Lawsuit against Kobe Bryant contains risks\nEAGLE, Colo. -- In pressing on with her civil suit against NBA star Kobe Bryant, the woman accusing him of rape will not have to meet the higher standard of proof required in a criminal case.\nOn the other hand, the details of her sex life could come spilling out, along with her medical and psychological records -- the very thing she had tried so desperately to avoid in the criminal case.\nLegal experts said both sides might be moving toward a settlement to avoid releasing potentially embarrassing or damaging information about not only the 20-year-old accuser, but also the 26-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star.\nAs in the criminal case, the relevance of the woman's sexual conduct before and after her encounter with Bryant is likely to be the subject of a legal fight. Bryant's lawyers won that fight in the criminal case. In the civil case, U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch will have to decide if the information is relevant, said Mel Hewitt, an Atlanta attorney who has 20 years' experience representing victims of crimes including rape in civil court.\nThe procedure is almost identical to that under Colorado's rape-shield law, which generally bars defense attorneys from introducing such information unless they prove in a closed-door hearing that it is relevant, Hewitt said.
Frances postpones FSU-Miami, Florida's opener\nMIAMI -- Florida State and Miami will still play in prime time, just four days later than planned.\nThe nationally televised game, originally scheduled for Monday night, was postponed Thursday as Hurricane Frances moved closer to Florida's east coast. No. 11 Florida's opener against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday also was rescheduled.\nThe game between the No. 5 Seminoles and the No. 6 Hurricanes will be played next Friday night at the Orange Bowl.\n"Our biggest concern is for the safety of anyone who is in the path of Hurricane Frances, and we felt the appropriate thing to do is to reschedule the game," Miami Athletic Director Paul Dee said.\nFlorida's home game will be played Oct. 16, Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said.\nIn baseball, the Florida Marlins postponed Friday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs. The team said no decision has been made on whether to call Saturday or Sunday games off, or when Friday's postponement will be made up.
