An ARIZONA REPUBLIC editorial states the use of homophobic slurs is "common and often unquestioned," especially in sports, which makes Suns President & CEO RICK WELTS' decision to publicly announce he is gay "more than just a courageous personal step." Welts' declaration is an "important part of achieving public acceptance for gays." Welts "puts a familiar face on a group once dismissed as being so very different," and he is the "successful guy at the heart of a popular sport -- a regular guy -- who is also gay." The editorial adds, "So, get over it. That's the message. And it's an important message for this very public man to share with the people who admire him and his business" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/18). SI.com's Ann Killion wrote under the header, "Welts' Coming Out Progress, But There's Still A Long Way To Go" (SI.com, 5/17).
ACCORDING TO JIM: ESPN L.A.'s Ramona Shelburne profiled Lakers Exec VP/Player Personnel JIM BUSS, who has become "one of the most influential voices inside one of the NBA's most influential organizations." Most Lakers fans "have barely heard of him, and know very little of him." But now, with coach PHIL JACKSON retiring and Lakers Owner JERRY BUSS "retreating a bit further from the day-to-day operations of the team each year, Jim Buss' influence on the future of the franchise will be hard to miss." Jerry Buss still "will make the final call," and Lakers GM MITCH KUPCHAK "will advise and consent." But it has "become clear in recent years that Jim Buss is engineering this train now" (ESPNLA.com, 5/14).
ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM? In Boston, Nancy Marrapese-Burrell notes JEFFREY VINIK "roots hard" for the Red Sox as an investor in the MLB club, but as Owner of the Lightning, the Boston resident "has no allegiance to the local hockey team." Vinik attended last night's Lightning-Bruins Eastern Conference Finals Game Two at TD Garden, and he "didn’t necessarily consider Bruins-Lightning a dream matchup so much as a logistically convenient one." Vinik is a Bruins season-ticket holder, but the "only two games he went to this season were against the Lightning." He said, "I’m new at this, so this is my first playoffs. It’s nerve-racking at times, especially when you get further along in a series" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/18).
NAMES: The Dodgers yesterday "increased their reward offer by $100,000" for information leading to the arrest of suspects sought in the Opening Day beating of Giants fan BRYAN STOW. In addition to the Dodgers' total offer of $125,000, the L.A. City Council has pledged $50,000, the Giants and L.A. County Supervisor MIKE ANTONOVICH $10,000 each and American Medical Response $5,000 (LATIMES.com, 5/17)....Lakers F and NBPA VP THEO RATLIFF was among a group representing the union that "donated trucks and supplies" to a Birmingham church as a way to "support communities devastated by tornadoes and storms" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/18)....The Mass Mentoring Partnership yesterday honored Basketball HOFer BILL RUSSELL with a Champions of Mentoring lifetime achievement award (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/18)....TMZ.com reported NHL Kings President of Business Operations LUC ROBITAILLE is in "danger of losing his L.A. home now that a bank has begun to foreclose on the property." A lawsuit claims that Robitaille and his wife "stopped paying the mortgage on their Santa Monica" home (TMZ.com, 5/17)....NBA Draft prospect ISAIAH THOMAS has signed with Lagardere Unlimited agents DAN FEGAN and BYRON IRVIN (SPORTSAGENTBLOG.com, 5/17)....Bobcats Owner MICHAEL JORDAN made an appearance yesterday at an event for OPRAH WINFREY at United Center (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/18)....The Bulls are giving the ball from the series-clinching Game Six win over the Hawks earlier this month to the family of late WMAQ-NBC sports broadcaster DARYL HAWKS, who passed away last week (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/18).
BEST WISHES: The Royals earlier this week announced that broadcaster PAUL SPLITTORFF is "in the hospital battling oral cancer and melanoma" (K.C. STAR, 5/17).
