Intelligencer

The Sporting Wives

Two of the city’s most high-profile athletic spouses, Joumana Kidd and Kristian Rice, have some new rivals for media attention. First Cynthia Rodriguez blew into town (and now she’s pregnant). Then this week, there’s a devout Christian contender with a penchant for calling talk-radio shows to stand by her man. A look at their stats.

By Elizabeth Spiers
Published May 21, 2005

(Photo: Globe Photos)

Cynthia Rodriguez (née Scurtis), a.k.a. C-Rod
Wife of: Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, a.k.a. A-Rod
Age: 31
Married: November 2002
Résumé: Ex–psychology teacher (and ex–volleyball player), from Miami
Husband’s income: $16 million a year with the Yankees, plus $67 million over the next several years from his Rangers contract
Lives: Upper East Side
How they met: Body and Soul gym in Coconut Grove, Florida
The wedding: She wore an Amsale gown with Swarovski crystals. Her parents paid.
Favorite hangout: Tao in midtown; loves Taotinis
Unhappily: “Page Six” reported A-Rod spotted “canoodling” with a Brazilian stripper
Happily: Cynthia announced last Tuesday that she’s pregnant

(Photo: Globe Photos)

Kristian Rice
Wife of: Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi
Age: 27
Married: February 2002
Résumé: Graphic designer, from California
Husband’s income: $120 million contract
Lives: Upper East Side
How they met: Giambi was eating alone at P.F. Chang’s in San Francisco when Kristian’s grandmother—an Oakland A’s season-ticket holder—approached him and ended up introducing her granddaughter
Wedding detail: Guests were seated at designated tables named after ballparks. The Giambis sat at “Yankee Stadium.”
Common interest with husband: Harley-Davidsons

(Photo: AP Photos)

Joumana Kidd (née Samaha)
Wife of: Nets point guard Jason Kidd
Age: 31
Married: February 1997
Résumé: Correspondent for Extra, former “Bud girl” for Anheuser-Busch, from California
Lives: New Jersey
Husband’s income: $103 million contract
How they met: She was dating a mutual friend
Unhappily: Recovered poise after rival fans shouted “wife beater” at her husband; later accused by Boston Globe of using her son T.J. as a “prop” to get media attention
Happily: Reportedly has an army of helpers—two nannies, a cleaning lady, a night nurse, and a visiting Pilates instructor—to assist her in coping with everyday pressures

(Photo: AP Photos)

Brenda Warner (née Carney)
Wife of: Kurt Warner, Giants quarterback
Age: 36
Married: October 1998
Résumé: Ex-nurse, ex-Marine, ex-cheerleader, from Iowa
Husband’s income: Signed with the Giants last Thursday for $3 million for 2004, plus a $1.5 million signing bonus, and still has $11.3 million left on his Rams contract
How they met: Country line-dancing in Iowa. He was a grocery-store bag boy. She was a single mom on food stamps.
Interesting factoids: Devout Christian—with Kurt, co-founded First Things First, an organization “dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values”; frequent caller to radio shows to talk about her husband’s career
Her motto (from the Warners’ Website): “Get over it”