In Charlotte, Joseph Person noted since the club let go of GM MARTY HURNEY, NFL Panthers Dir of Football Operations and acting GM BRANDON BEANE has “gone from handling budgets and overseeing the equipment, video and team operations to watching film with coach RON RIVERA, talking with teams about possible trades and making decisions that will shape the Panthers’ immediate future” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/3).
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD: Basketball HOFer ISIAH THOMAS and filmmaker ROBERT TOWNSEND are “collaborating on a new hoops film and were looking for young basketball players to star in it” yesterday at AmericanAirlines Arena. The film is called “Playin’ For Love” and reportedly “will center around a star player who transfers schools and ‘turns a coach’s life upside down.’” More than 1,000 “auditioned for a role in the film” (FREEP.com, 11/4)....49ers LB ALDON SMITH is acting in the film “Hypebeasts,” about a “diverse group of young ‘sneaker heads’ waiting in line for the next overpriced shoe to drop” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 11/5)....MLS Galaxy MF DAVID BECKHAM "is set to quit" the team "and may move to N.Y. so his wife can pursue her fashion career." Beckham, "who has become arguably more famous off the pitch than on it, is not expected to renew his one-year rolling contract with the club," which runs out on Dec. 31. However, sources said that "he has no plans to retire from football" (London DAILY MAIL, 11/3).
NAMES: Irish journalist PAUL KIMMAGE filed a lawsuit in Switzerland against the Int'l Cycling Union, UCI President PAT MCQUAID and former President HEIN VERBRUGGEN that claims the pair of “being complicit in LANCE ARMSTRONG’s doping scheme” (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 11/2)….The Sports Museum’s “Boston vs. Bullies” initiative has “taken some 18 months and a $200,000 investment to get up and running.” Lead partners New Balance and the Highland Street Foundation helped produce “a half-hour DVD on bullying,” that comes with a 20-page facilitator’s guide, “giving teachers or group leaders the tools to drive home the key points with kids” (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/4)….Vikings P CHRIS KLUWE had been writing “a popular online blog” for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but decided to stop because of “the paper’s editorial against gay marriage, an issue in which Kluwe very strongly believes” (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 11/3)….Former LOCOG Chair SEBASTIAN COE was profiled in Saturday’s “Lunch With The Financial Times” feature, and Gideon Rachman wrote Coe is “once again … basking in public approval.” His memoirs are “being published, just in time for the Christmas market.” Coe said of FIFA President SEPP BLATTER, "It's easy to caricature people but I know him and he's actually quite thoughtful" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 11/3)….U.S. swimmer RYAN LOCHTE “spent two hours with the kids at the Boys & Girls Club” in South Boston to “promote Gillette’s Great Star program, help the kids with their homework and … let them pose” for pictures with his Olympic medal (BOSTON HERALD, 11/3).
