New York Assembly member LINDA ROSENTHAL and animal advocates are calling on MSG to "cancel an upcoming rodeo event scheduled for June." MSG, in partnership with the Cowboy Channel, is "hosting a three-day competition featuring bull riding and calf roping dubbed Rodeo New York." MSG is marketing the event as the "first rodeo to be held in the arena in 30 years" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/12).
HONORS & AWARDS: The L.A. Sports Council named Clippers President of Basketball Operations LAWRENCE FRANK and President of Business Operations GILLIAN ZUCKER as co-recipients of its '19 Sports Exec of the Year Award (LASC)....Baseball HOFer RICKEY HENDERSON, former MLB Giants manager BRUCE BOCHY and Gold Medal-winning swimmer NATALIE COUGHLIN will be part of the '20 Bay Area Sports HOF class (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/12)....Hockey Canada named Hockey HOFer KEN DRYDEN, former NHLer SHELDON KENNEDY and concussion expert DR. CHARLES TATOR this year's honorees for the Order of Hockey in Canada (TSN.ca, 2/11).
NAMES: NFL Panthers Owner DAVID TEPPER gifted $120,000 to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In partnership with the David A. Tepper Charitable Foundation, John M. Belk Endowment and Carolina Panthers Charities through Classroom Central, the donation will provide new school supplies to help outfit 800 elementary classrooms in 17 Title I schools across the county (Panthers)....Recently launched For Soccer Ventures and Founder RICHIE GRAHAM have acquired FootyCon, The Association and Kicks To The Pitch. Graham is an investor in the MLS Union (THE DAILY)....Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT took in the Oscars with girlfriend DANA BLUMBERG, who is "one of the foremost ophthamologists in the country" (N.Y. POST, 2/11)....KOBE BRYANT and his daughter, GIANNA, were "buried in a private family service" near the family's Orange County home last week (L.A. TIMES, 2/12).
