In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes Missouri Gov. JAY NIXON "got it right in tabbing" former A-B President DAVID PEACOCK to lead the plan for a new Rams stadium. Peacock has "excellent NFL connections through his years as leading marketing efforts and cutting massively lucrative sponsorship deals with the league." Peacock also "has a positive longstanding working relationship" with NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. Miklasz: "I don't believe it's a stretch to say they are friends; Goodell conveyed that sentiment to me in a dinner conversation about a year and a half ago." Peacock is "no stranger" to Goodell and league execs, and he is "pretty wired in." Peacock "was asked to serve" on the Pro Football HOF advisory board." He also "has friends and associates in high places in the St. Louis business community" and is "familiar with the state's political terrain." The "same applies" to ROBERT BLITZ, an attorney for the Edward Jones Dome who will be working with Peacock (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/6).
SPEAKING OUT: WNBA Sky F ELENA DELLE DONNE “has been public about her battle with Lyme disease,” and now will “serve as the first national ambassador to help promote awareness of the tick-borne disease.” She has “dealt with the bacterial disease” since ’08. She said, “Lyme disease has become part of my life now. ... If I can be a voice and reach out to people and make them aware of the disease it will help.” Delle Donne also “became a global ambassador for Special Olympics this year.” It is “another cause dear to the 25-year-old, whose sister LIZZIE is blind, deaf and has cerebral palsy and autism” (AP, 11/5).
NAMES: Universal Pictures has "picked up a project" in which actress LAURA DERN will team up with producer JUDD APATOW for an “untitled female-driven ensemble comedy set in the world of obsessive female football fans.” PAM BRADY will "write the screenplay," while Dern and Apatow will produce (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 11/4)....Jaguars Owner SHAHID KHAN "parked a new superyacht on the Thames River" in London ahead of the team's game against the Cowboys Sunday at Wembley Stadium. He "adorned it with a unique bit of ornamentation." The 308-foot yacht "has added an oversize, silver Jaguar with a football helmet on its bowsprit" (JACKSONVILLE.com, 11/5)....U.S. swimmer MICHAEL PHELPS’ DUI trial "has been postponed from later this month until Dec. 19 at the request of the swimmer’s attorney" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 11/5)....A spokesperson for this weekend's Tour de Gruene Bicycle Classic in Texas said that LANCE ARMSTRONG and teammate WILL BLACK "pulled out" of the event "because Black is injured" (MYSANANTONIO.com, 11/5)....Former NBAer DIKEMBE MUTOMBO joined the CDC Foundation’s BOD (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/5)....NHL Panthers D BRIAN CAMPBELL last month "sold his five-bedroom, 6,000-square-foot mansion" in Chicago for $2.8M (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/6)....Tennis players CAROLINE WOZNIACKI and SERENA WILLIAMS on Tuesday dined at Fresco by Scotto in N.Y. before "heading to MSG to see the Knicks" (N.Y. POST, 11/6).
