In St. Louis, Joe Strauss notes Cardinals 3B and World Series MVP DAVID FREESE "has navigated more than two months of celebrity, endorsements and public appearances," with the help of his marketing reps at CAA. He was "feted at a Missouri football game" and honored prior to a Blues game. He "chaperoned ESPN talent ERIN ANDREWS as a presenter at the Country Music Association Awards," and "appeared on numerous nationally syndicated shows." Freese handed rapper NELLY a personalized jersey and "flirted" with singer KELLY CLARKSON on NBC's "Today" show. He "has reduced his appearances since Thanksgiving, but what hasn't changed are the demands for his time" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/13).
OUT AT THE COLISEUM: L.A. Memorial Coliseum Acting Assistant County Counsel THOMAS FAUGHNAN confirmed that Finance Dir RONALD LEDERKRAMER "no longer works at the stadium." In L.A., Pringle & Lin II note Lederkramer, who was "caught up in an ongoing financial scandal" at the stadium, went on paid medical leave in September, shortly after a member of the stadium's governing commission demanded that he be fired." At the time, the Coliseum's interim GM said that he "expected Lederkramer to return to his post" (L.A. TIMES, 1/13).
GLAMOUR PAIRING: An AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am source said that the tournament is "strongly considering issuing an invitation" to Broncos QB TIM TEBOW. The source said that if he accepts, the tournament’s "first choice as a partner for Tebow would be TIGER WOODS" (GLOBALGOLFPOST.com, 1/13). Golf Channel's Gary Williams said, “I’d absolutely put them together. This is the opportunity that golf has to be able to get mainstream traction." Williams recalled when Woods and Basketball HOFer MICHAEL JORDAN played together in '07 during a pro-am prior to the Tour event in Charlotte and noted it "led ‘SportsCenter.’" Williams: "You do it, it’s a no-doubter” ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 1/13).
NAMES: JAMES, ROBERT and WILLIAM POHLAD, whose family owns the Twins, "have acquired a 12 percent stake" in First California Financial Group and "have asked the company's board to hire investment bankers to 'assess all strategic alternatives' including selling the company" (TWINCITIES.com, 1/12)....The Univ. at Buffalo will induct NBA Senior VP/Scheduling & Game Operations MATT WINICK into its athletics HOF on Friday (THE DAILY)....Thunder play-by-play announcer MATT PINTO "will be an instructor for the new Youth Sports Network Sports Broadcasting Academy, which serves high school students and recent graduates." Pinto "will teach a 13-week class beginning Feb. 13" (OKLAHOMAN, 1/13)....SUSIE WELDON, the widow of late Izod IndyCar Series driver DAN WHELDON, accepted the Borg-Warner Championship Drivers' Trophy on Wheldon's behalf Wednesday night in Detroit (AP, 1/12).
