MICHAEL MANN, who directed and produced such works as
"MIAMI VICE," "HEAT" and "THE INSIDER," has agreed to direct
Columbia Pictures' biopic on MUHAMMAD ALI, which will star
WILL SMITH (DAILY VARIETY, 2/23). The project, eight years
in the works, could start shooting "as soon as July for
release in summer 2001" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 2/23)....Suns
CEO & D'Backs Managing General Partner JERRY COLANGELO was
found "to have two hernias" during a "routine physical exam"
he took with D'Backs pitchers and catchers when they
reported to spring training in AZ. Colangelo: "You turn 60,
you start falling apart" (USA TODAY, 2/23)....TIGER WOODS
dismissed reports that he is engaged to girlfriend JOANNA
JAGODA: "I don't know where people come up with this stuff.
It's not true" (Mult., 2/23)....NBC's JAY LENO called Saints
RB RICKY WILLIAMS' arrest for failure to sign a traffic
ticket "unbelievable to me. Someone actually wanted a
member of the New Orleans Saints to sign something. When
has that ever happened?" ("Tonight Show," 2/22)....Raptors G
VINCE CARTER appeared on CBS' "Late Show" with special host
BILL COSBY last night and discussed going back to Univ. of
NC to receive his diploma: "I just watched ... ANTAWN
JAMISON and JERRY STACKHOUSE. ... Just the smile on their
faces and it made me feel good to see them go back and get
their degree, even though they left (early). This summer, I
have two more classes and I'll be done" ("Late Show," CBS,
2/22)....In Dallas, Bart Hubbuch wrote that "fans and the
NBA's marketing machine can't seem to get enough" of Kings G
JASON WILLIAMS. But "what hasn't gotten as much attention
is the growing backlash. Fans and marketers may love
Williams, but purists, opponents, the referees and even some
of his own teammates aren't nearly as enamored with the
Kings' young playmaker" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/22).
...T'Wolves F KEVIN GARNETT, BRAD GREY TV and HUNGRY MAN are
"quietly developing a script for Fox that's inspired by the
real-life Garnett posse-- a crew of buddies he's dubbed the
Official Block Family." Garnett will "likely not star in
the sitcom," and it's "unclear whether the concept will make
it to air this fall" (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, 2/25 issue).
