BRIEFLY : ANDRE CONTINUES GIANT 1996 COLLAPSE.

In what amounted to an early start to his Christmas vacation, Andre Agassi made a brief appearance at the Grand Slam Cup on Wednesday in Munich, offering little resistance in a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Mark Woodforde.

``It's been a struggle most of the year,'' Agassi said. ``I thank God that I won the gold medal (at the Atlanta Olympics). But outside that, it's been a struggle.

``I just want to put it behind me and and get ready to move on. I don't need any miracle cure. I just need to go back to good old fundamentals.''

While Agassi was having his troubles, Jakob Hlasek, Goran Ivanisevic and Yevgeny Kafelnikov won.

The $6 million tournament features the 16 players with the best records at the four Grand Slam events of the year - the Australian, French and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon. The winner earns $1.6 million.

FOOTBALL

Marc Primanti, who was perfect on all of his field-goal tries and extra points this season for North Carolina State, won the Lou Groza Award as college football's top kicker.

Primanti did not miss a single one of his 24 field-goal attempts or 20 point-after kicks this year. He set an Atlantic Coast Conference record for field goals with a string of 27 going back to last year.

His longest field goal this year was 48 yards against Alabama. He hit all nine of his attempts from 40 yards to 49 yards this year.

Larry Smith resigned as Canadian Football League commissioner, effective at the end of the season.

He had the job for 4-1/2 years.

BASEBALL

Baseball's proposed labor deal hit a pair of snags involving bonus money and free-agent rules, causing a delay of a ratification vote.

Lawyers worked day and night to try to resolve problems in two areas: a $2.5 million dispute in 1996 postseason bonus money, and deadline dates for 14 players who will gain free-agent rights when the agreement is ratified.

Montreal Expos manager Felipe Alou underwent an outpatient procedure to correct an enlarged prostate gland.

Alou, 61, was told to rest a few days before resuming normal activities.

Willie McGee will be staying with the St. Louis Cardinals. He agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract.

The Baltimore Orioles offered arbitration to left-handed pitcher David Wells, who won 11 games last season before starring in the playoffs.

CYCLING

DuPont has ended its seven-year involvement with the Tour duPont bicycle race, leaving the 1,100-mile event next May without a title sponsor and perhaps in jeopardy.

The global chemical, research and energy company said in a statement that it withdrew from the race ``effective immediately'' because of complications in a lawsuit between owners of the event.

SOCCER

Soccer's world governing body is considering a proposal to pull the men's game out of the Olympics and set up an under-23 world championship.

The issue goes before FIFA's executive committee meeting Saturday in Barcelona and could eventually wipe the men's game from the Olympic program.

``If FIFA set up its own under-23 world championship and the IOC wanted to keep soccer in the Olympics, that could lead to problems,'' FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper said.

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Photo

Photo: A dejected but resigned Andre Agassi wipes his face after a first-round loss in the Grand Slam Cup, which finished a tough year.

Associated Press