Oliver Luck claims Vince McMahon owes him $24M from his time leading the XFLGETTY IMAGES
VINCE MCMAHON is "countersuing" former XFL Commissioner OLIVER LUCK for more than half a million dollars. More than the money, McMahon "throws mud at Luck," describing him as "duplicitous and unavailable during key moments." McMahon said that he "considered firing Luck before the season even began" in Feb. '20. Counsel for Luck in an email wrote, ”It’s another lame attempt by Mr. McMahon’s attorneys to deflect attention from the fact that Mr. McMahon continues to refuse to pay the $24 million that he owes Oliver Luck” (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/8).
LONGTIME STAFF: Phillies PA announcer DAN BAKER had a tumor "found in his right maxillary sinus." Baker said he "just completed my 30th radiation treatment on Dec. 2 and I have certainly been improving day by day." The 74-year-old has been the Phillies’ PA announcer since the team’s second season at Veterans Stadium, in '72 (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 1/9)....Warriors official scorekeeper FRED KAST retired after the team’s game against the Clippers last Friday. Kast, who will turn 82 this month, "has recorded every field goal, every free throw, every foul and every timeout in nearly every Warriors home game since 1963-64." He will be replaced by KYLE MCRAE, who has spent 30 years as a Warriors statistician. NBA Exec VP/Basketball Operations KIKI VANDEWEGHE said, “He helped set the model for how to do the job of official scorer at a high level” (N.Y. TIMES, 1/9).
NAMES: Univ. of Michigan football coach JIM HARBAUGH "reached a contract extension" to remain in the role through the '25 season. Harbaugh's new contract "will pay him a base salary" of $4M in '21, which will increase to $4.426M in '25. He "can earn a maximum bonus" of $3.475M in each year of the contract. Michigan would owe Harbaugh $4M "if it fired him" in '21, a guarantee that goes down $1M each subsequent year of the contract. Harbaugh's "buyout to leave Michigan" begins at $2M in '21 and drops by $500,000 in each subsequent year until '25 (ESPN.com, 1/8)....Fanatics Exec Chair MICHAEL RUBIN is the "mystery buyer of a $50M Bridgehampton mansion previously owned by HFZ Capital Group founder ZIEL FELDMAN." His new oceanfront Hamptons manse is "reportedly over 8,000 square feet, with seven bedrooms, four bathrooms and a pool on nearly 6.5 acres." Sources said that it was originally up for sale for $75 million. Meanwhile, Penguins co-Owner RON BURKLE bought Neverland Ranch for $22M -- "a steep discount from the $100 million initially sought in 2015" (SBJ Unpacks)....WNBA Dream G RENEE MONTGOMERY became the "first female owner" of Fan Controlled Football (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/10).
