Names In The News

In Detroit, Bill Shea profiles Lions Senior VP/Administration & CFO ALLISON MAKI, who has "oversight of every penny coming in or going out" of the organization. The team said that Maki "now oversees" the Lions' finance group, HR and facility operations at the HQ and training facility, and she will "assist in the oversight and management of key business partners." Lions President TOM LEWAND: "Allison is an incredibly intelligent, dynamic and pragmatic executive. She has added enormous value to the Lions over the years, both in our finance department and as part of our independent audit team. In the process, she has earned the respect of many around the NFL and in the community of financial institutions" (CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS, 4/26 issue). 

Nike claims the three former designers stole trade secrets before joining adidas

DEAN'S LIST: The Univ. of North Carolina has "launched a fund raising campaign to establish scholarships" honoring late basketball coach DEAN SMITH. The campaign "will raise money for the Dean E. Smith Opening Doors Fund, which will create scholarships for low-income undergraduates, as well as professionals pursuing advanced degrees in education and social work." The campaign "will solicit endowment gifts to generate revenue in perpetuity." The fund "will provide annual $5,000 need-based scholarships for undergraduate students; graduate awards will be up to $30,000 annually for a full scholarship." The campaign "has no set goal or duration, but the first scholarships could be awarded this fall" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 4/29).

DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: Last night’s edition of ABC’s “DANCING WITH THE STARS” included a performance by a group of former and current NFLers who have appeared on the show: DONALD DRIVER, HINES WARD, KURT WARNER, JACOBY JONES, EMMITT SMITH, MICHAEL IRVIN and JERRY RICE. The dance routine was introduced by ESPN’s NEIL EVERETT and STAN VERRETT from the “SportsCenter” set, with Verrett noting, “In the 10-year history of ‘Dancing With The Stars,’ NFL players have been among the best dancers.” Everett: “Now let's see if they still got it when they attempt to pasodoble.” After the performance, Smith said winning “DWTS” has “transformed so many different things. Everywhere I go, men and women, boys and girls, they all know me from ‘Dancing With The Stars.’ Forget about football” (“DWTS,” ABC, 4/28).

STOCK PICKERS: There were reps from the sports world participating in yesterday's BTIG Commissioner for Charity Day, run by prospective Hawks co-Owner and BTIG co-Founder STEVEN STARKER. The roster of sports personalities participating included AL LEITER, ALLAN HOUSTON, BOBBY VALENTINE, CC SABATHIA, MARK TEIXEIRA, JOE GIRARDI, TOM COUGHLIN, ELI MANNING, VICTOR CRUZ, HANNAH STORM, JEREMY ROENICK, JOE MORGAN, REGGIE JACKSON, RONNIE LOTT, JOE NAMATH, MARK MESSIER, SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, TONY GONZALEZ, WOODY JOHNSON, MARIANO RIVERA and MARK CUBAN (BTIG).

NAMES: Padres investor PETER O'MALLEY received “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Nick Ribbon” from Japan, conferred by EMPEROR AKIHITO (Gov't of Japan)....Jamaican sprinter USAIN BOLT “is getting the documentary treatment after British filmmakers GABE and BEN TURNER announced plans to keep up with the fastest man alive in the run-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics, the games themselves and his prospective retirement" in '17. The as-yet-untitled film “will follow the six-time Olympic champion and multiple world record holder from May this year” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 4/28)....South Carolina football coach STEVE SPURRIER’s autobiography will be released in ’16. Spurrier last week in Florida spent time with co-author BUDDY MARTIN “talking about the book, and the two will spend more time together this summer” (THESTATE.com, 4/28)....The Titans “honored longtime scout C.O. BROCATO by naming the draft room at their Nashville training facility after him” (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 4/29)....Robert Edward Auctions on Monday said that 42 bids were placed for a HONUS WAGNER T206 baseball card, with the winning online bid coming in at $1.32M (AP, 4/27)....Nets Owner MIKHAIL PROKHOROV this weekend “will celebrate his 50th birthday" by throwing a “three-day bash at a new house he’s built in Turkey, where guests will include an endless supply of models” (N.Y. POST, 4/29)....CBS COO and Pace Univ. BOT member JOSEPH IANNIELLO has made a $2M donation to the university for the construction of a new athletic field house (Pace)....The Dolphins are "investing in Miami Gardens schools" through a $1M partnership with City Year Miami that will "place Americorps members from the organization in two high schools in the city over the next four years" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/29).