Federal authorities are "seeking information from Dean Foods as part of an investigation into well-timed trades" placed by PHIL MICKELSON and sports gambler BILLY WALTERS. The request came "shortly after published reports disclosed that the federal authorities were investigating" whether Walters and Mickelson "possessed inside information about Dean Foods’s plan to announce a spinoff of its WhiteWave Foods subsidiary" in August '12. Mickelson attorney GREGORY CRAIG yesterday in a statement said his client "has done absolutely nothing wrong. He has been cooperating with the investigation" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/24).
TUNING THEM OUT: SERENA WILLIAMS sat for ESPN's "Sunday Conversation," noting she does not "listen to commentators." Williams: "Whenever I watch film I always have it on mute. I've never read an article about myself in years and years and years and years. I don't want it to go to my head. I consider myself an average individual. I just so happen to be a good tennis player. I'm no different from anyone else." Williams said if she reads an article that "says I'm great, then I feel great and if I read articles that say I'm this or I'm bad, maybe I'll feel down on myself. I started that when I was like a teenager. I've never read anything about myself and I've kind of kept that throughout my whole career" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/22).
COURT REPORT: U.S. women's national soccer team G HOPE SOLO "pleaded not guilty to the gross-misdemeanor charges during her arraignment" yesterday in Kirkland County (Wash.) Municipal Court. She was "released from custody on personal recognizance, and ordered to not consume alcohol and to stay away from the alleged victims as conditions of her release." Her next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 11 (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/24).
NAMES: Toronto Star motorsports editor NORRIS MCDONALD will be inducted into the Canadian Motorsports HOF Sept. 27. McDonald is the first journalist to be inducted (THESTAR.com, 6/23)....Former Dodgers Owner FRANK MCCOURT acquired a 50% stake in Global Champions Tour, a “premier international show jumping series that draws top riders and horses” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/23)….Former N.Y. Mayor MICHAEL BLOOMBERG yesterday “got golf tips” from NICK FALDO when Faldo “stopped by Bloomberg TV for a segment” (N.Y. POST, 6/24)….TNT NBA analyst SHAQUILLE O’NEAL yesterday was “front and center in the royal box” at Wimbledon as ANDY MURRAY “began the defense of his title” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 6/23)….Raiders QB MATT SCHAUB has listed his 11,000-square-foot Houston-area home for $4.29M (LATIMES.com, 6/23).
