Dodgers Chair MARK WALTER on Friday said that he "has been exploring a possible purchase" of the L.A. Times. Walter said, "The Los Angeles Times says something. It means something. It's a brand. I think people have undervalued that. If the price were right, I would buy it." Walter said that he is "interested in acquiring both the Times and the Chicago Tribune" (L.A. TIMES, 8/24).
LEGAL MATTERS: A source said that NHL Panthers minority Owner JORDAN ZIMMERMAN has "filed a lawsuit against two fellow Boca Raton businessmen to recoup a $1 million investment into a pornography website that he thought was a legitimate dating service." Zimmerman and a co-plaintiff gave MARC BELL and DAN STATON $1M apiece to "invest into Friendfinder.com." Zimmerman stated in the suit filed in Palm Beach County court that Bell and Staton "invested the money into sites they never heard of that were linked to Penthouse Magazine’s pornography empire" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 8/23).
BIG HITTERS: Rapper PHARRELL WILLIAMS has "teamed up with Under Armour to produce the 'NATURAL BORN HITTERS' mixtape, which pairs electronic beats with motivation vocal samples" from ESPN NFL analyst RAY LEWIS. The "inspiration for the project came from 'READY FOR AUGUST,' a short film based" on Lewis' high school career. Under Armour also has "unveiled an interactive, 'Natural Born Hitters' app" (ROLLINGSTONE.com, 8/23).
ON THE MARKET: N.C. State Univ. men's basketball coach MARK GOTTFRIED bought a house in Raleigh for $1.1M (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/23)....Ravens QB JOE FLACCO bought a house in Baltimore from former NFLer MATT BIRK for $1.385M (BALTIMORESUN.com, 8/23)....Former NHLer CHRIS CHELIOS "put his Malibu, Calif., house up for rent." The house "rents for $25,000 per month if you take it for a year" (DETROIT NEWS, 8/24).
NAMES: Free agent NBA C JASON COLLINS appeared on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards last night and introduced rapper MACKLEMORE, who "performed his gay-rights anthem "SAME LOVE" (USATODAY.com, 8/25)....Boxing HOFer MIKE TYSON on Friday "spoke about his need to follow the tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous" (ESPN.com, 8/24)....Ravens coach JOHN HARBAUGH last Saturday brought in actor TRACY MORGAN "to perform for the team" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 8/24)....The Rams this season will wear “a commemorative helmet decal” to honor late HOFer DEACON JONES (STLTODAY.com, 8/25)….Celtics F KELLY OLYNYK on Friday went to New Hampshire-based Canobie Lake Park with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/26)….Former cyclist LANCE ARMSTRONG has “reached a settlement with the Sunday Times, which he sued” for US$1.2M after it published an article “suggesting he was using performance-enhancing drugs before his confession” (THEGUARDIAN.com, 8/25)….Pro Football HOFer DAN MARINO and CBS' BILL COWHER, along with analysts MARV ALBERT and GREG GUMBEL attended an NFL season kickoff party at Bobby Van’s Grill (N.Y. POST, 8/24)….Red Sox Owner JOHN HENRY recently dined at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille at the Boston Harbor Hotel (BOSTON HERALD, 8/25).
