Tuesday, May 19, 2009
AREA
McDonald coaches
McDONALD — The McDonald board of education Monday approved the following athletic supplemental contracts for the 2009-2010 school year:
Jim Lowers, and Jim Kijowski, assistant varsity football coaches; Gary Carkido, junior high football coach; Jeff Rasile, boys head varsity basketball coach; Rob Hilbun, girls head varsity basketball coach; Tom Knight, assistant varsity football coach, Scott Murray, freshman football coach and Joe Celli, assistant freshman football coach, volunteer.
Others approved for supplemental contracts are: Jessica Brinker, Varsity Cheerleader Advisor, Debbie Woodford; elementary music program director and Samantha Thomas, Junior High cheerleading advisor.
Lunger to sign
COLUMBIANA — Heartland Christian School senior Treg Lunger is expected to sign with Malone University on Wednesday to play for the Pioneers’ soccer team in the fall.
REGION
Bridgestone cuts prices
AKRON — The Bridgestone Invitational is cutting ticket prices for fans in response to the recession.
Event executive director Don Padgett III told a business group in Akron last week that general admission to the pro golf tournament will be lowered to $35, from $45 last year.
The Bridgestone Invitational is scheduled for Aug. 4-9 at Firestone Country Club. Padgett says the tournament and the 80,000 people expected to attend will pump $35 million into the Akron area economy.
He says the event is not expecting the tough economy to hurt revenue from sponsorships, because most sponsors have multiyear contracts.
But tournament sales manager Marvin Lao says it has been more challenging this year selling VIP ticket packages geared toward companies.
Steelers’ Harrison to skip White House
PITTSBURGH — James Harrison plans to pass on another trip to the White House with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harrison, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, says he’ll skip the Super Bowl champion’s visit to the White House to meet President Barack Obama on Thursday, just as he did when the Steelers were honored by President George W. Bush in June 2006.
“I don’t feel the need to go, actually,” Harrison said. “I don’t feel like it’s that big a deal to me.”
Harrison doesn’t believe the invitation is all that special, saying if the Steelers hadn’t beaten the Cardinals 27-23 with a last-minute rally, “He [Obama] would have invited Arizona.”
NATION
Mine That Bird seeks jockey (again)
LOS ANGELES — Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is in need of yet another jockey.
Mike Smith, who rode the gelding to a second-place finish in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, won’t ride him in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 because of a previous commitment.
Nuggets, WWE in smackdown
DENVER — Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to be at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday night.
Problem is, so are John Cena and a bunch of wrestlers — and they called it first.
World Wrestling Entertainment said it is booked at the arena for an episode of Monday Night Raw, the same night the Nuggets are slated to host the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
WWE chairman Vince McMahon told The Associated Press he doesn’t believe there was “any malice, just ineptness,” on the part of Kroenke Sports, which owns the team and the building, but can’t tolerate the company “just simply throwing us out on our ear.”
Without a quick resolution, McMahon plans to send his trucks to Denver.
76ers to talk to Mavs assistant
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are moving forward with their coaching search, setting up interviews with assistants Dwane Casey of the Dallas Mavericks and Tom Thibodeau of the Boston Celtics.
Vindicator staff/wire reports