Saints and Pelicans Owner TOM BENSON "needs to increase his offer to reclaim nonvoting shares in the two teams as well as other business assets from trust funds benefiting his now-estranged relatives, the funds' trustees say." In a court filing Thursday, the trustees "asked U.S. District Judge JANE TRICHE MILAZZO to rule that in amending his offer last month, Benson should have used a current -- and probably higher -- estimate of the value of the two teams," not their value in January '15 (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 10/3).
THE FIXER UPPER: In DC, Kent Babb profiled Cowboys associate DAVID WELLS, who "might be the most influential behind-the-scenes figure" for the team. Wells does not have a formal title with the Cowboys, but as "part crisis manager, part fixer, part therapist," he is "tasked with helping public figures, not becoming one." All NFL teams "have in-house security experts and problem-solvers, employees who untangle legal problems," but this "extra layer of protection may be unique to the Cowboys." The team has "come to trust Wells implicitly with their most valuable and unpredictable assets" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/30).
T-SHIRT TIME: Yankees manager JOE GIRARDI for the pregame news conference at almost every home game this season on YES Network has "worn a T-shirt representing a different charity." Before "taking questions from reporters, he gives a brief but detailed description of each charity's mission." Yankees Dir of Communications JASON ZILLO "suggested during spring training that Girardi wear the T-shirts." Several years earlier, Zillo had noticed that then-Rays manager JOE MADDON had "developed a similar ritual." Zillo "asked Girardi about wearing the T-shirts before games," and Girardi "liked the idea, so Zillo lined up charities." Several of the charities said that while they "might not have gotten a bump in donations from Girardi's publicity, they appreciated the exposure" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/1).
NAMES: Former MLBer CURT SCHILLING on Friday said he "is 'serious' about challenging" U.S. Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) for her Senate seat when she comes up for re-election in '18 (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 10/2)....Cardinals CB PATRICK PETERSON on Friday was a “guest conductor for the Phoenix Symphony, leading it in a rendition of the national anthem before the evening’s performance” (ESPN.com, 10/1)....Redskins LB RYAN KERRIGAN held his annual “Celebrity Waiter Night” fundraiser last week. He raised “over $260,000 for his foundations, Blitz for the Better” (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 10/1)....DJ STEVE AOKI has invested in Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive e-sports team Rogue (ESPN.com, 10/2).
