Canada Prime Minister STEPHEN HARPER "won't go to Sochi but not because of gay rights or Russian homophobia." Harper's Dir of Communications JASON MACDONALD said, "He normally does not attend; Vancouver was an exception" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/18). Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Bonnie Ford notes PRESIDENT OBAMA named tennis HOFer BILLIE JEAN KING to the U.S. delegation for Sochi, and wrote King is "probably the most visible gay figure in all of sport." Her presence will "mean more than the president's absence." It is a "symbolic body shot to the Russian legislation that subjects its gay citizens to humiliation and abuse" (ESPN.com, 12/18). In S.F., Ann Killion writes under the header, "Billie Jean King An Ideal Gay U.S. Envoy To Sochi" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/19).
HELPING HANDS: Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK yesterday formally announced the launch of the Bill Belichick Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to "provide coaching, mentorship, and financial assistance to individuals, communities and organizations with a focus on the sports of football and lacrosse" (WEEI.com, 12/18)....Former NHLer STEVE MOORE yesterday announced the launch of the Steve Moore Foundation. It is a Canadian Revenue Agency-approved charity that will be "focused on the prevention and treatment of concussion and similar serious head and neck injuries in sport." Moore said that one of the foundation's missions is to "be a source or a clearinghouse for information" (DENVER POST, 12/19)....Astros Ps JARRED COSART, BRETT OBERHOLTZER and JOSH ZEID yesterday "handed out snacks and gifts" to children at the Ronald McDonald House Houston (CHRON.com, 12/18)....Sabres C STEVE OTT and teammates spent yesterday afternoon at Buffalo's Women's & Children's Hospital (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/19)....Texas Motor Speedway Charities this week donated $500,000 to the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Centers (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/19).
NAMES: Attorney KATHERINE HARVEY-LEE said that an agreement "has been reached" to pay $5.8M to the families of eight people killed and 12 injured in a California 200 desert off-road race crash in '10. Harvey-Lee said that the agreement "still must be approved" by the DOJ (AP, 12/18)....Bobcats Owner MICHAEL JORDAN and his wife, YVETTE PRIETO, "are expecting twins -- identical twin girls" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/18)....Despite a "recent attempted auction of his 56,000-square-foot Highland Park mansion that failed to find a bidder at his minimum reserve price" of $13M, Michael Jordan is "relisting the mansion and 7-acre property" for $16M (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 12/18)....Rays 3B EVAN LONGORIA has "invested in Ducky's Sports Lounge" in Tampa (TAMPABAY.com, 12/18).
