Former IOC Dir General FRANCOIS CARRARD, who was recently hired by FIFA to chair a reform committee, "shared his thoughts on a number of topics" in an interview published Sunday in Swiss newspaper Le Matin. He said soccer is not "a true American sport." Carrard: "There, it's just an ethnic sport for girls in schools." He said of outgoing FIFA President SEPP BLATTER, "This man is being treated unfairly. Unfortunately, it’s always like that when somebody stays too long -- the negative takes over." He noted that Blatter was "not named as a target in the indictments" against several FIFA officials. Carrard's words "do not sound like declarations of a man serious about cleaning up FIFA," but rather "words from a man out to defend FIFA" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/25).
ON THE DOCKET: Broncos Corporate Partnerships Coordinator JOHN BOWLEN, son of team Owner PAT BOWLEN, "pleaded not guilty" yesterday to charges "stemming from a June domestic violence case against him." A jury trial "has been set to begin Dec. 15" (DENVER POST, 8/25)....A Texas judge has "tossed out the lawsuit Texas A&M defensive coordinator JOHN CHAVIS filed against LSU, his previous employer." The judge "determined that his court did not have jurisdiction," meaning the case "will continue in Baton Rouge, where LSU had filed suit against Chavis for breach of contract" (STATESMAN.com, 8/24).
TEAM COCO: Tennis player COCO VANDEWEGHE is profiled in the Wall Street Journal's "What's Your Workout" feature, which details her "amped-up routine." To maximize its benefits, she "adjusted her diet and recovery habits." Vandeweghe "naps one to two hours a day and is in bed" by 9:30pm. Her "first gym session" is 8:00-10:00am. She "refuels, then hits the tennis court for two hours." Lunch and a nap follow, then she is "back at the gym" from 3:00-5:00pm "for a second workout." Most days she "gets in one more court session" from 5:00-7:00pm (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/25).
NAMES: Late Padres BOD member JAY EMMETT, a "longtime close friend" of outgoing Red Sox President & CEO LARRY LUCCHINO, received a "public farewell" at Fenway Park. Emmett, who "died June 22," was also a "baseball marketing consultant." Lucchino and Padres President & CEO MIKE DEE "spoke at the service" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/25)....Former NBAer STEVE NASH on Oct. 30 will become the 14th member of the Suns' Ring of Honor at halftime of a game against the Trail Blazers (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/25)....A new 1,600-pound white bronze statue of late Pro Football HOFer GEORGE HALAS on Sunday “was unveiled in a small ceremony” outside the Bears’ Halas Hall (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/25)....Rams DE CHRIS LONG is teaming up with 20 other NFLers to bring clean water to communities in Tanzania and East Africa through “Waterboys,” an initiative by Long’s eponymous foundation (Chris Long Foundation)....Maryland Gov. LARRY HOGAN, who is “undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma discovered this summer, visited the Ravens’ practice” yesterday in Owings Mills, Md. (BALTIMORESUN.com, 8/24)....CSE President ADAM ZIMMERMAN will be an adjunct professor at Georgia for the fall semester, teaching a class on sports business as part of UGA’s sports marketing graduate program (CSE).
