Predators and U.S. men's hockey GM DAVID POILE on Thursday, in his first public comments since an errant puck struck him in the face earlier this month, revealed that he "currently can't see out of his right eye." His eye "was covered with a patch as he spoke to reporters," and his doctors "are unsure if he will regain sight in that eye." Poile said, "I fractured my nose in three different places. The orbital bone was broken above and below the eye." He has "not given up any of his day-to-day duties even though Thursday marked his first time back in the office." Poile "did not indicate any significant limitations other than skipping the first road tip after the Olympic break" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 2/21). Poile: "I'm not trying to be a hero or anything else. This is not a good situation. It is difficult but I have to, and want to, move on" (AP, 2/20).
GETTING VLAD'S BACK? F1 CEO BERNIE ECCLESTONE during an interview with CNN said Russia President VLADIMIR PUTIN "hasn't said he doesn't agree (with homosexuality) just that he doesn't want these things publicised to an audience under the age of 18." Ecclestone added, "I completely agree with those sentiments and if you took a world census you'd find 90% of the world agree with it as well. I've great admiration for him and his courage to say what he says" (London INDEPENDENT, 2/21).
AWARDS & HONORS: NLL Vancouver Stealth GM DOUG LOCKER on Thursday received the '13 NLL GM of the Year Award from Commissioner GEORGE DANIEL (TWITTER.com, 2/20)....Former Detroit News golf writer VARTAN KUPELIAN is "among four elected" to the Michigan Golf HOF (DETROITNEWS.com, 2/20)....Univ. of Akron Dir of Basketball Operations DAN PETERS has been named "one of three recipients" of the U.S. Basketball Writers Associations' Most Courageous Award. Peters shares this year's award with Univ. of Pennsylvania G DAU JOK, while Westmont College women's basketball coach KRISTEN MOORE is the recipient of the Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award. Peters was "diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December and is currently on a leave of absence while receiving chemotherapy." He will receive his award during Akron's season finale against Kent State on Friday, March 7 (OHIO.com, 2/20).
POLITICKING: Former NFLer CLINT DIDIER, a member of "the tea party, has announced his candidacy for the U.S. House seat being vacated" by DOC HASTINGS (R-Wash.). Didier's past attempts at political positions "include a failed Senate campaign in 2010 and a losing race for Washington state land commissioner in 2012" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/20)....JAY PATERNO, the son of late Penn State football coach JOE PATERNO, is "running for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor." Paterno will "seek the Democratic nomination in the primary election" (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, 2/20).
NAMES: NFL Giants WR HAKEEM NICKS, who will be a free agent March 11, "signed with JAY Z's sports agency Roc Nation" (NFL.com, 2/20)....Colts coach CHUCK PAGANO has reached a book deal with Zondervan for the acquisition of "SIDELINED: OVERCOMING ODDS THROUGH UNITY, PASSION AND PERSEVERANCE" (Zondervan)....MLB Giants P TIM LINCECUM and his former landlord "agreed to the court's entry of a judgement in Lincecum's favor in the amount of $100,000, ending a legal dispute stemming from allegations of property damage to a townhouse" in S.F. that he rented in '10 (CSNBAYAREA.com, 2/20)....News Corp. Chair & CEO RUPERT MURDOCH has paid more than $57M for the "top four floors of One Madison, a steel and glass luxury condominium tower in downtown Manhattan." Other owners at One Madison include Patriots QB TOM BRADY (N.Y. TIMES, 2/21)....Ravens S MATT ELAM has "gotten a job at the Gainesville, Fla., Finish Line while he completes his anthropology degree" at the Univ. of Florida (BALTIMORESUN.com, 2/20)....Gold Medal-winning U.S. skier JOSS CHRISTENSEN, Silver Medal-winning U.S. snowboarder DEVIN LOGAN and Bronze Medal-winning U.S. skier NICK GOEPPER on Thursday “celebrated their strong performances in Sochi at Soho restaurant Charlie Bird” (N.Y. POST, 2/21)....Nationals P DOUG FISTER and girlfriend ASHLEY PHELPS got engaged in January (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/20).
IN MEMORY: Angler DICK CABELA, co-founder of the Cabela's sporting goods chain, died Monday at his home in Sidney, Neb., at the age of 77. The company declined to disclose a cause (L.A. TIMES, 2/21)....Former MLB Rangers TV and radio producer ROY PARKS died Sunday at the age of 93 (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/21).
