Pacers consultant DONNIE WALSH has survived tongue cancer and now "is the spokesman for Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week (April 12-18), which is sponsored by the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance." He "will be honored" before the Pacers game Sunday against the Thunder by DR. MICHAEL MOORE, who will be conducting free oral screenings at Indiana Univ. Health in May. Walsh claims he survived his diagnosis "only because he was lucky enough to get an early one" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/10).
JUST MAKING AN OBSERVATION: Prosecutors are "investigating the procurement process" behind a contract awarded to Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES' company to "operate the World Trade Center's observation deck." The N.Y./N.J. Port Authority "is controlled" by Democratic New York Gov. ANDREW CUOMO and Republican New Jersey Gov. CHRIS CHRISTIE, who is a "Cowboys fan and a friend of Jones." In March '13, officials "announced that Legends Hospitality LLC, co-owned by Jones, was selected from six proposals to operate the observation deck on floors 100, 101 and 102" (AP, 4/9).
OF WOLF & MAN: The Green Bay City Council this week referred a request from Alderman CHRIS WERY to the city Plan Commission to "consider naming or renaming a street" after former Packers GM and Pro Football HOF-elect RON WOLF. Streets in Green Bay and Ashwaubenon "were named after several members" of the Super Bowl XXXI-winning Packers, including coach MIKE HOLMGREN, QB BRETT FAVRE and late DE REGGIE WHITE (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 4/10).
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS: Marshall Univ. announced Wednesday that it "has locked up" AD MIKE HAMRICK and football coach DOC HOLLIDAY after "each signed contract extensions" through '21. Hamrick will "receive a base of $300,000 while Holliday's total package during the six-year extension jumps to $755,000." Holliday could also receive "additional revenue based on incentives tied to conference championships, bowls and season-ticket sales" (Huntington HERALD-DISPATCH, 4/9).
NAMES: U.S. Olympic sprinter JEREMY WARINER was inducted into the Texas Sports HOF on Thursday. He was joined by Basketball HOFer NOLAN RICHARDSON, former NFLers TY DETMER, EVERSON WALLS and CLIFF HARRIS, former Cowboys VP/Player Personnel GIL BRANDT and late NBAer ZELMO BEATY (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/10)....Charlotte Observer columnist SCOTT FOWLER was named the winner of the '15 Tennis Media Award (NSSA)....Former tennis player AMELIE MAURESMO on Thursday "announced that she is expecting her first child this summer" (AP, 4/9)....Bulls G DERRICK ROSE had dinner Monday at RPM Steak in Chicago, while Cubs P JON LESTER dined the same night at RPM Italian. Meanwhile, former White Sox manager OZZIE GUILLEN "attended the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Man and Woman of the Year Kickoff Celebration fundraiser Wednesday" at MIKE DITKA's restaurant in Chicago (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 4/9).
IN MEMORY: Former Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter STAN HOCHMAN, who spent 55 years with the paper, "died at Bryn Mawr Hospital on Thursday after a recent illness" at the age of 86. Hochman "covered the Phillies for six seasons before being promoted to columnist" in '65. He was named Pennsylvania Sportswriter of the Year "three times and was inducted" into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports HOF in '02, the Philadelphia Sports HOF in '08, the Pennsylvania Boxing HOF last June, and was set to enter the Big 5 HOF on Monday (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/10).
