Falcons Owner ARTHUR BLANK on Friday "announced a $100,000 donation to The Gleason Initiative Foundation," established by former NFLer STEVE GLEASON as he battles ALS. The donation, via The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, was made public when Blank and his family "hosted an Atlanta-area screening of the documentary "GLEASON" (ESPN.com, 8/12). Blank said of the film, "The only movie I remember the same reaction at the end from the audience was 'SCHINDLER'S LIST.' The movie ended, and everyone just sat there. You could hear a pin drop. Then someone clapped, and the whole theater was clapping" (MMQB.SI.com, 8/15).
NAMES: NFL Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON on Saturday "made his first public appearance" this season at training camp in Spartanburg, S.C. Richardson was joined by Pro Football HOFer CURTIS MARTIN and BOB PREVATTE, one of Richardson's high school football coaches (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/14)....Denver Mayor MICHAEL HANCOCK appointed former NBAer CHAUNCEY BILLUPS to the nine-member Metropolitan Football Stadium District, which oversees the Broncos' home venue (DENVER POST, 8/13)....LSU radio announcer JIM HAWTHORNE and his wife were "rescued" yesterday from their Baton Rouge home. Hawthorne "went missing after torrential rainfall flooded his neighborhood," and LSU officials at one point yesterday "asked the public for help on social media in locating" the couple (ESPN.com, 8/14)....Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES on Saturday joined rapper DRAKE "on stage during his Summer Sixteen Tour stop in Columbus" (CLEVELAND.com, 8/14)....The cover story of Cigar Aficionado's October issue will feature former NFLer RAY LEWIS. It hits newsstands Aug. 30 (Cigar Aficionado)....PRESIDENT OBAMA played a round of golf yesterday on Martha's Vineyard with Basketball HOFer ALONZO MOURNING (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/15).
IN MEMORY: Longtime New Orleans Times-Picayune sports columnist PETE FINNEY died Saturday at the age of 88. Finney was the "ultimate eyes, ears, voice and pulse of New Orleans sports in a career starting with his first published story in 1945 when [he] was 17 years old" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/14). Saints and Pelicans Owner TOM BENSON said Finney is "someone that our city should celebrate and cherish his legacy" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/14). Saints coach SEAN PAYTON on Saturday honored Finney by wearing the initials "PF" on his visor (NOLA.com, 8/13).
