Sources cited by the N.Y. POST said that Eagles owner JEFFREY LURIE and his wife of 20 years, CHRISTINA, have “quietly settled their divorce,” with Lurie having “agreed to hand her a sizable chunk of the team, which they bought in 1994 and is currently worth more than $1 billion.” Sources said that the final court papers "could be filed as early as next week." (N.Y. POST, 8/9).
MAGIC BOYCOTTED: The DEVOS FAMILY's $500,000 donation to the National Organization for Marriage in ’09 through the Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation "became a public issue this week when FRED KARGER, president of the LGBT
advocacy group, Rights Equal Rights foundation, cited the DeVos
Foundation contribution in calling for a boycott of Amway and its
affiliates," which includes the Magic. Team Owner RICH DEVOS is an Amway co-founder. NOM is “on the front lines of the anti-gay marriage movement, leading initiatives on same-sex marriage bans in eight states" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/9).
PREDATORS SUED: Nashville radio station WRVW-FM announcer ADAM DAVIS is suing the Predators after “breaking his ankle in a ‘human hockey puck’ stunt.” Davis filed the lawsuit this week and is “asking for damages in excess of $25,000” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 8/9).
RULING OVERTURNED: The Minnesota Supreme Court has “overturned a $1 million jury award” to would-be Univ. of Minnesota assistant men's basketball coach JIMMY WILLIAMS over a “rescinded job offer, ruling that Williams was not entitled to protections from ‘negligent misrepresentation.’” The ruling “reverses the jury award and a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision that upheld the award last fall” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 8/9).
FUND RAISING: Running shoe company Skora Founder DAVID SYPNIEWSKI is “recruiting investors for his start-up.” Skora has “two running shoe styles in the ‘minimal’ category that went to market in February.” Skora “seeks to raise $1.5 million to $3 million by Dec. 15.” Sypniewski said, “We have several investors we’re speaking with and engaging with. We’re looking at adding more.” SportsOneSource analyst Matt Powell said Skora has “premium, well-thought products” (Portland OREGONIAN, 8/9).
NAMES: U.S. women’s soccer national team F ABBY WAMBACH “bought a house in Portland.” She paid $705,000 for the two-story, four-bedroom, 3,900-square-foot house in the Northwest Heights neighborhood (OREGONLIVE.com, 8/8)….Former NFLer CRAIG HANNEMAN became the “first former North American professional athlete” to climb Mt. Everest (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 8/9)….Former Boston Globe college sports writer MARK BLAUDSCHUN launched a new blog called AJerseyguy.com (SHERMANREPORT.com, 8/7)….Former UFL Mountain Lions coach DENNIS GREEN filed suit against the team and league “about a week after Green says he received his last paycheck.” Green, who previously coached the NFL's Vikings and Cardinals, "was supposed to get $1.5 million last year." However, he "received a total of $435,000 through the end of last September" (SACBEE.com, 8/8)….Patriots QB TOM BRADY, wife GISELE BUNDCHEN, and his sons JACK and BENJAMIN, yesterday spent time with Saints QB DREW BREES after the teams’ joint practice. Brees later “treated his linemen, receivers, and running backs" to part of the Rangers-Red Sox game from the right field terrace at Fenway Park (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/9)….Mavericks F DIRK NOWITZKI married JESSICA OLSON on July 20 at Nowitzki’s home (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 8/9)....Pocono Raceway has established a memorial fund to benefit the victims of the lighting storm that killed one NASCAR fan and injured nine others after Sunday’s Pennsylvania 400. Donations will be accepted at any PNC bank branch (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 8/8).
