Nets Owner MIKHAIL PROKHOROV "has accused the Kremlin of trying to sabotage his fledgling political career ahead of key polls.” Prokhorov in May “made a splash on Russia’s lethargic political scene by announcing his readiness to lead a small pro-reform party in parliamentary polls.” Prokhorov denied that he "had to obtain the Kremlin's permission to head the party and insists he was his own man." He had become “increasingly bold in his statements over the past weeks, slamming Russia’s ‘autocratic power’ and attacking the Kremlin’s model of government.” But a source said that Prokhorov "might have overplayed his hand and angered the Kremlin” (London TELEGRAPH, 9/15)
GRAND OPENING: Blackhawks Chair ROCKY WIRTZ, Cubs President CRANE KENNEY and NASCAR driver KURT BUSCH yesterday helped "open the new ESPN Chicago Cadillac State Street Studio at 190 North State St.” Eventually, all ESPN Radio 1000 Chicago shows “will broadcast live from the studio,” and fans can watch the shows "live from the sidewalk outside of the studio” (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 9/14).
BIG BROTHERS: In Alabama, Josh Moon reported the Packers have partnered with the Jeff Davis High School football team in Montgomery, Ala., by “providing it with whatever equipment it can spare on a yearly basis." Each year before the football season starts, JD "can expect shipments of gear to arrive from Wisconsin,” and it "won’t be limited to just pants, cleats and gloves.” JD assistant coach and former NFL strength and conditioning coach BILLY LONG said, “They’ll send us shoulder pads and whatever they can spare. This will be a tremendous help to us” (MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER, 9/9).
NAMES: Univ. of North Carolina Trustee LOWRY CAUDILL, Chair of the search committee looking for UNC's new AD, yesterday said the “ideal” candidate would have experience in college athletics administration. Caudill: “We want someone with experience, whether they’re sitting AD or an association AD, someone that understands all the dynamics and all the issues with respect to athletics and running an athletics program” (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 9/15)....49ers WR BRAYLON EDWARDS has filed a $14M “slander lawsuit, claiming he lost his shot at a big-money contract due to false claims that he was directly involved in a bar fight on the early morning of Aug. 1." Edwards’ suit “accuses a restaurant and bar in Birmingham, Mich., and three of its employees of slander, extortion and malicious prosecution” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/15)....A “target date in the civil case of former NHL player STEVE MOORE was set for Sept. 24," if defendant and Red Wings RW TODD BERTUZZI is “still an active NHL player, or Oct. 22, 2012, if Bertuzzi has retired.” Bertuzzi during a game in ’04 “attacked Moore,” who suffered “fractured vertebrae and permanent brain damage and has not played an NHL game since” (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/15)….Baseball HOFer HANK AARON has established a $100,000 endowed scholarship through this foundation at Clark Atlanta Univ. (THESIAC.com, 9/13)….NHL Rangers C BRAD RICHARDS attended the Hugo Boss and John Varvatos parties at N.Y.’s Fashion Week and “sat front row at the Tommy Hilfiger show on Monday" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/15)....Agent STEVE MANDELL made a cameo appearance in the series finale of HBO’s “ENTOURAGE” last Sunday (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 9/14)….Yankees 3B ALEX RODRIGUEZ and actress CAMERON DIAZ “have split again” (N.Y. POST, 9/15).
