McCollum in his podcast interviews guests, discusses NBA news and touches on world affairsNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
In N.Y., Scott Cacciola profiles Trail Blazers G C.J. MCCOLLUM, who has a "studio in his home office and portable equipment that he brings with him on the road to record episodes of 'PULL UP WITH C.J. MCOLLUM,' which he co-hosts" with ESPN analyst JORDAN SCHULTZ. McCollum "interviews guests, dissects news from around the NBA, touches on world affairs" and more on his podcast, and he now "considers it one of his 'healthy habits.'" McCollum has "fashioned himself into one of the NBA's ultimate insiders: a player who shares insight from behind the curtain." After 80 episodes, McCollum still "listens to a playback of each episode, often in the cold tub after workouts" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/23).
LEGAL MATTERS: Umpire JOE WEST is suing former MLBer PAUL LO DUCA for "defamation over comments the former catcher made on a podcast in May, asserting that a teammate used to bribe the umpire by letting him borrow his vintage car." Lo Duca told a story about a game during his time with the Mets when after an "easy ninth inning, closer BILLY WAGNER told Lo Duca that he would lend West his 1957 Chevrolet to get a more favorable strike zone." West's complaint, filed yesterday, "denies that Wagner ever lent West a car and points out that no such game ever occurred." The complaint alleges that West has "suffered unspecified damages as a result of Lo Duca's comments" (USA TODAY, 10/23).
NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK: Texans DE J.J. WATT and his fiancée, NWSL Houston Dash F KEALIA OHAI, were in attendance at Minute Maid Park for Nationals-Astros World Series Game 1. Fox also had NICOLE SCHERZINGER, a panelist on the net's "THE MASKED SINGER," sing the national anthem (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/22).
STAMP ON HISTORY: The USPS will recognize the late ARNOLD PALMER with issuance of a nationwide stamp as a part of its '20 stamp program, with Palmer's being "one of 18 new stamps or stamp series." The "image on the stamp" is from the '64 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 10/23)
NAMES: Dick's Sporting Goods CEO ED STACK, a "longtime Republican donor, is testing the waters for a possible third-party presidential bid that could scramble the dynamics" for the '20 general election (POLITICO.com, 10/23)....Nets F KEVIN DURANT has "leased a dramatic office space in a petite, brand-new building for his company, Thirty Five Ventures." Durant is leasing the "full third floor" and the "penthouse at the newly developed 112 Seventh Ave. building on the southwest corner of West 17th St." (N.Y. POST, 10/23)....76ers F TOBIAS HARRIS "announced a pledge" of $1M to assist nine under-served communities in Philadelphia (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/23)....Pro Football HOFer MIKE DITKA's "iconic eatery" located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago "just got a new lease on life." Ditka earlier this month said that his restaurant "would close in December because they couldn't work out the terms of a new lease" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/23).
