News, we got news
Something tells me NBA All-Star weekend, Feb. 17 and 18, is going to get a whole lot more interesting.
At Leigh Steinberg's annual Super Bowl party, publicist Howard Bragman told several media members one of his clients, a former NBA player, is coming out of the closet - yes, revealing his homosexuality - in a book being released on Valentine's Day.
Bragman has experience in this area. Another client, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, made a similar revelation last year.
Of the former NBA player, Bragman would only say that he was not an ex-Bull, that he's been out of the league for "about three years" and that he was not a star player.
Meanwhile, back at the paella bar: I'm done with the entertainment beat. At least when you're covering sports, you're reasonably sure the athletes are going to show up.
Steinberg, the super-agent upon whom the Tom Cruise character in Jerry Maguire was based as long as you're not talking to Drew Rosenhaus, threw his 21st Super Bowl party Saturday afternoon, this one aboard the Grand Floridian Yacht at its dock in Hollywood, Fla.
Among the celebrities scheduled to attend: Billy Bob Thornton, Nick Lachey, Troy Aikman, Gabrielle Union, Common, Jerry Rice, Greg Kinnear, Steve Young, Taye Diggs, Lance Bass, Serena Williams, Steven Van Zandt, the Wayans brothers, William Peterson and Melina Kanakaredes.
Celebrities actually in attendance: Michael Clarke Duncan, Ludacris, Lorenz Tate and that dude who hosts "Around the Horn" on ESPN.
Wonder how the folks who shelled out $500 each to attend felt?
But, give Steinberg points for his green-themed party, boasting an environmentally sustainable organic products and a silent auction benefitting the National Resources Defense Council (at which I would have loved to bid on the electric guitar signed by, among others, B.B. King, Joe Perry, Lenny Kravitz, Flea, Pete Townsend, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, the Edge, Steve Vai and Jimmy Page - but the minimum bid was $5,900).
"We've tried to put together a party that reflects our concerns and offers some practical ways to deal with the problem of global warming," Steinberg said.
He advocated "green stadia," featuring scoreboards powered by solar panels, rainwater collected from roofs, saying, "There are all sorts of ways to make the athletic community a leader in this fight."
More experts weigh in: Duncan, who hails from 47th and Drexel on the South Side and was wearing a Bears cap, picked the Bears, naturally - and volunteered to suit up.
"They need a vocal leader," the 275-pound chiseled mass of thespian said. "I could bring that to them - even though I probably couldn't play a lick."
Duncan is one of the few Bears voices in what is becoming a Colts chorus. Cleveland quarterback Ken Dorsey chimed in on that front, saying, "You've got to think it's kind of Peyton's time."
And maybe all quarterbacks feel the same way about the long-suffering Manning.
"I like Indy," retired slinger Warren Moon said, "for the edge in the quarterback play.
"If you knew how Rex Grossman was going to play, it might be different. But you just don't know."
24-Hour Party People: The Steinberg extravaganza was one of the earliest on a day of parties so extensive that Chicago planners and talent handlers might want to take note so that they can start planning on the off chance the Windy City lands the 2016 Olympics.
What follows is a partial list of Super Bowl Eve events, lifted from the Miami Herald and reorganized by me into handy categories.
For the money is no object set: Penthouse Super Bowl Party, featuring Snoop Dogg, more than 25 Penthouse models and ticket prices starting at $1,000; The Millionaire Super Bowl Party, with Jaimie Foxx, Reggie Bush, the Colts Cheerleaders and many, many more, plus lounge tickets at $2,000 and VIP tickets at $3,000; and $1,500 gets you host John Travolta and entertainment by Dennis DeYoung (whose former Styx bandmates will be performing a free outdoor concert elsewhere), plus "possible guest" Scarlett Johansson at the Super Saturday Night Spectacular.
Glitz on a budget: P. Diddy hosts the Takeover at Chakra Lounge, with ticket prices ranging from $100-$300 (and don't expect to see a lot of Mr. Diddy, who is simultaneously hosting P. Diddy's White Carpet Super Bowl Party - semiformal attire required - at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino); Jerry Rice hosts a celebrity roast for $845; Ludacris headlines the Greatest Super Bowl Party, $750; Nelly hosts the Super Bowl Beach BBQ Party II, $236.
Wanna-be VIPs: Dennis Rodman's Bad Boy Bowl Party, $25; Watch Magic Johnson and Lou Ferrigno, among others, at a celebrity poker tournament, $20; Sister Sledge headlines Super Bowl Fest 2007, free.
If you have to ask, don't bother asking: Invitation-only soirees were hosted by Playboy, Sports Illustrated, PlayStation and MarketAmerica.com. If you were on the list, you could have seen Marc Anthony, JLo and Fergie at that last one.
