President BARACK OBAMA yesterday welcomed the Galaxy to the White House in honor of the club's '11 MLS Cup victory and said of MF DAVID BECKHAM, it is a "rare man who can be that tough on the field and also have his own line of underwear" (AP, 5/15). Beckham later said, "I'll have to send him some long johns and some of the different pieces. He'll definitely be getting a package" (WASHINGTON EXAMINER, 5/16). Meanwhile, Beckham is scheduled to make a "guest appearance at the official handover ceremony of the Olympic flame in Athens and bring it back to Britain for the torch relay" (PA, 5/16).
ON THE PAYROLL: In Miami, Neal & Beasley note Florida Int'l Univ. "never has given an official reason for firing ISIAH THOMAS as men's basketball coach in April." But Thomas' FIU personnel file indicates that he "didn't violate his contract in any way, and the university owes him the $660,000 base salary of his contract's final two years" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/16)....In Ft. Worth, Dwain Price reports the Mavericks yesterday gave coach RICK CARLISLE a four-year contract extension. The team "didn't release" Carlisle's financial package, but he earned $4.5M this season and "received a salary increase in his extension." Celtics coach DOC RIVERS, who made $7M this season, is the NBA's highest-paid coach (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/16).
SUN SCREEN: In Pittsburgh, Kaitlynn Riely notes CBS' BILL COWHER, who lost his wife to melanoma in '10, yesterday helped launch "Melanoma Exposed," a campaign to "encourage more people to get screened for the form of skin cancer." The goal of the campaign is to "educate the American public ... about the importance of being screened for skin cancer." The campaign, which launched its website yesterday, will hold its "first free public skin screening" at Sun Life Stadium next month. The NFL Giants, Broncos and Ravens will host other free screenings (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/16). Cowher appeared on CNBC's "Fast Money" yesterday to promote the campaign (THE DAILY).
THIS ONE'S FOR THE GIRLS: Vikings RB ADRIAN PETERSON appeared at Southwestern Univ. last weekend to watch the AAU girls' basketball team he sponsors, AD Elite, play in a tournament. Peterson said that he helps the team "to honor his six sisters and a dozen aunts." In exchange for his sponsorship, Peterson asked that the players "spend at least one day a month working on a community service project" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 5/16).
NAMES: MLB Rangers 2B IAN KINSLER donated $7,500 to Make-A-Wish North Texas (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 5/14)....MLB Giants President & CEO LARRY BAER and his wife, PAM, attended the '12 Tipping Point Benefit Dinner last week in S.F. Since '05, the poverty-fighting group charity has raised nearly $50M to support its 34 organizations (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/16)....The National Football Foundation will honor ESPN Exec Chair GEORGE BODENHEIMER with the '12 NFF Distinguished American Award, which recognizes a person who has maintained an interest in football, exhibited leadership qualities and made a significant contribution to the betterment of amateur football in the U.S. (NFF)....MLB Rangers broadcaster ERIC NADEL on Aug. 11 will become the 15th member of the Rangers HOF. Nadel has been with the organization for 34 years, including the last 18 as the team's lead voice. Rangers Senior Exec VP JIM SUNDBERG said, "When I think of Eric, I think of excellence. I love listening to him" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/15)....Former college football coach JIMMY JOHNSON yesterday was inducted into the College Football HOF. The '12 class included 14 players and three coaches (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 5/16)....Lions DT NDAMUKONG SUH yesterday spoke at the opening of D1 Detroit, a sports training and therapy facility he co-owns with Lions TE TONY SCHEFFLER and others. The fitness center is the 14th facility in the U.S. for D1, which has as roster of site owners that includes Broncos QB PEYTON MANNING, who owns three locations in Tennessee. Other owners include Chargers QB PHILIP RIVERS, Jets QB TIM TEBOW and Braves 3B CHIPPER JONES (DETROIT NEWS, 5/16).
