DAILY VARIETY's Michael Fleming reports that WILL SMITH
"has finally signed on the dotted line" to star in Director
MICHAEL MANN's Columbia Pictures biopic of MUHAMMAD ALI
(DAILY VARIETY, 5/16). Meanwhile, Ali and his wife LONNIE
received honorary degrees in public service from the Univ.
of Louisville (KY) Sunday (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL,
5/15)....The COMETS became the first WNBA team to visit the
White House yesterday, and met with PRESIDENT CLINTON. The
event was in recognition of the team's three WNBA
championships (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/16). White House staff
noted Clinton "lingered longer than usual in the Rose
Garden" following yesterday's ceremony. The President
"shook everyone's hand and patiently posed for pictures"
(USA TODAY, 5/16)....NBC News' Bob Dotson profiled former
Romanian gymnast NADIA COMANECI, who lives with her husband
and former U.S. gymnast BART CONNER in Norman, OK. The two
"are now building a gymnastics empire, creating new gear,
clothes, magazines and TV shows" ("NBC Nightly News," 5/15).
...Panthers Owner JERRY RICHARDSON will be inducted into the
NC Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER,
5/14)....Yankees Owner GEORGE STEINBRENNER has been elected
to the NYRA's Board of Trustees (NEWSDAY, 5/11)....In
Boston, Syre & Stein review Celtics President & coach RICK
PITINO's new book, "LEAD TO SUCCEED." Syre & Stein: "How
about writing a book called 'Lead to Succeed' when you are
the president of a company that has achieved virtually no
success?" The two write that the book "is pretty standard
management fare," but adds that there are "actually a few
bits of wisdom buried" in the book (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/16).
