Lawrence is all over the Felicity Huffman/Lori Loughlin bribery case, which apparently also involves a UT tennis coach. Additional coverage from ESPN. NYT coverage.
The story is developing, I don’t have as much time as I’d like to keep on top of it, and I don’t want to tread on Lawrence’s turf (although it doesn’t look like anyone was taking bribes to admit giant spiders to Yale. Yet.), so I’d recommend keeping an eye on the three sites above for updates.
Kelly Catlin passed away last week.
You probably were not familiar with her: she was part of the women’s pursuit cycling team that won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She was 23 years old.
Catlin’s father, Mark Catlin, broke the news in a letter sent to VeloNews Sunday morning. Mark Catlin said that Kelly had died Friday around 12 a.m. at her residence in California. Mark Catlin said that Kelly died by suicide.
“There isn’t a minute that goes by that we don’t think of her and think of the wonderful life she could have lived,” Mark Catlin wrote. “There isn’t a second in which we wouldn’t freely give our lives in exchange for hers. The hurt is unbelievable.”
The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you live outside of the United States or are looking for other help, TVTropes has a surprisingly good page of additional resources.
We often hear from those who have attempted suicide but survived that they believed the world would be better off without them. While sharing suicide-prevention hotline numbers can help a great deal, sharing the perspectives and grief of those left behind can as well. Because those still in this world but contemplating an exit must know that their feelings of self-worthlessness are not shared by those who love them.
If someone is contemplating suicide, they should know the utter devastation that will be left in their wake. While those who have died may have thought the world a better place without them, we survivors are living witness to the fact that it is not, that our worlds will not ever be whole without them in it.
Edited to add: sometimes there’s just nothing else you can say.
Bill Powers, former University of Texas president.
Quoting Lawrence:
Powers is probably most famous to BattleSwarm readers for his central role in the UT admissions scandal, in which well-connected students were admitted to the University of Texas despite not having the necessary grade averages or test scores. Powers eventually resigned over the scandal.
The UT admissions scandal was not only real, but several of the state’s most powerful politicians (including then-speaker Joe Straus) and media outlets conspired to bury the story.
I will leave it as an exercise for the reader to see how the Statesman addressed this in their obituary. Hint: you will need a (metaphorical) shovel.
Sidney Sheinberg, film executive best known as an early and influential supporter of Steven Spielberg.
Just being a celebrity’s kid doesn’t automatically get you an obit watch. But if the child had an interesting life outside of, or in relation to, their famous parent: absolutely, I’ll mention it here.
In that vein: Julia Ruth Stevens, Babe Ruth’s daughter. She was 102. Ruth adopted her when he married Claire Hodgson, his second wife. (He had a daughter, Dorothy, from his first marriage to Helen Woodford. Ms. Woodford died in a house fire in 1929: Ruth married Ms. Hodgson in 1930, she adopted Dorothy, and the family lived together.)
Claire Hodgson Ruth died in 1976 and Mrs. [Dorothy Ruth – DB] Pirone died in 1989. Mrs. Stevens ultimately became the spokeswoman for the Ruth family.
She was at Yankee Stadium in May 1998 for the unveiling of a postage stamp portraying Ruth admiring one of his home run drives. That August, she threw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game in Fenway Park at ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of Ruth’s death.
She was at Fenway Park in October 1999 to toss the first pitch before the decisive Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. Having lived for many years in Conway, N.H., she had become a Red Sox fan.
“I went to see the Red Sox beat the Yankees tonight,” she said.
…
Freeda Foreman, one of George Foreman’s daughters, passed away over the weekend. She was 42, and had a 5-1 record as a professional boxer.
Edited to add: prompted by the exchange with Lawrence below, here’s a little lagniappe for you.
I held back on these yesterday because I wanted to give them 24 hours to shake out.
Dan Jenkins, noted Texas author (Semi-Tough) and sports writer. NYT.
If you want to get a taste of his work, you could do worse than browse through the “SI 60“, especially “The Disciples Of St. Darrell On A Wild Weekend: A Texas football odyssey” and “The Sweet Life Of Swinging Joe: Joe Namath, celebrity and New York City“.
Jan-Michael Vincent, for the historical record.
Carmine “The Snake” Persico, noted Mafia boss.
…
The extent of Mr. Persico’s influence and authority in the Mafia was exposed at a watershed federal trial in 1986 in Manhattan. He and the reputed bosses of the Genovese and Lucchese crime families were convicted of being members of the Commission, the select body that resolved major disputes and set policies for the five New York crime families: the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese factions.
At the trial, Mr. Persico, a high school dropout, decided to represent himself, and he won the praises of lawyers and judges for his acumen in questioning witnesses, writing legal briefs and raising points of law.
His unorthodox trial tactics failed, however, and he was convicted, along with Anthony Corallo, the accused boss of the Lucchese family, and Anthony Salerno, a high-ranking member of the Genovese family. Each man was sentenced to 100 years in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit murders, racketeering and leading a criminal enterprise, the Commission.
I’ve been getting more and more depressed by what seems to be the constant stream of obit watches, so I decided it was time to do another variety post. (Not to be confused with variety meats, although that’s an easy mistake to make.)
Obit watch: King Kong Bundy, pro wrestler.
Legal update #1: sentences in the basketball bribery case.
(Previously.)
Legal update #2: no, the government can’t seize the trademark of the Mongols motorcycle club. Again.
(Previously. I actually saw this over the weekend, but have been waiting for a better link: the LAT has become increasingly obnoxious.)
Don Newcombe, noted pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
…
While Newcombe was proud of his accomplishments as a pitcher, he was gratified as well to have played a role in the civil rights struggle by helping to shatter modern baseball’s racial barrier after the arrival of the Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson and catcher Roy Campanella.
He once said that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King came to his house in the weeks before his assassination in 1968 and told him, “I would never have made it as successfully as I have in civil rights if it were not for what you men did on the baseball field.”
Also among the dead: Karl Lagerfeld, fashion designer.
Guy Webster, album cover photographer.
Mr. Webster’s work with the Rolling Stones — including the photo for the bucolic cover of the United States release of the anthology “Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)” (1966) — began with an unusual offer in 1965 from Andrew Loog Oldham, their producer and manager: Take photographs, but don’t expect to be paid because it’s an honor simply to work with the band.
“And I said, ‘Well, it’s an honor for you that I take these pictures,’ ” Mr. Webster said at the Annenberg event. “He paid me for one album cover. Three of them came out during the years using my photographs.”
For Exposure, call your office, please.
Dell Demps out as GM of the New Orleans Pelicans.
I don’t follow the NBA much, so I’m missing a lot of what’s going on here. (Then again, I wouldn’t exactly say I’ve been “missing” it, Bob.) The sources I read say this is fallout from Anthony Davis wanting to be traded, and New Orleans pushing back on offers from the Lakers.
Frank Robinson, who became the first black manager in MLB when he took over the Cleveland Indians:
Robinson made his debut as the majors’ first black manager with the Cleveland Indians on April 8, 1975, 28 years after Jackie Robinson (no relation) first took the field with the Dodgers. Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s widow, threw out the ceremonial first ball.
Frank Robinson, who was still an active player, punctuated the historic occasion by hitting a home run in his first at-bat, as the designated hitter, leading the Indians to a 5-3 victory over the Yankees.
Bob Sutton out as defensive coordinator for Kansas City.
To steal a riff from Tuesday Morning Quarterback, “Sure, you got us to the AFC championship game and into overtime against New England. But what have you done for us lately?”
To steal a riff from TMQ Watch: “Gave up two touchdowns at the end of regulation and failed to stop New England in overtime.”
Tom Thibodeau fired as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He was 97-107 overall (I’m not clear on how long he was coach). The team is 19-21 this season, and had just beaten the Lakers when Thibodeau was called in and fired.
It’s that time of year, folks. You know the drill.
Non-NFL: “multiple reports” say Steve Alford is out as UCLA basketball coach. I don’t see anything about this in the LAT, but there’s supposed to be a press conference this afternoon.
Marvin Lewis fired as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals after 16 seasons.
He was 131-122-3 overall and 0-7 in playoff games.
Adam Gase fired as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Vance Joseph out as head coach of the Denver Broncos. He was 11-21 overall, and 6-10 this season.
That’s all I have for now. I’m going to be running around most of the day, but I will try to update if and when I can.
Edited to add: Steve Wilks out as Arizona Cardinals head coach after one season and a 3-13 record.
Edited to add 2: The Atlanta Falcons fired offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, and special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong. But they kept Dan Quinn on as head coach.
Major Applewhite out as head coach of the University of Houston.
He was 15-11 over “two plus” seasons, and Houston lost 70-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl (they played Army).
Keep an eye on this space for possible updates. Tomorrow is the traditional day for NFL firings, but given recent trends we could see some this afternoon or tonight.
Edited to add: told you so. Todd Bowles out as head coach of the New York Jets.
Edited to add 2: Horshack is devastated. Dirk Koetter out in Tampa Bay after three seasons. 19-29 overall, and 5-11 the last two seasons.
Dave Hakstol fired as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Hakstol, 50, had a 134-101-42 record and a .560 points percentage in three-plus seasons as head coach. Two of his teams made the playoffs, but both were eliminated in the first round.
This year’s team has just a .452 points percentage and one of the NHL’s worst home record (5-7-2).
Oh, mama, can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of TMQ with those NFL blues again…
After the jump, this week’s (possibly last?) TMQ…
Reggie McKenzie done as general manager of the Oakland Raiders.
Surprisingly, this week’s TMQ does not contain an item in which Gregg Easterbrook complains that McKenzie was a scapegoat for Jon Gruden’s failings as manager. (TMQ Watch will probably be up tonight.)