LONDON (Reuters) – Nike, the world’s largest sporting goods maker, will extend its lead in sales of soccer-related products over rival Adidas helped by new launches and a marketing blitz at this summer’s FIFA World Cup, its chief executive told Reuters on Wednesday.

Mark Parker also said that consumer confidence remained fragile and forecast a “long gradual” recovery.

However, he added that Nike was taking market share from competitors and seeing a “slight improvement” in orders, including a “significant” pick-up in demand for soccer-related footwear, clothing and equipment....

Pittsburgh-based PLB Sports, which sponsors Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, is "expressing concern over the second accusation of sexual assault leveled against him in less than a year," according to Michael McCarthy of USA Today.

The story was linked to by SportsBusiness Daily.

Roethlisberger this past weekend was accused of sexual assault, and PLB Sports President & CEO Ty Ballou said that the "pattern of Roethlisberger's off-the-field behavior, from his bar-hopping to his helmet-less motorcycle crash in 2006, is 'troubling.'" ...

SEATTLE -- Charles Garcia is hoping his size and skills, combined with a strong start to his only season of major college basketball, are good enough for the NBA.

Seattle University's 6-foot-10 junior forward wasted no time and declared for the NBA draft on Monday, effective at the end of the Redhawks season. Combining the size of a big man with the ball-handling skills of a perimeter player, Garcia became a must-see for NBA scouts after starting the year as an unknown....

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Several North Carolina agencies are shipping seized counterfeit shoes to poor countries.

The Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement said in a news release Sunday that $850,000 in counterfeit shoes that were seized in the Charlotte area have been boxed up and sent to World Vision. The relief agency provides disaster assistance around the world.

The Alcohol Law Enforcement Division has been working with the Secretary of State's office in a crackdown on counterfeit goods....

Upon hearing her evaluation I became furious for I thought, "Who is she to tell me what I can or cannot do. She does not even know me. I am a very determined and stubborn person!" I believe it was at that very moment that I decided I would somehow, someday return to college.

It took me a long time and a lot of hard work but I finally returned to the University of Texas in the fall of 1983 - a year and a half after almost dying. The next few years in Austin were very difficult for me, but I truly believe that in order to see beauty in life you have to experience some unpleasantness. Maybe I have experienced too much unpleasantness, but I believe in living each day to the fullest, and doing the very best I can....