NIKE EXEC MILLER STILL NAMED AS FAVORITE FOR USATF EXEC DIR

          USA Track & Field, which in December voted out 31-year
     Exec Dir Ollan Cassell, may not have a replacement in place
     until May or later, according to USA TODAY's Dick Patrick. 
     U.S. Federation President Patricia Rico appointed an eight-
     member internal search committee and USATF hired Washington,
     D.C.-based headhunting firm Korn & Ferry.  Patrick notes
     that "the new director will inherit a challenging
     situation," with indoor meets "dying," the U.S. in the
     running for the '99 World Championships and the '97 budget
     cut from $9.3M to $7.8M due to sponsorship shortfall.  Nike
     Marketing Exec Steve Miller is "most frequently" referred to
     as the favorite to be the USATF's next Exec Dir.  Mobile
     Invitational Meet Dir John Cook, on Miller: "He's got huge
     energy and is a go-getter.  I've had people at USATF tell me
     they're afraid (that) with him, Nike would play too big a
     role.  I don't have a problem with Nike" (USA TODAY, 1/23).