The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Kevin Clark wrote Ravens LB RAY LEWIS is “widely regarded as one of the best orators in sports.” In the past year or so, Lewis has “accepted invitations to speak to the Stanford basketball team before an NIT game, the Loyola (Md.) men's lacrosse team during the NCAA tournament, and even a Florida youth swim club near his home whose members were preparing for a meet.” Lewis said that he has “spoken to ‘multiple’ Fortune 500 companies for pay and he is well known for his speechmaking performances in commercials for the Madden football videogames and Under Armour sportswear.” UA President, Chair & CEO KEVIN PLANK said that he “enlists Lewis's help for his intensity giving speeches to his sales force” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/24).
HOME-COURT ADVANATAGE: In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg wrote the Bobcats have “done more than give up their home floor at Time Warner Cable Arena for the Democratic National Convention,” as “several key members of the NBA franchise have endorsed PRESIDENT OBAMA with the ultimate seal of approval: a campaign check.” Bobcats stakeholder ROBERT JOHNSON made a $5,000 contribution to Obama’s re-election campaign, while head coach MIKE DUNLAP donated $500. In total, the Obama campaign “reaped $73,000 from NBA players, coaches and owners," which is ahead of the "$71,000 haul" for Republican Presidential candidate MITT ROMNEY (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/23).
NAMES: Lakers Exec VP/Business Operations JEANNIE BUSS on her Twitter feed Wednesday wrote her father, Lakers Owner JERRY BUSS, is "doing really well" following surgery on Aug. 9 for an undisclosed ailment. Jeanie Buss also indicated that her father "had a visit” with Lakers G KOBE BRYANT (LATIMES.com, 8/23)….Gold Medal-winning swimmer MISSY FRANKLIN said she “got a cameo in the upcoming movie ‘THE INTERNSHIP” starring OWEN WILSON and VINCE VAUGHN ("Today," NBC, 8/24)....Gold Medal-winning gymnast GABBY DOUGLAS Thursday threw out the first pitch of the Rockies-Mets game at Citi Field (NEWSDAY, 8/24)….A renovated baseball field in south Minneapolis on Thursday was dedicated in honor of the late Baseball HOFer HARMON KILLEBREW (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 8/24)….Lions DT NDAMUKONG SUH is featured in the September issue of GQ magazine under the header, “He Didn’t Mean To Hurt You” (GQ, 9/ '12 issue)…Sacramento Mayor and former NBAer KEVIN JOHNSON will serve as grand marshal of Sunday’s Izod IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Sonoma (SACRAMENTO BEE, 9/24)….Smart Lunches, an Internet provider of healthy meal options outside the home, said it has secured more than $1M in Series A funding, including investment from Patriots and MLS Revolution President JONATHAN KRAFT (BOSTON HERALD, 8/23)….Former WNBA Atlanta Dream Owner KATHY BETTY joined the Aaron’s BOD (AJC.com, 8/23)….Former NFLer DOUG FLUTIE is “putting his Natick [Mass.] home up for sale and heading to Florida” (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/24)....The 11th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon on Tuesday and Wednesday “raised more than $3.3 million to support adult and pediatric care and cancer research” at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston (Jimmy Fund).
