Sports & Celebrity Newswire

Archive for June, 2009

Roger Federer

My favorite tennis tournament is Wimbledon, held each year on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England.

I don’t claim to be a big tennis fan. In fact, I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the sport since the Jimmy Connors – John McEnroe – Bjorn Borg era. However, I always follow Wimbledon with at least a casual glance because of its storied history. This year marks the tournament’s 123rd year of competition.

It’s going to be hard for this year to surpass last year’s classic, which featured one of the all-time great men’s finals in which Rafael Nadal won his first Wimbledon title by defeating top-seeded Roger Federer. The final was a fragmented affair due to two rain delays, which stretched the event to over seven hours. The playing time itself made it the longest final in Wimbledon history at 4 hours and 48 minutes.

Best Match Ever – Federer Vs. Nadal 2008 Highlights

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Michael Jackson

Los Angeles, CA – Michael Jackson died yesterday of an apparent cardiac arrest. Paramedics and doctors at UCLA trauma unit tried to revive Michael, but it was too late. He was not breathing and there was no pulse. Jackson was pronounced dead at the age of 50 on Thursday June 25, 2009 at 2.26 PM (PST)

What is Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest is an abrupt cessation of pump function (evidenced by absence of a palpable pulse) of the heart that with prompt intervention could be reversed, but without it will lead to death. However, due to inadequate cerebral perfusion, the patient will be unconscious and will have stopped breathing. The main diagnostic criterion to diagnose a cardiac arrest is lack of circulation, however there are a number of ways of determining this.

The cause of death is unknown but there is speculation that he may have accidentally overdosed on painkillers. Jackson had a history of back pain and other ailments.

The autopsy will be performed today, but some results such as toxicoloy reports may take several days or weeks for results.

The Los Angeles coroner will examine Michael Jackson to determine the cause of death.

An autopsy is planned. Watch video.

Did the painkiller Demerol cause Jacksons cardiac arrest?

There is growing speculation today that the catastrophic cardiac arrest was triggered by an injection of the painkiller Demerol. Those close to the star believe it is an addiction to prescription drugs as he prepared for the gigs in London that killed him.

‘Michael had broken a vertebrae performing and he had broken his leg in a fall from the stage. I don’t know the extent of the medications he was using but the reports that we have been receiving in the family were that it was extensive,’ said a source.

One Jackson family source said he was ‘just not able to pick himself up out of the painkiller stupor’ that he was in. He had been ‘doped up to his eyes’ for several weeks with anti-pain prescriptions… and [painkillers] had taken over his life.

One side effect of painliller abuse is a cardiac arrest.

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a top celebrity booking agent for entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.

Voices of Glory, Americas Got Talent sensational new act, sang an inspirational version of “God Bless America” acapella reducing Sharon Osborne and many of the audience to tears.

Americas Got Talent is America’s version of Simon Cowell’s popular Britains Got Talent. Last night we may have just witnessed one of the acts, Voices of Glory, that could be heading to the finals. The act is comprised of two brothers ages 16 and 13 and one sister age 9. When asked who their inspiration was they told the story about their mother who was in a head on collision with a drunk driver which rendered their mom in a coma. They sang to their mother and others in the hospital and today the mother is alive and well as witnessed on stage.

Listen to Voices of Glory moving performance of “God Bless America”

PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for American Idols , sports stars and celebrities,  corporate entertainment, inspirational speakers and talent.

I often get inquiries from organizations interested in hiring celebrities who are cancer survivors. The celebrity cancer speaker talks about a variety of topics related to cancer, from their experience of how they overcame the disease to early detection to how important a positive attitude is when fighting it. And since they’re celebrities, people are more likely to listen and follow their advice.

So who are the most popular cancer speakers? There are too many to list here, but a few of the most popular include …

Robin Roberts … The Good Morning America co-host was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. Since then, she has become an advocate for breast cancer awareness and the importance of early detection. Her book From The Heart: Eight Rules To Live By, includes a chapter on her experience with breast cancer.

Bob Gibson … The baseball hall of  famer is a survivor of prostate cancer and regularly speaks across the country at prostate cancer awareness events.

Dorothy Hamill … The Olympic figure skating gold medalist was recently diagnosed in 2008 with breast cancer.

Ann Jillian … The award-winning actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985 and underwent a double mastectomy. Her battle with the disease was chronicled in the top-rated 1988 made-for-TV film, The Ann Jillian Story, in which Jillian portrayed herself.

Lance Armstong … He has served as an inspiration to more cancer patients than arguably any other celebrity. The bicycling legend overcame testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles between 1999 – 2005. He formed the Lance Armstrong Foundation to provide support to those diagnosed with cancer.

Dave Dravecky … His baseball career was cut short when a tumor was discovered in his pitching arm and ultimately led to the amputation of his arm and shoulder. Dave went onto write two books about his battle with cancer and founded Outreach of Hope Ministry. He’s also a very popular Christian speaker.

Marcia Wallace … Best known for her Emmy-award winning role of Bart’s teacher, Mrs. Krabappel, on “The Simpsons” and as Carol Kester on “The Bob Newhart Show”, Marcia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985. Since that time, she has become a leading breast cancer advocate and speaks of her experience around the country.

Peggy Fleming … The Olympic figure skating gold medalist was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998.

So what types of organizations are likely to hire cancer speakers? Below are a few examples …

• Len Dawson, NFL Hall of Famer & prostate cancer survivor,  spoke at a men’s prostate cancer awareness night.
• Ann Jillian spoke at an oncology managers conference
• Dorothy Hamill spoke at a cancer survivor’s conference sponsored by a hospital
• Lance Armstrong spoke about staying fit and taking care of yourself at a global conference

If you would like to find out how to hire a cancer speaker for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement or special event, you can request  booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency or call 800.966.1380 .

The Olive Garden tells the Christian Science Monitor that they have not pulled their ads from the David Letterman show.

“Information reported today by Andy Barr of Politico regarding Olive Garden’s advertising on the Late Show with David Letterman was erroneous. No authorized spokesperson for the company confirmed the information in his report,” said Olive Garden spokesman Rich Jeffers in an email to The Vote.

“The Olive Garden media schedule is planned months in advance. The schedule for the Late Show with David Letterman was completed earlier this month. We take all guest concerns seriously. And, as always, we will factor those concerns in as we plan our advertising schedule in the future,” he continued

In an email obtained by Politico, a spokeswoman for the chain told a Letterman-criticizing pasta fan that “there will be no more Olive Garden ads scheduled for ‘The Late Show’ with David Letterman in this year’s broadcast schedule.”

“We apologize that Mr. Letterman’s mistake, which was not consistent with our standards and values, left you with a bad impression of Olive Garden,” wrote Sherri Bruen, the company’s guest relations manager.

An official statement is coming soon, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a top celebrity booking agent for Christian speakers, celebrity speakers, sports stars and entertainers.

It appears that The Olive Garden is not happy with how Letterman acted regarding his jokes about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s daughter. According to Politico, the “When you’re here, you’re family” restaurant chain, appears to have pulled its advertising that was scheduled to air this year during “The Late Show”. 

“We apologize that Mr. Letterman’s mistake, which was not consistent with our standards and values, left you with a bad impression of Olive Garden,” Sherri Bruen, the company’s guest relations manager, writes in an email to a Letterman critic.

Despite Palin’s accepting the talk show host’s apology for his inappropriate comments,  John Ziegler, host of The John Ziegler Show on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles, California, has been spearheading a campaign to get Letterman fired. A small protest was held Tuesday outside of the “Late Show” studios which Letterman made light of and joked about the following night on his show.

Ziegler has compiled a list of the The Late Show’s advertisers on his web site, FireDavidLetterman.com.

The following are the top ten advertisers that have been targeted to pull advertising from CBS and Letterman

1. Southwest Airlines has STOPPED advertising
2. Embassy Suites has STOPPED advertsing
3. Hellman’s has STOPPED advertising
4. Olive Garden NO LONGER advertising but MAY RESUME
5. Johnson & Johnson STILL advertising
6. Kellogg’s STILL advertising
7. Verizon STILL advertising
8. Sears STILL advertising
9. All-State STILL advertising
10. Macy’s STILL advertising

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a top  marketing and celebrity booking agent for political speakers,  celebrity speakers, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.

Deion Sanders

Professional athletes all have a special talent that very few people possess. Still others have a talent that can just be described as a freak of nature. A few athletes come to mind – two-sport stars Bo Jackson and Brian Jordan and baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who was drafted by all three major sports out of college. But one of the best was without a doubt Deion Sanders.

Nicknamed “Prime Time” during his All-America football days at Florida State, Deion  is the only athlete to have ever played in both a Super Bowl and World Series. He is considered one of the greatest cover cornerbacks ever. He played for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with the 49ers and Cowboys. He was a nine-time All-Pro and was named to the 1990’s NFL All-Decade Team.

In Major League Baseball, he played a nine-year, part-time career, participating in 641 games with four teams – the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. During the 1989 season, he became the first player in history to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week.

Deion was considered a better football player than baseball player. His reputation was so great that opposing offensive coordinators almost always specifically accounted for him in their game plan.[He was widely known to shut down “his” half of the field, causing most quarterbacks to essentially ignore the receiver he was covering. He allegedly ran a 4.16 in the 40-yard dash, making him the second fastest in the NFL to Darrell Green.

Deion also occasionally played offense. He and Bill Dudley are the only players in NFL history to score a touchdown six different ways – interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing and a fumble recovery.

Deion will mostly be remembered by his “Prime Time” persona and for “high-stepping” it into the end zone followed by his touchdown dance celebrations. The interesting thing about “Prime Time” was that it was just a marketing ploy. He used it to become not only a fan favorite but also one of the highest-paid athletes of his time.

 Deion had some difficult times in the late 1990’s that led to him becoming born-again and an ordained minister. He also wrote an interesting book published in 1998  entitled “Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life.”

 Today, Deion is a analyst for the NFL Network. He’s also an a highly-acclaimed Christian Speaker and motivational sports speaker. I recently hired him to speak at a client’s sales meeting and he received higher ratings for his speech than any other speaker.

If you would like to find out how to hire Deion Sanders for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Deion Sanders booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top sports and celebrity booking agent for athletes, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.

Find more football speakers and nfl speakers.

Tiger Woods

The 2009 U.S. Open is set to tee off on Thursday, June 18. I hope this year’s U.S. Open can come close to matching the excitement of last year’s classic.

In case you forgot, the 2008 U.S. Open featured a 45-year old named Rocco Mediate and Tiger Woods, the world’s top-ranked golfer, who had missed the previous two months due to knee surgery.

The affable, always-smiling Mediate was in the clubhouse with a one-stroke lead as Tiger stood over a 15-foot putt on the final hole that he had to make to force an 18-hole playoff the next day. And as only Tiger could do, he sank the putt.

On Monday, Rocco and Tiger provided one of the most exciting days in golf history, which was made even more dramatic by Tiger’s knee problems, which left him grimacing after many tee shots. It first appeared as though Tiger’s experience would be too much for Mediate as he built a three shot lead with eight holes to play. However, the gritty Mediate refused to quit and actually led by one four holes later. And as he had done on Sunday, Tiger had to make another putt on 18 to tie, which, of course, he did. Tiger went onto win on the next hole, the 91st hole of the tournament.

It was his 65th career victory, passing Ben Hogan for third all-time, and 14th major. Tiger raised his playoff record to 15-2 and made it 14-of-14 in majors when he had at least a share of the lead going into the final round. For Mediate, I’m sure there was disappointment, but you would have never known it. He won over a legion of fans and quickly became one of the most popular golfers on tour. His affable personality has opened up a world of opportunities, from endorsements to appearances to motivational sports speaking.

This year’s event starts on Thursday at Bethpage Black in New York. The initial weather forecast calls for rain off and on throughout the week, and if that holds true, it’s going to keep the scores low and reward those players who keep the ball in the fairway and out of the notoriously-thick rough. So who am I picking to win this year’s event?

Tiger won Jack Nicklaus’s event a couple of weeks ago at Muirfield and drove the ball better than he has all year. If he plays the same this week, he could be tough to beat. I also like a few international golfers, including Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 Open winner, and Retief Goosen, a two-time Open champion . My darkhorse…Brian Gay, who won the event in Memphis last week after leading wire-to-wire. A two-time winner this year, Brian is a tough competitor when he’s on top of his game.

 PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a top celebrity and sports booking agent for golf speakers, sports stars , athlete appearances, athlete endorsement deals and celebrity entertainment.

Danny Gokey

There appears to be a scam brewing with FramesDirect.com, the company claiming to be affiliated with Danny Gokey Eyeglasses. In a previous post I made on June 12, 2009, FramesDirect.com uses Danny’s picture to promote a Danny Gokey eyewear line stating that 10% of their proceeds go to Sophia’s Heart, Danny’s foundation for his late wife.  This is false!

Here is the proof:

June 16, 2009 UPDATE: Danny just tweeted this:
Many companies r claiming 2 partner w/ Sophia’s Heart (clothes, eyewear, ect).They r all SCAMS. We have not seen 1 penny nor been contacted

According to Danny’s tweet, proceeds DO NOT go to Sophia’s Heart Foundation.

More proof came when fans contacted FramesDirect.com for more information and the company replied that they were partnered with a Danny Gokey FANSITE, NOT Danny Gokey himself. As of to date no proceeds or donations have been made to Danny or his foundation.

‘We’ve never contacted Danny about our site, but we feel that he would really want this,’ Joe Monaghan of DannyGokeyGear.com says.

DannyGokeyGear.com — and the accompanying DannyGokeyBlog.com — are actually the property of Colorado Web Builders, a company run by a Denver Web designer named Joe Monaghan, and are in no way affiliated with Gokey himself, or his charity, though you probably wouldn’t know it by glancing at the main page of either site and that has, rather understandably, led to some confusion.

“But at that point, we were having problems with some of the glasses places in Denver, because they didn’t carry a brand that Danny wore on the show — Luxotica,” Monaghan continued. “So I called FramesDirect, and they were interested in helping us out. So we came up with a game plan — TV Guide would direct the viewers to our site, and we would refer traffic to FramesDirect’s site, where they would sell the glasses and donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.”

It all sounds well and good, until the confusion started. That led many to notice that the Gokey Gear site was not endorsed by the singer in any way, which, in turn, led FramesDirect to pull any mention of the Gokey glasses from the main page of their Web site. And that’s when alarm bells started going off across the “Idol”-sphere. Was this all some gigantic scam?

“To be honest, there’s been a lot of misinformation out there. So to clear it up, we’re not affiliated with the foundation or Gokey. They didn’t ask us to sell the frames for them,” Jennifer Cameron, a spokesperson for FramesDirect, told MTV News. “We were contacted by Danny Gokey Gear, and we decided to help out the Sophia’s Heart Foundation. It’s as if we’re doing a fundraiser for them. We’re not doing this to make money, and we still intend to donate a part of the proceeds to the charity.”

If there is no contract signed with Gokey or Gokey’s management to promote the eyewear line in his name, then this would be trademark infringement.

If you would like to find out how to hire Danny Gokey for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Danny Gokey booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for American Idols, Christian speakers, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.

Danny Gokey is back in his native town of Milwaukee for a few days at the Merrill Hills Country Club, home of The Greg Jennings Celebrity Golf Tournament, before preparing for The American Idol Summer Tour. Danny is still a big hit – so big that Greg Jennings, wide receiver of the Green Bay Packers, chose to give a 200K grant to Sophia’s Heart, Danny’s organization for his late wife. Milwaukee’s Habitat for Humanity will also benefit from the outing. The organization will receive 50% of the proceeds including money from auctioned items.

Danny confirmed that he is meeting with the 19 Record’s president to sit down soon with Sony National. Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta all have signed contracts. I am sure Danny will have no trouble getting a contract as well.

If you would like to find out how to hire Danny Gokey for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Danny Gokey booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for American Idols, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.