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