Former NFLer and Univ. of Texas football player VINCE YOUNG is "almost two months into" his new job at UT, and "no one at Texas is disputing that this position was created exclusively" for him. Young who is serving as the school's Division of Diversity & Community Engagement Development Officer for Alumni Relations, is "tasked with attracting disadvantaged students to Texas and encouraging alumni to finance their dreams." UT officials said that they "were not required to open Young's position to the public because Young's name recognition and history with UT made him 'uniquely qualified'" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/24).
FISH OUT OF WATER: Panelists on ESPN's "Around the Horn" on Thursday debated whether Marlins fan LAURENCE LEAVY should continue to sit behind the plate during World Series games while wearing his bright orange Marlins jersey. The N.Y. Daily News' Frank Isola said, "He's spending his hard-earned money to go to these games. He can wear whatever he wants to wear as long as he's behaving himself." Columnist Kevin Blackistone said, "I don't have any problem with 'Marlins Man.' The Marlins should have a problem with 'Marlins Man' -- give him a team to root for and maybe he wouldn't be gallivanting around the country following these playoffs." Denver Post columnist Woody Paige: "It's important that you have baseball fans there" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 10/23). Leavy was also featured on NBC's "Nightly News" Thursday night (THE DAILY).
NAMES: Fox has "made a script commitment to a half-hour single-camera comedy loosely based" on the life of former NBAer BARON DAVIS from actor JAKE JOHNSON. The show "centers on a kid from South Central who receives a scholarship to attend a prestigious suburban school and has to find a balance between two very different worlds." Davis will serve as Exec Producer (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 10/23)....NASCAR and IndyCar team owner ROGER PENSKE on Wednesday night was honored at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan by the Arthritis Foundation with a "'tribute to excellence' award for his leadership and dedication in helping others" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/24)....Michigan State announced Thursday that alums BOB and JUDIE SKANDALARIS are providing a $10M "facilities gift to enhance the Spartan football, golf and basketball programs." The $10M is the "largest single gift ever received by MSU athletics" (LSJ.com, 10/23)....MLS referee JOSE CARLOS RIVERO was suspended after the league said that he "was arrested for claiming more than $14,000 in unemployment benefits while he was employed." Rivero was scheduled to work Saturday's Toronto FC-Revolution game "but has now been suspended until further notice" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/24).
