The NFL Giants and QB ELI MANNING filed "motions to dismiss a lawsuit" by New Jersey memorabilia dealer ERIC INSELBERG that alleges Manning and the team "sold bogus game-used jerseys and other collectibles to unwitting customers." Manning's attorneys wrote, "In a shameless effort to grab media and public attention, plaintiff and his attorneys filed this baseless action on the eve of Super Bowl XLVIII." The lawyers call his inclusion in the lawsuit as a defendant "nothing more than an inappropriate attempt to capitalize on Manning's fame and public notoriety" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/21).
ON THE BOOKSHELF: Author JACK MCCALLUM is writing a book on Syracuse Univ. men's basketball coach JIM BOEHEIM "that will be published by Harper Collins before the start of next season." Reports have "indicated the book is about SU's first season in the ACC." But McCallum said, "It's a first-person story that will tell Boeheim's life, interwoven with the first year in the ACC" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 3/21).
NAMES: The Univ. of Western Ontario will honor alum and WTA Chair & CEO STACEY ALLASTER "with an honorary degree during its 303rd Convocation ceremony this coming June." Allaster holds a BA and an MBA from the school and "will be presented with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa" (LL.D.) on Monday, June 16 (WTATENNIS.com, 3/20)....Ball State Univ. named football coach PETE LEMBO Associate AD and gave him "a contract extension and a $79,000 raise to set his salary at $475,000." That would put Lembo "in the upper echelon of coaching salaries" in the MAC, but the change in title "will bring with it additional duties" (Muncie STAR PRESS, 3/21)....Pro Football HOFer JOE NAMATH will be the Grand Marshal for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on April 25-27 in Birmingham (ZOOM Motorsports)....Falcons Owner ARTHUR BLANK recently became engaged to ANGIE MACUGA. Blank's former wife, STEPHANIE, filed for divorce in Fulton County (Ga.) in February '13 (AJC.com, 3/20)....The Athletes First Classic Charity Gala was held March 8 at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, Calif. Attendees included NFL Draft prospect MARQISE LEE, Vikings TE KYLE RUDOLPH and QB MATT CASSEL, Eagles QB NICK FOLES and Broncos WR WES WELKER, as well as Athletes First Chair & CEO DAVID DUNN and President BRIAN MURPHY (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/20)....The NFLPA on Thursday announced an award of $100,000 to the Anquan Boldin Foundation for winning the Byron "Whizzer" White Award, to be presented at the NFLPA Player Rep meetings in Orlando (NFLPA).
IN MEMORY: Former Washington Times columnist and editor DICK HELLER died Thursday at age 76, from complications from lung cancer (WASHINGTON TIMES, 3/21).
