In Pittsburgh, Chris Pastrick noted T-shirt companies in the city "jumped into action" after the Steelers' win over the Browns yesterday, and the "latest T-shirt designs were a no-brainer: 'Pittsburgh finished it.'" The shirt "takes its cue from the Cleveland-based GV Art + Design company's tee that proclaimed 'Pittsburgh started it,' referring to the melee that ensued at the end of the teams' last meeting." Browns coach Freddie Kitchens was "seen sporting the shirt this past week" prior to the game (TRIBLIVE.com, 12/1).
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER: The IOC announced there would be no minimum age requirement for skateboarding when it makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo next year, and in N.Y., Scott Cacciola noted the decision "opened the door" for 14-year-old Kendra Long and other preteens to "potentially compete on the sports world's biggest stage." Long ranks 30th in the world and seventh among Americans in street skateboarding. Only three Americans in Long's event will go to Tokyo. Long now has sponsors like Nike Skateboarding, which "sends her a fresh batch of sneakers every three months, and Autonomy, which supplies her boards." But she "does not receive endorsement money -- not yet, anyway -- leaving her parents to foot the bill." Her trips to competitions "cost between $4,000 and $8,000" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/1).
HEAVY HITTERS: In Newark, Mike Rosenstein noted Alex Rodriguez "stars in a holiday commercial for Portal by Facebook" with his fiancee, Jennifer Lopez, and Kim Kardashian West. In the ad, Rodriguez is "seen wearing a pink facial mask as he crashes a conversation" between Lopez and Kardashian West (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/30).
