Since Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson aren't dating after all--no surprise there, since, like, isn't she supposed to be with John Mayer?--guess we'll have to settle for Kirby Schlegel and Nick Lachey. I know. Kind of a letdown.
But that's what it says in The Seattle Times: Lachey's expected to be announced today as co-owner of the Tacoma Rainiers, the Pacific Coast League team that, since 1995, has been the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate. (Alex Rodriguez played for the Rainiers in 1995, matter of fact.) Schlegel bought the team in July and apparently wanted a celebrity partner in the endeavor; he settled instead for Lachey. (Thank you, thank you all.)
If you don't know much about the Canadian-born Kirby Schlegel, who moved to Dallas when he was 6, well, here's his shorthand bio: He's founder and chairman of Schlegel Sports, which began three years back when the 28-year-old Schlegel took control of the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League. He moved the team to Frisco and worked out a marketing partnershp with the Dallas Stars. His group also owns the Iowa Stars of the American Hockey League; the Stars are, you guessed it, a feeder team for Your Dallas Stars. As for Schlegel Sports Group, its president is Mike McCall--who, for the last three years, was president and general manager of the Frisco Roughriders.
So, yes, to answer your question, Kirby Schlegel is a Tom Hicks starter kit. And I mean that in a nice way. --Robert Wilonsky