In N.Y., Kriste Ackert reports MTV's "JERSEY SHORE" star NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI "did not get the warmest welcome at Citi Field" for last night's Nationals-Mets game. Polizzi was "booed by fellow fans when she was shown on the jumbo video board in the seventh inning." Polizzi and her fiance, JIONNI LAVALLE "were at Citi filming a segment for a show" for MLB. When MLB on Sunday tweeted a promotion for Polizzi's appearance, Rays 3B EVAN LONGORIA responded on Twitter, "This is what MLB is tweeting about? Why are we endorsing this?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/24). In N.Y., Zach Schonbrun wrote, "It was a strange night at Citi Field on Monday." Mets Owner FRED WILPON "made a rare appearance in the clubhouse," but his arrival was "overshadowed by the appearance" of Polizzi. It was also "Star Wars night at the ballpark" and, before the game, six "storm troopers sat in the dugout, taking cover from the rain" (NYTIMES.com, 7/23).
AROUND THE RING: SI.com's Chris Mannix reported rapper 50 CENT "is getting into the boxing promoting business." 50 Cent has "founded TMT Promotions -- short for The Money Team -- which has been licensed in New York and, according to Nevada state athletic commissioner KEITH KIZER, is in the process of applying for a license in Nevada." Sources said that in addition to working with boxer FLOYD MAYWEATHER, TMT Promotions "is expected to sign former featherweight title holder YURI GAMBOA and super middleweight contender ANDRE DIRRELL" (SI.com, 7/23).
PUTTING IN THE TIME: In Orlando, Richard Bilbao interviews Magic CEO ALEX MARTINS for a "Behind The Scenes" feature, and notes Martins devotes "six-10 hours a week" to his duties as Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Board Chair" (ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/20 issue).
NAMES: MLB Giants coach TIM FLANNERY has recorded a CD featuring Grateful Dead guitarist BOB WEIR. He recorded the album "as a fundraiser for BRYAN STOW, the San Francisco paramedic who was injured in a violent altercation at Dodger Stadium” on Opening Day last year (NORTH COUNTY TIMES, 7/22)….Big 12 Commissioner BOB BOWLSBY said that the league’s coach of the year award “would be named after former interim commissioner CHUCK NEINAS beginning this season” (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/24)….In the wake of his dismissal from the Philadelphia Union last month, PETER NOWAK has sued the MLS team “claiming that it did not act in good faith when claiming to fire Nowak for cause.” The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, refers to “unpaid severance money that Nowak claims the club was contractually obligated to provide” (PHILLY.com, 7/24)….The LSU Athletic Dept. is contributing $4M to the school “in order to assist with budget challenges in the 2012-13 fiscal year.” The transfer is “the largest contribution from Athletics to Academics in LSU history.” The Athletic Dept. also will “take financial responsibility for the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes at the rate of about $1.5 million per year” (NOLA.com, 7/23).
