ESPN THE MAGAZINE's Chris Jones profiles MLBPA Exec Dir MICHAEL WEINER, and notes while battling an inoperable brain tumor he has "lost the use of the right side of his body." He is "so thin that he wears his watch over the sleeve of his fleece," but has "exceeded the expectations of his doctor." Weiner said, "I want to live. I'm 51 years old, and I want to live until I'm 151 years old, and I hope we find some miracle. But I'd be lying if I said I was thinking past our executive board meeting." Between rounds of chemotherapy, Weiner's calendar is "filled with player grievances and licensing discussions." The exec board meeting is scheduled for the beginning of December, and his doctor is "unsure if he will make it." Weiner has been told he "has between two and six months left." Weiner said of why he has continued to work so hard, "I have a good job and I enjoy being here. This place means a lot to me. The cause of players means a lot to me." Weiner has "prepared a succession plan that he will not reveal" (ESPN THE MAGAZINE, 10/14 issue).
OLIVER & COMPANY: West Virginia AD OLIVER LUCK is "expected to be named to the selection committee" for the College Football Playoff set to begin in '14. Sources said that the Big 12 has "briefed league officials about Luck's involvement." CFP Exec Dir BILL HANCOCK said that he "won't confirm or deny potential candidates in advance of the official announcement of the committee." The CFP "plans to unveil the selection committee by the end of the year, possibly before the regular season ends in early December." An ACC source said Clemson AD DAN RADAKOVICH is “the leader in the clubhouse” to represent the conference on the committee (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/2).
NAMES: Harvard Univ. yesterday honored NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN with the W.E.B. Du Bois medal at the launch of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research (Harvard)....Grizzlies G MIKE CONLEY "has donated $500,000 to the men's and women's basketball programs" at Ohio State Univ. (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/2)....The Land Report and Fay Ranches issued its list of the top 100 individual land owners in the U.S., including Liberty Media Chair JOHN MALONE No. 1 with 2.2 million acres, and Kroenke Sports Enterprises Owner STAN KROENKE No. 8 with 848,571 acres (FAYRANCHES.com, 10/1)....L.A.-based indie distributor GRB has "nabbed rights abroad" to "MY BEAUTIFUL GAME," a Fox Soccer production. The series "celebrates sport's iconic moments through the eyes of authoritative personalities, celebrities and fans" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 10/2)....NASCAR driver CARL EDWARDS "recently filmed a video" for country singer SARA EVANS' latest release, “Slow Me Down.” Edwards "plays the part of a former love interest who is being dumped by Evans" (KANSASCITY.com, 10/2).
