Scheer (l) was an original member of the Hornets, running basketball operations and the business sideGETTY IMAGES
In Charlotte, Scott Fowler in a front-page piece profiled former Hornets GM CARL SCHEER, who for years "boasted one of the sharpest minds in basketball." But now, at 82, Scheer's mind is "betraying him," as he has dementia. Scheer is the man who "invented the all-star dunk contest and who ran" the team during its "glorious first season." Scheer also previously "ran the upstart American Basketball Association's Denver Nuggets," before directing the Hornets' basketball and business operations (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/10).
GOING HER OWN WAY: West Coast Conference Commissioner GLORIA NEVAREZ is "still relatively new on the job," but she has "taken her place among a generation of women running Division I conferences across the nation." Nevarez, 47, is the "first Latina to lead a major-college league." She "never intended to be a trailblazer," but her position "demands that she play a leading role for women in a traditionally male realm." Nevarez is now "trying to deliver, albeit on her own terms" (L.A. TIMES, 2/10).
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT: Patriots WR JULIAN EDELMAN and S DEVIN MCCOURTY presented the "opening award at the 61st annual Grammy Awards" last night. The pair announced the winner for "Best Pop Duo/Group Performance," which went to LADY GAGA and BRADLEY COOPER for the song "Shallow" from "A STAR IS BORN" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 2/10)....Giants RB SAQUON BARKLEY's 22nd birthday party included being "serenaded" by rappers JAY-Z and DIDDY. The Roc Nation-hosted party also included guests like BEYONCE, MEEK MILL, DJ KHALED, JOE JONAS and SOPHIE TURNER (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 2/10).
NAMES: Boxer CODY CROWLEY "runs his own promotional company, and logs 40-hour work weeks outside the gym." Crowley heads a four-person team at CCC Promotions that "organizes fights." However, the "scale and structure of CCC Promotions differ sharply from Mayweather Promotions, which is run by boxing's biggest celebrity and does business with Showtime, as well as boxing power broker AL HAYMON" (THESTAR.com, 2/8)....BUBBA WALLACE, the only black full-time driver on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, as part of Black History Month “made a quick stop in Miami” on Friday to “learn about the Overtown neighborhood.” For nearly three hours, Wallace "toured Lyric Theater, the home of DANA. A DORSEY and the Overtown Performing Arts Center” (MIAMI HERALD, 2/9)....Former sports broadcaster WARNER WOLF turned himself in to police in East Naples, Fla., and was arrested Thursday after he “broke letters off a sign at the entrance of the Classics Plantation Estates.” Wolf, 81, has previously “spoken about the word ‘plantation’” (NAPLES DAILY NEWS, 2/10)....Former NFLer JASON AVANT’s two-year-old trampoline park in the Philadelphia suburb of Deptford, N.J., is now “attracting more than 5,000 visitors a week.” The park finished No. 1 in revenue among all 21 Launch Park franchises in the country. Launch Park was co-founded by Pro Football HOFer-elect TY LAW. Avant is “poised to open” two more parks in Delran, N.J., and Newark in the coming weeks (PHILLY.com, 2/10)....Former NFLer PAT MCAFEE announced on social media he is engaged to SAMANTHA LUDY. He “proposed after taking a helicopter ride to a waterfall” (INDYSTAR.com, 2/10).
