In Green Bay, Richard Ryman profiled Packers Dir of Community Outreach & Player/Alumni Relations CATHY DWORAK, who is "responsible for in-kind and monetary donations, community events, youth football support, and appearances by players, coaches and alumni." The team gets about 1,200 requests per month for "memorabilia to be used to raise money, donations or player appearances." Dworak said that the Packers "lead the NFL in player appearances and donations." She added that they "meet with players annually, especially rookies, to survey their preferences and abilities" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 9/18).
CELEBRITY ACE: Mavericks F DIRK NOWITZKI had his first Pro Celebrity Tennis Classic, complete with a "gala on Saturday night and lots of, as he put it, 'average tennis,'" yesterday. Actor BEN STILLER and former tennis player ANDY RODDICK were at SMU's tennis facility yesterday morning "hitting balls with each other as hundreds of fans watched and a handful of lucky amateurs joined in the fun." Mavericks G J.J. BAREA and F HARRISON BARNES also were at the event (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/19).
YOUR NAME HERE: The NFL Panthers yesterday "named the press box at Bank of America Stadium" for longtime Dir of Communications CHARLIE DAYTON, who "held the position for 21 seasons." Dayton, now Dir of Historical & Alumni Affairs, was honored during a ceremony before the game (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/17). Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON "doesn't come around the media often," but he "made an exception" to dedicate the pressbox to Dayton (ESPN.com, 9/18).
GLAD TO ATTEND: Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES attended yesterday's Seahawks-Rams game and "hung out on the sidelines before the game with his family" and Rams Owner STAN KROENKE (CLEVELAND.com, 9/18)....Red Sox DH DAVID ORTIZ flipped the coin prior to Dolphins-Patriots yesterday (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/19)....Warriors F KEVIN DURANT visited AT&T Park on Friday night to "throw out the first pitch" before Cardinals-Giants. While there, Durant "met with some Giants legends, past and present," including Baseball HOFer WILLIE MAYS (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/17)....Warriors G STEPHEN CURRY was at Sonoma Raceway yesterday, as his wife AYESHA was "named grand marshal of the IndyCar season finale" (AP, 9/18)....Spurs F KAWHI LEONARD also attended the race at Sonoma (TWITTER.com, 9/18)....Heat assistant coach JUWAN HOWARD was on the sidelines prior to yesterday's 49ers-Panthers game in Charlotte (THE DAILY).
THE GOOD STUFF: CBS Sports and "The NFL Today" joined with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and yesterday aired a special feature (CBS)....The "ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW" partnered with Lowe’s to “renovate the rotting gym" at Spain Elementary in Detroit, and Lions QB MATTHEW STAFFORD and WR GOLDEN TATE were at the unveiling to “sweeten the day even more.” They “offered students free tickets” to yesterday’s home opener against the Titans (MLIVE.com, 9/16).
NAMES: UFC fighter CONOR MCGREGOR will be a “featured character” for “Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.” He will “play an SDF soldier in the campaign story” (ESPN.com, 9/15)....MLB Network host BRIAN KENNY’s book “AHEAD OF THE CURVE: INSIDE THE BASEBALL REVOLUTION” provides “great analytical nuggets and a look into baseball’s emerging world” (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/18)....Indiana Univ. football coach KEVIN WILSON received a $150,000 bonus for the school’s “first bowl appearance in eight years.” IU also paid out “more than $370,000 in bonuses to its football coaching staff last season” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/17)....PHIL MICKELSON will be “called as a witness in the upcoming insider-trading case of notorious gambler BILLY WALTERS" (N.Y. POST, 9/17)....A Univ. of Washington review committee has cleared NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee co-Chair Dr. RICHARD ELLENBOGEN, who was “harshly criticized in a congressional report in May over alleged attempts to influence a grant selection process” (USATODAY.com, 9/17).
