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Former Village People Lead Singer Plans to Sue Rays

Cam Martin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:49:58 +0000

Victor Willis, the former cop and lead singer in the campy 1970s group Village People, reportedly plans to sue the Tampa Bay Rays within the next 30 days for misappropriating his voice and image. Willis left the group in 1984 and reportedly still earns $1 million per year (!) on the royalties alone from their hit song “YMCA.” But he’s not a member of the band’s current incarnation, and he said it was disingenuous for the Rays to promote a postgame concert last August of the current Village People using a clip of him singing their staple song.

“His voice is very distinctive. People know that song,” said Linda Smythe, Willis’ publicist. “They get excited, thinking he is going to be there.”

Oh, yeah, they circle the date. The current Village People group includes three original members: the Indian, the Soldier and the Construction Worker. The Cop, Biker and Cowboy are new. But you probably already knew that.

In Willis’ defense, he’s not asking for financial restitution. He merely wants the Rays to apologize and to promise that it never happens again.

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Brazilian Soccer Chief Calls English Press 'Corrupt'

Cam Martin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:41:24 +0000

On the even of the World Cup qualifying draw, British media approached Brazilian soccer federation president Ricardo Teixeira on Friday in Rio de Janiero, but were rebuffed by Teixeira, who said he would not talk to the “English press” because they are “corrupt.”

Teixeira has an ax to grind because the BBC alleged that he was one of the FIFA members who took kickbacks from in the 1990s from the former marketing partner of the governing body. The English Football Association cleared Teixeira of three other FIFA officials of wrongdoing.

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Cowboys Hire New Stadium Announcer and First In-Game MC

Cam Martin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:40:07 +0000

The Cowboys have announced a couple of changes to the team’s in-stadium game coverage, with local sports reporter Roger Emrich replacing Jody Dean as the Cowboys Stadium’ public address announcer and Armen Williams coming aboard as the first MC in the 51-year history of the franchise.

Dean, the P.A. voice in Cowboys Stadium’s first two seasons, had recently expressed a desire to retire, citing heart problems and a desire to spend more time with his 6-year-old daughter.

“This is perfect,” said Dean. “I get to step out of the booth, and I turn it over to one of the most deserving and likable people in this business.”

Both Emrich and Williams work for 105.3 The Fan, the Cowboys’ flagship station.

“Not too much ad-libbing, lots of outright professionalism,” Emrich said of his approach to his new job. “I want to be informing, not a distraction. I’m going to treat this like my dream job. I’m still worried Jody is going to change his mind, so I’m anxious to get started.”

Williams, meanwhile, will appear on the stadum’s JumboJerry screen (really…) during timeouts or end-of-quarter breaks, interviewing fans and celebrities or hawking items that have sponsorship deals with the Cowboys.

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Celts Announcer Heinsohn to Exhibit Own Paintings

Cam Martin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:29:03 +0000

Tommy Heinsohn is known best in his post-playing days as a game announcer for the Celtics, whom he helped lead to eight NBA titles during his Hall of Fame playing career. But the 6-7 Heinsohn has fostered an interest in painting since grammar school, and is now exhibiting some of his work at an art gallery in Rockport, Massachusetts.

“I used to be the one to draw the Christmas scenes in colored chalk on the blackboard for the nuns,” Heinsohn told the Gloucester Times.

When he was later attending The College of the Holy Cross, Heinsohn made a rendering of Joe Welch, who was on the cover of Life magazine during the McCarthy hearings. A Jesuit priest took notice of Heinsohn’s work and encouraged him to continue with painting. continued…

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Jean Pascal, Bernard Hopkins Mix It Up At Presser

Marcus Vanderberg — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:05:13 +0000

It’s been a while since we’ve had a good boxing press conference, but Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins delivered Monday in Montreal.

Pascal, 28 (and young enough to be Hopkins’ son) questioned whether the 46-year-old veteran was using performance-enhancing drugs and demanded a blood test.

The one thing you don’t want to do is question Hopkins. Both fighters had to be separated after some pushing and shoving. continued…

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Need a Quote? Turn to Deion Branch.

Noah Davis — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:09:50 +0000

Athletes are not known for their wonderful public speaking abilities. They aren’t unintelligent – most of them, anyway – it’s just that they’ve been taught to think roboticly about things like effort, workrate, and desire, so the inevitable soundbites are cliches focusing on those themes.

But every now and again, an athlete surprises reporters with smart, thoughtful commentary. Landon Donovan jumps to mind. So does Charles Barkley.

Apparently, we can add Deion Branch to the list. continued…

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Tony Ponturo Getting Lifetime Innovator Award at PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Awards

Alex Weprin — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:54:51 +0000

Former Busch Media Group CEO Tony Ponturo will receive the lifetime innovator award at the 2010 PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Awards. At Anheuser-Busch, Ponturo formed and managed relationships with essentially every major sports league and event, managing the brand’s presence at the Super Bowl, Olympics and FIFA World Cup, among others.

He is also the producer of the just-opened play “Lombardi” on Broadway.

“Tony Ponturo has been integral in shaping the entire sports and entertainment landscape over the last two decades,” said Jonathan Block-Verk, president and CEO of PromaxBDA. “His career at Anheuser-Busch is legendary and celebrating his body of work, and contribution to this industry, at the inaugural Sports Media Marketing Awards will be a true privilege for our organization.”

Ponturo will receive the award November 18 in New York City.

SportsNewser is a media partner of the PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Awards.

More information, after the jump.

continued…

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Rory McIlroy Hits Into Tiger Woods

Noah Davis — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:01:06 +0000

The 2010 Ryder Cup kicks off on Friday and 21-year-old Irish golfing sensation Rory McIlroy is ready to take on Tiger Woods.

According to the New York Post, the aura surrounding the aura surrounding the world’s No. 1 player “is probably gone.”

Big words from the youngster, but perhaps not out of line considering Woods’ poor record (9-13-2) at the event. The golfing superstar returns to the Ryder Cup as a captain’s choice and it’s his first time at the event since 2008. He played poorly after returning from a layoff to deal with personal problems, and the brash young European clearly thinks the tide has changed.

Phil Mickelson tried to downplay the feud, but Tiger is angry.

Woods, however, isn’t making a whole lot of sense when it comes to discussing his role in the tournament.

“Whatever captain puts me out there however many times, hopefully that’s as many points as I can earn,” he said.

Um, okay? So Woods vs. McIlroy this weekend? continued…

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Will Football's Brain Injury Problems Extend to College and Younger?

Noah Davis — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:24:00 +0000

In April, a University of Pennsylvania football player killed himself. Doctors at Boston University examined Owen Thomas’ brain and found early stages of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, “a disease linked to depression and impulse control primarily among N.F.L. players, two of whom also committed suicide in the last 10 years.”

Owen Thomas had no previous history of depression and while doctors warned against blaming C.T.E. for his suicide, they acknowledged it could have a role.

More concerning is the player’s age – he’s “youngest and first amateur football player to be found with clear C.T.E.: – and the fact that he didn’t have a history of concussions. According to the NYT:

Thomas never had a diagnosis of a concussion on or off the football field or even complained of a headache, his parents said, although they acknowledged he was the kind of player who might have ignored the symptoms to stay on the field. Because of this, several doctors said, his C.T.E. – whose only known cause is repetitive brain trauma – must have developed from concussions he dismissed or from the thousands of subconcussive collisions he withstood in his dozen years of football, most of them while his brain was developing.

It will be interesting to see how this story plays out in the media. continued…

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Len Berman on Baseball's Greatest Players

Alex Weprin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:07:33 +0000

Here in new York City, the name Len Berman is synonymous with sports. Berman was the face of New York sports coverage at WNBC for nearly two decades, before being pushed out last year.

Jerry Barmash from our sister blog FishbowlNY caught up with Berman, who is releasing a new book, The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.

Whle Berman is still awaiting the response to his latest book, he already ha a few ideas, should the publisher come calling for a follow-up:

“I’d rather expand on the Greatest Moments in Sports, maybe do other moments,” Berman admits. “…One possibility might be the 25 Greatest Athletes of All Time.”

Check out the full interview, here.

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Manny Ramirez's Return to Boston Causes Ticket Price Spike

Noah Davis — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:10:36 +0000

The Boston Red Sox are dead and gone from the playoff race, but there’s a reason to go to Fenway Park: Manny Ramirez returns with the Chicago White Sox for a three-game set starting Friday.

Ticket prices are up 14 percent since the Windy City club traded for the former Red Sox slugger. While Friday night’s average price is just $88 – well below the season average of $119 – Sunday’s affair will cost $139 per seat. That’s a lot of money to watch two bad baseball teams play a meaningless game in September. (Yes, the White Sox are only 3.5 games out, but they aren’t catching Minnesota.)

For Bostonians, the opportunity to boo Manny is worth the extra cost, apparently. Increased ticket prices. Just Manny being Manny.

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So the US Open Online Is Wonderful

Noah Davis — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:54:22 +0000

So, because I’m a blogger, I’m in a coffeeshop. An hour ago, a friend emailed me: “The Bagh-man is about to try to break Clement’s serve. Tune in!” Translation: Marcos Baghdatis – the most exciting, charismatic tennis player no one has ever heard of – is in a battle. And there’s nothing better than a Baghdatis dogfight. Appointment viewing. But where? I have a prime seat by the window. I’m not giving that up.

Enter USOpen.org. continued…

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Donald Fehr to Head NHLPA

Noah Davis — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:29:49 +0000

Donald Fehr, the man who lead Major League Baseball players during the 1994-1995 lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the ’94 World Series, is in the process of being hired to head the National Hockey League Players Association. He’s been acting as an unpaid advisor to the NHLPA since November.

While some thinks this spells trouble for hockey, which is still fighting back from a crippling strike in 1992, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly welcomes the decision.

“Look, I’m not looking forward to Armageddon, that’s for sure,” Daly told the Globe and Mail. “The sport will be well served by dealing with its issues in a reasonable, insightful way, through the negotiation process, and that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Fehr, who retired as head of the baseball players association in June 2009 after increasing the player’s average salary six-fold during his 20-plus-year tenure, understands how these things work. The collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in 2012 but neither side can afford a strike or lockout. That would very likely kill the sport that’s slowly recovering but still losing talent to leagues overseas. The sides need to get together now and start the negotiation process. The NHLPA hasn’t had solid leadership since 2005. Fehr, with his PR canny, fills the void. Hockey (in HD!) will live on.

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