Names In The News

Authorities discovered “dozens of pit bulls and materials associated with dog fighting” on Thursday during a search for drugs at a house in Surry County (VA) owned by Falcons QB MICHAEL VICK. The original search warrant was served to the occupant of the house, Vick’s cousin DAVON BODDIE; Vick does not live in the home and is not under investigation. No one had been charged with dog fighting as of Thursday night. Between 50-65 pit bulls were found at the home (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 4/27).

KRAFT SERVICES: Event-management and security business TEAMOPS, owned by Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT, “made its pitch to the Boston City Council, which is exploring the use” of TeamOps Detect wipes, which the company says can “detect the slightest traces of marijuana, cocaine and other illicit substances” (BOSTON HERALD, 4/27).

OLD COLLEGE TRY: The three NCAA bowl games in Arizona last season — the Insight Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and BCS National Championship — generated a record $401M for the state’s economy, equal to what the Super Bowl is expected to bring in ’08. The Fiesta Bowl and National Championship game, both played at Univ. of Phoenix Stadium, brought in an estimated $287.3M. Four years ago, when the Fiesta Bowl hosted the national championship, the game brought in an estimated $153.7M (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/27).

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Time.com is asking readers to submit their selections for the magazine’s most influential people of the year. The site offers 203 candidates and asks readers to rate their influence on a scale of 1-100. Penguins C SIDNEY CROSBY leads all sports figures on the list and ranks fourth overall. Other sports figures, in order of their current rankings, include marathoner DEAN KARNAZES, ATPer ROGER FEDERER, NBC’s “Football Night in America” co-host KEITH OLBERMANN, Arsenal F THIERRY HENRY, golfer TIGER WOODS, Colts coach TONY DUNGY, Real Madrid MF DAVID BECKHAM, ’06 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee President FRANZ BECKENBAUER, Rockets C DIKEMBE MUTOMBO, Giants LF BARRY BONDS, FIFA President SEPP BLATTER and author MICHAEL LEWIS (THE DAILY).

King (r) Expresses Interest In Replacing O’Donnell (with daughter) On “The View”

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT: In N.Y., gossip columnists Rush & Molloy report BILLIE JEAN KING “would love to get into the talk-show” business. Asked if she would like to guest-host in place of ROSIE O’DONNELL on “The View,” King said, “Who said ‘guest?’ Why not? You think I’m just in sports, right? Wrong, baby. I’m an activist!” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/27)....Twins C JOE MAUER will be named one of America’s 15 most eligible bachelors on a “national Hollywood cable TV show” next month. Filming for the program was done this week at the Metrodome (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/27).... “SEMI-PRO,” a comedy about the ABA starring WILL FERRELL, WOODY HARRELSON and ANDRE BENJAMIN, is in production and will feature Basketball HOFer GEORGE GERVIN, former NBAers ARTIS GILMORE and POOH RICHARDSON, and AND1 streetballer THE PROFESSOR. Director KENT ALTERMAN used ABA historian ARTHUR HUNDHAUSEN to “keep things realistic” (SI, 4/30 issue).