Names In The News
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Suicide Bombers Mar Celebration
Of Iraq Advancing To Asian Cup Finals |
Two suicide bombers killed at least 50 people in Baghdad yesterday celebrating the Iraqi national soccer team advancing to the Asian Cup finals. Iraq, which beat South Korea in the semifinals, plays Saudi Arabia on Sunday in Jakarta (Mult., 7/26).
SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT: Before the NBA Draft, agent BILL SANDERS had his client, Trail Blazers C GREG ODEN, meet with media coach STEVE SHENBAUM, a former comedian and actor who has worked with other athletes. Shenbaum: “I would say the bar unfortunately is so low that now when an athlete just does the right thing, they’re applauded. It’s not like Greg is doing high-concept, off-the-wall humor. He’s just showing that he’s quick” (SI, 7/30 issue)....Wizards G CARON BUTLER's agent, RAYMOND BROTHERS, will produce a script that covers Butler’s “stint in jail for drugs and firearm possession and ends with the 2002 NBA draft.” Butler wants SAMUEL L. JACKSON to play his mentor, JAMEEL GHUARI (ESPN THE MAGAZINE, 7/30 issue)....Tennis player MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS, who is currently appearing on NBC's “Age of Love,” said that U.S. television execs “want him to do a ‘reality documentary’ on his battles with injury” (Melbourne HERALD SUN, 7/25).
NAMES: Yankees Traveling Secretary DAVID SZEN is being investigated by the IRS for failure to declare income derived from his job. A source said that the query is “limited ‘strictly to Szen,’ and does not involve other Yankees employees or other traveling secretaries in baseball” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/26)....Golfer PHIL MICKELSON and his wife, AMY, are in their third year backing the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, which offers a five-day curriculum “that gives teachers new ideas, tools and networking opportunities.” Each academy costs about $700,000 to put on and “in some cases includes contributions from the Mickelsons.” Their contributions include appearances at the events, work on DVDs and Phil Mickleson's appearances in ExxonMobil commercials promoting the initiative, for which he is paid (USA TODAY, 7/26).
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