SI VIEW THE WEEK IN TV SPORTS

SATURDAY 9/6

BASEBALL
Orioles vs. Yankees

The kid stole an out from Tarasco,
Gaining fame and inviting fiasco:
Jeff Maier had the gall
To snag Jeter's fly ball,
Making O's fans as hot as Tabasco.

No one in Baltimore has forgotten Yankees fan Jeffrey Maier,
then 12, who turned a sure fly-out into a tying homer in Game 1
of last October's American League Championship Series. The
Orioles and the Yanks, who at week's end had the AL's best
records since the All-Star break, will meet eight times in
September's first fortnight. This fall's angel in the outfield
for New York is centerfielder Bernie Williams (left), who was
batting .376 since returning to action on Aug. 1 after
recuperating from a pulled left hamstring.
FOX, 1 PM; WPIX, Sunday, 1:30 PM, AND THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, 7:30 PM

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Tennessee at UCLA
Florida State at Southern Cal

The riots, the Northridge earthquake, O.J., the exodus of the
Raiders and the Rams, Charlie Sheen... is there no end to the
misery Los Angeles has endured this decade? Apparently not.
Consider that in the 1990s its vaunted football schools, UCLA
and USC, have zero Top 10 finishes in the Associated Press poll.
Enter the Volunteers, who are led by matinee idol quarterback
Peyton Manning, and the Seminoles, who last finished out of the
Top 5 in '86. An upset win by either L.A. school could produce a
tectonic shift of campus chatter from sun-protection factor to
quarterback-protection factor.
ABC, 3:30 PM AND 8 PM

SUNDAY 9/7

TENNIS
U.S. Open Singles Final

A word of warning to unseeded Andre Agassi and to all those
whose off-court courting has led to an altared state--Flushing
Meadows is bachelor heaven. Only three husbands have won this
event since it moved from Forest Hills in 1978: Jimmy Connors
(1982 and '83), Mats Wilander ('88) and Stefan Edberg ('92).
Among married ladies, only Chris Evert Lloyd ('80 and '82) has
been a winner. At week's end, though, Agassi, who became one
half of a mixed-doubles pair in April when he wed Brooke
Shields, was still alive.
CBS, 2 PM

SOCCER
Costa Rica at USA

Juan Luis Hernandez, Costa Rica's third coach in the last 18
months, used the following analogy in imploring his country's
media to keep his team's tactics a secret: "If they publish that
I am going to the White House with a missile to kill President
Bill Clinton, then the chances are that somebody will be
expecting me." Que? For this World Cup qualifying match in
Portland, Team USA, hoping to avenge a 3-2 loss last March in
Costa Rica, will employ the not-so-secret services of keeper
Kasey Keller (left), a University of Portland alumnus who has
two shutouts in previous qualifiers.
ABC, 3:30 PM

PRO FOOTBALL
Cowboys at Cardinals

Despite Barry Switzer's shotgun offense and dormitory vandalism
by players, Dallas is still America's Team. The proof: The
Cowboys' new field goal kicker is named Richie Cunningham. If
Sunday's 37-7 rout at Pittsburgh (page 24) is any indication,
happy days are here again in Big D. Arizona last beat Dallas in
Sun Devil Stadium when Rod Tidwell made that amazing touchdown
grab in Jerry Maguire. The Cardinals need big games from
defensive tackle Eric Swann (two sacks in Sunday's 24-21 loss at
Cincinnati) and linebacker Simeon Rice (one sack). Arizona also
must recover from the late-game fumble by fullback Larry Centers
(above) that sent them to defeat.
TNT, 8 PM

All times Eastern. Schedules are subject to change.

COLOR PHOTO: V.J. LOVERO [Bernie Williams batting]

COLOR PHOTO: DAMIAN STROHMEYER [Kasey Keller in game]

COLOR PHOTO: PETER READ MILLER [Larry Centers in game]

THE ! ZAPPER

Boston College at Temple on pay-per-view (Saturday, noon)? O.K.,
we'll bite: How much will the folks at ESPN pay us to watch?
(Viewers of the syndicated Big East Network will get the game
for free.) The Owls have had four 1-10 seasons in the past five
years and lost their 1997 opener 34-14 to Western Michigan. BC
is still smarting from last November's betting scandal. Even
many of the Eagles' Catholic faithful would probably prefer
spending Saturday in temple than spending money to watch Temple.
Unless you're a masochist, you'd be better off renting One
Million Years B.C. or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.