THINK PROGRESS' Travis Waldron cited e-mails as showing that the Redskins "consulted with a group of high-profile Republican advisers, some of whose involvement with the team has not been previously reported, about how to handle this reporter’s questions about the organization’s approach to the campaign to change the team’s name." Included in an e-mail chain were Republican strategist FRANK LUNTZ, former White House Press Secretary ARI FLEISCHER, former Virginia Gov. GEORGE ALLEN and Redskins Exec VP & GM BRUCE ALLEN. Both Allens "are the son of former Redskins head coach GEORGE ALLEN." Redskins Senior VP/Communications TONY WYLLIE confirmed that while Luntz had "conducted a focus group on behalf of the team, he has not been paid for other work with the Redskins," and that Fleischer and George Allen’s firms "do not have contracts with the team" (THINKPROGRESS.org, 1/30).
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| Henry names himself publisher of Boston Globe |
NEWSPAPER MAN: Red Sox co-Owner
JOHN HENRY on Thursday "named himself publisher" of the Boston Globe and named former Hill Holliday CEO
MIKE SHEEHAN CEO. Sheehan said that the decision "demonstrates Henry’s day-to-day focus on the broadsheet." Sheehan added that Henry "will focus on strategy, while Sheehan will handle business growth and a still-to-be-hired chief operating officer will oversee the day-to-day business operations" (
BOSTON HERALD, 1/31).
FAKE HANDOFF? Giants QB ELI MANNING on Thursday "vowed to fight a lawsuit that claims he passed off his unused football helmets and jerseys to be marketed and sold as game-used by an outside memorabilia company." The Giants in a statement said that they "planned to 'vigorously' defend themselves" (NEWSDAY, 1/31).
NAMES: NFL Giants GM JERRY REESE on Thursday was honored at the 5th annual John Wooten Awards "for his leadership abilities" (NJ.com, 1/30)....A Yankees exec said that the office of U.S. Sen. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.) "helped to make sure that all the paper work was done properly" so P MASAHIRO TANAKA "could be in Tampa for spring training on time." The Yankees signed Tanaka on Jan. 22, "giving them a little more than three weeks to have him ready to join the team when pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 14" (ESPN.com, 1/30)....Hurricanes Owner PETER KARMANOS JR. has founded "a new tech start-up" called MadDog Technology (FREEP.com, 1/30)....Angels LF RAUL IBANEZ on Thursday in Seattle received the 49th Hutch Award for community service (MLB.com, 1/30)....Monumental Sports & Entertainment Founder, Chair & CEO TED LEONSIS is among the investors in “a social networking app called SocialRadar.” The app, released Thursday, “analyzes smartphone users’ social networks including Facebook and Twitter, and correlates that with location data, to let people know in real time about their connections to those around them” (PHYS.org, 1/30)….Dodgers P CLAYTON KERSHAW on Sunday will “make a cameo appearance” on Fox’ “NEW GIRL” set to air immediately after the Super Bowl (FOXSPORTS.com, 1/30)….Knicks F AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE bought “a 190-acre farm” in Hyde Park, N.Y. (N.Y. POST, 1/31).
