LESLIE PRICE's sexual assault lawsuit against Hornets
Owner GEORGE SHINN goes to trial today in SC. In Charlotte,
Liz Chandler profiled the case in a front-page feature on
Sunday and wrote it "will be a 'he said, she said' battle"
(CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/12)....In N.Y., Mitchell Fink
reported that members of the JETS and GIANTS "have been set
for some time" to co-host Tuesday night's "Why We Love
Football" party at Gallagher's in N.Y. to celebrate the
September issue of GQ magazine and the start of the NFL
season. ESPN reps called GQ "asking the mag to 'release'
some of the guys so they could mosey on over" to the
ESPNZONE grand opening on Tuesday night, but GQ "said no"
(N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/12)....The DOLPHINS MEDIA RELATIONS
DEPARTMENT won the annual Rozelle Award for "being the NFL's
best media relations staff" for '98 in a vote by the Pro
Football Writers of America (PFWA), becoming the first two-
time winners (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 9/12). Other
PFWA winners include NFL VP/Communications GREG AIELLO, who
won the Horrigan Award for the league or team official most
cooperative with the PFWA; Falcons coach DAN REEVES, who won
the Halas Award for overcoming adversity; Oakland Tribune
columnist ART SPANDER, who won the McCann Award for
distinguished NFL coverage (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/12).
FOOD YOU CAN USE: USA TODAY's Larry King reports that
the "first of what could be many" SPORTING NEWS restaurants
"is open" in Washington, DC. King writes the restaurant
owners pay the publication for use of the name, and the food
is "terrific and the memorabilia fascinating" (USA TODAY,
9/13)....In Orlando, Jerry Jackson profiles this week's
opening of the NBA CITY WALK restaurant and writes that it
will "feature a bevy of pro basketball stars plus a crew
from MTV broadcasting" from the site (ORL. SENTINEL, 9/13).
