Univ. of Wisconsin AD BARRY ALVAREZ's pool house is featured as the WALL STREET JOURNAL's "Dream Space." Alvarez' Madison, Wisc., home has a "poolside cabana" with "three insulated walls that enclose a living area with a 70-inch TV, an eating/bar area and a kitchen." It is in the cabana that Alvarez "will watch countless games this season to prepare for his role as a member of the selection committee for the inaugural College Football Playoff." Memorabilia from his more than three decades in college athletics is "notably absent" from the cabana. Alvarez: "I don't want to turn my house into a sports bar" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/28).
DOUBLE-CHECK, DOUBLE-TAKE: British comedian TOM WRIGGLESWORTH, who "bears an uncanny resemblance" to Packers QB AARON RODGERS, did his stand-up routine last week at The Green Room Lounge in De Pere, Wisc. Green Room Owner MIKE ESERKALN said that NFL Films "was on hand to shoot Wrigglesworth on Saturday during his shows and also at other locations around Green Bay during the weekend, including Lambeau Field." He added that the footage "is expected to be used for an undisclosed future project" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 8/28).
COURT REPORT: Islanders Owner CHARLES WANG has asked a Manhattan judge to move Philadelphia-based hedge fund manager ANDREW BARROWAY's lawsuit regarding an alleged sale agreement to a Nassau County court "because that's where the Islanders' owner lives and the team is based." Barroway said that he filed the lawsuit in state Supreme Court in Manhattan "because that's what was stipulated in their purchase agreement" (NEWSDAY, 8/28)....Former Mastro Auctions Information Dir of Technology WILLIAM BOEHM “is expected to plead guilty in Chicago federal court next week” on charges of “lying to the FBI agents who investigated the now-defunct sports memorabilia company” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/28).
NAMES: Cubs Chair TOM RICKETTS yesterday gave the keynote speech at the fifth annual Techstars Demo Day in Chicago. The event, which is an “annual showcase of entrepreneurial talent,” featured 10 startups who “showed their stuff after 13 weeks of training” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/28)....Pro Football HOFer WILLIE BROWN yesterday "delivered a check for $50,000" on behalf of the Raiders to Napa Unified School District Superintendent PATRICK SWEENEY. Students in the district returned to school yesterday following Sunday's earthquake (KTVU.com, 8/27)....Virginia Tech football coach FRANK BEAMER signed a contract extension through '18, but the deal "doesn't change" what Beamer will be paid. He is set to make $2.6M "in base salary and other compensation this season, before bonuses" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 8/28)....Boxer MANNY PACQUIAO said that he “is setting up a boxing institute in China,” as he “has partnered with a Chinese company and the Chinese government to set up an institute in his name" (AP, 8/27)....Former NFLer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON sold his 13-acre-plus, Poway, Calif., mansion for $3.495M (L.A. TIMES, 8/28)....Bengals QB ANDY DALTON and his wife, JORDAN, bought a two-story home in Hamilton County (Ohio) for $732,000 (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/27).
