 |
| Vlade Divac and friends drew crowds
in his nativeSerbia for the launch
of his You Can Too effort. |
In a Belgrade celebration for Vlade Divac and his NBA friends as he launched You Can Too, benefiting Serbia and Africa, Chris Webber called himself the “first black Serbian” who should be named “Webovich.” Scot Pollard led 80,000 concertgoers in “Vlade” chants and video wishes came from the Maloof brothers, Penny Marshall and Snoop Dogg. The three-day spectacular included the opening of the Vlade Divac Museum, a street basketball tournament and dinner at the White Palace with the royal family, Prince Aleksandar and Princess Katarina Karadjordjevic. On the “Tito train” to Divac’s home town of Prijepolje, Glen Rice discovered the cabin used by former Yugoslavian dictator Josip Broz Tito and took a nap. Upon arrival, 15,000 cheering Serbs greeted Divac’s entourage, including Peja Stojakovic, Gregg Popovich and even Croatian Toni Kukoc, many from trees for better sight lines. …Linda Landman-Gonzalez lives in Florida, like many transplanted New Yorkers, but her heart is in Mexico. “Call me an American-Mexican. I love everything Mexican.” She went to college in Mexico City, vacations on Mexican beaches and married a Mexican system analyst, Roberto. She believes that her affinity for Hispanic people and culture is an asset in her new job as Orlando Magic’s VP of community relations. “We have a huge and growing Hispanic fan base. And for the Magic it’s also about helping children become healthy and wealthy in the community.” … Little Joey Nuzzi, spending his 9th birthday at a stop on the Magic’s Pepsi Slamming Summer promotional caravan, got a basketball autographed by the Magic team. His mother, Toni, wrote that Joey was “speechless” and even more amazing, “so was I.” … At a dinner for season-ticket holders who have not renewed, Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace, coach Marc Iavaroni and President of Business Operations Andy Dolich asked what it would take. Cane-aided Elzora Somerville, 73, said she had been asking for a closer parking place. After one staffer said nothing could be done, Dolich said, “That’s not good enough. You can have my parking space.” Somerville kissed Dolich and renewed her single season ticket on the spot. So did others.
Ted Leonsis is producing “Kicking It,” a feature documentary about the Homeless World Cup. He calls it a “filmanthropy,” film as a catalyst for social change. Director Susan Koch and cinematographer Neil Barrett traveled the world to tell the stories of six of the 500 homeless players from 48 countries who participated. Raul Fernandez, Jack Davies and Sheila Johnson, partners in Lincoln Holdings, which has ownership interests in the Capitals, Mystics and Wizards, are partners on the film. Leonsis, who produced the award-winning “Nanking,” said he wants to create films that activate discussion, volunteerism and funding for social causes. “There should be no one without a home.” He hopes “Kicking It” will “offer good solutions and entertain an audience.”
When Russian-born ice dancing coach Igor Shpilband had a chance to help Tara Modlin in her 9/11 extravaganza Stars, Stripes & Skates, he jumped, explaining: “I defected in 1990. I came to love my new country and became a citizen in 2000. After 9/11, I wanted to do anything I could to help my countrymen.” Modlin, a former skater who founded The Heritage Foundation of 9/11, said Shpilband, the former ice dancer who coached U.S. teams at three Olympics, “has built a coaching empire” in Canton, Mich. He will be honored Oct. 14 at the Nassau Coliseum as Olympic medalists Oksana Baiul, Tanith Belbin, Benjamin Agosto, Philippe Candeloro, other stars and 150 kids skate in remembrance.
Peter Sutherland devoted seven handicap strokes to the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. In 1991 the Melbourne dentist joined the club and became “captain” in 2005. Leadership requires at least 20 hours weekly. “I’m too busy with club business to play much golf. I was a 4 when I started. Now I’m an 11.” But he brought home the goodies from the Presidents Cup in Montreal. His club will host the 2011 event. … The World Golf Foundation restructured its board to better represent the global nature of the game and to address areas of common interest. The board comprises chief executives of seven organizations: Peter Dawson, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews; George O’Grady, European Tour; David Fay, U.S. Golf Association; Tim Finchem, PGA Tour; Joe Steranka, PGA of America; Carolyn Bivens, LPGA; and Jim Armstrong, Augusta National.
Elton John will coach Lindsay Davenport, John Isner, Anna Kournikova and Patrick McEnroe at the Advanta WTT Smash Hits and Billie Jean King will coach Andy Roddick, Madison Brengle, Luke Jensen and Corina Morariu. The event, at Villanova on Wednesday, benefits John’s AIDS Foundation and the local ActionAIDS. … Former Cowboys Emmitt Smith and Roger Staubach and former Miss America from Texas Phyllis George went “Dancing With a Vision,” for a Dallas charity for age-related eye diseases. … Sig Ceballos, a California Highway Patrol training officer who hates running, carried the Special Olympic torch through the streets of Shanghai, as 7,500 special athletes, 400 from the United States, met for this year’s Games. “I do it just the see the athletes’ faces. When one falls down, others stop to pick him up then finish the race. All they want is a hug. That’s why I do it.”
John Genzale can be reached at johngenzale@gmail.com.
