Lakers' Newble aware, on and off the floor
LOS ANGELES - While a trip to China during the Olympics could be risky for Lakers forward Ira Newble, he's willing to go if needed to help bring awareness to China's involvement in the conflict in Darfur.
Newble has been collecting signatures from NBA players, including from injured Celtics center Scot Pollard, to add to a letter that will be presented to the Chinese government and the president of the Olympic Committee. Newble also is trying to come up with a way to get Olympians to speak out on Darfur without disrupting the Games.
The Chinese government is a trading partner and weapons supplier to the Sudanese government. In Darfur, in Western Sudan, government-backed militias warring with rebels have killed an estimated 400,000 civilians, with more than 2.5 million others displaced in the last five years, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
"I'm not sure if I'm going," Newble said of a trip to China. "I would go, if need be. But at this time I'm not. Security might be an issue because China really doesn't look at this too kindly.
"They are already fabricating stories over there about me. The fans and the people actually wouldn't mind. It's the government.
"But I would do it. I don't have a problem with it. If there was a situation where I needed to be there, I would."
Newble, who became aware of the situation in Darfur in January 2007, visited two refugee camps in Chad last August and heard stories from victims of the deadly conflict.
Although Newble hasn't played a major role in the Finals while playing for the Cavaliers last season and the Lakers this season, being a member of teams on the highest basketball stage has helped him get his message out. Newble said several Lakers, including Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, have done public service announcements on genocide and Darfur.
"By making it to the Finals, I got a lot of publicity," Newble said. "[Cleveland last year] was where it all started. Actually, I got more international publicity then than I am now. But, as you see, LA is a larger market and it's kind of ignited the cause coming here. A lot of people in Cleveland with the local papers picked it up. But the LA Times has a large circulation, so when they wrote about it, people across the country picked it up.
"I'm just pleased because at this time last year I only had a few people on board. Now I have at least a quarter of the NBA players. Probably all of them know what's going on, but about a quarter of them pretty much are putting a lot of thought into it and speaking out."
Newble expects to meet soon with actor Don Cheadle about the Darfur situation. Newble also has a website, mybeaware.org, and also urges people to check out dreamfordarfur.org.
Quite the crew
Celtics managing partner and governor Wyc Grousbeck's family was in position to win two championships in two states yesterday. Grousbeck's daughter, Kelsey, and her Noble & Greenough School girls' first crew teammates Louisa Harrison, Juliet Hollingsworth, Julia Macalaster, and Jen Lawrence won the gold medal at the USRowing Youth National Championship in Cincinnati. The girls finished their season undefeated.
Afterward, Grousbeck, his wife, Corinne, their son, Campbell, and Kelsey took a charter plane that left Cincinnati at about 2:15 p.m. Eastern to Los Angeles for an arrival at about 4 p.m. Pacific in advance of the 6 p.m. tip for Game 5, which the Celtics lost.
"We couldn't be more proud," said Grousbeck about his daughter and her teammates. "It's the ultimate team sport. They did a great job. They're a bunch of fighters."
Taking a break
For 20 years, Magic Johnson hosted a charity weekend and celebrity all-star basketball game during the offseason in Los Angeles. The Hall of Famer passed the event to the Celtics' Paul Pierce and the Warriors' Baron Davis, both LA natives, in 2006, and they have hosted similar weekends the past two years. But since 12 NBA stars will not be available to play in the game because of the Olympics, Pierce and Davis have called off the event this year and will resume it next year. The two are still involved in charity efforts in the city, however. Pierce is slated to open a community center in Inglewood this summer and Davis has been involved in trying to stop gang activity.
Handle with kid gloves
Ex-Celtic Gary Payton was known for being outspoken during his playing days. And it definitely will be interesting to hear what "The Glove" has to say while working for "The Best Damn Sports Show, Period" as one of the hosts and judges for the 12th annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., July 7-8. Heat stars Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning are confirmed guests on the July 7 show.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com
