In Ft. Worth, Kevin Casas profiles NFL agent KELLI MASTERS under the header, "Women Sports Agents Are Changing The NFL Draft Landscape." Today, about 50 women are among the 875 agents registered with the NFLPA, with Masters, JILL MCBRIDE-BAXTER and KRISTEN KULIGA "among the more notable" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/28). Meanwhile, in Cleveland, Kevin Kleps profiles NFL agent ANDY SIMMS, who founded PlayersRep Sports Management. The firm now has "six agents who live in four states and count about 40 NFL players among their clientele." Simms said he will be “the first to admit I didn't know a lot about what the job entailed other than watching 'JERRY MAGUIRE.'" Simms: "We figured out what we're good at, and we figured out what we're not good at" (CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 4/26 issue).
UNITED WE STAND: Wizards C MARCIN GORTAT, F RASUAL BUTLER and G JOHN WALL watched last night's Capitals-Islanders Game 7 from the first row at Verizon Center (WASHINGTON POST, 4/28). The presence of Wizards players at the game "signified the brotherhood" among pro athletes in DC. It "served as a reminder of how far the area’s professional teams have come." And the Capitals said that it "made a difference" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/28).
NAMES: The N.Y. OBSERVER named Dolphins Owner STEPHEN ROSS (No. 26) and Nets co-Owner BRUCE RATNER (No. 37) to its "New York Political Power List" (N.Y. OBSERVER, 4/27 issue)....SCP Auctions said that a pair of Nike Air Ships that Basketball HOFer MICHAEL JORDAN wore during his rookie season recently sold for $71,553. It is the "second biggest haul" for a pair of Jordan or NBA shoes (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 4/27)....New York-based Family Farm Ice Cream “will debut a new sundae” honoring WNBA Mystics C STEFANIE DOLSON, who won two national championships at UConn (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/28)....Actor JAMIE FOXX during last night’s Bucks-Bulls Game 5 was “in one of the high priced suites at the United Center, reportedly sitting next to” Bulls GM GAR FORMAN’s wife, LESLIE (SUNTIMES.com,4/27)....U.S. ice dancers TANITH BELBIN and CHARLIE WHITE “were married” over the weekend in West Bloomfield, Mich. MERYL DAVIS, White’s partner from the ’14 Sochi Games, “was a bridesmaid,” and BENJAMIN AGOSTO, Belbin’s partner from the ’06 Turin Games, “was a guest” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/28).
IN MEMORY: Hockey HOFer MARCEL PRONOVOST, who served as an Ontario-based scout for the Devils since ’90, “passed away Sunday afternoon at the age of 84.” He was inducted into the HOF in ’78 and spent “five years with the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau” (NJ.com, 4/27).
