ZO AND D-WADE GROOVE

Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade picked up their bowling balls during a virtual bowling challenge to raise money for charity on behalf of the new Gatorade G2 product…Wade-acting for the first time as co-host of Zo’s Summer Groove- out bowled Zo to win that event… the dynamic dual continued the Summer Groove love-fest and held a youth basketball clinic…this is the 12th Summer Groove Zo’s hosted and the first time Wade and his lips have served as the event’s co-host. To date, the Groove has raised more than $6 million for children’s charitable and educational causes, such as youth centers and after-school programs.

DREW STAYING TRUE

Its was just over a month ago that I was frolicking out in the desert for the Pro Sports Team Challenge, watching the likes of Charles Barkley, Jason Kidd and Drew Brees tee off for charity-one of those charities was the USO…one of the ‘top celebrity athlete givers’ around- Drew Brees- appeared to be thrilled to take part in raising money for charity-in fact-all the participants were, but Brees struck me as the most-eager to give-back…so I find it not surprising that Brees is again popping up on my hotties who do-good radar again. This time, Brees, along with smoking hot New York Giant Osi Umenyiora are making the rounds with the USO, notably-in Baghdad. Brees and Umenyiora joined the tour in attempts to make our troops smile with ‘special guest’ appearances, distribution of cool stuff and of course, sign autographs. (USO photo by Dave Gatley)

RONALDINHO CHARITY APPEARANCE AMID BARCA BACKLASH

Brazil’s soccer god, Ronaldinho used his fame to raise awareness for GRAAC- Group in Support of Teenagers and Children with Cancer- Ronaldinho made an appearance at the charity indoor soccer game to benefit the GRAAC, in Sao Paulo, and he says he plans to play for Brazil at the Olympics despite the wishes of his FC Barcelona club…Ronaldinho has been named in coach Dunga’s 18-man squad and fully intends to make the trip to Beijing despite Barcelona crying over the fact that he is due at the Camp Nou for preseason training. “I feel very positive and I am not thinking about anything that is not good,” he said, “I am imagining myself at the games, playing well and bringing back the gold medal. I have great confidence that I will go the Olympics in good shape and that is a great motivation to train. I have not played for a long time and I really do miss it. That is why I want to work hard and be ready. I am not thinking about if someone is going to stop me or try and block me from going to Beijing.”

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: BLIND

Who knew? Russia’s national soccer team head coach Guus Hiddink became a national hero in South Korea by guiding the country’s team to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup…but Guus’s national hero status needs to be upped to that of a Knight. Guus was in South Korea this week to attend the formal opening of his “Hiddink Dream Field II” in Pohang, which he helped to establish for disabled and blind children…Hiddink has been building Dream Fields through his foundation as a way to instill hope in the minds of children who have disabilities or are from disadvantaged families. The foundation built its first soccer stadium for the deaf in Chungju City last year. Hiddink plans to build a similar stadium for each province in Korea. Next year, a third of its kind will be built in Suwon City. Twenty blind students from Daegu and Chungju called Hiddink an “angel of love” in their letter to him. I’d have to ditto that notion.

As always, thanks for reading. Delinda Lombardo
delinda@athlebrities.com