The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee listed '16 salaries for their personnel. Senior VP/Marketing & Sales WILLIAMS BLACKSHAW received $215,209, former VP/Operations & Logistics JACOB MILLER was paid $144,217, VP/Communications & Events ANDREA MOKROS was paid $140,259, Senior Dir of Partnerships BRITT CARLSON was paid $108,116 and VP/Outreach to Minority & Women Owned Businesses ALEX TITTLE was paid $106,761 (STARTRIBUNE.com, 12/19).
 |
| Sabates said the only argument he has ever had with Gannassi was over a bottle of wine |
ALL OVER A BOTTLE: Chip Ganassi Racing co-Owner FELIX SABATES in a Q&A with CHARLOTTE MAGAZINE's Allison Futterman said he got involved with NASCAR in '98 as a "hobby." Sabates said, "CHIP GANASSI and I have been partners for 17 years, and the only argument we ever had was over a bottle of wine. I ordered an expensive wine, and he said he wanted to pay for it, but I wanted to" (CHARLOTTE MAGAZINE, issue 1/'18 issue).
THE GOOD STUFF: Panthers QB CAM NEWTON went on an afternoon-long trip yesterday "clad in a Santa hat and red flannel, making four stops around Charlotte, giving thousands of dollars in gift cards to families in need" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/20)....Thunder G RUSSELL WESTBROOK yesterday visited the kids at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City for his annual Why Not? Foundation Christmas Party and gave those in attendance a "new pair of shoes and a backpack" (NEWSOK.com, 12/19)....Saints S KENNY VACCARO yesterday took 40 kids from the Boys & Girls Club "for a shopping spree at Dick's Sporting Goods." Each child "received a $100 gift card and a gift bag" (THEADVOCATE.com, 12/19)....Lions K MATT PRATER, G T.J. LANG, OT TAYLOR DECKER and Cs GRAHAM GLASGOW and TRAVIS SWANSON went to three Detroit firehouses, "delivering furniture, televisions, video games and barbecue grills donated through the efforts" of Ford, the Lions and the Leary Firefighters Foundation. The group also "delivered gifts that included cookware, grills, beds, couches, recliners and televisions" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 12/20).
NAMES: Texans Owner BOB MCNAIR is the '18 recipient of the Lamar Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award. McNair "will be honored in a March 1 banquet at The Houstonian" (HOUSTONCHRONICLE.com, 12/19)....Vikings QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER’s girlfriend ERIKA CARDONA this summer released a children’s book called “LITTLE BEAR TEDDY.” The book spans the “life of Bridgewater’s second dream -- playing in the NFL again” following his '16 knee injury (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/20)....Fusion will premiere “BIG PAPI NEEDS A JOB” on Jan. 31, a 10-part series that will follow DAVID ORTIZ as he “tries his hand at a variety of new professions.” During the course of the 30-minute show, Ortiz will be “seen as a stadium tour guide, dog groomer, manicurist and musician” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 12/19)....The L.A. Sports Council named USC beach volleyball players KELLY CLAES and SARA HUGHES its ’17 Sportswomen of the Year. Claes and Hughes helped USC capture its third consecutive NCAA title earlier this year (L.A. Sports Council)....The Penguins and local energy company CNX Resources Corp. will “build a new playground at Northmoreland Park in Allegheny Township.” The donation is “part of the CNX's annual month of giving and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation Operation Restore initiative, which tackles environmental restoration and community revitalization” (TRIBLIVE.com, 12/19)....ANNA KOURNIKOVA and ENRIQUE IGLESIAS “welcomed twins over the weekend" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 12/18).
