Emmert is scheduled to be deposed in Indianapolis two days after the Final Four in San AntonioGETTY IMAGES
An L.A. Superior Court judge ordered NCAA President MARK EMMERT to be deposed in former USC assistant football coach TODD MCNAIR's defamation lawsuit against the organization. The deposition is "scheduled for April 4 in Indianapolis, two days after the Final Four in San Antonio and two weeks before the trial in the long-running case is scheduled to begin." Emmert, who attended two Sweet 16 games at Staples Center on Thursday, "declined to comment on the lawsuit" (L.A. TIMES, 3/23).
MONEY MATTERS: The salaries of top SMI execs "declined again last year" amid NASCAR's "continued struggles with ratings and attendance." SMI President & CEO MARCUS SMITH made just under $2.4M in '17, down from $2.44M in '16. Smith's pay includes a "base pay of $600,000, plus stock awards, a bonus and other compensation." Smith's salary has decreased by nearly $1.5M since '15. SMI Exec Chair BRUTON SMITH made $2.28M, down from $2.35M in '16. SMI CFO WILLIAM BROOKS made $2.11M, down from $2.15M in '16 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/23)....The Univ. of Tennessee and former AD JOHN CURRIE "reached a separation agreement Thursday that will pay Currie" $2.5M after he was "dismissed from his post Dec. 1." Currie will "receive a one-time payment" of $2.22M by April 1. He has "already been paid his salary from December through February." UT's athletics department will "entirely fund the separation agreement, which has been approved" by the school's chancellor, system president and BOT (ESPN.com, 3/22).
NAMES: Wisconsin Lutheran College will honor Pro Football HOFer TONY DUNGY with the '18 Divine Servant Leadership Award during a ceremony on April 27 (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/23)....The Orioles announced former 2B BRIAN ROBERTS has been elected to the team's HOF, and longtime radio announcer FRED MANFRA will be inducted as this year's Herbert E. Armstrong Award winner during an on-field ceremony before Red Sox-Orioles on Aug. 11 (BALTIMORE SUN, 3/23)....Actor/comedian KEVIN HART’s Laugh Out Loud network “renewed breakout series ‘Cold As Balls’ for another two seasons.” On the show, Hart “interviews all of his subjects, primarily professional athletes and people connected to the sports world, while they take ice baths.” The first season “debuted Feb. 8 and has featured interviews” with Gold Medal-winning gymnast GABBY DOUGLAS, Pistons F BLAKE GRIFFIN and LAVAR BALL (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 3/21)....ESPN Senior VP/Events & Studio Production STEPHANIE DRULEY on Thursday was honored as a member of Multichannel News’ Wonder Women Class of '18, while ESPN’s HANNAH STORM received their '18 Woman of Influence award (THE DAILY).
