SI VIEW THE WEEK IN TV SPORTS

Saturday 8/9

HARNESS RACING
The Hambletonian

Yankee Stadium is the House That Ruth Built, but the Babe didn't
actually erect it. Malvern Burroughs, however, did help build
the Meadowlands Racetrack. The construction company he owns
installed the surface upon which he will drive prohibitive
favorite Malabar Man in trotting's most storied race, which
carries a $1.2 million purse. Burroughs, 56, also owns Malabar
Man, a 3-year-old colt who has won 18 of his 20 races. An
amateur, Burroughs donates the driver's share of winnings from
all his purses to the Seton Hall Seminary, from whose clergy he
received guidance after his father died when Burroughs was 16. A
Big Apple sports hero who was molded by the good fathers? 'Tis
the stuff of Ruthian legend.
CBS, 3 PM

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Evian National Championships

Align in the sand. Since last summer, when Holly McPeak (right)
replaced partner Nancy Reno with Lisa Arce--a friend from
McPeak's days at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach,
Calif.--they've been close to unbeatable. McPeak-Arce, who will
play before an adoring throng at California's Hermosa Beach, has
won seven of 10 WPVA tournaments this season. Despite being an
undersized 5'7", McPeak, 28, was the tour's MVP in 1995 and '96.
At UCLA she was handed a note by her coach, Andy Banachowski,
that read, "Know your limits." Her reply: "I have no limits."
ABC, 3:30 PM

PRO BASKETBALL
Running of the Bulls

Michael Jordan has never remained in the air as long as he's
about to remain on the air. Ten NBA Finals games starring MJ and
his supporting cast of Chicago Bulls are to be telecast
consecutively over a 14-hour stretch. Relive 1991's Game 3
against the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Jordan's last-second
jumper forced overtime and gave notice that Chicago would not be
denied; his playoff-record 35-point first half against the
Portland Trail Blazers in 1992's Game 1; and the virus-ridden 38
points in Game 5 of June's Finals against the Utah Jazz (right,
Jordan firing over Bryon Russell). Is it too early to say,
"Thanks for the memories"?
CLASSIC SPORTS, 4 PM

Thursday 8/14

GOLF
PGA Championship

This year's fraternity of majors winners boasts two guys--Ernie
Els, 27, and Justin Leonard, 25--barely beyond college-kegger
age and a third, Tiger Woods, 21, who would still be at Stanford
had he not rushed the PGA Tour last August. Who among the
twentysomething set is left to win this year's final major,
which concludes on Saturday and Sunday (CBS, 1:30 p.m.)? Jim
Furyk, 27, has eight straight top 10 finishes, among them a
fifth at the U.S. Open and a fourth at the British. Phil
Mickelson, also 27, has more Tour wins (11) than any under-30
but still seeks his first major. Both worthy pledges will be
among those teeing it up at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
TBS, Thursday and Friday, 12:05 PM

PRO FOOTBALL
Panthers at Chiefs

Bono? Elvis? Does Kansas City plumb the Bay Area for
quarterbacks or rock singers? The Chiefs' newest signal-caller
is Elvis Grbac (right), late of the San Francisco 49ers, who
replaces Steve Bono, who earlier was late of the 49ers. Besides
acquiring Grbac, K.C. used its first six draft picks on
offensive players in hopes of improving the AFC's second-worst
pass offense and returning to the playoffs, which the Chiefs
missed last season for the first time in six years. Grbac is
familiar with upstart Carolina: Last season, in winning the NFC
West in only their second year, the Panthers beat the Niners
twice. Expect neither squad to reveal any secrets in this
matchup--they'll meet for real in Charlotte on Sept. 21.
ESPN, 8 PM

All times Eastern. Schedules are subject to change.

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN CHAPMAN/ALLSPORT [Holly McPeak playing volleyball]

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN W. MCDONOUGH [Bryon Russell and Michael Jordan in game]

COLOR PHOTO: JEFF TAYLOR/REUTERS [Elvis Grbac]

THE ! ZAPPER

There's a pleasing and unexpected trend in WNBA coverage at
midseason: a willingness to deal with the downside of life in
the first-year league. Last Friday, at halftime of the Houston
Comets-Los Angeles Sparks game, Lifetime's Maura Driscoll
conducted a candid interview with Mary Murphy, deposed earlier
in the week as coach and general manager of the slump-ridden
Sacramento Monarchs. The next day on NBC, Hannah Storm and Ann
Meyers criticized the Phoenix Mercury for lack of heart during
its 78-70 loss to the New York Liberty. For providing a sense of
reality to counter the league's often Pollyannaish image, we
say: You go, girls!