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People and Pop Culture

Names In The News

Nets G DERON WILLIAMS last night appeared on Comedy Central's "Night Of Too Many Stars," an annual TV special that raises money to support Autism programs. Williams "told viewers that if they could raise $100,000, he would wear one of three temporary tattoos" when the Nets open the '12-13 season against the Knicks Nov. 1 at Barclays Center. The viewers "could text in one of three choices: the face of actress BETTY WHITE, the 'dramatic chipmunk' of YouTube fame or the face of Russian comedian YAKOV SMIRNOFF." When the telecast ended, White was the "runaway leader" (NYPOST.com, 10/22).

CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN: Sunday’s edition of Fox’ “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show aired a segment with PRESIDENT OBAMA and MITT ROMNEY appearing separately discussing the success of Redskins QB ROBERT GRIFFIN III this season. Fox’ Curt Menefee introduced the segment by saying Griffin is the "man who has not only united Redskins’ fans, but also President Obama and Govenor Romney.” Sitting on a couch with Griffin’s jersey hanging behind him, Romney told the camera, “RGIII hasn’t been in Washington very long. But he’s already created change.” Obama said, “It’s tough to unite this city around anything. Believe me, I know. But RGIII makes it look easy.” Romney said Griffin has “really struck a chord with sports fans, uniting Democrats and Republicans.” Obama noted, “He’s a great young man and a heck of a lot of fun to watch and I wish him all the luck in the world, except when he plays the Bears” ("Fox NFL Sunday," Fox, 10/21).

FEELING BETTER: Colts Owner JIM IRSAY after yesterday's win over the Browns "turned up the volume" of the team's postgame celebration when he "informed the team coach CHUCK PAGANO had been released from IU Health Simon Cancer Center earlier in the day and watched the game from the comfort of his home." Pagano had been hospitalized since late September "after being diagnosed with leukemia" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/22)....Magic Owner RICH DEVOS, who is "recovering from a mild stroke last month," attended last night's Spurs-Magic preseason game at Amway Center and "will be in town" for today's annual luncheon with coaches and players (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 10/21).

RUBBING ELBOWS: Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT last week was "inducted into Columbia University's Hall of Fame." He also received an award from ELTON JOHN for "his support of the singer's AIDS Foudation." Meanwhile, Kraft's guests at yesterday's Jets-Patriots game included Harvard Univ. President DREW FAUST, Harvard Business School Dean NITIN NOHRIA, JPMorgan Chase Vice Chair JIMMY LEE, Covidien Chair & CEO JOSE ALMEIDA, Macy's CEO TERRY LUNDGREN, CBS Marketing Group President GEORGE SCHWEITZER and DONALD TRUMP (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/22)....Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON and Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES yesterday in Charlotte "spent some time together prior to kickoff cruising the field in the Big Cat’s golf cart" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 10/21). Jones said that Cowboys coach JASON GARRETT invited former Redskins coach JOE GIBBS "to speak to his players for the chapel service at the team hotel Saturday night before their game" against the Panthers. The Joe Gibbs Racing team is headquartered in Huntersville, N.C., just north of Charlotte (AP, 10/21).

A CURRENT AFFAIR: Vikings QB CHRISTIAN PONDER reportedly is dating ESPN’s SAMANTHA STEELE after the pair “met a couple months ago” on the set of "College GameDay” (1500ESPN.com, 10/19)….Clippers F LAMAR ODOM and his wife KHLOE KARDASHIAN released a new holiday fragrance called “Unbreakable Joy.” Meanwhile, the pair said that put their E! reality show “Khloe & Lamar” on hold while Odom “dedicated himself to getting back in shape for the Clippers” (LATIMES.com, 10/19).

NAMES: Former Steelers team physician RICHARD RYDZE was "charged with illegally distributing human growth hormone, anabolic steroids and prescription pain killers." The team "isn't mentioned in the indictment" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 10/19)....WWE since '07 has "received nearly" $37M in Connecticut state tax credits "for TV production, digital media and infrastructure." The figure makes the Stamford-based company "one of the largest beneficiaries of the film tax credit, if not the largest." The payments "totaled nearly one-quarter of all state outlays under the program" in '09 through '11 (HARTFORD COURANT, 10/20)....Gold Medal-winning U.S swimmer MISSY FRANKLIN on Saturday “committed to attend” the Univ. of California. Her father DICK said that by choosing to swim in college, Missy is passing up “more than $2 million in potential endorsements” (DENVER POST, 10/21)….Former IndyCar driver LYN ST. JAMES will host the Women in the Winner’s Circle Awards Celebration on Dec. 7 at the Int'l Motorsports Industry Show at the Indiana Convention Center. The event will benefit her Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation (INDYSTAR.com, 10/19)….Golfer K.J. CHOI released an autobiography last week entitled “Korean Tank, Choi Kyung-ju” (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 10/19).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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