USA TODAY's Steve Berkowitz reports Butler Univ. men's basketball coach BRAD STEVENS "made nearly" $1.2M during the '11 calendar year. The amount "includes bonus and incentive compensation, likely from the Bulldogs' second consecutive run to the NCAA tournament final." Butler, a private school, is not "required to disclose employment contracts" (USA TODAY, 2/6).
ON THE DOCKET: CBSSPORTS.com's Dennis Dodd cited sources as saying that NCAA VP/Enforcement JULIE ROE LACH "approved a five-figure payment to the attorney of Miami booster NEVIN SHAPIRO in order to obtain information in its ongoing Miami infractions investigation." The sources said that Lach "discussed and approved the disbursement of at least $20,000" (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/5).
POLITICKING: PRESIDENT OBAMA yesterday called Ravens coach JOHN HARBAUGH and GM OZZIE NEWSOME to "congratulate them for their Super Bowl" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 2/5)....Obama today will nominate REI CEO SALLY JEWELL to head the Interior Department (WASHINGTON POST, 2/6)....Democratic National Committee Chair DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ will try to raise some cash for her leadership PAC, Democrats Win Seats, between Feb. 28 and March 2 during Spring Training games that weekend in Florida (POLITICO.com, 2/5).
HEAVY HITTERS: NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL was "surrounded by an 'iron fence' of security at the Super Bowl -- as well as by Defense Secretary LEON PANETTA, New Jersey Gov. CHRIS CHRISTIE and Attorney General ERIC HOLDER in his box for Sunday's game." Also in the commissioner's box were Hollywood agent MIKE OVITZ, 9-year-old football player SAMANTHA GORDON, JACK and JACKIE HARBAUGH, Ohio State football coach URBAN MEYER and LSU coach LES MILES (N.Y. POST, 2/6)
NAMES: Rays investor RANDY FRANKEL will run up the Empire State Building for an “athletic challenge as well as a charity event” benefiting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (TAMPABAY.com, 2/5)....Toronto Star columnist DAVE PERKINS yesterday at the Ontario Sports HOF ceremony accepted the Sandy Hawley Award, presented each year to an individual who "best exemplifies dedication to the community" (TORONTO STAR, 2/6)....Mayor's Masters Reception Chair WAYNE HAWKINS said that this year's event will feature golfer CRAIG STADLER as the honored guest (AUGUSTA.com, 2/5)....Basketball HOFer KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR has restarted his blog at the Huffington Post “after a three-year layoff.” His first entry was “a critique of the HBO series ‘Girls.’” Abdul-Jabbar in a follow-up entry wrote, “We should all be intently listening to voices of the next generation” (LATIMES.com, 2/5)….Musician and director ROB ZOMBIE is creating a movie “about the Broad Street Bullies,” the Flyers teams that won the '74 and '75 Stanley Cup (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/6)….Heat F CHRIS BOSH has put up for lease his “resort-like place” in Pacific Palisades, Calif., for $45,000 per month. The home includes “six bedrooms and eight bathrooms within its nearly 11,000 square feet of living space” (LATIMES.com, 2/5)....Fox NFL analyst MICHAEL STRAHAN has joined Centerplate as a Special Advisor for new business efforts and will act as a brand ambassador (Centerplate)….SUE PATERNO, the widow of late Penn State football coach JOE PATERNO, on Monday will give her first interview since the JERRY SANDUSKY child sexual abuse scandal, appearing on KATIE COURIC’s show “Katie” (LATIMES.com, 2/5).
