U.S. District Judge MILTON SHADUR ordered Basketball HOFer MICHAEL JORDAN to "appear in court this week for an off-the-record settlement conference in a locked courtroom" for Jordan's $5M lawsuit against Chicago-based Dominick's food stores. Jordan is seeking damages "for a one-page ad that ran in a Sports Illustrated commemorative issue" celebrating Jordan's induction into the Basketball HOF. Shadur wanted Jordan to "appear in person to hear the judge's views on what reasonable damages would be." Shadur called the lawsuit "greedy" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/14).
FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS: Levis President JAMES CURLEIGH said that the company's 20-year, $220M naming-rights deal with the 49ers' new stadium in Santa Clara was a "wise marketing investment." Curleigh: "In the overall scheme, it's a manageable number if we execute it properly." He said Levi's was "looking at some big ideas," and "trying to figure out how to put some big league plays in for Levi's" (OREGONLIVE.com, 6/12).
NAMES: NHL Jets LW EVANDER KANE "apologized late Thursday evening for what he agreed was a 'homophobic term' he had used on his Twitter account" earlier in the day. Kane "criticized a Heat player for driving to the basket like a 'fairy.'" He "issued an apology" after speaking with Flyers scout PATRICK BURKE, who works with the You Can Play organization (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 6/14)....Jaguars Owner SHAHID KHAN is "interested in developing the Shipyards property, a 40-acre plot of city-owned land that has been mired in lawsuits, bankruptcy, grand jury investigations and broken promises." It is "unclear what Khan's plans are for the space" (JACKSONVILLE.com, 6/13)....Northwestern Univ. alumni RICHARD and ROXELYN PEPPER have pledged $5M to help "renovate the university's baseball stadium" (DAILYHERALD.com, 6/13)....Former NBAers OTIS BIRDSONG and MICHEAL RAY RICHARDSON, and Univ. of Tulsa men's basketball coach DANNY MANNING held a basketball clinic for "about 50 students" from Briarwood and Plaza Towers elementary schools, affected by the recent Oklahoma tornadoes (AP, 6/13).
