In Dallas, Posgate & Curriden report a nine-member federal jury yesterday handed Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN a "slam-dunk victory" in the insider trading case brought against him by the SEC. The jury "deliberated less than four hours" before finding Cuban "violated no securities laws" in '04 when he sold 600,000 shares of Mamma.com. Cuban: "Their lawyers came up to me after the trial and said it was just business and not personal. They're wrong. It's personal. They lied about me. ... It’s not like winning the Mavs championship, because I won nothing today" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/17). Cuban added, "I'm glad this happened to me. I'm glad I'm able to be the person who can afford to stand up to them" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/17).
RACE TO THE FINISH: Two feature films about LANCE ARMSTRONG now are in a "race to hit theatres." Production company Working Title on Tuesday announced BEN FOSTER had been cast as Armstrong in a STEPHEN FREARS-directed biopic, which is set to begin filming tomorrow. The movie "seems to be moving along more quickly than 'RED BLOODED AMERICAN,' a BRADLEY COOPER-produced and -starring take on the Armstrong saga." That movie "will touch on the relationship between Armstrong and his former teammate, TYLER HAMILTON." Meanwhile, Oscar-winning documentarian ALEX GIBNEY on Nov. 8 will "bring his movie 'THE ARMSTRONG LIE' to theaters" (L.A. TIMES, 10/17).
CHARITY STRIPE: ESPN's MIKE GREENBERG yesterday announced that he and his wife, STACY, will donate $100,000 to The V Foundation for Cancer Research to combat breast cancer (ESPN)....The fourth annual Dolphins Cycling Challenge will be held Nov. 2-3. The event has raised $3.8M since it was founded in '10, and event CEO MICHAEL MANDICH, son of late NFLer JIM MANDICH, said that it is "on pace" to raise approximately $4M this year (MIAMI HERALD, 10/17)....The Redskins on Tuesday held their sixth annual All-Star Survivors Celebration. Twenty cancer survivors were treated to a day of "pampering, including makeup consultations, massages, wigs, scarves, new jeans and other special surprises, with Redskins players on hand to escort them through the afternoon." The event was hosted by former NFLer CHRIS COOLEY and Redskins Owner DAN SNYDER's wife, TANYA (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/16)....MLB Rangers P YU DARVISH has “made a $42,000 donation to the Jackie Robinson Foundation to help fund college scholarships" (AP, 10/16).
CRIBS: Nets F KEVIN GARNETT moved out of his Concord, Mass. estate and “left half his wardrobe behind in the empty house.” Garnett’s “old pants, shirts, jackets, cashmere sweaters and hand-tailored suits are up for grabs” at $50 each (BOSTONHERALD.com, 10/17)....Nets F PAUL PIERCE and his wife, JULIE, moved into a 5,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home, with 28 windows in Tribeca that was "asking $35,000 a month" (N.Y. POST, 10/17).
AWARDS & HONORS: Avalanche Exec VP/Hockey Operations JOE SAKIC is among those named to Canada’s Sports HOF class of ’13. Former Canadian Amateur Hockey Association President MURRAY COSTELLO and Sport Development architect DR. JEAN-GUY OUELLET “enter as builders.” Toronto Star columnist DAVE PERKINS also was “among those honoured for their contributions" to the HOF (THESTAR.com, 10/16).
NAMES: The Celtics yesterday announced that a statue of Basketball HOFer BILL RUSSELL will be unveiled in Boston's City Hall Plaza before the team's home opener on Friday, Nov. 1. The statue was created by Somerville, Mass.-based artist ANN HIRSCH (PROVIDENCEJOURNAL.com, 10/16). Celtics Managing Partner STEPHEN PAGLIUCA said that he collaborated with Boston Mayor THOMAS MENINO to honor Russell with the statue and ceremony (BOSTON HERALD, 10/17)....The Univ. of Tennessee yesterday announced that it will dedicate the Pat Summitt Plaza and statue in honor of women's basketball coach emeritus PAT SUMMITT on Nov. 22 (TENNESSEAN.com, 10/16)....The Women's Sports Foundation last night held the 34th annual Salute to Women in Sports at Cipriani in N.Y. WSF Founder BILLIE JEAN KING, President ANGELA RUGGIERO and ESPN's HANNAH STORM were among the attendees, alongside MISSY FRANKLIN, MICHELLE KWAN, ANNIKA SORENSTAM, JULIE FOUDY and DIANA NYAD (WSF)....Relativity Sports has signed Dolphins DT JARED ODRICK for representation. Agent EUGENE PARKER will represent Odrick, who previously was represented by Rosenhaus Sports (Liz Mullen, Staff Writer)....Authorities said that former NFLer IRVING FRYAR and his mother, ALLENE MCGHEE, “were charged yesterday with conspiring to steal more than $690,000 in a mortgage scheme” (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 10/17)....Weatherford, Texas resident DON MARKUM has sued the MLB Rangers and Metroplex Sportservices after he claimed that he was knocked unconscious while "trying to stop a fight in the stands” at Rangers Ballpark. The suit accuses Metroplex of “selling beer to an intoxicated fan” (FT. WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, 10/17).
IN MEMORY: 49ers Medical Dir and leading concussion researcher DR. DAN GARZA passed away at his Bay Area home on Tuesday (SFGATE.com, 10/16).
