NAMES IN THE NEWS

     LARRY BIRD addressed SHAQUILLE O'NEAL's unwillingness to
become an ambassador for the NBA:  "You can talk about other
players all you want, but Shaq is the league.  He puts his
reputation on the line every minute of every day.  As long as
Shaq's doing the job on the court, he doesn't need to do any of
that (serving as league spokesman)" (ORLANDO SENTINEL,
3/4)....Broncos Owner PAT BOWLEN was hospitalized over the
weekend with a bruised heart from a skiing accident in the Vail
area (Mult., 3/5)....The U.S. is expected to file a formal
extradition request within two months for former NHLPA head ALAN
EAGLESON to face racketeering, fraud, and embezzlement charges in
Boston (TORONTO STAR, 3/4).