In L.A., Helene Elliott notes Jamaican sprinter USAIN BOLT yesterday visited the L.A.-based STAR after-school program and he “charmed the kids and their chaperones with his easy humor, struck his famed ‘Lighting Bolt’ pose and took as many pictures of them as they did of him.” Luxury watchmaker Hublot, one of Bolt's sponsors, “promised to donate $10,000 to his child-focused foundation for each kid who beat him to the finish line on a makeshift track.” Hublot and Bolt also “promised to help the nonprofit STAR program create an athletic competition for kids it serves” (L.A. TIMES, 9/28).
EXTREME MAKEOVER: In Chicago, Mark Konkol notes Bulls G DERRICK ROSE yesterday at the city's Murray Park basketball court unveiled a “$20,000 makeover, paid for by Rose-endorsed companies.” The new court was “part of the Derrick Rose Renovation Project” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/28). The project was “financed by Powerade, McDonald’s, Wilson, Adidas and the Wasserman Foundation” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/28).
AWARDS & RECOGNITION: CBS’ “60 Minutes” won an Emmy Award in the News and Documentary category for a feature produced by PETE RADOVICH JR. that examined the Island of Samoa’s propensity to produce a large amount of college and NFL-caliber football players. The story won for “Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine” (CBS).
HOME SWEET HOME: In S.F., Eric Branch notes 49ers President & CEO JED YORK yesterday “gave four 49ers beat writers a this-was-my-life tour” of his hometown of Youngtown, Ohio. He is “fiercely proud of the place where his parents still reside and he visits several times a year.” He also “closely identifies with Youngstown’s blue-collar ethos” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/28).
NAMES: Former NFLer STEVE GLEASON, who is “battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), was presented with a Super Bowl ring and key to the city" by the Saints at a party attended by QB DREW BREES, LB SCOTT FUJITA and former NFLer DEUCE MCALLISTER (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/27)….The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have “agreed to form an expert panel to establish national guidelines for youth concussion care and management.” The CDC’s findings “will serve as national ‘guidelines’ until new legislation makes them mandatory” (NJ.com, 9/27)….Basketball HOFer MAGIC JOHNSON’s Magic Johnson Enterprises is “among firms investing $100 million” into Amalgamated Bank (CRAINSNEWYORK.com, 9/26)….The USOC BOD has approved the formation of an NGB for golf “that will have its headquarters in St. Augustine, Fla.” (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 9/25)….Jaguars K JOSH SCOBEE visited Wolfson Children’s Hospital yesterday afternoon to “give the hospital $10,000” through his Josh Scobee Kicks for Kids Program (JACKSONVILLE.com, 9/27)….Cubs P CARLOS ZAMBRANO “has placed one of his two Chicago-area homes -- a 13-room house in River Forest -- on the market for $969,000” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/28).
