Love's initiative is aimed at helping people improve their physical and emotional well-beingBANANA REPUBLIC
Cavaliers F KEVIN LOVE on NBC's "TODAY" show yesterday announced the launch of the Kevin Love Fund -- an initiative "aimed at helping people improve their physical and emotional well-being." Love "teamed up with brand partners Bring Change to Mind and the Just Keep Livin Foundation," as well as meditation app Headspace. Love said the hope is that this "brings legs with Nike and a brand partner like Banana Republic to keep the initiative moving forward" (CLEVELAND.com, 9/18). Love's "first-ever collection for Banana Republic" arrived in stores yesterday. Love, a "spokesmodel for the brand" since '16, was "heavily involved in the design process." Called BR/K-LOVE-18, the line "features a variety of versatile pieces geared toward men with an active lifestyle" (CLEVELAND.com, 9/18).
LEGAL ISSUES: NASCAR Chair & CEO BRIAN FRANCE has “entered a not guilty plea to aggravated driving while intoxicated.” France, who is on indefinite leave from NASCAR, “filed his plea” on Friday in Sag Harbor, N.Y., Justice Court (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 9/19)....The female Uber driver who accused Buccaneers QB JAMEIS WINSTON of “groping her during a ride” has “filed a lawsuit against Winston.” The driver stated that “despite Winson’s three-game suspension, he ‘issued a hollow apology’” (ESPN.com, 9/18).
THE GOOD STUFF: A new $46M complex, “mostly paid for” by Seahawks and Trail Blazers Owner PAUL ALLEN, will “house 94 families in South Seattle.” Allen’s is the “largest donation ever for a single housing or homelessness project in Washington” (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/19)....Pro Football HOFer CURTIS MARTIN outlined plans to "rehabilitate and expand" Willie Stargell Field in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood, where he grew up. The $14M ballpark project is being "funded by the city, state, local foundations, Baltimore-based Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and Group One Thousand One" (TRIBLIVE.com, 9/18)....The Colts donated $100,000 to "support an expansion" of Wheeler Mission's Center for Women & Children in Indianapolis (INDYSTAR.com, 9/18)....Cardinals WR LARRY FITZGERALD yesterday, in an effort to help restaurant owner JOE CASELLA "battle terminal cancer," paid for "every meal at Casella's Italian Delicatessen in Scottsdale" from noon to 5:00pm PT (AZCENTRAL.com, 9/18).
NAMES: Civil rights litigator and longtime LGBTQ and women’s rights advocate ROBERTA KAPLAN will receive the ’18 WNBA Inspiration Award. The WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon presented by ESPN will take place Thursday, Sept. 25, in N.Y. (WNBA)....Auburn football coach GUS MALZAHN and his wife, KRISTI, have made a $2M “donation towards a long-discussed football-only complex” at the school (AL.com, 9/15)....Thunder G RUSSELL WESTBROOK and his wife NINA are “expecting twin girls” (NEWSOK.com, 9/18).
