SHINN TRIAL: In Charlotte, Liz Chandler writes that in
the sexual assault civil trial brought against Hornets Owner
GEORGE SHINN, jurors "won't hear from a third woman who
claims to be the victim of unwanted sexual advances" by
Shinn. SC Circuit Judge COSTA PLEICONES ruled yesterday
that the woman, a former Hornets employee, "cannot testify
because there are too few similarities between her account"
and the alleged assault charge brought by plaintiff LESLIE
PRICE (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/14). CBS SportsLine's Mike
Kahn calls the trial "a mess" for the NBA. Kahn, on Shinn:
"Whether he's found guilty of sexual assault or not ... he
should be suspended an indefinite amount of time from
operating the Hornets franchise" (CBS SportsLine, 12/13).
OTHER NAMES: NEWSWEEK's David Ansen reviews "ANY GIVEN
SUNDAY" and writes that OLIVER STONE "hurls the audience
onto the field, surrounding us with the most bone-crunching,
earth-shaking game of football ever put on film." Stone
"creates such a sizzling, raunchy, vital world that the
cliches almost seem new. He gets the details right: the
macho locker-room swagger, the parasitical media, the
bartering of celebrity for sex, the spoken and unspoken
issues of race" (NEWSWEEK, 12/20). CNN's Martin Grove said
"Any Given Sunday" should do "huge" business. Grove: "It's
a wonderful movie" ("Showbiz Today," CNN, 12/13)....Hawks C
DIKEMBE MUTOMBO, wife ROSE, daughter CARRIE and four adopted
children were included in a group of 50 people invited to a
Christmas event at the White House hosted by PRESIDENT
CLINTON (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/14)....USA TODAY's Doug
Smith reports that ANDRE AGASSI and SERENA WILLIAMS will
visit the White House tomorrow to be honored by Clinton for
winning the U.S. Open (USA TODAY, 12/14)....In L.A., Susan
Carpenter profiled the LAKER GIRLS, which in its 20th season
are to "the NBA what the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders are to
the NFL. An institution" (L.A. TIMES, 12/13).
