Missouri G TERRENCE PHILLIPS and a friend have "started a nonprofit organization called 'Beyond The Ball'" and organized a toy drive. But per NCAA rules, the school cannot help the effort. Phillips "received approval from the NCAA and Mizzou's athletic compliance department in late November." They have "five collection boxes set up" around campus (K.C. STAR, 12/13).
HUDDLE UP: The Buccaneers' defensive linemen held their annual "D-Line Delivers Christmas" yesterday, giving each of the 125-plus children in attendance a new bicycle. All 75 families got a $150 Publix gift card, a $200 shopping spree at the Bucs' team store and a bus trip to Target, where they each had $300 to spend. The 13 players "combined to donate more than $65,000 to make the night possible for the sixth straight year" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 12/13)....
NOTES: Celtics F MARCUS MORRIS and his twin, Wizards F MARKIEFF MORRIS, "paid about $6,000 to cover tabs at a Walmart" in their hometown of Philadelphia (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 12/13)....Red Wings coach JEFF BLASHILL and the entire team "made room-to-room visits" at Children's Hospital of Michigan yesterday, dropping off gifts and making "everyone's day just a bit brighter" (DETROIT NEWS, 12/13)....The Bruins on Monday “played Santa” by delivering presents to pediatric patients throughout Boston. The team “split up into squads to visit deserving kiddos at six different hospitals” (BOSTON HERALD, 12/13)....Steelers investor ROB CITRONE on Monday donated $2M to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to “establish the Starzl Network for Pediatric Transplantation” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/12).
