THE WRITING ON (AND OFF) THE WALL GIVE US BREAK FROM CASE.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

You're going to hear and read people say the 19-year-old accuser in the Kobe Bryant sexual-assault case is a normal, popular, attractive sweetheart of a girl from a little town in Colorado, horrified by what happened to her, simply seeking justice.

You're also going to hear and read she's unstable, once tried to commit suicide, is a typical NBA groupie who did a bad thing in the first place by having a liaison with a married man. Anyone with a little Internet knowledge can find her name, picture and phone number, and the actual criminal complaint that was filed, and it'll be published by someone somewhere without a conscience.

Then you're going to hear and read about how Kobe was the real victim, just like all the NBA players who are tempted by females in any city they venture into. Even though he committed adultery, it was consensual.

Some PR-savvy person is going to convince you that Kobe's ``street cred'' has actually improved because of this, perpetuating another stereotype about young black males.

Someone might also come forward and say they also slept with Kobe - and he's a good guy.

The issue of race? Sure, it'll come up.

You'll be tempted to cough up the 10 bucks for the ``Free Kobe'' T-shirts with his booking photo. They'll even offer up bumper stickers with catchy phrases like ``Kobe says it'll be OK.''

But first, you're going to hear silence. At least from this part of the newspaper.

It's inappropriate for any of us to comment on criminal case No. 03CR204, to spew an opinion based on gossip and unattributed sources, to make what's become a public trial even more sensational when a jury pool hasn't even been picked.

It's sad on both sides, no matter what verdict is reached, if it even comes to trial. It's become our business only because there's a crime involved, but there's still so much that should be private.

Until evidence is presented, please, for all our sanity, just sit back and shut up. ...

--Didn't hear Gary Payton cry anything about being innocent concerning these assault charges hanging over him in Toronto. ...

--Incredibly buried because of all of the Kobe legal mess Friday was the fact Dennis Rodman did not apologize for holding a news conference earlier that morning at a trendy Havana-style lounge in Hollywood to announce he wants to make a ``serious bid'' to play in the NBA this season.

Hopefully for Sacramento or the Lakers. Or New Jersey. Even Minnesota or San Antonio.

``I don't want to go to a losing team,'' he demanded, adding that since he recently dropped 18 pounds, he could play 20 to 25 minutes a game and guarantee 10 rebounds a night.

Yet, if he was really serious, he'd be in uniform at the Pyramid in Long Beach showing what he still can do at age 42 instead of talking about it. ...

--Miller Lite ended up pulling the ``Catfight'' commercials - the two homely-looking women tangling in a water fountain over a misunderstanding - because beer sales didn't go up since the ad campaign started.

Artistic relevance cannot always be measured in dollars, my Madison Avenue friends. ...

--Quick review of Anna Kournikova's cover shot and inside spread in the August issue of Maxim: too little, too late. Sergei Fedorov agrees. ...

--Does ``Seabiscuit'' open this week, or does it just seem like we've already seen the flick because of all the movie trailers and commercials since last fall? ...

--Here's what's happened to Wally Joyner: He's living in Mapleton, Utah, on 40 acres of horse property with his wife and daughters while acting as the San Diego Padres' roving minor-league hitting instructor. ...

--The Tommy Lasorda mini talking figurine that's supposed to attract visitors to Dodger Stadium for Tuesday's game is hardly authentic. The thing doesn't utter one curse word.