Nationals President TONY TAVARES and Mets GM OMAR MINAYA dined Monday at the White House with PRESIDENT BUSH. Minaya worked in the Rangers’ organization when Bush owned the club (Richard Leiby, WASHINGTON POST, 1/13).
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Flames Co-Owner
McCaig Passes Away |
PASSINGS: Flames co-Owner J.R. MCCAIG passed away Tuesday in Barbados. NHL Commissioner GARY BETTMAN in a statement said of McCaig, “Calgary has lost one of its most distinguished business leaders, the Flames have lost a wonderful owner and one of their most ardent fans and the NHL family has lost one of its most dedicated contributors” (THE DAILY)....Saints radio broadcaster BUDDY DILIBERTO died Friday at 73 of a heart attack in his home in Metairie, Louisiana. USA TODAY’s Larry Weisman notes Diliberto put a paper sack over his head during the Saints’ 1-15 season in ’80, creating the “bag head” symbol associated with bad teams (USA TODAY, 1/13).
COURT PROCEEDINGS: In Chicago, Mickey Ciokajlo reports former NBAer SCOTTIE PIPPEN filed a legal malpractice suit yesterday against the law firm KATTEN MUCHIN ZAVIS ROSENMAN and one of its attorneys, SHELDON ZENNER. Pippen claims the firm “recommended a financial adviser who later steered him into questionable investments.” While the suit does not seek “a specific amount of money,” Pippen’s attorney, ROBERT CUMMINS, said, “To suggest that it would be in the range of $20[M] would not be overstating the problem” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/13)....Former sports entrepreneur PAT FORCIEA pled guilty Wednesday in Hennepin County (MN) District Court to taking $10,000 from a corporate sponsor to promote Univ. of Minnesota football. Forciea was employed by the school’s athletic dept. in ’01 when he received a $10,000 check from Econo Foods which “was to be used for radio spots, magazine inserts and other promotions” (STAR TRIBUNE, 1/13).
CATCHY TUNE: FSN’s Patrick O’Neal reported singer TRAVIS TRITT “has written a song entitled ‘FALCON FEVER’ that’s spreading across Georgia” to honor the team’s season. The song will be played during Saturday’s Rams-Falcons playoff game at Georgia Dome during pre-game and following touchdowns (“Totally Football,” FSN, 1/12).
