Chicago Alderman TOM TUNNEY said that the RICKETTS family is "looking to help finance somebody's election to take him out." Ricketts family spokesperson DENNIS CULLOTON said that the family is "thinking about backing a challenger." Over the years, Tunney has "argued over the size of the left field video screen and right field ad board" that the Ricketts had "wanted as among the first big changes inside Wrigley Field in order to bring in money to pay for other work." However, when the Cubs got city approval in '13 for a "massive package of alterations," Tunney "praised the deal as 'transformational for the city'" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/6).
Atlas worked with Mike Tyson and trained nine champions before becoming a broadcasterGETTY IMAGES
RING THE BELL: Boxing trainer and longtime broadcaster TEDDY ATLAS was "selected for induction" into the Int'l Boxing HOF in the "nonparticipants and observers category." The induction ceremony will "take place June 9 in Canasota, New York." Atlas worked with MIKE TYSON and "trained nine champions before becoming one of boxing's most popular and outspoken broadcasters the past two decades," serving as a color commentator on ESPN's "Friday Night Fights." Atlas also worked on ABC's "Wide World of Sports" boxing telecasts and NBC Sports' boxing coverage of the Olympics from '00-'16 (SILIVE.com, 12/5).
LEGAL MATTERS:A buyout firm co-founded by Pro Football HOFer STEVE YOUNG has "settled a high-profile lawsuit that accused it of a massive fraud cover-up." Young's firm, HGGC, allegedly "'falsified test results' at its company Citadel Plastics before selling it to manufacturer A. Schulman" in '15 for $800M. The settlement "appears to be valued" at roughly $100M (NYPOST.com, 12/5)....Basketball HOFer SCOTTIE PIPPEN is "suing a comedian whom he says trashed his Florida mansion while renting it." Pippen "filed suit" against LINDSAY GLAZER WOLOSHIN and her husband, saying they "caused $110,000 in damages" to his Ft. Lauderdale residence (AP, 12/5).
NAMES: Pro Football HOFer MIKE DITKA's restaurant near the Arlington Int'l Racecourse in suburban Chicago is "set to shut its doors by the end of the month" (DAILYHERALD.com, 12/5)....Steelers WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER sent Pennsylvania’s Aliquippa High School football team “care packages featuring body and skin care products from Art of Sport, a line he helps promote.” In addition to the packages, the team also “received an invitation to attend” the Steelers’ Dec. 30 game against the Bengals at Heinz Field (POST-GAZETTE.com, 12/5)....Rays P BLAKE SNELL is hosting a lineup of 32 MLBers in the inaugural MLBPA Esports Challenge Invitational in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The event takes place at The Wall Gaming Lounge inside the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino. The finals will consist of 16 two-member teams competing for the MLBPA Esports Challenge series title and prizes (MLPBA)....A new docuseries by Whistle Sports called “BENEDICT MEN,” is coming exclusively to the mobile media service Quibi. The series will be executive produced by Warriors G STEPHEN CURRY’s Unanimous Media (Whistle)....WME Partner & Head of TV RICK ROSEN said the company is “doing a show with COLIN KAEPERNICK” (DEADLINE.com, 12/5).
IN MEMORY: CHRIS CHASE, a USA Today sports columnist and "founding member of For The Win," died yesterday morning at the age of 37. There were "few topics Chase would back down from, and his encyclopedic knowledge became indispensable to his colleagues" (USATODAY.com, 12/5).
