KIDD MAKES ALL-STAR SPLASH: In Dallas, Brad Townsend writes
that even before Sunday's game, Kidd "arguably received more
positive national exposure in one weekend than the Dallas
franchise received during the 1990s." Kidd's agent, Aaron
Goodwin: "I've literally had six new endorsement offers in the
last two days." Goodwin added that Kidd won't do anything until
they know if he is going to be on Dream Team II. Goodwin: "We
wouldn't want to do anything that's not in good relationship with
what's going on with the Dream Team." Nike also used the weekend
to show Kidd their future marketing plans for him which include
replacing his current Air Zoom with a "sleeker" version. Kidd
will co-own his own logo with Nike, a "JK" enclosed in a "racing
swirl" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/12).
OTHER NEWS: NEWSDAY's Barbara Barker notes that next to
Michael Jordan's presence, the absence of Dennis Rodman was the
main focus this Weekend -- to the point that Nike took out a
full-page ad in Friday's USA Today that was blank except for two
words: "Where's Dennis?" (NEWSDAY, 2/11).... Nike ad execs are
pitching the company on marketing a line of Little Penny dolls,
based on the puppet featured in the Penny Hardaway ads (AD AGE
ONLINE, 2/12)....Sean Elliott, Vin Baker and Dana Barros are the
latest NBA stars to participate in a series of league-sponsored
PSAs stressing the importance of making intelligent decisions
when confronted with volatile situations (NBA)....A report in the
S.F. EXAMINER notes trading card manufacturers are hoping Magic
Johnson's return to the NBA will trigger an "explosion of trading
cards" such as when Jordan came back to the NBA last year (Lewis
& Chapin, S.F. EXAMINER, 2/10).
