Suspended Yankees 3B ALEX RODRIGUEZ last summer told advisers that he was "ready to cut a deal with MLB officials and quit" in the wake of the Biogenesis doping scandal. But sources said that Rodriguez' "last chance for a dignified exit ended when he turned to DESIREE PEREZ, a Manhattan nightclub manager with a lengthy criminal record and close links" to JAY Z. Sources added that Rodriguez listens to Perez and "others in Jay Z's circle because he hopes to become an agent himself -- perhaps even joining" Roc Nation Sports (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/18).
THE CLASS OF 2014: Broncos QB PEYTON MANNING spoke on Saturday morning at the Univ. of Virginia's valedictory exercises. Manning's wife, ASHLEY, is a UVA graduate. Manning "called up three seniors to catch passes from him." He said, "If you’re nervous, I understand. Seriously, there is no pressure here at all. If you drop it, it will not be on YouTube, I promise" (DENVERPOST.com, 5/17)....D-Backs Chief Baseball Officer TONY LA RUSSA on Friday delivered the commencement speech at Washington Univ. and received an honorary doctoral degree (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 5/17)....Former Rutgers football player ERIC LEGRAND yesterday received his degree from the school and was among the graduation speakers for the "largest class in the school's 248-year history" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 5/19)....Broncos QB BROCK OSWEILER, who graduated this weekend from Arizona State, “did an internship this spring with” former ASU QB ANDREW WALTER, who is running for Congress (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/19).
CONGRATS & KUDOS: CBS’ BILL MACATEE got married on the weekend of May 10, honeymooned in Big Sur, Calif., last week, and then called yesterday's final round of the PGA Tour HP Byron Nelson Championship (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/17)....The Rangers on Saturday honored former MLBer MICHAEL YOUNG and gave him a “trip to Disney World for his family, a painting of his children and a $10,000 donation to his foundation” as part of the ceremony (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/18)....Bills radio play-by-play announcer VAN MILLER is the ’14 Bills Wall of Fame inductee (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 5/18)....Former Univ. of Memphis President ALLIE PRESCOTT on Saturday was inducted into the Tennessee Sports HOF (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 5/18).
ON THE BIG SCREEN: Seahawks RB MARSHAWN LYNCH is "starring in a biopic about himself," titled "FAMILY FIRST." The film will "chronicle his rise from Oakland youth to NFL star." Actor DELROY LINDO of Oakland "may also be in the movie." Relativity Media has purchased the rights to the film, which is "slated for release at the end of the calendar year." MARIO BOBINO is co-producing the film with RAMASSES HEAD (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 5/17)....Director GABE POLSKY's documentary about the rise and fall of Soviet hockey, "RED ARMY," is playing at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is "one of the festival's most pleasurable surprises" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/19).
CHARITY STRIPE: ESPN’s DICK VITALE on Friday night held his annual Dick Vitale Gala, benefitting the V Foundation for Cancer Research, and “happily announced” that he had raised $250,000 in the name of late Michigan State fan LACEY HOLSWORTH (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/18)....Panthers QB CAM NEWTON on Friday hosted around 400 people at Charlotte Country Club “at his inaugural Kids Rock gala benefiting the Levine Children’s Hospital and the Cam Newton Foundation.” Sponsorships for tables of eight at the dinner “went from $5,000 to $25,000” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/17)....The Redskins “are teaming up” with Chesterfield County (Va.) schools for the Redskins Read Across Richmond program, which will “encourage elementary students to read this summer” (RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH, 5/19)....Red Sox P CRAIG BRESLOW’s Strike 3 Foundation has “raised more than” $2M since its ’08 inception (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 5/18).
NAMES: Several members of the NHL Rangers yesterday attended the funeral of RW MARTIN ST. LOUIS’ mother, FRANCE ST. LOUIS, including team Owner JAMES DOLAN (N.Y. TIMES, 5/19)....Louisville men’s basketball coach RICK PITINO last week met with the Jaguars coaching staff and had lunch with coach GUS BRADLEY “before driving up to Amelia Island for the ACC meetings” (JACKSONVILLE.com, 5/18)....NFL Panthers coach RON RIVERA on Saturday attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 5/17)....Grizzlies G BENO UDRIH and F MIKE MILLER on Thursday attended the Memphis In May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, where the Grizzlies have a sponsored hospitality tent. Many of the team’s season-ticket holders “qualify for a VIP status that allows them to join the franchise at the festival” (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 5/17)....NESN’s JENNY DELL recently attended the Rockland High School prom, where she was student CAMERON STUART’s date (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 5/18)....SCP Auctions yesterday sold a gold pocket watch owned by BABE RUTH for $650,108. It was the watch from the 25th anniversary celebration in ‘48 of the opening of Yankee Stadium (AP, 5/18)....Heritage Auctions on Friday sold former NHLer MARK PAVELICH's ’80 U.S. Olympic hockey gold medal for $262,900 (STARTRIBUNE.com, 5/17).
IN MEMORY: Former Northern State Univ. men's basketball coach DON MEYER died yesterday at age 69, and he is "remembered not only for his coaching success (he is now No. 6 with 923 victories) but also for the grit he showed in his final years, and for his basketball mind.” His instructional camps “attracted thousands of young players, he ran many clinics for coaches, and he turned out instructional videos.” He retired from coaching at the end of the ‘09-10 season “as his health failed,” but he “continued to be active as a speaker, making appearances for Northern State as assistant to its president” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/19).
