Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

People and Pop Culture

Names In The News

In Jacksonville, Garry Smits reports ARNOLD PALMER was "taken to a hospital Sunday about 15 minutes before" TIGER WOODS won the PGA Tour event at Bay Hill. Palmer's blood pressure readings "had fluctuated for most of the day, possibly because of a change in medication," before "a spike in the readings late in the afternoon" sent him to the hospital. Doctors said that Palmer's blood pressure "stabilized after he was admitted" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 3/26).

SHOW ME THE MONEY: In DC, Mike Jones wrote at 29 years old, Miami-based Goal Line Football's DREW SMITH ranks among "the youngest agents with 10 or more active clients." Smith has prospered by "letting other agents chase stars and training his sights on under-the-radar players" such as Redskins FB DARREL YOUNG, Giants FB HENRY HYNOSKI and Bears LB DOM DECICCO. Smith said, "I wish I could walk up to ANDREW LUCK and say: 'Hi, I'm Drew Smith. Let me represent you.' But you have to have a realistic sense of who you are and what you do." Generally, Smith earns "up to three percent of a client's pay once he signs with a team." However, Smith often "has to invest up to $15,000 into a player to cover training, living and travel arrangements to help him before he is drafted or signs a contract" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/24).

SYMBOLIC GESTURE: In Charlotte, Franco Ordonez noted Earnhardt Ganassi Racing co-Owner and Bobcats investor FELIX SABATES "wishes POPE BENEDICT XVI would change his mind about visiting" Cuba today. Sabates fled Cuba 53 years ago and has become one of the U.S.' "most successful sports entrepreneurs." Sabates said that he is "rethinking his philanthropy work on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church." Sabates: "If the leader is doing that, I'm not so sure I need to support the church like I used to support it. And I'm serious about that" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/25).

NAMES: Former Univision Chair JERRY PERENCHIO is "among the top contributors to the super PAC" that supports Republican presidential candidate MITT ROMNEY, who will be "tapping into deep-pocketed donors with high-dollar fundraisers" this week at the home of Chargers Owner ALEX SPANOS (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/25)....SEC filings indicate that SMI Chair & CEO BRUTON SMITH received $1.97M in total compensation in '11. Smith was paid a salary of $600,000 and received nonequity incentives of $1.37M last year (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/23)....Senators Owner EUGENE MELNYK wore a hat emblazoned with the word "Relax" Saturday morning at Scotiabank Place. Melnyk "remains bullish" on his club's chances of making the playoffs, saying, "I don't think there is any reason to panic" (OTTAWA SUN, 3/25)....CBS' "LATE SHOW" host DAVID LETTERMAN attended Sunday's Izod IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg as the co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/26)....NFL Draft prospect QB ROBERT GRIFFIN III attended Baylor's men's basketball tournament loss to Kentucky in the Atlanta regional final yesterday afternoon (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/25)....Dodgers RF ANDRE ETHIER is paying for new uniforms for Phoenix' Camelback High School baseball team. New Balance, which recently signed a sponsorship deal with Ethier, will provide the team with shoes (L.A. TIMES, 3/25).

IN MEMORY: Former Triple-A Pacific Coast League President WILLIAM CUTLER died Saturday at the age of 92. Cutler headed the PCL from '79-97, and had a career of 50 years in baseball (PCL)....Longtime Hollywood Park Chair MARJE EVERETT, 90, passed away Friday in L.A. Everett was on the track's BOD from '72-91 and served as President, CEO & Chair from '85-91 (NORTH COUNTY TIMES, 3/25).

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.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2012/03/26/People-and-Pop-Culture/Names.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2012/03/26/People-and-Pop-Culture/Names.aspx

CLOSE