In L.A., Klein & Thiry cite sources as saying that USC AD PAT HADEN "underwent an unspecified medical procedure Thursday and was expected to remain hospitalized for another day or two." Haden, who earlier this month announced he was leaving his position at the end of June, was "hospitalized Wednesday after feeling lightheaded outside Heritage Hall." A source said that he was "resting comfortably after Thursday's procedure" (L.A. TIMES, 2/13).
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Vaccaro's role in the Ed O'Bannon
case will likely impact his legacy |
SONNY'S DAY: In N.Y., Nocera & Strauss profile former footwear exec SONNY VACCARO, who was "once the most notorious man in college basketball." It may seem "hard to believe the same person would spark the most important case against the NCAA in a quarter-century." But if the ED O'BANNON case "winds up going before the Supreme Court, and if O’Bannon wins," Vaccaro "would rank with the greatest reformers in sports history" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/12).
COURT REPORT: The parents of 13 members of the Jackie Robinson West Little League baseball team that won the '14 championship, only to be "stripped of the title for residency violations, have sued the team's director, Little League Baseball and the whistleblower who alerted authorities to the boundary issues." Also named in the lawsuit filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court is ESPN's STEPHEN A. SMITH. The parents said that Smith "defamed them" on an episode of "FIRST TAKE" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 2/12).
NAMES: Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES will appear in animated form on Cartoon Network’s “Teen Titans Go.” James will be “at an amusement park to show off his dribbling skills before learning that the teen superheroes are the only people there to see him” (VARIETY.com, 2/11)….MARK-PAUL GOSSELAAR is “set as the male lead” in “PITCH,” Fox’ baseball drama pilot, written by DAN FOGELMAN and RICK SINGER and directed by PARIS BARCLAY. Gosselaar “will play Mike Lawson, a handsome, charming self-assured” future baseball HOFer (DEADLINE.com, 2/11)….A Houston jury on Wednesday awarded $53M to the family of a construction worker who “died in late 2013 while working on renovations” for Kyle Field. The jury put “25 percent of the blame” for ANGEL GARCIA’s death on Lindamond Demolition and “the remaining 75 percent liability” on general contractor Manhattan-Vaughn JVP (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/11)….MLSE Foundation has surpassed the $4M mark in donations to MLSE Launch Pad, a youth-focused facility (MLSE)….LYNYRD SKYNYRD will “perform an hour-long concert” before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Duck Commander 500 on April 9 at Texas Motor Speedway (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 2/11)….A Queens, N.Y., street “will be named in honor” of late NBAer ANTHONY MASON, who died in ’15 from a heart attack. A section of 147th St. between 123rd Ave. and Rockaway Blvd. “will be co-named ‘Anthony Mason Way’” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/12).
