The CLIPPERS received a "ticker-taper" greeting on
Friday's "Tonight Show" in celebration of their first win of
the season on Thursday ("Tonight Show," 3/12)....One source,
on DENNIS RODMAN's leave of absence from the Lakers due to
"personal problems": "He's suffered an anxiety attack, flew
to Las Vegas and went on a partying and drinking binge over
the weekend. He and Carmen are also having some marriage
problems. He is really stressed out over Carmen" (CHICAGO
SUN-TIMES, 3/15)....Padres Owner JOHN MOORES was named to the
Univ. of CA Board of Regents by CA Gov. GRAY DAVIS (SAN DIEGO
UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/12)....About 7,000 extras showed up at the
Orange Bowl Saturday for filming on OLIVER STONE's "ANY GIVEN
SUNDAY." The film offered video cameras, computer games,
$2,500 in cash and a Toyota Camry, though "many in the
stadium said they thought it would be a great time" (Ft.
Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/13)....Duke Univ. alum and
potential GOP presidential candidate ELIZABETH DOLE was at
the Charlotte Coliseum Friday night for Duke's opening round
NCAA Tournament game (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 3/13).
...French soccer player ZINEDINE ZIDANE was profiled in the
N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE by John Vinocur, who wrote that Zidane
"is often described as a model for the next generation, an
athlete whose sense of space, line and invention, mixed with
moments of wild schoolyard jive, seems cooler, more modern, a
step beyond" (N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE, 3/14)....GARTH BROOKS, on
SI's article several years ago asking MICHAEL JORDAN to give
up baseball: "No offense to Sports Illustrated -- because
they are the magazine I grew up with and will die with -- but
I thought that article (on Jordan) was truly horse(bleep).
I'd love to see that article permanently tattooed on whoever
wrote it" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/14)....The NFL donated
$450,000 from the Browns expansion process to the Cleveland
Public Schools and Berea, OH, Parks & Rec Department (NFL).
