Names In The News

BAY AREA RANKINGS: In the fourth of a five-part series in which the CONTRA COSTA TIMES ranks the five most influential people in Bay Area sports, Giants Managing General Partner PETER MAGOWAN is No. 2. KNBR-AM and KTCT-AM GM TONY SALVADORE was named No. 3 (C.C. TIMES, 7/11).

NAMES: USA TODAY's Mike Dodd reports the SAMMY SOSA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION will close and transfer its assets to a charity in the Dominican Republic. The foundation made news in April, '00 when a former director accused the organization of "misuse of funds" (USA TODAY, 7/11)....Heat C ALONZO MOURNING will host ZO'S SUMMER GROOVE 5, a three-day benefit designed to raise money for at-risk kids in South FL. HBO is the title sponsor for the event (HBO)....ESPN.com's Andy Katz wrote that the NCAA "is looking into the potential eligibility" of high school basketball player and NBA prospect AMARE STOUDEMIRE because he "retained the services" of Jacksonville-based PR exec MARC LITTLE (ESPN.com, 7/10)....In Denver, Steve Caulk reports when MVP.com was nearing its end, shopper PAMELA BUCKLEY tried to purchase a treadmill but "endured inconveniences, long uncertainties and out-of-pocket expenses." Buckley: "MVP pretty much just dropped us. Anytime I see [MVP.com investor and endorser] JOHN ELWAY-anything, that's what I think of. So, I don't have anything good to say about him" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/9).