Benson said that she was proud of the role the team played in changing the NFL's review policySAINTS
Saints Owner GAYLE BENSON gave the commencement address at Loyola Univ. in New Orleans this weekend, and during her remarks, Benson said that the Saints "sometimes lose games because the other team simple played better, and that 'we even lose games when officials blow the most obvious of calls.'" Benson said that she was "proud of the role the team played" in changing the NFL's review policy, and "praised the resilience of Saints fans in New Orleans" (NOLA.com, 5/11). Meanwhile, DAVID ORTIZ gave a "commencement speech to Regis College graduates" in Boston over the weekend (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 5/11).
THE GOOD STUFF: Friday's 14th Annual Dick Vitale Gala raised over $4.3M for pediatric cancer research. The sold-out event honored ESPN's CHRIS FOWLER, as well as AVERY JOHNSON and DABO SWINNEY. Some notable attendees included former ESPN Exec Chair GEORGE BODENHEIMER, ESPN's DAN SHULMAN and sportswriter BOB RYAN (FINANCE.YAHOO.com, 5/10)....LEBRON JAMES made a "surprise visit" to his I Promise School in Akron to announce a $1M grant from the Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation to "build a new gym" (CLEVELAND.com, 5/10).
NAMES: Colts K ADAM VINATIERI was at Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the weekend as co-owner of Miller Vinatieri Motorsports, supporting drivers JACK WILLIAM MILLER and EDUARDO BARRICHELLO at the USF2000 Championship (INDYSTAR.com, 5/10)....Kansas State football coach CHRIS KLEIMAN attended the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. Tennis player JACK SOCK also attended the race (KANSASCITY.com, 5/11)....BEYONCE and JAY-Z were in attendance at Warriors-Rockets Game 6 in Houston on Friday. The two "walked through the arena tunnel and to their seats between the ESPN broadcast table" and Rockets Owner TILMAN FERTITTA. Actress EMILIA CLARKE and Texans QB DESHAUN WATSON were also at the game (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/11)....A musical, storytelling adaptation of Pro Football HOFer TERRY BRADSHAW's life and career is set to open Aug. 1-4 at Luxor's Atrium Showroom in Las Vegas (REVIEWJOURNAL.com, 5/11).
IN MEMORY: Former Arizona football coach DICK TOMEY died on Friday at age 80. Tomey also “assisted in the resurrection" of USF’s program in the WILLIE TAGGART era (TAMPABAY.com, 5/11)....Int’l Boxing HOFer HAROLD LEDERMAN died Saturday at 79. Lederman “devoted his life to the sport and became one of its beloved figures as HBO's longtime unofficial judge,” scoring over 1,000 fights for the net. He retired as an active judge in ‘99, but “remained with HBO, where he became something of an ambassador for the sport” (ESPN.com, 5/11)....Former longtime Sabres employee VERNA BROOKS WOJCIK died last week at 87 from “complications linked to lung disease.” Wojcik retired in ’98 after “almost 30 years with the team,” where she was “revered within the Sabres organization for her business acumen" (BUFFALONEWS.com, 5/11).
