SI VIEW THE WEEK IN TV SPORTS

Saturday 11/1

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Navy vs. Notre Dame
It's one o'clock on a Saturday

The frost-bitten crowd has some fears

About new coach Bob Davie,

Who'd better beat Navy

"As we've done the past 33 years."

Now Ron, number 3, he's the quarterback,

And his story surely everyone knows.

"Yes, it's sad and it's sweet

Please just don't throw incomplete,"

Cry the fans, who cannot feel their toes.

Oh, la la la, de de da, la la, de de da da da,

"Play like a champ, you're the Powlus man,

Play like a champ," they implore,

"Well, we're all in the mood for a victory

And the winner today will have four."

Air Force beat the Irish a year ago;

In '95 Army almost did, too.

If the Middies don't blink,

Notre Dame they may sink

And unleash a loud chorus of "Boo!"

NBC, 1:30 PM

PRO BASKETBALL

Sixers at Bulls
Philadelphia's handle, 76ers, isn't a reference to its coaching
job, which in seven seasons has been held by six men (Larry
Brown is the latest). Nor does it denote the cruising speed of
Allen Iverson's car. As celluloid hero Austin Powers says, "It's
freedom, baby!" So while Iverson (right), last season's Rookie
of the Year, may feel less free playing the point for Brown, his
game and the Sixers' record (22-60 in 1996-97) should blossom.
The days when any team--even Chicago--easily eighty-sixes the
76ers are numbered.
WGN, 8:30 pm

Sunday 11/2

RUNNING

New York City Marathon
Has any New Yorker not running 26.2 miles ever approached the
59th Street Bridge without encountering gridlock, or gone three
miles up First Avenue without stopping for a red light or to
give somebody the finger? Fuggedaboudit! The more than 30,000
runners traipsing through the five boroughs will include Kenya's
Tegla Loroupe, a 4'11", 83-pound sprite seeking her third win in
four years.
ESPN2, 10:30 AM

PRO FOOTBALL

Cowboys at 49ers
Remember Bleak Sunday: San Francisco opens the season with a
13-6 loss at Tampa Bay; wide receiver Jerry Rice tears up his
left knee and is feared lost for the rest of the season; and
quarterback Steve Young (right)--still searching for a
bride!--suffers his third concussion in a 10-month span. What
happens next? The Niners win seven straight, find themselves
leading the NFL in total defense and ranking fourth in rushing
while Young ascends to the top of the passer ratings and Rice
hopes to return in time for the playoffs. Rome didn't fall in a
day, either. Dallas, at 4-4, finds itself in an early must-win
situation.
FOX, 4 PM

Tuesday 11/4

DOCUMENTARY

Sportsmanship in the '90s: Is Winning the Only Thing?
Winning is not the only thing. There's also avarice, which
appears in the forms of nine-figure contracts, personal seat
licenses, transient franchises and matters relating to Don King.
This half-hour Outside the Lines program includes a Q&A between
Chicago's grisly Bear, Bryan Cox, and a group of junior high
students. After that comes a 90-minute Town Meeting in which a
panel of athletes, coaches and administrators (presumably not
including Albert Belle, Dennis Rodman and the Texas cheerleader
mom) will further hash out the topic.
ESPN, 7:30 PM

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN BIEVER [Ron Powlus in game]

COLOR PHOTO: JIM MCKNIGHT/AP [Allen Iverson and opposing player in game]

COLOR PHOTO: PETER READ MILLER [Steve Young in game]

THE ! ZAPPER

When we heard the names MTV and S&M Festival (Friday, 8 p.m. to
11 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.) in the same sentence, we
naturally assumed that it must be Marilyn Manson theme week. Ah,
but we were wrong: MTV has assembled hot bands such as
Everclear, Reel Big Fish and Wu-Tang Clan to perform alongside
what the network describes as "top international athletes from
in-line skating, BMX bike, skateboarding and snowboarding" in
its inaugural Sports and Music Festival. MTV might have gotten
the same result--and saved a mound of cash--by airing Hanson's
MMMBop video.

All times Eastern. Schedules are subject to change.