Rutgers Univ. yesterday released a statement regarding AD JULIE HERMANN's comments to a journalism class last week about the Newark Star-Ledger, saying that her comments were "in response to a broad array of student questions on a number of different subjects and were reflective of her own personal experiences. She had no knowledge of the impending reorganization of the Star-Ledger and drastic changes that the newspaper would announce several weeks later, in April" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/8). SI.com's Brian Hamilton wrote under the header, "Rutgers AD Julie Hermann Clueless Again With Latest Comments." Hamilton: "It's pretty clear now that Julie Hermann is concerned only with the interests of Julie Hermann, and she's not even capable of handling that well. This is Rutgers' athletic director as it heads into the big world of the Big Ten, stumbling all over herself" (SI.com, 4/7).
FISH OUT OF WATER? Marlins President DAVID SAMSON on Saturday appeared in LORNE MICHAELS' production of "NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME." Samson in his performance "made you examine if you're stretching your life enough." Samson appeared on "SURVIVOR" and now has a "meaty role in a play with professional actors and hopes of making it to Broadway" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/6).
AROUND THE DIAMOND: Dodgers broadcaster VIN SCULLY "presided over an hour-long service" yesterday at Dodger Stadium for Dr. FRANK JOBE, who died in March. Former MLBer TOMMY JOHN also spoke at the ceremony honoring the man who created the Tommy John surgery (L.A. TIMES, 4/8)....Baseball HOFers LOU BROCK, OZZIE SMITH, WHITEY HERZOG and RED SCHOENDIENST before yesterday’s Reds-Cardinals game were feted at the opening of the team’s HOF and museum at Ballpark Village (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/8)….Model HANNAH DAVIS watched her boyfriend, Yankees SS DEREK JETER, play in his final Opening Day at Yankee Stadium yesterday from “a luxury box with his mother, DOROTHY, father, SANDERSON, and agent, CASEY CLOSE” (N.Y. POST, 4/8)….As a show of support for Twins GM TERRY RYAN, who is receiving radiation treatment for cancer in his neck, as well as for those impacted by cancer everywhere, players from the Twins and A's yesterday wore Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) uniform patches. Both teams also sported SU2C caps during batting practice (THE DAILY).
NAMES: Dish Network co-Founder & Chair CHARLIE ERGEN is “seeking permission to sue” Wild investor PHIL FALCONE, whose Harbinger Capital fund controls the broadband company LightSquared (REUTERS, 4/7)….Former ESPN college football analyst CRAIG JAMES yesterday said that he will “join the conservative Family Research Council as a speaker and lobbyist focusing on religious liberty issues” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/8)….Jamba Juice is opening a new store in Rockville, Md., to be operated through a joint venture with VENUS WILLIAMS (Jamba Juice)….Ravens WR TORREY SMITH and wife, CHANEL, welcomed their first child, a boy, on Friday (BALTIMORESUN.com, 4/5).
