WHEN WE ALL VOTE
More and more athletes are expected to "lend their interest and fame to the 'When We All Vote' initiative to spark voter registration and turnout efforts" around the U.S. in the lead up to Election Day next year. "When We All Vote" is a "bipartisan nonprofit organization launched last year" by former First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA and six other co-chairs, including Thunder G CHRIS PAUL. MEGAN RAPINOE also "joined the co-chair ranks" last month. The organization has "compiled a lengthy list of ambassadors from the sports world who will lend their time to promoting lifelong voting habits." That list includes Celtics F JAYSON TATUM, Gold Medal-winning U.S. hockey player HILARY KNIGHT, Rapinoe's USWNT teammate ALEX MORGAN, former USWNT F ABBY WAMBACH, WNBA Seattle Storm G SUE BIRD, L.A. Sparks F CANDACE PARKER, Kings F HARRISON BARNES and figure skaters ADAM RIPPON and ALEX and MAIA SHIBUTANI (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/30).
POLITICAL TIES: Wizards Chief Planning & Operations Officer SASHI BROWN was once a first-year law student at Harvard under then-professor ELIZABETH WARREN. Brown said that Warren "promoted stimulating discussions in the classroom and was one of the top professors he had" before graduating in '02. Brown joked, "All I saw of her was giving me a grade that I didn't want at the time. Fortunately I got a grade that was decent" (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 11/29)....Patriots players DEVIN and JASON MCCOURTY, DURON HARMON and MATTHEW SLATER were "instrumental" in Mass. Gov. CHARLIE BAKER signing the "Student Opportunity Act into law" last Tuesday, a "cause that group has been supporting for more than a year." In March, all four players "went to the State House to testify in support of additional funding for education in front of the State Legislature's Joint Committee on Education" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/2).
DOWNHILL RACER: Gold Medal-winning U.S. skier MIKAELA SHIFFRIN was profiled as part of the N.Y. TIMES' "On the Road" feature. Shiffrin said she has a playlist for "gearing up to race and another for chilling out." Her race prep includes EMINEM, ONE REPUBLIC, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, DUA LIPA, IMAGINE DRAGONS and KYGO. She called Killington Resort in Vermont the "most special" stop of the year on the skiing circuit. Shiffrin: "It brings in bigger crowds than any other women's race on the World Cup circuit and, for me, has the most energetic, fun vibe" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/30).
NAMES: The Canadian Baseball HOF named longtime former Toronto Sun writer KEN FIDLIN the "recipient of the Jack Graney Award, recognizing 'significant contributions to Canadian baseball' through his life's work" (TORONTO SUN, 11/28)....The Swiss government said that it will "produce a 20 franc silver coin with ROGER FEDERER's image on it." This will be the government's "first time it has dedicated a commemorative coin to a living person." Another 50 franc gold coin with Federer's image on it "will be minted next year" (AP, 12/2)....Warriors coach STEVE KERR honored the late TRAYVON MARTIN while in Miami for Warriors-Heat on Friday, buying tickets for Martin's family. After the game, Kerr was "seen meeting with Martin's mother, SYBRINA FULTON" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/1)....More than 350 supporters and 50 celebrities joined DAVID ORTIZ at the Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne, Fla., for his 12th annual David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic this past weekend. The event raised over $2M for the David Ortiz Children's Fund (BOSTON.com, 11/27)....JACK NICKLAUS and radio personality RUSH LIMBAUGH played golf with PRESIDENT TRUMP at the Trump Int'l Palm Beach club on Friday (POLITICO.com, 11/30).
