Sources said that NBC “TODAY” host MATT LAUER “was behind the firing” of producer JAMIE HOROWITZ after Lauer “found out about a plan to replace his co-anchor SAVANNAH GUTHRIE with HODA KOTB.” Sources said that Lauer went to NBC News President DEBORAH TURNESS “amid an anchor revolt sparked by rumors that, under a possible plan by Horowitz which had been discussed with NBC brass including Turness, Guthrie would be replaced by fourth-hour co-host Kotb and NATALIE MORALES could eventually be unseated as news reader by JOSH ELLIOTT” (N.Y. POST, 11/19). Morales “is well-liked on the show, and many of her supporters were upset that her post was suddenly threatened.” Sources said that after Horowitz’ departure, the core of the “Today” cast and management is “expected to stay intact” (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19).
LEGAL HEADACHE: A long-running lawsuit between RORY MCILROY and his former agency, Horizon Sports Management, has the golfer feeling “annoyed.” McIlroy said, “Of course I’m annoyed it’s still going on. The last week or so, I really put my head down and focused on my golf and everything like that.” McIlroy split with Horizon in ’13 and has “subsequently challenged the terms of his contract with the management company.” The suit “includes allegations that Horizon gave preferential treatment” to golfer GRAEME MCDOWELL (LATIMES.com, 11/18).
SHAKING MY HEAD: Milwaukee residents PHIL SKLAR and BRAD NOVAK yesterday announced that they are launching the National Bobblehead HOF, which will have a “permanent collection” at the museum of “nearly 3,000 baseball, basketball, football and pop culture figures with oversized nodding noggins.” Sklar said that he and Novak “have been in negotiations with major bobblehead collectors" across the country about "donations or loans of significant collections and individual bobbleheads.” The “hope is to open” the HOF in Milwaukee in ’16 (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/18).
AWARDS & HONORS: The MLB Players Alumni Association last night at its annual Legends for Youth Dinner awarded Baseball HOFers BROOKS ROBINSON and WADE BOGGS Lifetime Achievement Awards, while Pirates manager CLINT HURDLE was given the Brooks Robinson Community Service Award and Pirates 3B JOSH HARRISON was named recipient of the Heart & Hustle Award (MLB.com, 11/18)....The Bluegrass Sports Commission announced NBC Sports’ CRIS COLLINSWORTH, Louisville Courier-Journal horse racing writer JENNIE REES, high school sports coach/administrator DON ADKINS and Univ. of Kentucky AD MITCH BARNHART will be honored on Feb. 4 as winners at the fourth annual Bluegrass Sports Awards at the Lexington Convention Center (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 11/19)....Baseball HOFer CAL RIPKEN JR. yesterday was honored for his work with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation with the Champions of Youth Award by the Boys & Girls Club in Stamford, Conn., at the group’s annual Champions of Youth Sports Breakfast (STAMFORD ADVOCATE, 11/19).
SPEECH TIME: NHL Commissioner GARY BETTMAN “will deliver the keynote speech” at the Rady JCC Sports Dinner on May 7 in Winnipeg (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 11/19)....Astros Owner JIM CRANE will give the keynote address at the AirCargo '15 trade show and expo scheduled for March 1-3 at the Sheraton New Orleans (Airforwarders Association).
NAMES: Equipment and apparel firm Performance Sports Group named Red Sox President & CEO LARRY LUCCHINO to its BOD (PSG)....Cavaliers Owner DAN GILBERT “is snapping up another downtown Detroit landmark and this one is among the biggest of all: the 15-story Compuware Building near Campus Martius Park” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/19)....Rockets C DWIGHT HOWARD “is under investigation for suspected child abuse in Cobb County, Ga.” It is the second time that Howard “has been investigated by Cobb police for the same allegations, but he has not been charged.” Howard “was also under investigation in Florida for the same incident involving his son, who was 6 at the time, but also was not charged” (CHRON.com, 11/18)....The amount of money that the Univ. of North Carolina is “spending on outside public relations in the wake of the academic fraud scandal is crossing past” $2M. Public records show that Edelman PR “will receive more than” $1.65M for services “over the period of a year, ending April 30, 2015” (NEWSOBSERVER.com, 11/18)....Engine Shop was among Ad Age’s “Best Places to Work 2014” (ADAGE.com, 11/17)....Late Pro Football HOFer HANK STRAM’s Super Bowl IV championship ring will be auctioned off starting today, with the online auction running through Dec. 6 (ESPN.com, 11/18)....Lions S GLOVER QUIN and staff members from Operation ABLE of Michigan yesterday “distributed more than 2,000 coats during a Clothes4Soul event at the Service Employment Redeployment facility” (DETROITNEWS.com, 11/18)....Huffington Post Editorial Dir and Pittsburgh native HOWARD FINEMAN will “throw out the first pitch” during a Nationals-Pirates game at PNC Park on July 26 (POLITICO.com, 11/18).
