Sharapova courts endorsement deals
Maria Sharapova’s business empire keeps growing. Gatorade and Tropicana joined the U.S. Open champ’s list of endorsements. The deal with PepsiCo Inc. will be announced Wednesday. The 19-year-old tennis star has a “lifetime” deal with racket and apparel company Prince, and also endorses Canon, Colgate, Nike, Tag Heuer, Land Rover and others. Her estimated annual income is believed to be about $30 million.
Change is the game of the name, Part I
The punk rockers from Columbus, Ohio, who decided to nix the name The Dead Schembechlers a day after Bo Schembechler’s death have a new name: The Bastard Sons of Woody. According to the band’s Web site, “The name change comes … to acknowledge the fact that the group members are direct genetic descendents of Woody Hayes himself.”
Change is the game of the name, Part II
Domanick Davis, the Houston Texans’ franchise leading rusher, has legally changed his last name from Davis to Williams, his mother’s maiden name. He said Davis was the last name of the father of his older brother, and he never felt right about having his name.
Slain NFL player sought to stop gang violence
Broncos CB Darrent Williams wanted to save kids from violence. Williams, who has two young children in the Fort Worth area, said last month that he wanted to return to his hometown in the offseason to talk to kids about staying out of street gangs. Police had no motive Tuesday for his drive-by shooting death.
– Martina Hingis needed only 46 minutes Tuesday to complete a 6-0, 6-1 win over Australian Nicole Pratt at the Australian Women’s Hardcourt Championship. – Former Florida quarterback Kerwin Bell was introduced Tuesday as Jacksonville’s second football coach. – Jim Karvellas,a longtime broadcaster of NBA games, including the Chicago Zephyrs and the New York Cosmos soccer team, died at 71. – Mark Philippoussis said he needs right knee surgery after tearing cartilage during a Hopman Cup match and will miss the Australian Open.
