RYKA ASKS SUITOR L.A. GEAR FOR A PRE-MARRIAGE LOAN

     Ryka Inc. is asking L.A. Gear for a short-term loan and is
seeking to renegotiate the terms of the companies' acquisition
agreement.  Ryka said, in a statement, that failure to reach a
revised deal "will result in termination of the merger
agreement."  Under the deal, L.A. Gear would acquire Ryka for
cash and stock valued at $16.4M.  The acquisition was scheduled
to close by this summer.  Ryka said it has exceeded its borrowing
limit with its primary lender, Heller Financial, and it needs a
loan from L.A. Gear.  Ryka's "financial woes come at a critical
time" when athletic-footwear makers begin factory runs for back-
to-school shipments (Joseph Pereira, WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/7).
     TIMBER!  Timberland is featured in today's USA TODAY
"company spotlight."  The piece notes that Timberland's stick has
"slumped more than 13% since Tuesday, when the company announced
that 1st & 2nd quarter earnings would be "significantly below"
expectations (USA TODAY, 4/7).