ABC's "GMA" co-host and former ESPN anchor ROBIN ROBERTS will be presented with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the '13 ESPY Awards. Roberts, diagnosed with breast cancer in '07 and a rare blood disorder last year, said, "ESPN will forever be my home and when I got the call (about receiving the award) I was speechless. Arthur was a dear friend of mine ... and to now receive that award, it's totally surreal." She added, "It would have been a lot easier for me not to (go public), but when I know that it can bring greater good it just brings you so much comfort and it gives you purpose and I feel now, more than ever, that my life has purpose" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 3/26). Roberts received congratulations on Twitter. ESPN’s Stuart Scott wrote, “SO Proud of my friend @RobinRoberts Receiving Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2013 #ESPYS.” Roberts’ “GMA” co-host Josh Elliott wrote, “So happy and proud for @RobinRoberts, who'll receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at this year's ESPYs on July 17th. A wonderful honor....”
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: TIME magazine’s list of the best Twitter feeds in sports included Grizzlies G TONY ALLEN, Saints QB DREW BREES, college blogger SPENCER HALL, Clippers F BLAKE GRIFFIN, U.S. hurdler LOLO JONES, Vikings P CHRIS KLUWE, Deadspin.com columnist DREW MAGARY, CBS Sports Network’s JIM ROME, U.S. women’s national soccer team G HOPE SOLO and tennis player SERENA WILLIAMS (TIME.com, 3/25).
PLAYING POLITICS: The NHL Kings and MLS Galaxy yesterday visited the White House to celebrate last year's championships. President BARACK OBAMA "accepted jerseys" from both teams. Kings coach DARRYL SUTER "had planned to press Obama to allow the construction of the Keystone oil pipeline from Canada through the U.S." It was "unclear whether the coach brought the issue up" (LATIMES.com, 3/26)....U.S. Senate lobbying disclosures show that the Livestrong Foundation has registered to lobby on a number of different issues. Livestrong Government Relations Dir CAMERON KRIER "will be lobbying" on health care reform, tobacco control, sequestration, funding for cancer research, prevention and survivorship initiatives, insurance coverage and reforms, and global health funding and programs for noncommunicable diseases, including cancer. Podesta Group "lobbied on behalf" of Livestrong in '12, when it spent $160,000 on its efforts (POLITICO.com, 3/26)....Ravens WR TORREY SMITH "has worked as an intern" for U.S. Rep. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-Md.). Ravens Player Development Dir HARRY SWAYNE helped "secure" the internship for Smith, who studied criminal justice at the Univ. of Maryland (BALTIMORESUN.com, 3/26)....Patriots DT VINCE WILFORK joined U.S. Sen. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.) and medical experts at Hood Middle School in Derry, N.H., and “preached the importance of living healthy, active lives now to lower the chances of developing diabetes later” (BOSTON HERALD, 3/27).
HOOP DREAMS: Former President GEORGE W. BUSH was “among the packed crowd” attending Baylor C BRITTNEY GRINER’s final home game against Florida State in the NCAA Women’s Tournament. Bush visited the teams “in their respective locker rooms” before last night’s game (AP, 3/26)....Vice President JOE BIDEN attended Delaware's NCAA Women's Tournament win over North Carolina last night at the Bob Carpenter Center (PHILLY.com, 3/26).
ON SCREEN: UFC fighter GEORGES ST-PIERRE has been cast as villain Batroc the Leaper in “CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER” (LATIMES.com, 3/26)….Dodgers CF MATT KEMP filmed a segment for PBS’ “SESAME STREET” that will air tomorrow (FOXSPORTSWEST.com, 3/26)….NASCAR driver KYLE BUSCH will appear in an upcoming episode of FX’ “ANGER MANAGEMENT” (FOXSPORTSWEST.com, 3/26).
CHARITY STRIPE: NASCAR and IndyCar team Owner ROGER PENSKE is among a group of donors who pledged $8M to "cash-strapped Detroit" to help pay for new emergency vehicles (AP, 3/25)....Heat G DWYANE WADE "donated 20 iPads and $75,000 for an iPad reading lab" in the "By The Hand Club" center in Chicago (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/27)....ESPN's DICK VITALE said that he "is hoping" to have Michigan State Univ. F ADREIAN PAYNE and his friend, 7-year-old LACEY HOLSWORTH, as guests at the Dick Vitale Gala to benefit the V Foundation on May 17. Holsworth is "battling cancer and is scheduled to have a bone-marrow transplant soon" (FREEP.com, 3/26).
NAMES: Steelers Chair Emeritus DAN ROONEY in June will be inducted into the Irish American HOF (POST-GAZETTE.com, 3/26)....Former Bowling Proprietors' Association of America President JACK MORAN will receive the '13 Victor Lerner Memorial Medal on June 26 (BPAA)....The L.A. Times' T.J. SIMERS wrote while recovering from a mini-stroke he found out "a lot of people were ... rooting for me to recover," including UCLA football coach JIM MORA, who "emailed best wishes." Simers: "Never heard from JIM BUSS, and I thought I was his only supporter" (L.A. TIMES, 3/27)….SAC Capital Advisors Founder and Mets investor STEVEN COHEN has bought PABLO PICASSO’s painting “Le Reve” for $155M from casino developer STEVE WYNN. Sources said that figure is the “highest price paid by a U.S. collector for an artwork” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 3/26)….Construction is underway in Cambridge, Mass., on Hit Wicket, a cricket-themed restaurant and bar created by restaurateur SHUBHA RAMESH KUMAR. Hit Wicket will “serve popular food from major cricket-playing nations and broadcast live cricket matches,” and will be the country’s first restaurant “dedicated to the ball-and-bat sport” (BOSTON HERALD, 3/26).
