Copyright © 2010 The Power Player Lifestyle Magazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved

On a more somber note, emotions ran high as Bret Farve presented the Arthur Ash Courage Award (recognizes individuals whose contributions transcend sports) to the Thomas Family in honor of their courage to forgive.  In a sad turn of events, high school football coach Ed Thomas was shot and killed June 2009 by a former student. Another tear-jerking moment was as Denver Nuggets head coach, George Karl, accepted the Jimmy V ESPY for Perseverance; as Karl is a survivor of prostate cancer and was most recently diagnosed with neck and throat cancer. 

Following the ESPYs awards ceremony the biggest stars, their family and friends, along with a select number of individuals kept the festivities going with great food, great drinks, great music while celebrating their many accomplishments inside The Conga Room at L.A. Live. The Conga Room was the one and only official ESPYs 2010 presented by ESPN where everyone in attendance was a VIP.  Special guest performance by Robin Thicke was a nice surprise as Thicke serenaded the ladies with hits such as Lost without You, Shakin’ it for Daddy, Sex Therapy and more.  The party was a great way to end a spectacular night; looking forward to another great year in sports and ESPYs 2011.  - Review by Quiana Hughes / Red Carpet Interview by Lela Christine

POWER PLAYER LIFE POLL QUESTIONS:

1. Who will win the 2011 NBA Championship: LA LAKERS, BOSTON CELTICS, ORLANDO MAGIC, MIAMI HEAT, CHICAGO BULLS, and OR CLEVELAND CAVALIERS?

2. 2.Who is the greatest NBA all time starting five, first, second and third teams, we want to know what you think?
   

Email your responses to our news team at Sports@thepowerplayermag.com

Amare’ Stoudamire

LeBron James

Duane Wade

Chris Bosh

James, Wade and Bosh join the Miami Heat and left a combined $60 million plus on the table and signed deals of $110 million over 6 years in anticipation of a possible lockout in 2011. Stoudamire signed with the New York Knicks for $99.7 million over 5 years. Carlos Boozer signed with the Chicago Bulls for ($75M-80M),  Norwitzki stayed in Dallas for (4years-$80M), Paul Pierce remained in Boston for 4 years, $61M,(both home team discounts)  as well as Joe Johnson with Atlanta for (6 years, $119M) This was done to win a Championship and challenge the Los Angeles Lakers from winning its third consecutive title. This trend continued with the Lakers re-signing Derek Fisher for 3 years and $10.5 million, less money than he could have gotten elsewhere, including with the Miami Heat. The Lakers also signed pesky defender, former UCLA Bruin, Matt Barnes, with the Orlando Magic, to a two year deal for almost twice as less money as he was offered by the Cavaliers.($1.77 million in 2011 and almost $2 million the next year.) In addition to Barnes, the Lakers signed solid point guard, Steve Blake, formerly with the Clippers, to a four year, $16 million contract, as well as Theo Ratliff, formerly with the San Antonio Spurs, to the veterans’ minimum. They allowed Jordan Farmar to go to the New Jersey Nets, and Shannon Brown may have made a mistake by opting out of his contract to pay him $2.1 million, because he has not gotten the interested he thought and may re-sign with the Lakers for less than he would have earned. Phil Jackson also came back as Coach of Lakers for less money and well go his for a (third) three-peat as a coach in the final year of his contract. Cleveland and New Jersey lost out and hasn’t been able to lure top free agents. The Lakers filled key slots and got better.

These complicated deals got done and were behind the scenes mastermind moves by the Power Player sports agent(s) Henry Thomas , who represents both Bosh and Wade; Pat Riley, former 7–time champion, player, coach and President of Miami Heat; and the General Manager of the  LA Lakers, Mitch Kupchak. Riley even bought his bag of rings to the meeting with LaBron James to entice him. The Lakers got tougher and the Heat got stronger. They could be headed toward a collision course for the 2011 NBA Finals. The Heat signed several other players who took less money to join the team such as Juan Howard and Mike Miller, formerly with the Orlando Magic. Which team ultimately came out ahead in this free agency bonanza? Only time will tell. So will this new trend continue; Power Players joining forces taking less money to contend for an NBA championship to dethrone the Lakers. We’ll see you next June. Stay tuned… Power-up!

Dirk Norwitzki

Dirk Norwitzki

Dirk Norwitzki

The world elite of athletics gathered in Monaco for Herculis 2010 (a Samsung Diamond League meeting) overwhelmingly brought their support to the "Sport Solidarity for Haiti" operation coordinated by Peace and Sport to help young Haitian survivors of the devastating earthquake of 12 January.

"Sport Solidarity for Haiti" was launched 4 months ago with the objective of collecting sports equipment and funds to donate to the Haitian Olympic Committee (HOC).In partnership with Peace and Sport under the sponsorship of UNICEF, the HOC uses the equipment to provide sports activities for children and adolescents from 3-18 years living in Survivor Camps in Port-au-Prince and Léogâne. Using sport, this program helps young people to rediscover landmarks in life and evacuate the trauma of the earthquake, thus giving them a structured living environment. 30,000 young people are already benefiting from the program each week.

More than 140 athletes signed the Peace and Sport's VIP Autograph Book to demonstrate their solidarity with this initiative and to convey messages of hope and encouragement to Haiti's children.

The VIP Book will be personally presented to Mr. Evans Lescouflair, Haiti's Minister of Youth, Sport and Civic Action, by President and Founder of Peace and Sport Joel Bouzou, accompanied by French footballer Christian Karembeu, (World Championship winner in 1998) during their forthcoming visit to Haiti in August.

Among the prestigious signatories of the VIP Book, we particularly notice five major Olympic champions: Jamaican Veronica Campbell Brown (200m), the Dominican Felix Sanchez (400m), Australia's Steven Hooker (pole vault), the American Dwight Phillips (triple jump) and Russia's Andrei Silnov (high jump), as well as great legends of athletics, such as the triple world champion in the 100m and 200m Tyson Gay (USA), the double world champion in middle-distance Bernard Lagat (USA), the Lithuanian discus thrower Virgilius Alekna, the Queen of the 100m Carmelita Jeter (USA) and the rising star of 110m hurdles David Oliver (USA).

Supported by the IAAF and the Monegasque Athletics Federation, the VIP Book signing had the patronage of triple world champion and world record holder in the 800m Wilson Kipketer, who is also a Peace and Sport "Champion for Peace".

In addition, the Junior Women's 1000m qualifying race at Herculis 2010 (race No. 22 at 5.15pm), is devoted to solidarity for Haiti, to encourage everyone to get mobilized for this cause.

Mr. Bouzou said: "I greatly look forward to presenting this VIP Book dedicated to the children of Haiti. The athletes who have signed it are role-models for these children and an unparalleled source of inspiration in their lives. Their words of encouragement appeal to youngsters to stay strong, tenacious and positive, in order to overcome the ordeal they are going through. Sport is a fantastic tool to support them during this transition period and I warmly thank the athletes participating in Herculis 2010 for being the bearers of this message of hope."

With the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers renewing their long-time, Western Division rivalry beginning Monday, Babyfans.com offers west coast parents and their children with ways to show support for their hometown teams.   From Giants pacifiers and 3-piece creeper, bib and bootie sets to Dodgers toddler baseball hats and baby bottles, Baby Fans allows families to outfit their children in their favorite team’s gear. 

“Nothing brings fans together like a good old fashioned rivalry,” said President of Baby Fans, Todd Wilson. “We provide a way for entire families to get involved in showing support for their team during heated match-ups like the Giants vs. Dodgers.”

The Dodgers vs. Giants rivalry is the longest-standing and one of the most storied rivalries in the history of baseball.  Starting on the east coast, this cross-town rivalry between Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants moved to the west coast after both organizations agreed to relocation after the 1957 baseball season.  Baseball stars like Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, Mike Piazza and Barry Bonds have carried this rivalry from decade to decade. In turn, generations of families have passed down the importance of supporting their favorite team for this century-long rivalry as well.  

www.Babyfans.com and Baby Fans Inc., outfits babies and toddlers with officially licensed apparel and merchandise for different sports teams across many different leagues including NFL, MLB, NCAA, and NASCAR. - Report By Nick Schubert.

Annecy native Christophe Lemaitre, European Junior 100 meters champion and the great hope of world sprinting, is announcing his full support for France's Bid to host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Annecy in 2018.

With Christophe Lemaitre bursting onto the scene, Annecy and the Savoie Mont-Blanc region are proudly proclaiming their status as a land of great sporting champions. The majestic setting of the region's sites and infrastructures offer athletes an ideal training base in which to express their full talent. The young athletics star, from the Aix-les-Bains athletics club (Athlétique Sport Aixois), is the figurehead for a new generation of athletes who are training in the region to reach the heights.

Christophe Lemaitre declared: "I was born in Annecy, I grew up in this region and it's where I live my passion today. Everyone who lives here shares the same love of sport. I dream of seeing the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in my home town. It promises to be a wonderful festival which will inspire young people from Annecy, France and the whole world to make sport a real way of life".

Christophe Lemaitre, 20 years old, is the new star of European athletics. He won the hearts of many athletics fans when he broke the symbolic 10 second barrier during the 100 meters at the French "Elite" Championships in Valence on 9th July. Annecy is a candidate for the organization of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2018. The International Olympic Committee will announce its decision on 6th July 2011 during the 123rd Session of the IOC in Durban, South Africa. - Report By Dennis Pollack

CivicScience Inc today released survey data from 250,000 consumers aged 13 to 29 regarding the popularity of NBA star Lebron James. This research was conducted in the wake of James’ decision to join the Miami Heat on a heavily publicized cable television special. Analysis of the collected data reveals that ‘Millennial’ consumers were ultimately unmoved by the announcement, despite apparent public outrage among older demographics.

"If you watched ESPN or read a newspaper last Friday, you would have thought Lebron had committed career suicide," said John Dick, CEO of CivicScience Inc. "But we need to remember that our media punditry is still dominated by Baby Boomers and older Gen X-ers. Millennials identify with James as one of their own and it appears his announcement may have actually improved his image overall."

Opinions were collected during a 48-hour period beginning Friday afternoon July 9th, using proprietary technology developed by CivicScience Inc over websites and social networks. 53% of respondents were US residents while 47% came from a combination of Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. 78% of respondents were male, 22% female.

Respondents familiar with Lebron James were asked how the recent announcement affected their perception of him. The results have a margin of error of +/- .2%.

- 47% said they "don’t care," indicating a lack of interest in the announcement in general

- 19% said that they "like him more" as a result of the announcement

- 19% said they "didn’t like him before" and were unaffected by the announcement

- 15% said they "will never root for him again" as a result of the announcement

"Naturally, data like these raise a number of new questions," stated Dr. Lamar Pierce, Professor at the Olin School of Business at Washington University of St. Louis and Chief Scientific Advisor to CivicScience. "Do younger sports fans care less about team loyalty? Do they view an athlete’s brand as something separate from their team jersey? We are excited to continue studying this worldwide audience in the days and weeks ahead."

CivicScience Inc currently polls over 500,000 worldwide consumers aged 13 to 29 everyday. These coveted and notoriously hard-to-reach Millenials offer a constant view into the health and future of more than 600 consumer brands, current events, and lifestyle trends. CivicScience allows brand marketers, industry analysts, and other customers to subscribe to the data feed in real-time.

"This is obviously great news for Lebron James, his key endorsers, and the Miami Heat," continued John Dick. "Even if James’ perception suffers among older consumers, these younger fans are the ones buying Gatorade, wearing Nike shoes, and playing EA Sports video games. Marketers better realize that the Millennials are taking over and that they have a whole new way of seeing the world." – Report/Research by CivicScience Inc.

The Lakers just won their 16th world championship and next year will go for a “three peat”. The Power Player Lifestyle magazine was up close and personal at this year’s Espy’s Award show at the Nokia Theater. The World Champion, New Orleans Saints where highlighted everywhere and took home the “Best Team” award. Head Coach Sean Peyton has written a new book and has been on the talk show circuit. No one can forget that image of Drew Brees with his young son, with the headphones on , confetti raining down, and Brees hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.  He won best athlete, best performance by an athlete, at the Espy’s. The scene in Miami was bananas as the Saints fans took over the City of Miami like it was Mardis Gras. This was not only the first Championship in their franchise history, but it was a championship for the City; the people of New Orleans, and for their collective pride and hope in the future of the city after Hurricane Katrina. In fact, they are probably still partying and line dancing in New Orleans five months later. Daren Sharper was on the red carpet with The Power Player editor in Chief, Lela Thompson, as well as Pierre Thomas, running back, with the Saints. But now it’s back to the business at hand, of the NFL, as training camps opened and the dust has settled. Can the Saints Repeat? Many of their starters have signed with other teams, they had to endure a vicodin scandal involving its assistant and head coach, as well as many other off the field distractions. History is not on their side to repeat. The Saints will be formidable and hopefully focused.

This year’s Super Bowl will be in Big D, my hometown, Dallas, Texas, in its extra large stadium. “Everything’s  Bigger in Texas.” It will be the first time that the odds on favorite to make to it to the Super Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys, will be playing in their home stadium. But unlike other years, this may be the last normal training camp in sight, due the possibility of a strike in 2011. With a lockout inevitable and no new labor deal in sight, uncertainty is in the summer air. The NFLPA Union president and power player, DeMaurice Smith, said, “Chad Ochocinco asked me at the draft, on a scale of 1 to 10 where do you see the possibility of a lockout?  I’d put it a 14.”

The 2011 training camps could be truncated or eliminated if the lockout continues. The signing of first round draft picks have been complicated by the broader lack of clarity about the future. Like the NBA, players are facing a possible lockout next year. That’s why they all were trying to get max contracts and long term deals as they could, while signing for less money in exchange for  a longer term deal. This  is quickly becoming a prevailing trend in both sports. Rookie receiver Dez Bryant, WR of the Dallas Cowboys, was the first first–rounder to sign a contract which he reached an agreement on July 22, 2010. That will open the flood gates for other deals to get done, although it appears likely there will be some training camp holdouts.  The Players union said it was reviewing all aspects of player spending and movement in an uncapped year. (2010 there is no cap on spending for player contracts). Since last spring, the union made it clear that it will watch closely signs of collusion among owners. Last year, just three first rounder picks were signed by July 25, 18 first-rounder’s’ signed from Aug 1-Aug. 10, and by Aug. 10, last year, 27 of the 32 first rounder’s had signed contract. (NFPLA) Still last year, four longtime agents said that the struggle was in structuring contracts that included guaranteed money to be paid in 2011 league year. The dilemma is what if there is no 2011 league year? Or what if it starts late when the lockout ends? When does the player get paid? The challenge has been for agents to come up with language, including specific dates that will guarantee players are paid next year.

Against this back drop, there have been many NFL players who have been released and switched teams along with teams incorporating all the new free agents and new draft picks into their rosters. Six (6) questions have emerged for the upcoming season; (1) How much did the balance of power in the NFC east shift with the trade of Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins? The Dallas Cowboys are predicted to win this division, but Washington will certainly move up from the cellar? Michael Vick’s off season troubles continue with a shooting at a restaurant by one of his body guards. Is he the right insurance policy in case Kevin Kolb goes down to injury or is a bust in Philadelphia? (2) Will New Orleans repeat, as they are expected to win their division, but now have bulls-eye on their back as every team will seek to beat them. Book deals in the off season, lots of press. Not all good. Several off the field distractions such as Reggie Bush settled out of court with a marketing agent for $300,000. USC is being placed on five years’ probation, no bowl appearances for two years,  they will have to forfeit over 30 scholarships over 5 years, and they returned and removed all records from Bush and his Heisman trophy. This is largely attributed to Bush and basketball player  O.J. Mayo, with the Memphis Grizzlies.  Kim Kardshian is now dating Miles Austin, star receiver with the Dallas Cowboys. Just thought I throw that in.

(3) How will Tim Tebow, quarterback from Florida, drafted by the Denver Broncos, be used in the NFL?  Will they use the wildcat offense in varying  packages to perfection? Or will he be a bust?( 4) Will the Jets get back to the playoffs after filming the HBO curse, Hard Knocks? Mark Sanchez had a good rookie season but threw a lot of interceptions. The Jets made a lot of off season moves by signing LaDainian Tomlison, RB, Jason Taylor, DE, Santonio Holmes, WR among others, but shut down corner, Derrelle Revis is holding out for new contract  to become the highest paid corner in the league. (5) Can the Steelers survive an awful off-season and terrible publicity with the disturbing behaving of its quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who was suspended for the first four-six games of the year for his second sexual assault charge? They traded away top receiver Santonio Holmes to the Jets, for his off the field issues. A year ago, their top receiver, Dontae Stallworth, hit and murdered a man in his Bentley in Miami and was charged with DUI, signed with the Baltimore Ravens.  (6) Finally will Peyton Manning , of the Indianapolis Colts and Tom Brady, of the New England Patriots get new contracts that will be probably the largest in NFL history? Oh, and Brett Favre, will return to the Minnesota Vikings for his last year. All of these questions make for great headlines amid so much uncertainty. Ready or not, football is here, for how long, who knows.   Power-up!