PRESIDENT OBAMA and his wife, MICHELLE, will "not be honorary Michigan football captains this season." However, coach JIM HARBAUGH said it will "happen someday." Harbaugh said that the Obamas had "tried hard to work a game into their schedules but could not make that happen this fall" (DETROIT NEWS, 9/12). UM has "pulled out the stops in recent years to bring big-name celebrity athletes to campus for football games." MICHAEL JORDAN and TOM BRADY both served as honorary captains in '16. ESPN's ADAM SCHEFTER served as captain last Saturday and former NFLer CHARLES WOODSON is "on the docket" for later this season (MLIVE.com, 9/12).
HITTING AN ACE: Tennis HOFer STAN SMITH on Saturday presented Cantor Fitzgerald Chair & CEO HOWARD LUTNICK with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's David A Benjamin Achievement Award during a Tennis HOF BOD meeting. Smith "recognized Lutnick for his rebuilding of Cantor and invited him to reflect on his days playing varsity tennis in college." Tennis HOF Chair JOHN ARNHOLD, Tennis HOFer MONICA SELES and investment bank AGM Partners Owner ALAN MNUCHIN were all in attendance (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/12).
NAMES: The GLAZER family, which owns the Buccanners, announced that it will donate $1M to Hurricane Irma "relief efforts through the American Red Cross" (ESPN.com, 9/11)....Sources said that former NBAer CHARLES OAKLEY is "preparing to file a civil suit" in response to a February run-in with MSG security. Oakley's suit is "expected to be filed shortly" (ESPN.com, 9/11)....Former NHLer SHANE DOAN has been "named the 47th Annual National Bank of Arizona Fiesta Bowl Parade Grand Marshal" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/12)....Missouri Gov. ERIC GREITENS “made a spectacular entrance” at the PBR PFI Western Invitational on Saturday. The former Navy Seal “rappelled from the rafters" into JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo. (FOX2NOW.com, 9/10)....It looked like N.Y. City Council candidate RONNIE CHO yesterday was “about to hit a home run with an endorsement from DEREK JETER -- but he wound up striking out.” A spokesperson for Jeter said that he “didn’t endorse the candidate after all” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/12)....Performance-based crowdfunding platform Pledge It and CBS Sports Digital property MaxPreps have launched the second annual “Touchdowns Against Cancer” program. Every touchdown scored by participating high schools between Sept. 14-30 will directly benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Pledge It).
IN MEMORY: Former MLB Rangers exec MEL DIDIER died yesterday at the age of 90. Didier served as a special assistant to Rangers President of Baseball Operations & GM JON DANIELS from ’02-09. Didier also worked in front office positions with the D-backs, Orioles, Dodgers and Blue Jays, his most recent team (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/12).
