Heat Owner MICKY ARISON grants an extensive interview to the WALL STREET JOURNAL and talks about how he stepped down as CEO of Carnival Cruise Line, but stayed on as Chair. Arison: "It is not going to be a simple or easy transition for me. Obviously in 34 years as CEO, I learned some things about the business" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/24).
SMEAR CAMPAIGN? As former NBA Senior VP/Security BERNARD TOLBERT "ramps up his Democratic primary election campaign" for Buffalo's mayoral race, there are a "few question marks hanging over his record." There is a "pair of lawsuits hinging on an accusation that the league ignored repeated warning that female employees were victims of sexual harassment and discrimination." Tolbert "emphasizes he has never been personally accused of any inappropriate behavior, and he denies all such accusations" (BUFFALO NEWS, 7/24).
PLAYING IT SMART: Ravens rookie S MATT ELAM by not hiring an agent and negotiating his own contract, "saved roughly $202,800 in commission fees" over the course of a $6.8M deal that includes a $3.3M signing bonus. Elam "got advice from his older brother," former NFLer ABRAM ELAM, the NFLPA and a "team of advisors, educating himself about the business of football" (Baltimore SUN, 7/24).
NAMES: The ninth annual Don't Give Up ESPYs V Foundation Auction raised $781,258 for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, surpassing last year's total (ESPN)....Rogers Communications yesterday unveiled a 12-foot bronze statue of late Blue Jays President & CEO TED ROGERS. The statue will remain permanently outside Rogers Centre (Rogers)....College Football Playoff COO MICHAEL KELLY was in Detroit yesterday "checking out Ford Field" (DETROITNEWS.com, 7/23)....WWE and E! Entertainment launched the first-ever Superstars for Hope fundraising initiative to support the Make-A-Wish foundation (WWE)....Comedian CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER listed the Golf Channel mobile app among his favorites, saying, "I like to keep up with what's going on" (USA TODAY, 7/24)....UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY has “landed a role” in the upcoming movie, "EXPENDABLES 3." Actor SYLVESTER STALLONE announced the news yesterday on his Twitter account (MMAJUNKIE.com, 7/23)....Celtics F KRIS HUMPHRIES has “signed on to guest-star on an upcoming episode” of Fox' "THE MINDY PROJECT." He will “play himself” in the episode (TVGUIDE.com, 7/22)....Former MLBer BILL BUCKNER is selling his four-acre ranch in Boise for $1.7M (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/23).
