Saturday 3/22
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA Tournament
March Mildness moved into its second week with all four top
seeds--Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota and North Carolina--alive,
not one game-winning buzzer-beater having been shot and,
surprisingly, the Pac-10 represented in each of the four
regions. Potentially the best of the regional finals, the
West's, would pit No. 2-ranked Utah against defending national
champ Kentucky.
CBS, 3:30 PM SAT; 2:30 PM SUN
GOLF
Bay Hill Invitational
Arnie's Army hails the triumphant return of its leader, Arnold
Palmer (right), on his home course. The news broke on Jan. 10
that one of golf's most enduring and endearing figures had
prostate cancer. Five days later Palmer, 67, underwent surgery,
and he has since made what his doctor calls an "extraordinary
recovery," which includes shooting a 70 on the Bay Hill course.
Palmer's presence augurs well for a 43rd consecutive appearance
at the Masters in three weeks. That old tractor is not the only
thing from Latrobe, Pa., whose engine still runs.
NBC, 4 PM
FIGURE SKATING
Ladies World Championships
What has become of Michelle Kwan's kwan? As she triple-Lutzed
and double-Axeled her way to victory in nine consecutive
competitions, the 16-year-old seemed to have achieved kwan, the
Jerry Maguire neologism describing a combination of inner
strength and public adulation. Then along came fellow American
Tara Lipinski, 14, who in the last five weeks has twice defeated
defending world champion Kwan. "Right now it's Michelle's battle
against Michelle," says Kwan's coach, Frank Carroll, of his
charge's flagging self-confidence. Lipinski and two-time
European champ Irina Slutskaya will also be on hand for the
competition (telecast on tape delay) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Show us the triple loop!
ABC, 4:30 PM & 8 PM
PRO hockey
Avalanche at Flyers
Philadelphia center Eric Lindros once explained his refusal to
sign with the Quebec Nordiques by saying the Nordiques "lacked a
winning spirit." But when Claude Lemieux (left) and Les
Nordiques relocated to Colorado last season as the Avalanche,
they won the Stanley Cup. Now two of the NHL's best teams meet
in a possible finals preview. Hey, Eric, if you won't join 'em,
beat 'em.
ESPN, 8 PM
Sunday 3/23
SOCCER
U.S. at Costa Rica
Costa Rica manager Horatio Cordero has banned his players from
having sex until after this World Cup qualifier. Isn't there too
little scoring in soccer already? "I need all the players in
full possession of their physical and mental faculties," says
Cordero, who could not be described as a players' coach. After a
scoreless opener in Jamaica, the U.S. got on the board on Sunday
with a 3-0 win over Canada. The game will be broadcast in
Spanish, featuring--we hope--the signature Gooaaaal! call of
play-by-play hombre Andres Cantor.
UNIVISION, NOON
Tuesday 3/25
PRO BASKETBALL
Timberwolves at Rockets
What separates these two Midwest Division foes is experience. In
their first nationally televised meeting, on Dec. 10, Houston
led 96-94 with .8 of a second remaining when Minnesota's
second-year guard, Chris Carr, was fouled. Carr's former Phoenix
Suns teammate Charles Barkley, now a Rocket, approached him at
the line and whispered that Carr was so tight a jackhammer
couldn't pound a pen into his hind end. Carr's first shot barely
skimmed the front of the rim, and Houston won. Through Sunday,
however, the maturing T-Wolves and All-Star Kevin Garnett (left)
had as many victories since then (25) as the Rockets. (For other
free throw chokes against Houston, see Barkley, Suns, Game 5,
1995 Western Conference semifinals.)
TNT, 8 PM
COLOR PHOTO: JACQUELINE DUVOISIN [Arnold Palmer playing golf]
COLOR PHOTO: BRUCE BENNETT STUDIOS [Kevin Garnett]
COLOR PHOTO: BOB ROSATO [Claude Lemieux]
COLOR PHOTO: MICHAEL LAVINE/FOX [Brian Bosworth]
THE ! ZAPPER
Ten years after being banned from the 1987 Orange Bowl for using
anabolic steroids, former Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth
returns to Miami as a renegade private investigator in the new
series Lawless (Fox, Saturdays, 9 p.m.). The Boz (below) plays
disaffected former Special Forces operative John Lawless, whose
best buddy, Reggie Hayes, owns and pilots a helicopter. (Sound
familiar, Magnum, P.I. buffs?) In a scene from the promotional
tape, Lawless skids his Harley to a halt on pavement that
already bears two roughly parallel skid marks. Remnants of
earlier takes? It's as if the Boz is warning us: We've all been
down this road before.
All times Eastern. Schedules are subject to change.
