In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley noted the re-election campaign of Wisconsin Gov. SCOTT WALKER has received many "contributions from out-of-staters." Contributors "who have sports connections" include Magic Owner RICH DEVOS ($251,000), Bears investor PATRICK RYAN ($100,000), NFL Cardinals President MICHAEL BIDWILL ($25,000), Cubs BOD members TODD RICKETTS ($20,000) and PETER RICKETTS ($20,000), Texans Owner BOB MCNAIR ($10,000), MLB Giants Principal Partner PETER MAGOWAN ($10,000), Blackhawks President & CEO JOHN MCDONOUGH ($2,500), former MLB Commissioner FAY VINCENT ($2,500) and Mavericks Founding Owner DONALD CARTER ($2,000) (JSONLINE.com, 5/14).
STARS & STRIPES: NFL Giants coach TOM COUGHLIN will be one of five recipients of the U.S. Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Award, the “third-highest public service honor the U.S. Army can bestow upon a civilian.” The award will be presented May 23. Others scheduled to be honored include Ravens coach JOHN HARBAUGH and former NBA referee BOB DELANEY, who now “works with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder” (NJ.com, 5/14)....Jaguars Owner SHAHID KHAN has pledged $1M and “leadership support to assist military veterans assimilate back into the community through a Veterans Guidance Center” in Jacksonville (JAXDAILYRECORD.com, 5/14).
PHOTO SHOOT: The June issue of Vogue features Team USA Olympic hopefuls. On the cover of the magazine are U.S. women's national soccer team G HOPE SOLO, tennis player SERENA WILLIAMS and swimmer RYAN LOCHTE linking arms (NBCSPORTS.com)....Heat G DWYANE WADE is also featured in the issue, appearing shirtless in shots taken by noted celebrity photographer ANNIE LEIBOWITZ (MIAMI HERALD, 5/15).
LEGAL NOTES: Broadband wireless company LightSquared yesterday filed for bankruptcy protection as a “last-minute negotiation with creditors failed to produce a deal.” The bankruptcy filing is “another setback” for the company and its major investor, Wild Minority Owner PHIL FALCONE (NYTIMES.com, 5/14)….The California state medical board has concluded a case against Chargers head team doctor DAVID CHAO “without restricting his license or putting him on probation.” The board issued a “public reprimand of Chao, finding that he failed to disclose a 2007 drunken-driving conviction on state forms” (SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, 5/15).
NAMES: Australian Olympic Gold Medalist RUSSELL MARK is “set to parade in a lime-green ‘mankini’ made famous by the movie character ‘BORAT’ at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics as the penalty for losing a bet.” Mark lost a bet when Melbourne-based Carlton lost to St. Kilda in the Australian Football League (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 5/15)….Sculptor ANTONIO TOBIAS MENDEZ and architect MATTHEW OUDENS will design the statue of basketball HOFer BILL RUSSELL that is slated to be installed next year in Boston's City Hall Plaza. President BARACK OBAMA suggested the city erect the statue (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/15)....The Professional Basketball Writers Association announced its annual award winners yesterday. Suns G STEVE NASH won the Magic Johnson Award, given to the player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation with the media and fans. Celtics coach DOC RIVERS won the Rudy Tomjanovich Award as the coach who best combines excellence in his craft and cooperation with the media and fans. Bucks Dir of PR DAN SMYCZEK and his staff won the Brian McIntyre Award as the PR staff that shows the best cooperation in working with the local and national media (PBWA).
IN MEMORY: Former NBA referee
KEN HUDSON, 72, passed away last Wednesday in Atlanta after “suffering brain damage in a fall.” Hudson in ’68 became a “pioneering black referee” with the NBA, and four years later “founded the popular Boston Shootout,” which featured the best high school basketball players in the country (
BOSTON GLOBE, 5/13).
