USA TODAY's Brent Schrotenboer reports Dallas-based SCA Promotions has "filed suit" against former cyclist LANCE ARMSTRONG seeking the return of $12M in bonuses and fees he was paid for winning the Tour de France. The suit also could "force Armstrong to make an uncomfortable choice: return the money or risk further damage to his reputation by fighting the case" (USA TODAY, 2/8). In N.Y., Juliet Macur notes the suit also "asserted that Armstrong had committed fraud against SCA when he said under oath that he had never used performance-enhancing drugs" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/8).
COURT REPORT: In N.Y., Babcock & Mangan cites court reports as saying that Yankees GM BRIAN CASHMAN will "fork over a whopping $1 million a year in alimony and child support to his now-ex-wife, MARY BRESNAN, under the divorce settlement they signed off on this week." Bresnan will receive payments "until Halloween 2025, or until she remarries." Cashman also "agreed to keep Bresnan as the beneficiary of a life-insurance policy on him in the amount of $2.25 million until her remarriage, death or Oct. 31, 2025, whichever comes first." Bresnan also "gets ownership" of their $3.7M house in Darien, Conn. (N.Y. POST, 2/8)....Former N.Y./N.J. Super Bowl Host Committee General Counsel ANDREW LEE filed a $1.95M lawsuit against T-Mobile after he said that it "hounded him for five years ... after his wife lost her cellphone and someone else rang up $1,500 in charges." His credit rating has "dropped 60 points over the disputed debt" which caused him to "fail to get approval for a mortgage" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/7).....U.S. District Court Judge DAVID PROCTOR ruled that former Birmingham-area WJOX-FM Program Dir RYAN HANEY “cannot work for rival sports-talk station ESPN 97.3 The Zone until more evidence is heard in a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by former employer, Citadel Broadcasting” (AL.com, 2/7).
NFL MUSINGS: In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw wrote of Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES, “I'm not big on owners getting into the Hall of Fame. I can't think of any fans that go to Canton or Cooperstown and say, ‘Oh, let's go read about some of the game's wealthiest owners.’ Jerry has made contributions along TV revenue lines that might be worthy. I don't think I have to enumerate his shortcomings to this audience” (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/7)….The Cleveland Clinic named Browns Owner JIMMY HASLAM III to its BOD (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 2/7)….NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL was “front-row” at designer KIMBERLY OVITZ’s Fashion Week show on Thursday, sitting “right next” to Vogue Editor ANNA WINTOUR. Goodell reportedly is “a longtime friend of Ovitz” (N.Y. POST, 2/8).
CHARITY STRIPE: Lightning Owner JEFF VINIK and wife PENNY have pledged more than $10M over five years in donations through the team's foundation to honor local community heroes and their chosen charities. The Viniks award $50,000 at each Lightning home game. The Viniks during the lockout kept their commitment, presenting grants at the location of nonprofit charities until the season began (Christopher Botta, Staff Writer).
NAMES: The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA named Pro Football HOFer MARCUS ALLEN and sports executive recruiter CATHY GRIFFIN to its BOD (Laureus USA)….Penn State announced that Board of Trustees Vice Chair JOHN SURMA, who “fired football coach JOE PATERNO over the phone will leave the board when his term ends in June” (AP, 2/7)....Former U.S. Olympian SHAWN JOHNSON will "appear on a poster distributed by the Iowa Girls High Schools Athletic Union." The boys’ Iowa High School Athletic Association has "printed annual school sportsmanship posters since 1995." It has featured athletes such as former NFLer KURT WARNER, Iowa State men's basketball coach FRED HOIBERG and Warriors F HARRISON BARNES. This is the "first such poster produced by the Union" (DESMOINESREGISTER.com, 2/7)....Iowa State AD JAMIE POLLARD was “thrown out of a high school basketball game on Tuesday night” while watching his son THOMAS play. Pollard reportedly was “escorted out after disagreeing with a referee’s call on the court” (USATODAY.com, 2/6)….The Univ. of Illinois-Chicago will “name its new baseball stadium after Yankees center fielder and UIC alum CURTIS GRANDERSON, who provided what is expected to be the largest-ever contribution to the school’s athletic department” (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 2/7)….Former MLBers TIM RAINES, GEORGE BELL and ROB DUCEY, as well as “former announcer TOM CHEEK and longtime minor league owner NAT BAILEY” were inducted into the Canadian Baseball HOF (AP, 2/7).
IN MEMORY: Former Hofstra AD JIM GARVEY died at the age of 70. He was on a waiting list for a heart transplant at a facility in Kentucky. Garvey was a "three-sport NCAA official who worked four football bowl games, five men's basketball tournaments and seven men's lacrosse championships, including the inaugural NCAA title game in 1971" (NEWSDAY, 2/8).
