Edwards previously served as Nike's No. 2 executive before leaving the company last AugustGETTY IMAGES
Former Nike Brand President TREVOR EDWARDS is "among the defendants in a lawsuit filed against Nike's board in the wake of news reports about a toxic workplace" at the company, and he "wants the claim against him in a sweeping lawsuit dismissed." Last week, Nike's attorneys "filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, describing it as 'contorted,' 'nonsensical' and 'illogical.'" Of the 14 defendants in the lawsuit, Edwards is the "only non-board member." He "served as the company's No. 2 executive before leaving the company last August." The single claim against Edwards "alleges that he unjustly enriched himself because he 'knowingly, recklessly, or with gross negligence made, caused, condoned or allowed the company to engage in unlawful practices'" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/14).
HONORING THE BEST: NBC Sports' MIKE EMRICK and PETER KING, along with ESPN's BOB LEY and TONY KORNHEISER, have been voted into the National Sports Media Association HOF and will be inducted during the annual awards weekend June 22-24 in Winston Salem, N.C. ESPN's DORIS BURKE was voted the '18 National Sportscaster of the Year and the net's ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI as the '18 National Sportswriter of the Year (NSMA).
MAKING THINGS RIGHT: The Capitals during last night's game against the Blues hosted DIVYNE APOLLON II and teammates from his Odenton, Md.-based 14-and-under Metro Maple Leafs travel team as "special guests." This came after Capitals RW DEVANTE SMITH-PELLY and D JOHN CARLSON learned about an incident earlier this month in which Apollon, the only black player on the team, "faced racist taunts from an opposing team" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/15). The Metro Maple Leafs were "invited to the game" by Smith-Pelly and Carlson, and the Capitals were impressed with the way Apollon's teammates "rallied around -- and fought for -- him after he was bombarded with racists taunts" (BALTIMORE SUN, 1/15).
NAMES: KOBE BRYANT on Friday “was courtside” for the Oregon women’s basketball game against USC, and after the tilt he paid a visit to the Ducks' locker room. The team “had a surprise” for Bryant in the form of a “special pair of his own Nike Kobe A.D. line of shoes in an exclusive Oregon Ducks player edition colorway” (Portland OREGONIAN, 1/15)....Former NFLer LAMICHAEL JAMES yesterday “opened the doors of his Killer Burger franchise” in Portland (NBCSPORTSNORTHWEST.com, 1/14)....Live streaming virtual reality company NextVR “held significant layoffs” yesterday, though the company “declined to say how many were let go” (UPLOADVR.com, 1/14)....Bengals QB ANDY DALTON and wife JJ over the weekend “welcomed their third child,” FINLEY JONES (FOX19.com, 1/12)....Saints QB DREW BREES on Sunday night “went to Port Orleans Brewing Co.” where about 150 of his friends, family, teammates and coaches were “waiting for him at a surprise 40th birthday party” (NOLA.com, 1/14).
IN MEMORY: Winter Park, Fla., police are "investigating the death" of UCF faculty member MICHAEL REDLICK, who was Dir of External Affairs & Corporate Partnerships for UCF's DeVos Sport Business Management Program. Redlick, who died Saturday, previously worked in marketing with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Browns and Grizzlies. Police "revealed few details about the death, but called it 'suspicious'" (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 1/14).
