According to the Social Security Administration, there may be as few as seven people with Barkley's nameGETTY IMAGES
Thanks to his unique name, Giants RB SAQUON BARKLEY has "positioned himself to join an exclusive club of mononymous superstar athletes." According to the Social Security Administration, there may be as "few as seven people" with his name nationwide. Barkley's popularity could soon "inspire new parents to push his given name up" in the rankings. There were "approximately 14 people" in the U.S. named KOBE before the former NBAer was drafted in '96, and today, there are "thousands" (NYTIMES.com, 12/20).
THE GOOD STUFF: Pistons Owner TOM GORES and his wife, HOLLY, "provided a donation to Toys for Tots this holiday season to purchase toys for children in the Flint area, Detroit, Bay City and Saginaw" (MLIVE.com, 12/18)....Redskins RB DERRIUS GUICE on Wednesday "paid a visit to the Inova Children's Hospital in Falls Church, Va." Guice "handed out toys and played 'Santa'" (NBCSPORTS.com, 12/19)....Patriots G SHAQ MASON on Thursday "served as host via video of Shaq Mason's Christmas." He "paid for gift packages that were given to each student at McDowell Elementary School" in Columbia, Tenn. (TENNESSEAN.com, 12/20)....Packers DT KENNY CLARK and his mother, LESLIE, held their second annual toy drive on Thursday in San Bernardino, Calif. About 300 kids received “more than $5,000 worth of toys” (JSONLINE.com, 12/20)....Broncos LB VON MILLER led an effort last month to “rally support within the organization to donate more than $200,000” to Colorado Springs-based nonprofit Shield 616 for “first responders around the state.” Almost 20 players, as well as team President & CEO JOE ELLIS, President of Football Operations & GM JOHN ELWAY and coach VANCE JOSEPH “made personal donations to the initiative” (DENVERPOST.com, 12/20)....Under Armour Founder, Chair & CEO KEVIN PLANK’s foundation donated $100,000 to workforce development program Turnaround Tuesday that will go toward “national funding that could leverage hundreds of thousands of dollars to place nearly 1,400 Baltimoreans in living-wage jobs” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/20).
NAMES: Former Senators Assistant GM RANDY LEE "pleaded guilty Thursday to harassing a 19-year-old male hotel shuttle driver and might now face a possible lawsuit." Lee was "charged with inappropriately touching himself while making lewd comments and rubbing the shoulders of the driver while attending the NHL's pre-draft scouting combine in May" (AP, 12/20)....Outgoing Ohio State football coach URBAN MEYER will “teach a leadership course” at the university alongside Lt. Col. CHARLES BUCHANAN. “Leadership and Character” in OSU’s Fisher College of Business will “meet three times a week during the spring semester holding up to 198 students” (CLEVELAND.com, 12/20)....Maple Leafs C AUSTON MATTHEWS and RW MITCH MARNER “made cameo appearances as Cannon Dolls in a performance of ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ on Wednesday night” at the National Ballet of Canada. The roles “lasted about three minutes and didn’t involve any actual ballet (AP, 12/21).
