NAMES IN THE NEWS

     Lawyers for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED have asked a judge to dismiss
a $150M libel lawsuit by RANDALL "TEX" COBB.  The lawsuit
concerns a '92 article contending that one of Cobb's fights was
fixed (AP/PHILA. INQUIRER, 12/1)....According to sources,
Columbia Pictures is putting together a movie script about the
life of MUHAMMAD ALI (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/1).... "MUGGSY" BOGUES
will be featured tonight on CBS' "Eye to Eye" with Connie Chung
(Baltimore SUN, 12/1)....Nike and Reebok "are fighting over" UTA
PIPPIG, a German marathoner, "aspiring physician and potentially
hot marketing ticket."  Last month, Reebok announced that it had
lured Pippig from Adidas.  But last week, Nike hired Reebok's
track and field chief MARK BOSSARDET, and "expects to land
Pippig."  Pippig's agent, Kim McDonald, meets with Nike next
week.  McDonald: "Probably the only bigger track shoe contract
was CARL LEWIS" (USA TODAY, 12/1).....BIG 12 officials will begin
a national search for a conference commissioner (AP/N.Y. TIMES,
11/29).