USA TODAY's Steve Berkowitz cites a federal tax return which states NCAA President MARK EMMERT was credited with nearly $1.7M in compensation "during the 2011 calendar year." Meanwhile, NCAA COO JIM ISCH received nearly $1M. Emmert's pay is "more than 46% greater than that reported for predecessor MYLES BRAND during Brand's final full year on the job, 2008." Isch's compensation is "more than 28% higher than reported for him in 2010." The NCAA had nearly $9.5M "in legal expenses during the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2012 -- more than the combined total it reported for its two previous fiscal years" (USA TODAY, 7/11).
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE RIGHT....: In Baltimore, Aaron Wilson cites a source as saying that Ravens S MATT ELAM "doesn't plan to hire an agent at this time and will negotiate his own rookie contract." Elam was drafted No. 32 overall by the Ravens and is "being advised by his older brother," free agent S ABRAM ELAM." Matt Elam under the NFL slotting system is "slated to sign" a four-year, $6.767M contract that will include a $3.301M signing bonus. He has "met with several agents before and after the draft, but has opted to not sign with one." Elam recently "struck a multi-year endorsement deal with Under Armour" (Baltimore SUN, 7/10).
IN REMEMBRANCE: Late hockey agent DON BAIZLEY was remembered yesterday at a ceremony at MTS Centre in Winnipeg. Hockey HOFer BOBBY HULL, former NHLer JARI KURRI and Ducks RW TEEMU SELANNE were among the 2,000 in attendance. Baizley died two weeks ago “after a 14-month battle with non-smoker’s lung cancer” (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 7/11).
SUMMER BOOK CLUB: Author JOHN BACON's latest project chronicles the time he "spent last season as a fly on the wall of four Big Ten teams that had big stories: Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and Northwestern." The book, "FOURTH AND LONG: THE FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL," features a "description of the NCAA's handling of Penn State in the opening pages" that "is priceless" (ESPN.com, 7/9)....Author MOTEZ BISHARA's book, "BEATING THE NBA: TALES FROM A FRUGAL FAN," explains how the NBA's "secondary ticket market works." The book is "intriguing." His stories "focus mostly on what he had to do to acquire a ticket, but he also provides good flavor of the cities, arenas and teams (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 7/9).
NAMES: Hendrick Motorsports has "made a $5,000 donation to assist New Hampshire Motor Speedway in hosting first responders and their families this weekend." The donation was "made in memory" of MIT police officer SEAN COLLIER, the brother of HMS machinist ANDREW COLLIER, who was "killed April 18 during the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing" (THATSRACIN.com, 7/11)....Orioles LF CHRIS DICKERSON will host a recycling event for his Players for the Planet organization on Aug. 16-18, and will be joined by teammates CF ADAM JONES, LF NOLAN REIMOLD and Ps JIM JOHNSON, BRIAN MATUSZ and CHRIS TILLMAN (CSNBALTIMORE.com, 7/10)….Basketball HOFer DENNIS RODMAN will release his Bad Boy Vodka line later this month (FREEP.COM, 7/10).
