Recently fired Arizona football coach RICH RODRIGUEZ has hired attorney LEO BEUS, who said that he will "work to clear the name of Rodriguez so he can return to coaching." Beus also represents the D-backs in their ballpark dispute with Maricopa County and said he is reviewing "a whole list of options" to exonerate Rodriguez (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/6). Meanwhile, during former UA AD GREG BYRNE's tenure from '10-16, the school's two most high-profile football boosters, JIM CLICK and Angels Owner ARTE MORENO, "removed themselves from involvement." In addition to "hiring a suitable football coach," new UA AD DAVE HEEKE is challenged to "cultivate Click and Moreno, and other donors of note who have stepped back" (TUSCON.com, 1/6).
NAMES: PRESIDENT OBAMA "will make an appearance" and speak at the 12th annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on Feb. 23. Obama “will discuss his time in office and the next chapter of his life" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/7)....DANICA PATRICK was profiled in the Wall Street Journal's "Weekend Confidential" feature. Patrick in retirement from racing "plans to spend more time on her athleisure line of clothing, called Warrior by Danica Patrick." She is "ready for the next chapter," and after spending the holidays with her parents and sister and finishing her book tour, she will "head back to her house in Arizona." For now, she said that she is "enjoying having less on her plate" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/6)....The GLOBE & MAIL's Cathal Kelly profiled Canadian Olympic Committee President TRICIA SMITH. Her job is a "volunteer position," and she "takes an unpaid leave to go to every Games." She is also a "new member of the IOC" and a VP for FISA, the international rowing federation (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/7)....Mariners 2B ROBINSON CANO on Saturday in the Dominican Republic helped “distribute more than 2,400 toys to children in more than 18 communities through his charity, the RC22 Foundation, and Medicines for Humanity” (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 1/7)....JENNIFER LOPEZ and ALEX RODRIGUEZ on Friday were “seen sitting courtside” at Hornets-Lakers (NYPOST.com, 1/6)....DONALD TRUMP JR. on Saturday attended the Monster Energy PBR Buck Off at the Garden in N.Y. (POLITICO.com, 1/7).
IN MEMORY: WNBA Storm Founder and former Chair GINGER ACKERLY died at her home Friday at 79. Ackerly owned the Sonics with her husband, BARRY, for 18 years (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/6).
