Yesterday's N.Y. TIMES "Workspace" featured Bruins Owner and Delaware North Chair & CEO JEREMY JACOBS talking about his company's new HQ in Buffalo. Jacobs said from the window of his current office, he can see his new office, which is "under construction two blocks from our current building." Jacobs: "Right now the building is a skeleton; it's scheduled for completion in 2015" (N.Y. TIMES 12/7).
BIG MEN ON CAMPUS: UMass AD JOHN MCCUTCHEON confirmed that he "is a finalist" for the same position at UC Santa Barbara. Other than UCSB Senior Associate AD ANDY FEE, the school is "only considering finalists that are already" ADs, including Indiana State's RON PRETTYMAN, Idaho's ROB SPEAR, Santa Clara's DAN COONAN and Saint Mary's MARK ORR. There is "no timetable for a hire." McCutcheon's contract is "in place" through '16 and pays him $259,338 annually (DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE, 12/8)....Georgia Tech football coach PAUL JOHNSON has "reached an agreement in principle" with AD MIKE BOBINSKI on a four-year contract extension, through the '20 season. Johnson's priorities in negotiations were "the extension itself and an increase in the salary pool for his assistants." Johnson "also received a raise" from the $2.6M that he is making this season (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 12/8).
NAMES: A team effort by the Bills, Lions and NFL Foundation has raised $137,000 in donations for the American Red Cross of Western and Central New York Disaster Relief Fund. Bills Owners KIM and TERRY PEGULA donated $50,000 (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/6)....MLS Commissioner DON GARBER on Friday tweeted at Orlando City SC President & Founder PHIL RAWLINS, “Congratulations, Phil! MT@OrlandoCitySC @OCPres named @ i4Biz Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year" (TWITTER.com)....Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK, through the Bill Belichick Foundation, "has allocated $2,500 scholarships to 18 individuals who have excelled academically while participating in athletics, awarded two $10,000 grants and seven $5,000 grants to organizations across the country" (BOSTON HERALD, 12/7)....The V Foundation for Cancer Research donated $100,000 for pediatric cancer research in honor of Mount St. Joseph women's basketball player LAUREN HILL (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/6)....Browns Owner JIMMY HASLAM III on Friday filed a “motion to dismiss” the lawsuit against his truck–stop chain Pilot Flying J by two trucking companies "alleging that he directed a fuel-rebate fraud" (CLEVELAND.com, 12/6)....Reds Dir of Minor League Administration LOIS HUDSON was awarded the Sheldon “Chief” Bender Award yesterday by MiLB. Hudson is the "first Reds employee to win the award named after the long-time farm director." She is also the “first female to win the award" (CINCINNATI.com, 12/8)....In N.Y., Stuart Miller profiles Crunoz Sports Founder CARLOS CRUZ, who runs the "only bat-making business" in N.Y. (N.Y. TIMES, 12/8).
IN MEMORY: A public funeral visitation for late Hockey HOFer JEAN BELIVEAU began yesterday at the Bell Centre, and will continue today. His casket is surrounded by the Hart, Art Ross, Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup trophies “he won during his illustrious career.” The seat behind the Canadiens' bench “usually occupied by Beliveau was draped in a No.4 jersey and lit up” (MONTREALGAZETTE.com, 12/7).
