The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan used his "Parting Shot" on ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters” yesterday to discuss the $100M donation by former Dodgers Owner FRANK MCCOURT to Georgetown Univ. to create the McCourt School of Public Policy. Ryan said, “Frank McCourt and his ex-wife, JAMIE, used the Dodgers as personal ATM machines, running the team into bankruptcy court while buying four houses, spending lavishly, travelling and giving no-show jobs to a pair of sons all on company funds. And then, because life isn’t fair, he walked away with over $1 billion dollars when he sold out.” Ryan: "I say to the Jesuits of Georgetown that as penance for accepting this tainted money, they say 10 Hail Marys, 10 Our Fathers, plus a very good Act of Contrition, and then find a better way to spend the money” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 10/13).
TOP DOG: Steelers QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER's foundation on Thursday announced that it "would give grants" to the Fort Lee and Fairfield, N.J. police departments. The Fort Lee Police Department "received funding for a new K-9 dog" and the Fairfield Police Department "will outfit a K-9 vehicle with a rear seat insert, automatic door opening system and fan." The foundation "plans to distribute grants to K-9 units at police and fire departments in the areas where the Steelers play their away games this season" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 10/13).
NAMES: UFC co-Chair & CEO LORENZO FERTITTA was profiled by Roger Blitz of the FINANCIAL TIMES, and Fertitta said the promotion's next step is "owning the distribution channel." He said UFC will be "the first digital sport," allowing it to "deal directly with the consumer" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 10/13)....An estate sale on Saturday at former MLBer and ESPN analyst CURT SCHILLING's Medfield, Mass., home brought "a mixed bag of baseball fanatics and casual yard-sale shoppers" to pick through Red Sox memorabilia and other items. Shoppers lined up starting at 6:00am ET (BOSTON HERALD, 10/13)....The Thunder "will rebuild the outdoor basketball courts at the sites of three schools destroyed" in the May 20 tornado in Moore, Okla. (AP, 10/13)....Yankees P CC SABATHIA and 2B ROBINSON CANO on Saturday "took a ride on the London Underground" with musician CHRIS MARTIN and rapper JAY Z to the latter's concert at the O2 Arena (N.Y. POST, 10/14).
