UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY two weeks ago attended the '14 Cannes Film Festival, which she "described as 'a last-minute thing.'" UFC President DANA WHITE: "It was a big deal. A lot of strings were pulled with some heavy hitters in Hollywood to make sure she was there. Pretty impressive." Rousey "has to put finishing touches on her scenes in the 'ENTOURAGE' movie one day" this week. Other than that "minor task, she’ll have nothing to distract her from the International Fight Week date" with ALEXIS DAVIS July 5 at UFC 175. Not even the "impending August release of 'THE EXPENDABLES 3' -- the primary reason she wound up at Cannes -- will get in the way" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 5/31).
BOOK SHELF: In N.Y., Jere Longman reviewed WNBA Mercury C BRITTNEY GRINER's memoir -- "IN MY SKIN: MY LIFE ON AND OFF THE BASKETBALL COURT" -- and wrote the book "reminds us that the wide world of sports can still be constrictingly narrow when it comes to tolerance" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/31)....Also in N.Y., ESPN's MIKE GREENBERG in a special reviewed ROLAND LAZENBY's book, "MICHAEL JORDAN: THE LIFE," and wrote Lazenby "lays out the facts and allows us to draw our own conclusions." He "didn't set out to write a gossipy tell-all, and he did not." While readers "who expect explanations for every mystery will be disappointed," Lazenby "navigates both the peaks and valleys with an easy style" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/1).
CHARITY STRIPE: White Sox Special Assistant to the Chair DENNIS GILBERT "made it possible for 650 high school players and their coaches to attend" last night's Pirates-Dodgers game (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/1)....Ravens CB LARDARIUS WEBB's annual charity softball game was played yesterday, "with 15,000 tickets sold during the event's first year at M&T Bank Stadium." The game "previously was held at Ripken Stadium" in Aberdeen, Md. (Baltimore SUN, 6/2)....Patriots QB TOM BRADY on Saturday attended the Best Buddies Challenge. The event, which "had people biking, walking, and running to Hyannis Port," raised money for Best Buddies Int'l, "a volunteer program that creates friendship and employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 6/2)....The Nationals yesterday hosted Capitals D TYSON STRACHAN, who was there promoting Strachan Strays, his charitable organization aimed at raising awareness and money to support local animal shelters (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 6/1)....Bears WR BRANDON MARSHALL on Saturday joined more than 200 motorcyclists to "launch the Brandon Marshall Mental Health Awareness ride" from Naperville, Ill., to downstate Ottawa, Ill. (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/1)....Chargers S DARREL STUCKEY and K NICK NOVAK joined PR Dir BILL JOHNSTON during yesterday’s San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon & Half Marathon in pushing his wheelchair-bound wife, RAMONA, who is suffering from Huntington’s Disease. This was Johnston’s second year running the race while pushing his wife (THE DAILY).
NAMES: Members of the NHL Rangers following their Eastern Conference Finals-clinching win on Thursday partied “into the early hours of Friday” at Tao Downtown in N.Y. (N.Y. POST, 5/31)….Celtics G RAJON RONDO and T’Wolves F KEVIN LOVE “met up” yesterday at Fenway Park for the Rays-Red Sox game. Love “sat in the EMC Club and Rondo in the Green Monster seats, but the two eventually crossed paths.” Love “sat next to his agent,” Excel Sports Management President & Founder JEFF SCHWARTZ (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/2)….Nationals CF BRYCE HARPER and his girlfriend, KAYLA VARNER, got engaged last week and made their “first public appearance as an engaged couple Saturday at the team’s Dream Gala fundraiser” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/31).
