In Memphis, Kyle Veazey reports Grizzlies C MARC GASOL and Lakers F PAU GASOL will launch the Gasol Foundation to combat childhood obesity "later this year, or whenever all the red tape associated with establishing a nonprofit is cleared." The foundation "doesn't even have a website yet," but hosted its first event yesterday with Marc Gasol "playfully swatting away some kids' shots and letting others drive past the NBA's defensive player of the year for an easy bucket" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 5/30)....Golfer BEN CURTIS and his wife, CANDACE, have "founded the Ben Curtis Family Foundation." They are partnering with the Akron Food Bank, Haymaker Farmers Market and True Vision Marketing of Chagrin Falls and are "working in conjunction with the Kent schools." They "distributed approximately 160 backpacks to students at Kent's Holden Elementary." Each backpack was "filled with three meals and two snacks." The plan is to "distribute the backpacks to the students for all the long weekends, starting with Labor Day and including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Martin Luther King Day" and others (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/29)
ANCHORS, AWAY: Golfer ADAM SCOTT is "part of a group that has retained a lawyer to look into" the proposed ban on anchored putters. Scott, who uses an anchored putter, said that hiring legal representation was "just a way of not being left out of the loop." He said, "I just want to get that information and make sure that my views are expressed to the Tour and that's it. There's no intention of filing suit or making problems." Scott said that he was "only trying to level the playing field." Scott: "This is a business and I'm treating it professionally and I have a professional counsel to do that" (AP, 5/29).
COURT REPORT: WICK SOLLERS, the lawyer for the family of late Penn State football coach JOE PATERNO, yesterday said that he "plans on suing" the NCAA, President MARK EMMERT and Exec Committee Chair ED RAY. The suit "takes issue" with the NCAA's use of former FBI Dir LOUIS FREEH's findings for the university on the scandal in levying the strict sanctions last July (Mult., 5/29)....Plymouth, Mass., residents JOSHUA BARBER and NICHOLAS KAISER face "federal charges that carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $500,000 fine" after setting up a phone call between former Bills GM BUDDY NIX and Bucs GM MARK DOMINIK, recording it and selling it to Deadspin (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/30).
CHARITY STRIPE: Nike announced plans to donate $1M "worth of shoes and clothing to aid people affected by the tornado in Oklahoma." Nike said that it will "make its donations through the nonprofit organization Good360 to prequalified charities" (AP, 5/24)....Ravens CB COREY GRAHAM and LB JOSH BYNES also are "partnering with the American Red Cross to benefit Oklahoma tornado victims" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 5/28).
NAMES: Illinois men's basketball coach JOHN GROCE has received a $200,000 annual raise and now will make $1.2M per year (AP, 5/29)....Former Chicago-based WBBM-CBS Sports Dir and former NFLer MARK MALONE “sold his two-bedroom, 2,200-square-foot condo in a Greektown loft building for $557,500” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/30)….Redskins WR PIERRE GARCON on June 6 will host a party to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/28)….The Marlins yesterday honored cancer victim BELLA RODRIGUEZ-TORRES, who passed away on Tuesday “after a six-year battle with a rare, aggressive form” of the disease, by hanging a “jersey with the phrase ‘#LiveLike Bella’ in their dugout” during their game against the Rays. Heat F LEBRON JAMES and G DWYANE WADE also honored Rodriguez-Torres before Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday (MIAMIHERALD.com, 5/29)
