The Cavaliers visited the White House on Thursday to celebrate their '16 NBA Championship. Addressing a crowd of about 100 people, PRESIDENT OBAMA said, "That's right, I said 'world champion' and 'Cleveland' in the same sentence. That's what we're talking about when we talk about hope and change." It was the "first of many jokes the exiting president cracked." The levity was "welcome for a Cavs group reeling as the election unfolded earlier in the week." Cavs F KEVIN LOVE "presented the president with a black-sleeved alternative" jersey with "Obama" and the No. 16 stitched on the back. Obama: "These sleeves get tight. Can I tear these out? Can I rip them?" (ESPN.com, 11/10). The crowd of more than 100 "sitting in folding chairs on the White House grounds" was made up of the team's support staff, family and guests of the players. Ohio Gov. JOHN KASICH and U.S. Sen. SHERROD BROWN (D-Ohio) also attended the event (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 11/11).
BOXED IN: AIBA President CHING-KUO WU was "closely involved in guiding" a $10M loan to boxing's governing body, a transaction that "ultimately led to such financial disarray that investigators from an auditing firm recommended that the group find a criminal lawyer." Wu spoke directly to a government minister in Azerbaijan about "obtaining the loan, which was given by a company from that country and was spent on a boxing venture" in the U.S. (N.Y. TIMES, 11/11).
GIVING BACK: Blue Jackets LW NICK FOLIGNO returned to the Boston's Children's Hostpital on Thursday to "say thanks." Foligno and his wife JANELLE donated $500,000 to the hospital, as a "symbol of their gratitude for the life-saving heart surgery their newborn" daughter MILANA received at the hospital in November '13 (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/11)...Former Baylor football coach ART BRILES on Thursday announced that he was “giving money and matching other donations to a local advocacy center that helps crime victims and children” (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11/11).
NAMES: Former U.S. Secretary of State CONDOLEEZZA RICE "gave a motivational speech" to the Texans players and organization on Wednesday after being invited by team Owner BOB MCNAIR. While at NRG Stadium, she "attended a team meeting and watched practice with McNair and other team officials." Each year, McNair "brings in a prominent speaker" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/11)....Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT is featured in the new episode of “SNEAKER SHOPPING,” the web series hosted by Complex magazine's JOE LA PUMA. Kraft and La Puma “go to the sneaker boutique Bodega" in Cambridge, Mass. (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/11)....Former USOC Chair and MLB Commissioner PETER UEBERROTH will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th annual L.A. Sports Awards on Feb. 27 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel (L.A. Sports Awards)....ARETHA FRANKLIN will sing the National Anthem before Vikings-Lions on Thanksgiving, while ANDY GRAMMER will perform at halftime (DETROITNEWS.com, 11/10).
