PRESIDENT OBAMA on Thursday announced former Univ. of North Carolina coach and Basketball HOFer DEAN SMITH and Baseball HOFer ERNIE BANKS are among those who will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. The time and date when the medals will be awarded in DC are to be determined (Mult., 8/8). Smith joins fellow Basketball HOFer JOHN WOODEN as "the only men's college basketball coaches to receive the Medal of Freedom" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 8/9). ESPN.com's Andy Katz writes Smith "did so much more than simply coach and win basketball games." He "wasn't afraid to be active in the world in which he coached in the 1960s." It is unknown whether Smith will "be able to attend the ceremony at the White House." Katz: "Let's hope he can make an appearance. His family deserves to see him praised publicly" (ESPN.com, 8/9).
LEGAL WRANGLINGS: In Cleveland, John Caniglia reported Browns Owner JIMMY HASLAM III's legal fight "became clearer Thursday when a judicial panel ruled that lawsuits filed across the country against his family company cannot be consolidated." A federal panel "rejected attempts by trucking companies to merge several lawsuits" involving Pilot Flying J. The companies "wanted to shift their cases into one courtroom, a move that would increase efficiency and speed up proceedings" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 8/9)....Lubbock County District Judge WILLIAM SOWDER said that he "intends to dismiss former Texas Tech football coach MIKE LEACH's defamation lawsuit without a full trial." Sowder "granted summary judgement motions filed on behalf of former ESPN football analyst CRAIG JAMES, ESPN and Spaeth Communications." Leach "will appeal" (LUBBOCKONLINE.com, 8/8)
FAMILY AFFAIRS: Chicago Alderman TOM TUNNEY joined Cubs BOD member TODD RICKETTS and Chicago Transportation Commissioner GABE KLEIN on Thursday to "promote the new Wrigley bike-sharing station serving the stadium" (SUN-TIMES.com, 8/8). Meanwhile, Cubs Chair TOM RICKETTS on Saturday will serve as "honorary marshal of the 84th annual Bud Billiken Parade, which serves as a kickoff to the upcoming school year" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/9).
OFF TO THE RACES: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Trahan & Helliker in the Small Business section highlight the growth of endurance races, writing under the header, "Events For Weekend Warriors Become A Gold Mine." Endurance races are "gushing wealth for entrepreneurs, big companies and private-equity firms." Behind this growth is "seemingly unlimited demand and disposable income" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/9).
NAMES: MLB player agent SCOTT BORAS has signed Tigers SS JOSE IGLESIAS, who was recently traded from the Red Sox. Iglesias was formerly repped by Relativity Sports (Liz Mullen, Staff Writer)....Heat F LEBRON JAMES was summoned for jury duty in Summit County, Ohio, but "was not seated on a jury for trial" and left the courthouse at 10:30am ET (ESPN.com, 8/8)....Yankees manager JOE GIRARDI spoke to the Alabama football team about "complacency, selfishness and accountability" (AP, 8/8)....Clippers G CHRIS PAUL was the keynote speaker at the Salvation Army's annual fundraising dinner for the Boys & Girls Club in Winston-Salem, N.C. More than 400 people attended (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 8/9)....Former MLBer CHIPPER JONES is "selling his 23,000-square-foot home" in Roswell, Ga., for $3.2M (AJC.com, 8/8).
