Bruins Owner and Delaware North Chair JEREMY JACOBS is the "only billionaire" in the Buffalo-Niagara region to crack Forbes' recently released list of global billionaires. Jacobs "had a good year" in '16, with his net worth rising by an estimated $300M to $4.3B. That was "good enough" to rank him at Nol 402. Bills and Sabres Owner TERRY PEGULA was No. 427 with an estimated net worth of $4.2B, but he is technically a Florida resident (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/21).
TOE PICK: The U.S. ice dancing team of MADISON CHOCK and EVAN BATES have signed with Stanton & Co. for representation heading into the '18 PyeongChang Games. DAVID BADEN at IMG represented the duo during the '14 Sochi cycle. Along with appearing at the Sochi Games, Chock and Bates have won a U.S. National Championship, four U.S. silver medals and two world medals (Ben Fisher, Staff Writer).
LACE UP: Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES has "teamed up" with Nike on a "special sneaker for special athletes." James and Nike "unveiled a new shoe designed for disabled athletes that can be slipped on and off more easily." The LeBron Soldier 10 FlyEase is "modeled after the signature shoe worn by James, but it has no laces and can be secured with Velcro straps and zippers." James hosted kids from the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation last week at the Cavs facility and "presented them with new pairs of the stylish, slip-on sneakers" (AP, 3/20).
FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Eagles and former Ravens WR TORREY SMITH “held his popular charity basketball game on Sunday at Royal Farms Arena” in Baltimore. The Torrey Smith Family Fund Charity Basketball Game drew former NFLers ED REED and JACOBY JONES, NFL free agents RAY RICE and ANQUAN BOLDIN, Bills QB TYROD TAYLOR, Ravens RB TERRANCE WEST and Ravens P SAM KOCH (BALTIMORESUN.com, 3/20)....Free agent QB COLIN KAEPERNICK has helped raise more than $1M to “provide direct aid to people of Somalia suffering from a historic drought” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/21).
SCREEN TIME: Patriots TE ROB GRONKOWSKI appears in the recently released film, “YOU CAN’T HAVE IT,” though it is “hard to fathom how a film so staggeringly stupid and misogynistic gets made” in ’17. Gronkowski “plays a cop who’s dispatched to keep the peace at a local watering hole,” and his character “utters exactly one line” (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 3/17)....Actor STEVE GUTTENBERG is “set for a recurring role” opposite DWAYNE JOHNSON on the upcoming third season of HBO’s “BALLERS” (DEADLINE.com, 3/21)
NAMES: Broncos Exec VP/Football Operations & GM JOHN ELWAY recently "sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, endorsing conservative Supreme Court nominee NEIL GORSUCH" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 3/20)....The Braves next week will "unveil a new statue" of Baseball HOFer HANK AARON at SunTrust Park at a special event to raise money for Aaron's Chasing the Dream Foundation (MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL, 3/21)....New Univ. of Missouri men's basketball coach CUONZO MARTIN's deal is for seven years and $21M (K.C. STAR, 3/21)....Blues Ds COLTON PARAYKO and ALEX PIETRANGELO, and G CARTER HUTTON attended Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/21)....Longtime K.C. Star sports reporter RANDY COVITZ, who retired in ’15, has received the NAIA’s Frank Cramer Award (KANSASCITY.com, 3/20)....Chargers staffers ran a relay in Sunday’s L.A. Marathon (THE DAILY).
