Names In The News

In Boston, Fee, Raposa & Johnson write Republican presidential candidate MITT ROMNEY “may be hitting a home run” with Republican National Committee delegates in Tampa, but in Massachusetts, “he’s not scoring many points.” Political contributions from the owners of the five local teams show that with the "exceptions of Bruins owner JEREMY JACOBS, the residents of the owners’ boxes are almost exclusively writing checks" to President BARACK OBAMA. Patriots & MLS Revolution Owner ROBERT KRAFT, Red Sox President & CEO LARRY LUCCHINO and Celtics Managing Partner STEVE PAGLIUCA “all have ponied up to re-elect the president.” Jacobs and his wife MARGARET “gave a total of $3,500 to the GOP.” Kraft already has donated “the maximum $5,000 to the president’s re-elections effort” and “forked over a whopping $12,900 to the Democratic National Committee” (BOSTON HERALD, 8/30)....Basketball HOFer and Bobcats Owner MICHAEL JORDAN “will not be in Charlotte during the Democratic National Convention next week.” After rumors of his involvement with the DNC, Jordan’s rep yesterday said that “MJ will be out of town” (WCNC.com, 8/29).... Former MLBer TINO MARTINEZ sat in a box with Senate Majority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL (R-Ky.) for Tuesday night's speeches at the RNC (POLITICO.com, 8/29).

CONCUSSION ISSUES: In DC, Steven Goff reported former MLS DC United D BRYAN NAMOFF, whose career was “cut short by a concussion three years ago, filed a $12 million lawsuit Wednesday against the MLS club and former coach TOM SOEHN, claiming they failed to properly evaluate his injury and cleared him to play too soon.” The complaint, filed in DC Superior Court, alleges DC United was “negligent in its management, care and treatment” of Namoff after he was injured in a game at RFK Stadium on Sept. 9, 2009. He played “three days later, which ultimately was the final appearance of his nine-year career.” Namoff said that he “suffered brain damage and cognitive, memory and sensory loss.” The lawsuit stated that he also has “permanent headaches and fatigue, sleep problems and hypersensitivity to motion.” Namoff’s attorneys plan “to add United athletic trainer BRIAN GOODSTEIN, former team physician CHRISTOPHER ANNUNZIATA and Commonwealth Orthopaedics -- Annunziata’s practice -- to the lawsuit” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/29).

HALL PASS: Former NASCAR driver NEIL BONNETT yesterday was inducted into the Motorsports HOF of America. Other inductees included former F1 and Le Mans driver DEREK BELL, former motorcycle racer POP DREYER, parts supplier VIC EDELBROCK SR., former AMA Supercross racer RICKY JOHNSON, engine manufacturer ED PINK and former IndyCar driver DANNY SULLIVAN (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/30).

NAMES: Golfer ERNIE ELS has teamed up with OGDEN PHIPPS II at Deepdale Golf Club “to stage the first of what he hopes is an annual event” to help raise money for “Els for Autism” and a $30M Autism Center for Excellence in South Florida (AP, 8/28)....MGM has "emerged victorious" in a rule on Wednesday at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that confirms the studio’s rights to the film "Raging Bull” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 8/29)....Information security firm Mandiant yesterday announced Heat President PAT RILEY will be a keynote speaker for the third annual Mandiant Incident Response conference (Mandiant)….Basketball HOFer ISIAH THOMAS is “enrolled in graduate school, about 10 units shy of completing his masters degree in Cal’s school of education” (MERCURYNEWS.com, 8/29)….CBS’ BILL COWHER paid $2.65M for a 1,500-square-feet, two-bedroom condo at the Royale in Manhattan’s Lenox Hill. It is “unclear if the famed coach is abandoning his current place in Raleigh” (OBSERVER.com, 8/29)….Brewers 3B ARAMIS RAMIREZ listed his three-bedroom condo in Chicago for $799,000 (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 8/29)....BASEBALLPARKS.com named Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, home to the Double-A Southern League Pensacola Blue Wahoos, its '12 Ballpark of the Year. The honor is awarded annually to the new baseball stadium with the best combination of superior design, attractive site selection and fan amenities (BASEBALLPARKS.com).