The WALL STREET JOURNAL's John Paul Newport profiled Fox golf analyst GREG NORMAN, who has been "interviewing coaches and others about top players to compile what he calls 'cue cards' for two dozen pros he thinks are most likely to contend." The cards "have columns devoted to technique, mental game, practice habits, fitness routines and off-course activities." Norman said, “I don’t expect to do a lot of talking in the anchor booth, but the nuggets I do use I want to be based on fact, not speculation.” Meanwhile, he said that his Great White Shark Enterprises "earned substantially more" than the $12M that Golf Digest estimated he earned in its recent list of Golf's top-50 earners. Norman: "If I was to give any advice to a young kid coming up, it would be to find a logo. Don’t just put your initials out there. It takes a minimum of 15 to 18 years to build credibility around a brand, and initials aren’t going to cut it" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/28).
I'M THE TAXMAN: Former FIFA Exec Committee member CHUCK BLAZER "remains a central figure" in the IRS' effort to "recover millions of dollars in unpaid taxes from the regional soccer federation Blazer led for 20 years before his ouster" in '11. Blazer also "failed to file tax returns for CONCACAF" from '04-10, and it is now "facing demands for back taxes from the IRS in order to regain its tax-exempt status" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/28).
STICKING THE LANDING: In Dallas, Kate Hairopoulos profiled Gold Medal-winning gymnast NASTIA LIUKIN, who seven years after winning gold "will get a chance to reconnect with a massive pop-culture audience" when she appears on ABC's "DANCING WITH THE STARS." The show debuts March 16. Meanwhile, Liukin "will work as a commentator" for NBC during the '16 Rio Games, recently "renewed a sponsorship deal with Subway and designs her own brand of GK leotards" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/28).
NAMES: Former NFLer THOMAS JONES has "embarked on a second career as an actor on the BET show 'BEING MARY JANE' starring GABRIELLE UNION." He said that he "sees a lot of similarities" between acting and playing football (NYPOST.com, 2/27)....UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY “plans to film a movie before she accepts another fight.” UFC President DANA WHITE said, “We had a deal that she was going to go do a movie after [Saturday night’s] fight. So when she’s done with her movie, we will talk.” Rousey confirmed that she would be “taking a brief break to continue her acting career, but wouldn’t go into detail about what film she’ll be starring in” (MMAWEEKLY.com, 3/1)....Spurs G MARCO BELINELLI “posed for the cover of ‘GQ Italia’ nearly nude, surrounded by cheerleaders in an apparent homage to ‘Sports Illustrated’ covers” with Basketball HOFer LARRY BIRD and Bulls F DOUG MCDERMOTT (SI.com, 3/1).
