Beijing Games are the first since the '19 death of snowboarding pioneer Jake Burton Carpenter, and his absence is being feltGETTY IMAGES
Just as in previous Olympics, it was "impossible to miss the name 'Burton' flying over the halfpipe." Only at this one, the man who "built the board, then stamped his name on the bottom of it," was not present. JAKE BURTON CARPENTER died in '19, and his absence is "being felt" at the Beijing Games, the first without him for the sport he "created and brought to the masses." SHAUN WHITE "broke into tears" Friday as he spoke about him. White: "I wish Jake was here. He’d probably give me a big hug, tell me how proud he was and say, ‘enough’s enough.'" Even riders who "didn’t have a business relationship paid homage this week" (AP, 2/11).
NAMES: Saints LB DEMARIO DAVIS "hosted a lunch" in partnership with the Players Coalition, Café Momentum and the Stand Together Foundation in an effort to "educate those on social justice, juvenile justice and racial inequality." Cafe Momentum is a non-profit restaurant based in Dallas that provides "paid internships and support to youth aged 15-19 exiting the juvenile justice system." Davis hopes that the Players Coalition partnership with Café Momentum will "help expand the nonprofit to other cities so even more youth get second chances" (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 2/11)....K.C. Star sports columnist VAHE GREGORIAN will be inducted into the U.S. Basketball Writers’ HOF this April at the men’s basketball Final Four in New Orleans. Four others will be inducted with Gregorian this year: the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder's CHARLES HALLMAN, the Philadelphia Inquirer's JOE JULIANO, the Denver Post's TOM KENSLER and the Syracuse Post-Standard's MIKE WATERS (K.C. STAR, 2/11)....Texans GM NICK CASERIO will "fund a new leadership position" at his alma mater, John Carroll Univ., for four years starting this summer. The position -- the Assistant AD for Leadership Development and Student-Athlete Success -- will "serve as a primary liaison between athletics and the school’s academic center, academic advisors and counseling center while building a comprehensive program of wellness, professional development, and personal excellence" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/10).The Packers sent personalized jerseys to Beijing to "a few cheesehead Olympians" on the U.S. Biathlon team. PAUL SCHOMMER, DEEDRA IRWIN and CLARE EGAN "donned their custom Packers jerseys on social media" Wednesday morning, "running a few plays in their living space" (Appleton POST-CRESCENT, 2/10)....Univ. of Arkansas AD HUNTER YURACHEK has signed a contract extension through '27 that puts him "in line to be paid a base annual salary" of $1.25M under the new agreement. Yurachek could also "receive up to $175,000 a year following an annual review" (WHOLEHOGSPORTS.com, 2/10).
