A fundraiser headlined by PRESIDENT TRUMP last night took place at the mansion of Buccaneers co-Chair EDWARD GLAZER and his wife, SHARI, in the Beverly Park neighborhood of L.A. Glazer "donated $98,000" to Trump's presidential campaign in '16 and $250,000 "to his inauguration" (LATIMES.com, 3/13).
Johnson yesterday became the latest celebrity to visit with the Lakers this season LAKERS
GUEST SPEAKERS: Actor DWAYNE JOHNSON yesterday morning visited the Lakers' practice facility as "part of the team's 'genius talks' program." A day before Johnson spoke to the Lakers, Gold Medal-winning U.S. sprinter ALLYSON FELIX "paid a visit" to the team's El Segundo HQ (OCREGISTER.com, 3/13)....Warriors coach STEVE KERR yesterday invited motivational speaker TONY ROBBINS to "speak to the players about maximizing their potential" (SFCHRONICLE.com, 3/14).
NOT THE SOLUTION: SHAQUILLE O'NEAL yesterday said that banning guns is "not the solution to stopping" school shootings like the one at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. He said, "There's 15 million of 'em out there already on the streets. And then another problem is if you ban 'em, then you gonna create an underground market, and the gun collectors, you know, it's gonna become more valuable." O'Neal said that he "wants to see more armed police officers in and around schools across the country" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 3/13).
NAMES: The timing of the Univ. of Kentucky's renewal of a “six-figure contract” with Kansas-based law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, which specializes in NCAA matters, was a “'coincidence' and not a sign the school is getting ready to defend itself against potential NCAA violations.” A $100,000 “personal services contract” for the law firm was “renewed by the school on Feb. 27” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 3/14)....Seahawks CBs NEIKO THORPE and MIKE TYSON on Monday were “subjected to an expletive-filled verbal assault by a woman” at the team's practice facility who was upset about player protests during the national anthem (OREGONLIVE.com, 3/13)....Packers LB CLAY MATTHEWS surprised his brother, BRIAN, and sister-in-law, MEGAN, with a “renovation of their Cleveland home” for the latest episode of the video series “MY HOUZZ” (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 3/14)....Blackhawks players on Monday showed up at Chicago’s Lucky Strike to “raise money for the Inner-City Education Program” as part of D BRENT SEABROOK’s annual Celebrity ICE Bowl (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 3/13)....The criminal prosecution against former NHL player agent STACEY MCALPINE has been “dropped following his death” (WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.com, 3/12). McAlpine was “accused of bilking” former NHLers DANNY HEATLEY and CRIS PHILLIPS out of more than $12M between '04-11 (CP, 3/13)....Senators G CRAIG ANDERSON, who played for the Panthers from '06-09, on Monday hosted the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team, "buying tickets to the game" against the Senators and "helping the entire Ottawa team meet them before the game" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 3/13)....Golfer SERGIO GARCIA and wife ANGELA welcomed a baby girl, AZALEA, on Wednesday morning (Mult., 3/14).
IN MEMORY: Former NASCAR National Commissioner CHARLES STRANG died Sunday at 96. Strang took over the role in ’99 and had the “final say on appeal decisions for 11 seasons” (NBCSPORTS.com, 3/13).
