NATO yesterday indicated that it would "respond positively to GREECE's request for help guarding the ATHENS OLYMPICS," adding that it was "working urgently on ways to provide air and sea patrols, and protection against terrorist attacks" (REUTERS, 3/17).
CHARITY: The LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD FOUNDATION raised more than $1.1M earlier this week at a fundraising event in Beverly Hills, which included the auction of a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Laureus World Sports Academy members EDWIN MOSES, JOHN MCENROE, MARK SPITZ and TONY HAWK attended the event (Laureus)....More than 20 current and former NFLers participated in the RICKY WILLIAMS CELEBRITY CLASSIC II including HOFers JIM BROWN, LAWRENCE TAYLOR, KELLEN WINSLOW SR. and LARRY LITTLE along with Rams RB MARSHALL FAULK, Cowboys DT LA'ROI GLOVER and Dolphins LB JUNIOR SEAU and DE JASON TAYLOR. Organized by GAME PLAN, the two-day event also included a dinner at TRUMP GRANDE (THE DAILY).
PAY DAY: Sonic Automotive CEO BRUTON SMITH earned a salary and bonus of $1.54M in '03, down 2.4% from the previous year, "when he also received 100,000 stock options." Sonic's BOD did not grant stock options to most top execs in '03. Smith is also Speedway Motorsports CEO. While SMI has not yet filed its proxy statement showing last year's pay, Smith earned $1.1M in '02 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/18).
TAKE A DIVE: In a letter written from his prison cell, former boxer and convicted murderer JOEY TORRES claimed that he "was assured well in advance that" PERRY WILLIAMS, his opponent in an '02 fight at the Arrowhead Pond "would take a dive and that they rehearsed the knockout punch." Torres added that he "informed the fight's matchmaker," SEAN GIBBONS, that he "might not pass the physical exam because he suffered from hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver, and had only 20/400 vision." Torres said that Gibbons told him "not to worry, I'll take the tests for you." Gibbons is one
 |
Serena Has Been Busy During
Recovery From Knee Surgery |
of several boxing execs that worked for
BOB ARUM's
TOP RANK who are now being investigated by the FBI (
L.A. TIMES, 3/18).
NAMES: TENNIS WEEK's Richard Pagliaro writes that during her time off from tennis, SERENA WILLIAMS "produced her first fashion show in [L.A.] last fall and filmed roles" in "LAW AND ORDER," "STREET TIME" and "DIVISION," while also filming a voice-over role for the new "SPONGEBOB SQUARE PANTS" animated film. Williams: "I did a voice over for the SpongeBob movie and it's gonna be really, really good so I'm looking forward to that" (TENNIS WEEK, 3/18)....Golfer ZHANG LIAN-WEI will become the first Chinese player to play AUGUSTA NATIONAL at THE MASTERS next month (USA TODAY, 3/18).
