Falcons President & CEO RICH MCKAY this week was re-instated as Chair of the NFL's "powerful competition committee," effective immediately. McKay was suspended from the competition committee "as part of the team’s penalty for pumping fake noise into the Georgia Dome" during the '13 and '14 seasons (AJC.com, 8/27).
BAD VIBRATIONS: Kyle Busch Motorsports is "suing its former driver JUSTIN BOSTON and Zloop, the computer-recycling company co-founded by Justin's father, BOB, alleging they missed $650,000 in payments" as part of their $3.2M annual deal that had Boston driving a KBM truck. Boston and Zloop "made their first five payments on time" for a total of $1.55M but are "alleged to have missed payments due in May and June" (ESPN.com, 8/26).
HEADY MOVE: ESPN soccer analyst TAYLOR TWELLMAN "is teaming up" with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and Inaria Apparel to "produce the inaugural Massachusetts Concussion Awareness Week, centered on Twellman’s concussion awareness organization THINKTaylor." The weeklong campaign "will be Sept. 21-25 and will incorporate all MIAA boys’ and girls’ soccer teams in the state" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/26).
DEAR JOHN: Red Sox fan STEPHANIE TAUBIN, who was "injured when she was struck by a foul ball last year" at Fenway Park, "is suing" team Owner JOHN HENRY. She is "claiming negligence against Henry" in the suit, for which a dollar amount being sought "was not clear." Taubin was sitting "in an area above home plate known as the EMC Club," where protective glass "had been removed for renovations." The complaint said that Taubin "suffered injuries including facial fractures and neurological damage" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/28).
NAMES: 76ers Managing Owner JOSH HARRIS on Thursday donated $3.5M to the Police Athletic League, which operates the recreation center and “17 others like it” across Philadelphia. Before his gift, the organization's “annual budget” was $6.3M (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 8/28)....Tennis player NOVAK DJOKOVIC has been named a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. The agency's Deputy Exec Dir YOKA BRANDT on Wednesday said that Djokovic's new role “recognized his work in Serbia to improve the lives, particularly of marginalized children, and to promote early childhood education” (AP, 8/27)....Turner Sports’ SHAQUILLE O’NEAL "will guest-star” in the ABC's “FRESH OFF THE BOAT” as part of the season’s third episode, titled “Shaquille O’Neal Motors” (NYPOST.com, 8/28)....Former NFLer JONATHAN MARTIN “is working on a memoir,” titled “THE COURAGE TO WALK AWAY,” co-written by HILARY BEARD. Atria Books editor TODD HUNTER said that the book is “tentatively scheduled” for spring ’17. Hunter’s agent, STEVE ROSS, said that the deal “is worth six figures" (AP, 8/27)....Focus Features is "moving up the release" of its JESSE OWENS biopic "RACE" to April 8 (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 8/27).
