Actor WILL FERRELL "made a whirlwind tour of the Cactus League on Thursday, playing 10 positions" -- including DH -- for 10 teams in five different games "as part of both a cancer benefit and an HBO special that will air this year." Game-used memorabilia from Ferrell's appearances "will be auctioned at mlb.com, with proceeds going to fight cancer." HBO is also "donating proceeds from its project to Cancer for College" (L.A. TIMES, 3/13). HBO's documentary project helped raise $1M "to help send kids with cancer -- or kids recovering from cancer -- to college." Ferrell "performed with grace and patience and humor." MLB "took a chance by doing something completely outside the norm even for a string of Spring Training games," and fans "loved it." Fans "embraced the experiment, and Ferrell embraced them" (MLB.com, 3/13).
PLAYING POLITICS: Sources said that NFL Jets Owner WOODY JOHNSON on Thursday morning "hosted a breakfast" at his Manhattan home for former Florida Gov. JEB BUSH, "the likely 2016 presidential candidate." The N.Y. Times last month reported that Johnson "was expected to support Bush's likely presidential campaign" (CNN.com, 3/12)....Lobbyists and Capitol Hill staffers on Wednesday evening gathered at 201 Bar in DC “to celebrate NICOLE GUSTAFSON’s new gig” with the NFL as its chief Republican lobbyist (POLITICO.com, 3/12)
PROFS FOR PLAYERS: A new coalition of more than 20 professors from schools that include Maryland, Michigan State and Georgia "is backing the movement to pay college athletes for their services on the football field and basketball court." The College Athletes Rights & Empowerment Faculty Coalition "has no money and no plans to form a nonprofit organization," but rather is "a grass-roots campaign to convince lawmakers, college administrators and the public that college athletes should be treated as employees for the central role they play in bringing millions of dollars to universities and the NCAA." One of its leaders is the Univ. of South Carolina's College Sport Research Institute Dir RICHARD SOUTHALL, and many of the faculty in the coalition are at D-I schools "in sports management programs that are popular with athletes" (NEWSOBSERVER.com, 3/12).
HALL HAPPENINGS: Rock band AEROSMITH will perform at Tom Benson HOF Stadium in the Pro Football HOF's first-ever Concert for Legends on Aug. 7, coinciding with the Hall's '15 Enshrinement Festival. Meanwhile, Under Armour COO & CFO BRAD DICKERSON will be honored at a Pro Football HOF event on April 29 titled "Excellence, A Conscious Pursuit" (Pro Football HOF).
NAMES: Cardinals 3B MATT CARPENTER is "one of 22" MLBers who have "accepted a spot on the Taylor Hooton Foundation's advisory board." The players "will appear in advertising campaigns" for the organization's "What Inspires Me?" campaign. Carpenter "will be featured in promotion items wearing a shirt that reads, "ALL ME-PED FREE" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/12)....The Magic will induct TNT NBA analyst SHAQUILLE O'NEAL into its HOF on March 27 and "honor him during an on-court ceremony during a game that night" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/13).....NASCAR driver DANICA PATRICK yesterday hinted that she might “write a cookbook,” although it “doesn’t sound like it’s very far along” (USA TODAY, 3/13)....Nets and Barclays Center CMO ELISA PADILLA on Wednesday was honored among the Top Women in Business by Schneps Communications and Star Network (THE DAILY)....Rockets Owner LESLIE ALEXANDER listed his 9,320-square-foot San Diego-area beachfront home for sale at $15.9M. The property last sold in ’05 for $15M (L.A. TIMES, 3/13)....Cowboys QB TONY ROMO “was a surprise guest" at Rangers' Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz., wearing an Rangers hat, shorts and a pullover “as the club worked out before its game” (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 3/12)....Ravens coach JOHN HARBAUGH will be the keynote speaker for commencement ceremonies at Stevenson Univ. on May 21 (Baltimore SUN, 3/13)....A pair of “pre-Air Jordan Nike shoes that MICHAEL JORDAN wore during his rookie season could fetch $50,000 or more when they go up for bid next month” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/13).
