Internet gaming company BetOnSports Founder GARY KAPLAN Friday "admitted to multiple charges of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act." Kaplan "agreed to serve 41 to 51 months in prison and forfeit" $43.65M ( BLOOMBERG NEWS, 8/14 ). GIVING BACK : In San Diego, Eleanor Yang Su reported Rock 'n' Roll Marathon organizer Elite Racing and its parent company, Competitor Group (CG), returned $114,638 to the San Diego Police Department on July 31 for "inappropriate discounts received in the past four years." The organizations had been "profiting off the marathon while receiving thousands of dollars in discounted police services and county grants through an affiliated foundation." The money will "cover the cost of traffic control and other event services." CG said that an additional $34,000 "will be returned to the city for money the foundation received from hotel taxes to promote tourism," and CG also will "refund $190,500 to the county for community grants" ( SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/15 ). ENTERTAINMENT BEAT : Singer KELLY CLARKSON and Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES are "teaming up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and broadcaster Viacom for a TV special to encourage America's youth to 'Get Schooled.'" Clarkson and James will "talk about the role education has played in their lives in the 30-minute show" on September 8, which will be "broadcast simultaneously across MTV, Nickelodeon, BET and 18 other youth-oriented Viacom TV channels" ( REUTERS, 8/14 )....Actress QUEEN LATIFAH and Nets trainer TIM WALSH appear in the upcoming film "J UST WRIGH T." Latifah "plays a sports trainer who works with a pro player -- a Net, played by rapper COMMON ." Magic C Dwight Howard , Heat G Dwyane Wade and Nets F Bobby Simmons also appear in the film ( N.Y. POST, 8/16 ). POOR PLANNING : In N.Y., Dan Tomasino writes the Single-A New York-Penn League Brooklyn Cyclones honored Baseball HOFer Tommy Lasorda 's induction into the Brooklyn Dodgers HOF yesterday with a ceremony that was "poorly conceived and poorly executed." Fans were "unable to hear most of Lasorda's speech because the public-address system was blaring music simultaneously." Also, Lasorda is "hardly a Brooklyn icon," as the "connection between him and the Cyclones begins and ends with the extra tickets the club sold yesterday by using his name" ( N.Y. POST, 8/17 ). BACK ON THE FIELD : In Nashville, David Climer writes Titans Owner BUD ADAMS since the death of his wife NANCY in February has been "far more visible than at any time since the team" moved from Houston in '97. Adams is "no JERRY JONES ," as he "doesn't want to call plays." He also "doesn't make a fool of himself on the sidelines." While he "might blurt something out within earshot of the media now and again, he leaves the hard-core football decisions to the pros" ( Nashville TENNESSEAN, 8/17 ). NAMES : A lawsuit has been filed in L.A. Superior Court against Grizzlies G O.J. MAYO for "breach of contract over nearly $150,000 in custom jewelry," which Mayo "never paid for" ( L.A. TIMES, 8/15 )....Top Rank Friday closed the doors to its Las Vegas-based Top Rank Gym, which "fell victim to a sluggish economy" ( LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/16 )....The Harold Pump Foundation, which "raises money to fight cancer," Thursday honored Basketball HOFers BILL RUSSELL and MAGIC JOHNSON at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills ( L.A. TIMES, 8/15 )....Patriots LB TEDY BRUSCHI and WR WES WELKER joined singer KENNY CHESNEY on stage during his concert at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. Patriots OL MATT LIGHT and coach BILL BELICHICK and his girlfriend LINDA HOLLIDAY were also in attendance ( BOSTON GLOBE, 8/17 )....U.S. swimmer NATALIE COUGHLIN , Pro Football HOFer MICHAEL IRVIN , MMA fighter CHUCK LIDDELL and snowboarder LOUIE VITO will appear in the upcoming season of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" ( ABC.com, 8/17 ).
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