Obscura magazine took a "peek inside the newly-redesigned office" of Nike CEO MARK PARKER. The decor features a "bust of Lincoln, signed Air Jordans, and an array of vintage war-era paintings," which create "a unique aesthetic all their own, with the office seeming more like a 'home away from home' than a workspace in the traditional sense" (OBSCURA, Autumn '13 issue).
WORK HARD, PLAY HARD: Skullcandy CEO HOBY DARLING was featured in the WALL STREET JOURNAL's "What's Your Workout" feature. The 38-year-old said that "his focus on endurance training -- he has competed in more than a dozen marathons and many Olympic distance triathlons since the early 1990s -- meant he was ignoring strength, balance and flexibility." Darling, who now lives in Park City, Utah, "where the headphone and earbud maker is based, has since participated in CrossFit competitions and is certified as a CrossFit instructor" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/31).
MY HEART UPON MY SLEEVE: Fox Sports analyst EDDIE GEORGE, "having already made his debut as a Shakespearean actor playing the title role" in the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's production of "JULIUS CAESAR" in '12, "is returning to the festival" with the title role in "OTHELLO" (NYTIMES.com, 12/30).
SILVER SCREEN: In "TYSON vs. ALI," a film opening tomorrow at the 3LD Art & Technology Center in N.Y., Director REID FARRINGTON "mixes live performance and video in a distillation of the debate as to who would win if MIKE TYSON fought MUHAMMAD ALI." The film is "as much an exploration of two champions as it is a conversation about why men fight" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/31)....Meanwhile, the Knicks on Monday night received a "private showing" of the movie "MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM" (N.Y. POST, 1/1).
NAMES: Golf HOFer JACK NICKLAUS will "open his North Palm Beach home for a private fundraiser Jan. 15 with a suggested contribution of $10,000" to Florida Gov. RICK SCOTT’s campaign fund, Let’s Get To Work. Nicklaus and Scott "struck up a friendship after Scott was elected in 2011, and Scott was bullish on the idea of creating the Jack Nicklaus Golfing Trail, which would give the six-time Masters champion the exclusive right to build golf courses in five Florida state parks" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 12/31)....Golfer RORY MCILROY and tennis player CAROLINE WOZNIACKI announced their engagement on New Year's Day via Twitter (IRISHTIMES.com, 1/1)....Late NFLer JOVAN BELCHER’s mother, CHERYL SHEPHERD, on Tuesday "filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against" the Chiefs. The suit alleges that Belcher was "subjected to 'repetitive head trauma,' and that the Chiefs failed to provide adequate medical care" (AP, 12/31)....Tennis player RAFAEL NADAL was "the last person standing" at the European Poker Tour’s stop in Prague (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/31)….Dodgers broadcaster VIN SCULLY yesterday served as grand marshal of the Rose Bowl Parade and the 100th Rose Bowl game (L.A. TIMES,1/2)….Heat G DWYANE WADE reportedly "recently welcomed a baby boy with an unnamed woman." Wade "allegedly fathered the love child" while he and fiancée GABRIELLE UNION "were 'on a break'" (L.A. TIMES, 1/1).
IN MEMORY: Pacers co-Founder CHUCK DEVOE died on Saturday of melanoma at the age of 83. He served as team President from ’68-74, "overseeing three ABA championship seasons" before the Pacers joined the NBA in ’76 (INDYSTAR.com, 12/31)….AP photographer DAVE MARTIN died early yesterday morning at the age of 59 "after collapsing on the Georgia Dome field at the Chick-fil-A Bowl" on Tuesday night. Martin "suffered an apparent heart attack and was administered CPR on the field" (AL.com, 1/1).
