A Univ. of Oregon student who says she was raped by three UO basketball players is suing the school and head basketball coach DANA ALTMAN for “allegedly violating her federal civil rights by recruiting one of the involved players after he had previously been accused of rape elsewhere.” In the lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, the 18-year-old woman, referred to as “Jane Doe,” argues that UO and Altman “prioritized winning basketball games over her claim that she had been raped repeatedly” by now former players, DAMYEAN DOTSON, DOMINIC ARTIS and BRANDON AUSTIN. The plaintiff alleges that UO “delayed punishing the players for several months” until the end of the ‘13-14 basketball season and spring academic quarter (REGISTERGUARD.com, 1/9).
HE’S IN A ZONE: Lakers G KOBE BRYANT attended a public hearing in Newport Beach, Calif., on Thursday to consider whether the HQ for Kobe Inc. will get a 10-year extension on a zoning change. Bryant said that the company’s mission is to “own and grow brands and ideas that redefine the sports industry.” Kobe Inc. has proposed spending $5.5M on "interior and exterior improvements to the two-story building." Kobe Inc. President ANDREA FAIRCHILD said, “This is our global headquarters, and we plan to be here for the long term” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 1/9).
BY THE BOOK: The erotic novella, "A GRONKING TO REMEMBER," about Patriots TE ROB GRONKOWSKI has "suddenly been removed by Amazon." Sources said that the online retailer pulled the book because someone -- perhaps the Patriots or the NFL -- “objected to the book jacket,” specifically the photo of Gronkowski that features the “MHK” patch on his uniform. An NFL source said that the league “keeps tight control over the use of uniforms and logos, and no doubt would object to the use of the Patriots uniform (and ‘MHK’ patch) without permission” (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/9).
HONOR ROLL: The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association on Thursday announced that Fox Sports college basketball analyst BILL RAFTERY, late sportswriter DICK SCHAAP, Baseball HOF writer HAL MCCOY and CBS’ LESLEY VISSER are part of the largest class of inductees in the organization’s 56-year history. They will be enshrined during the NSSA’s annual awards banquet, June 8, 2015 in Salisbury, NC. Joining the HOF quartet as honorees at the banquet will be ‘14 National Sportscaster of the Year MIKE EMRICK and ‘14 National Sportswriter of the Year TOM VERDUCCI (NSSA).
NAMES: WWE Exec VP/ Talent, Live Events & Creative PAUL “TRIPLE H” LEVESQUE will be inducted into the Int’l Sports HOF on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio (WWE)....The L.A. Sports Council named U.S. figure skater GRACIE GOLD its ’14 Sportswoman of the Year (LASC)....Oklahoma State PA announcer LARRY REECE is "battling throat cancer" (NEWSOK.com, 1/8)....Boxer ADAM LOPEZ has "signed a contract with New Jersey-based GH3 Promotions" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/9)....Saints QB DREW BREES and his wife BRITTANY "made a $200,000 donation to the Dream Foundation to assist" 20 Long Beach, N.Y., families in rebuilding homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy (NEWSDAY, 1/9)....Heat F CHRIS BOSH plays the fictional role of police officer Chris Justice in the upcoming movie, “TALL JUSTICE 2” (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/8)....Lakers Exec VP/Strategic Development JOHNNY BUSS bought a 5,600-square-foot house in L.A.'s Chatsworth neighborhood for $2.625M (LATIMES.com, 1/8).
IN MEMORY: J.P. PARISE, a “standout for the old Minnesota North Stars and a longtime coach and administrator in the state of hockey, died Wednesday night after a yearlong battle with lung cancer” at the age of 73 (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/9). Parise, the father of Wild LW ZACH PARISE, was a “central figure in Minnesota hockey” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/9)....Florida A&M interim AD NELSON TOWNSEND died at the age of 73 in the “midst of his third stretch” as FAMU AD. He replaced KELLEN WINSLOW SR., who resigned in December (AP, 1/8).
