USA Network Founder, Chair & CEO KAY KOPLOVITZ said she
     was leaving the company.  BARRY DILLER, whose HSN Inc.
     agreed to acquire USA Network last October, is expected to
     assume direct control (N.Y. TIMES, 4/9)....The '99 FIFA
     Women's World Cup Organizing Committee named two more Venue
     Directors, hiring HEATHER QUINN to run DC's Jack Kent Cooke
     Stadium and RICHARD MUSCHELL to oversee S.F.'s venue
     operations at both Spartan Stadium and Stanford Stadium. 
     Quinn was a consultant for the Davis Cup. Muschell was the
     Warriors Dir of Premium Seat Marketing (WWC)....SHARON FANTO
     was named General Sales Manager at Fox Sports Detroit. 
     Fanto was VP/GSM at Fox KTBC and KVC in Austin, TX (FSD).

          Former Cowboys coach BARRY SWITZER has signed with
     creative manager STEVEN FENTON and has met with producers
     MIKE TOLLIN and ROBERT WUHL of "Arli$$," who will write an
     episode of their show around Switzer, according to Michael
     Fleming of DAILY VARIETY.  Tollin "also has brought him into
     a cameo role" as a high school football coach in the MTV/
     Paramount film, "Varsity Blues."  Switzer will also try "to
     package his bestselling memoirs, 'The Bootlegger's Boy' as a
     movie."  Switzer is also looking into hosting a talk show
     and is planning to write another book on football.  Fenton
     called Switzer "the most dynamic speaker I've ever heard. 
     He's the Marlboro man" (DAILY VARIETY, 4/9).

          EDDIE VEDDER is among the guest conductors at Wrigley
     Field as part of a season-long tribute to HARRY CARAY
     (Mult., 4/8)....Celtics Coach RICK PITINO, on MSG President
     DAVE CHECKETTS: "I heard Dave Checketts said heads will role
     if the Knicks don't make the playoffs.  There's good
     pressure and there's bad pressure.  What he applied was bad
     pressure" (N.Y. POST, 4/9)....Bulls Chair JERRY REINSDORF
     told MICHAEL SNEED in Chicago that First Lady HILLARY RODHAM
     CLINTON has hung an autographed jersey of DENNIS RODMAN in
     her White House bedroom (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/9)....In
     Philadelphia, Stan Hochman reviews "My Giant," and writes
     that GHEORGHE MURESAN "steals the movie" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY
     NEWS, 4/9)....The annual GIVAT HAVIVA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
     GALA DINNER -- where MUHAMMAD ALI will receive the '98
     Haviva Reik Award -- will take place Tuesday, April 21 at
     the N.Y. Sheraton Hotel's Imperial Ballroom.  DICK SCHAAP is
     among the guests.  Ticket information can be obtained from
     the Haviva Foundation's N.Y. office (THE DAILY).