In Indianapolis, Bob Kravitz in a Q&A with Colts QB ANDREW LUCK asks, "What's the deal with the beard?" Luck said, "I realize it's not a good look." Luck also said of social media and smart phones, "I've never really gotten into it. I don't know why. I wouldn't call myself a Luddite; going to school [in Silicon Valley], I have a deep appreciation for technology, but I just choose to have a regular phone." The Colts are among the NFL teams to use a digital playbook this year, and Luck said his team-issued iPad also contains "the Kindle app, that's my favorite. Flipboard, that's how I've started to consume my news." Luck added his favorite BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN album is "'Nebraska' because I like the song 'Johnny 99'" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 6/26).
CHARITY STRIPE: Pro Football HOFer STEVE YOUNG yesterday attended his annual Mountain Classic at Red Ledges Golf Club. The event "benefits a new initiative called Sophie's Place, which will fund music therapy rooms in hospitals" (DESERET NEWS, 6/26)....Eagles WR JEREMY MACLIN yesterday kicked off his second annual youth football camp in West Deptford, N.J. (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/26).
NAMES: St. Martin's Press has acquired the North American print and electronic rights to agent LEIGH STEINBERG's memoir. The book is tentatively scheduled for release in winter '14 (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/25)....Former ESPN personality DANA JACOBSON yesterday on her blog shared her story of being violated as a child by a male babysitter (USA TODAY, 6/25)....At the ECHL BOG meetings in Las Vegas last week, ECHL VP/Business Operations RYAN CRELIN received the Award of Excellence in recognition of his work on behalf of the league and member clubs over the past season (ECHL)....Patriots QB TOM BRADY and wife, model GISELE BUNDCHEN, have sold their Back Bay penthouse in Boston for $9.2M. Brady bought the home in '06 for $6.2M (BOSTON HERALD, 6/26)....Red Sox Owner JOHN HENRY and wife LINDA joined "TED" producer JOHN JACOBS for the opening of Boston's Empire Asian Restaurant and Lounge (BOSTON HERALD, 6/26)....NCAA College World Series Official Scorekeeper LOU SPRY announced yesterday that he will retire following the tournament, after 31 consecutive years in his position (AZSTARNET.com, 6/26)....Hockey HOFer WAYNE GRETZKY yesterday was among the first individuals appointed to the Order of Hockey in Canada, a new initiative through Hockey Canada that recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions or service to the growth of the sport in the country (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/26).
