In L.A., Ken Bensinger reports a brain-injury claim by Pro Football HOFer TONY DORSETT was "thrown out by a California workers' compensation panel just months before" he was diagnosed with early signs of CTE. State records show that Dorsett's claim was "dismissed in May when a workers' compensation judge ruled that because Dorsett had agreed to an $85,000 settlement for injuries to 'multiple orthopaedic body parts' in 1991, he could not file another claim for any subsequent injury" (L.A. TIMES, 11/8). Meanwhile, in Des Moines, Bryce Miller reports Football HOFer TERRY BRADSHAW "struggled to remember things and decided to visit a clinic four years ago in Newport Beach, Calif., to find out more." Bradshaw said, "I got tested to see what condition my brain is in. And it's not in real good shape." Bradshaw "opted out" of the lawsuit against the NFL by more than 4,000 former players. Bradshaw: "I chose not to, because I didn't want to be used. ... And if I'm not in the settlement, that's one less guy out of the mix to pay and a little more money for someone else who really needs it" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 11/8).
GREAT SCOTT! SI.com's Austin Murphy wrote Thursday's Oregon-Stanford football game was a "victory lap" for Pac-12 Commissioner LARRY SCOTT, who in four-and-a-half years has "expanded, enriched and defibrillated a conference that had previously been static, self-satisfied and underachieving." Scott's accomplishments include negotiating a "groundbreaking 12-year, $3 billion TV deal with ESPN and Fox." That "comes out" to $225M annually. The year before the deal kicked in, the conference brought in $60M in TV money. Scott also "launched the Pac-12 Networks, one national and six regional HD networks that broadcast 1,200 live events" during the '12-13 school year. Finally, he "signed a multi-year agreement with Fox International Sports Channels to distribute Pac-12 Networks' sports programming worldwide." The "rising tide of TV money is lifting all boats in the conference" (SI.com, 11/7).
IN THE "MIDNIGHT" HOUR: Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT is a producer of the new Broadway musical, “AFTER MIDNIGHT,” that opened on Sunday night at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre to rave reviews. It is Kraft’s first producer credit for a Broadway show. Kraft is a private equity partner in Scott Sanders Productions, which develops film and theatre projects. “After Midnight” is a 90-minute, Cotton Club-style revue that stars FANTASIA BARRINO and DULE HILL (THE DAILY). In N.Y., Roma Torre wrote the musical is "wildly entertaining" (NY1.com, 11/6). The AP's Mark Kennedy writes, "The high-energy show never lags, making for an excellently paced 90 minutes" (AP, 11/8). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's David Rooney wrote, "I can't give this show anything but love, baby" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 11/3).
NAMES: The NFL Cardinals and President MICHAEL BIDWILL will receive the West Valley Region Advancement Award from the Western Maricopa Coalition (Cardinals)....Pro Football HOFer and Broncos Exec VP/Football Operations JOHN ELWAY on Thursday night had his No. 7 Stanford jersey retired at halftime of the Oregon-Stanford game. He joins former NFLers ERNIE NEVERS and JIM PLUNKETT as the school's "only players to have their jerseys retired" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 11/7)....Heat F JAMES JONES on Thursday was named to the Univ. of Miami Sports HOF, and he will serve as “the grand marshal for the Hurricanes’ homecoming parade Friday.” Other HOF inductees include Texans WR ANDRE JOHNSON and former NFLers CLINTON PORTIS and LAMAR THOMAS (MIAMI HERALD, 11/8)....U.S. Rep. HOWARD COBLE (R-N.C.) on Thursday announced he would retire at the end of his term, and a source said that FS1 NASCAR analyst KYLE PETTY “is considering a bid.” Another source said that semi-retired NASCAR driver TERRY LABONTE also has “been mentioned as a potential candidate” (ROLLCALL.com, 11/7)….Trail Blazers C ROBIN LOPEZ stopped by a North Portland public school on Wednesday “to help kick of the ‘Read Big’ campaign, an effort to get all first graders to literacy by third grade” (Portland OREGONIAN, 11/7)….MLB free agent P JOHAN SANTANA put his three-bedroom, Upper East Side condo on the market in June ’12, and the unit sold last month for $3.15M -- $6,000 “less than Santana paid for the pad” in June ’08 (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/8).
