In N.Y., Leonard Greene reports MADONNA during her Super Bowl XLVI halftime show will be "introducing her brand new single" called "Give Me All Your Luvin'." She will perform the song alongside NICKI MINAJ and M.I.A. Madonna's 12-minute set will also include hits "Ray of Light," "Vogue," "Music" and "Holiday" (N.Y. POST, 2/1).
OPEN THE SUITCASE: In L.A., Pringle & Lin II report for "at least five years, officials with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum passed bundles of cash totaling more than $1 million to a union representative, sometimes in a suitcase packed with $100 bills." The payments, "ranging from $1,400 to $187,700 each, were to cover the wages of stagehands on Coliseum events." Sources said that now criminal investigators with the U.S. Labor Department are looking into the payments" (L.A. TIMES, 2/1).
AWARDS SEASON: The CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" play-by-play announcer JIM HUGHSON will be inducted into the British Columbia Hockey HOF on July 27 (Vancouver PROVINCE, 2/1)....The Touchdown Club of New Orleans will honor former Chiefs President & GM CARL PETERSON, among others, at a banquet on March 12. The club will present Peterson with the 22nd annual Pete Rozelle Award, given each year to the person who has made outstanding contributions to pro football and the NFL (KANSASCITY.com, 1/31).
OFFSEASON APPEARANCE: Yankees GM BRIAN CASHMAN and Cubs President of Baseball Operations THEO EPSTEIN yesterday made an appearance at Sacred Heart Univ's Edgerton Center as part of the Student Affairs Lecture Series. The conversation, which included "a lot of fun stories," was moderated by ESPN's STEVE BERTHIAUME. Cashman and Epstein spoke for over an hour as they "shared stories and one-liners and generally spoke of their mutual respect for each other" (CTPOST.com, 1/1).
BASKING IN THE GLOW: Actors BRAD PITT and JONAH HILL appeared on NBC’s “Today” this morning to discuss their film, “MONEYBALL,” which is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Pitt said of the nominations, “It's really nice for the film. It's a nice feeling. This thing was an arduous undertaking. It almost didn't get made about three times and a lot of people put their jobs on the line to see it through. I'm happy it’s paid off.” Pitt said the nominations “means more films like this will have an easier chance of getting made” (“Today,” NBC, 2/1).
NAMES: ESPN baseball analyst CURT SCHILLING's video game company, 38 Studios of Providence, "finally launches its first release" next Tuesday. The new game, called "KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RECKONING," will be published by Electronic Arts (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/1)....Falcons Owner ARTHUR BLANK, through the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, will donate $1M to The First Tee, in support of the youth development organization's goal of reaching 10 million new young people from '11-17. Blank will also become part of The First Tee's Trustee program (The First Tee)....A fire yesterday at Joe Gibbs Racing in Huntersville, N.C., required a handful of employees to seek treatment related to smoke inhalation. A team spokesperson said that a piece of equipment in the shop caught fire around 3:30pm ET but was "quickly contained and extinguished" (THATSRACIN.com, 1/31)....Giants WR VICTOR CRUZ has signed with IMG ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 1/31)....The LeBron James Skills Academy will no longer be held at the Univ. of Akron. The camp will be conducted in Las Vegas so Heat F LEBRON JAMES can participate while training with the U.S. Olympic team (SPORTINGNEWS.com 1/31)....A Gwinnett County (Ga.) judge on Monday granted Aydin & Company Jewelers access to free agent G ALLEN IVERSON's bank account in the jeweler's attempt to recoup $375,000 it says Iverson owes. Aydin's attorney JANICE SINGER said that Iverson "bought nearly $700,000 in jewelry from Aydin in 2008 and 2009 and paid more than $200,000 on his bill," but ultimately "stopped paying" (AJC.com, 1/31)....Penguin Press said that former NBA coach PHIL JACKSON is writing his memoir called "ELEVEN RINGS," tentatively scheduled for release next year (AP, 1/31).
