SI VIEW THE WEEK IN TV SPORTS
Sunday 8/24
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Syracuse vs. Wisconsin
Kickoff Classic aficionados will recall that the last time this
game had a Big East versus Big Ten matchup--Boston College met
Ohio State in 1995--the Big Ten school romped 38-6 behind a
running back, Eddie George, who returned to New York later that
fall to collect the Heisman Trophy. The Badgers' Ron Dayne
(left), who rushed for an NCAA-freshman-record 1,863 yards last
season, seeks to repeat George's feat. Syracuse's Donovan McNabb
(among orange-clad quarterbacks, the leading Heisman contender
behind Tennessee's Peyton Manning) is back at the East
Rutherford, N.J., sports complex for the first time since the
'95 NCAA Final Four, when he was a reserve guard on Syracuse's
basketball team.
ABC, 2 PM
Monday 8/25
TENNIS
U.S. Open
For the second time this year Flushing, N.Y., will host a richly
deserved encomium to an African-American sports hero. On April
15 Shea Stadium was the site of Jackie Robinson Night. Four
months later and just a stroll away, on the other side of the
number 7 subway line, Arthur Ashe Stadium will be dedicated on
the Open's opening night. In saluting the only black man to win
a U.S. singles title (in 1968), 30 former champions, ranging
from Chris Evert to Don Budge, will be on hand to pay tribute to
one of sports' greatest statesmen.
USA, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 11 AM AND 7:30 PM
Thursday 8/28
PRO BASKETBALL
WNBA Semifinals
Speaking of distaff starting fives, there's no truth to the
rumor that the Spice Girls' new single, 2 Become 1, is a plea
for a merger between the ABL and the WNBA. For the latter this
is playoff week, with the Eastern and the Western conference
champions hosting tonight's single-elimination semifinal games.
In a league that matches the Lilith Fair tour in mentions of
sisterhood, a potential Houston Comets-Phoenix Mercury meeting
(either in this round or the Aug. 30 final on NBC) would pit
sister against sister, with Comets assistant coach Peggie Gillom
facing her sibling Jennifer, the Mercury's center.
ESPN AND LIFETIME, 7:30 AND 9:30 PM
Friday 8/29
BASEBALL
Braves at Red Sox
Remember Spahn and Sain and pray for rain? Warren Spahn and
Johnny Sain were the pitching mainstays of the Boston Braves,
who departed the Hub for Milwaukee in 1953 before relocating to
Atlanta in 1966. Besides the Beantown connection, this
interleague series matches a Braves starting rotation so good it
makes foes pray for rain against a Sox offense that at week's
end topped the major leagues with a .299 average. Boston's
batsmen are led by first baseman Mo Vaughn (left), who was
hitting .329, and rookie shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, the AL
leader in hits and runs.
TBS, 7 PM
NOSTALGIA
1979 Cotton Bowl
It is renowned as the (Chicken) Soup-er Bowl. Playing in
bitter-cold weather, Notre Dame yielded 34 unanswered points to
Houston and was behind 34-12. The Irish's flu-riddled
quarterback, senior Joe Montana, had tossed four interceptions
and nearly his lunch after ingesting a halftime remedy of
chicken soup. Montana, providing a harbinger of his NFL
brilliance, recovered to lead the Irish to three touchdowns in
the final 7:37 and a 35-34 victory, the winning extra point
arriving after time had expired. For Catholics, it ranks right
up there among resurrections with Lazarus's.
CLASSIC SPORTS, 7 PM
All times Eastern. Schedules are subject to change.
COLOR PHOTO: DAVID LIAM KYLE [Ron Dayne in game]
COLOR PHOTO: CHUCK SOLOMON [Mo Vaughn batting]
THE ! ZAPPER
Omit the name of Atlanta Brave Greg Maddux from the list of
those in favor of Fox's innovative Catcher-Cam. During last
Saturday's game against the Cardinals in St. Louis, Maddux,
concerned that the vantage point might reveal the secrets of his
nonpareil pitching mechanics, vetoed Fox's mounting of a camera
inside the helmet of catcher Eddie Perez. (Maddux yielded seven
hits in six innings and came away with a 5-3 win.) By the way,
we were just wondering: If Indiana football coach Cam Cameron
(page 26) allowed a network to place a camera on his hat, would
it be called the Cam Cameron cam?