANG, who said, "I've been around pro sports. And there are lots of wonderful people, and there are a number of people who aren't that wonderful. But Andres was one of the most charismatic and caring individuals I've come across" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/18).
SLOWLY GETTING BETTER: Giants fan BRYAN STOWE, who was severaly beaten during the Opening Day Giants-Dodgers game this year, will be featured on NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams" tonight, and a snippet of the feature aired on NBC's "Today" this morning. NBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman speaks with Stowe and said, "Doctors say Bryan’s speech and mobility may improve, but they expect him to be permanently disabled.” She concluded by saying “the progress is day-by-day” and “this is going to be very long process for the Stowe family” (“Today,” NBC, 12/19).
SPLITTING UP: In L.A., Kim & Williams reported Lakers G KOBE BRYANT's wife, VANESSA, "filed for divorce Friday." In what "appears to be an effort to keep the details of their split out of the public eye, the couple said in a joint statement late Friday that they had 'resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately.'" Vanessa Bryant "had signed the petition Dec. 1, long before it was filed Friday" (L.A. TIMES, 12/17).
FIGHTING IRISH: The SEC on Friday charged former Notre Dame football player DANIEL "RUDY" RUETTIGER and 12 others "with running a stock scam associated with Rudy Nutrition -- a company Ruettiger founded to try to compete against Gatorade in the sports drink market." The SEC said that the company "sold modest amounts of the sports drink 'Rudy' with the tagline 'Dream Big! Never Quit!' but the company was primarily a pump-and-dump stock scheme that created more than $11 million in illicit profits" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/17).
NAMES: YES Network President & CEO TRACY DOLGIN will receive Cornell Univ. School of Industrial & Labor Relations' Alpern Award on March 29 at the Pierre Hotel in N.Y. The award is given periodically to an ILR graduate whose career accomplishments have been primarily outside the field of industrial and labor relations, or to a friend of the school (ILR)....A lawyer for NFL Giants LB MICHAEL BOLEY said that his client is "being investigated on accusations that he has abused his 5-year-old son." A Giants spokesperson said that the team is "aware of the abuse claims," but "would not comment further" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/18)....Pro Football HOFer MARSHALL FAULK was presented with his HOF ring and added to the Rams' Ring of Honor during halftime of Sunday's Bengals-Rams game (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/19)....Chiefs Chair & CEO CLARK HUNT, GM SCOTT PIOLI and several members of the team "visited Joplin Friday, playing Santa and passing out gifts they collected over the last few months for students still dealing with last May’s tornado” (KCTV5.com, 12/16)....L.A. police said that former NFLer WILLIE GAULT got his ’85 Bears championship ring back after it was “stolen from his home Nov. 8.” Police on Thursday “recovered the ring at a store in the 700 block of South Broadway in the jewelry mart district of downtown L.A.” (LATIMES.com, 12/17)….Esquire magazine will feature Heat F CHRIS BOSH and Basketball HOFer SCOTTIE PIPPEN in its January “Meaning of Life" issue (THE DAILY).
