SI View The Week in TV Sports
Saturday 2/28
TRACK & FIELD
USA Indoor Championships
Paul McMullen (left), one of the featured performers at this
meet at the Georgia Dome, is entitled to a 20% discount if he
desires a pedicure. Last June, McMullen sliced parts of two toes
off his right foot while mowing a neighbor's lawn. The U.S.
1,500-meter champ in 1995 and '96, McMullen has recovered
nicely. Wearing a size-11 shoe on his left foot and a 101/2 on
his right, he ran a personal-best 3:56.63 mile on Feb. 7 at
Notre Dame, then finished second (3:57.46) in the Wanamaker Mile
at the Millrose Games on Feb. 13. McMullen's wife, Jill, called
the former clocking "a world record for a guy with eight toes."
NBC, 2 PM
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
New Mexico at Utah
On the previous WAC-y episode of The Commish Meets Sheriff Lobo:
New Mexico, abetted by a Royce Olney steal that leaves Ute Andre
Miller sprawled on the court in Albuquerque, hands Utah (at
week's end 22-2 and ranked No. 5) its first loss of the season,
77-74. (It's tough to blame the ref for the noncall: The Pit is
the most unruly hoops arena this side of a CNN town meeting
hall.) Afterward WAC commissioner Karl Benson said Olney should
have been whistled for a foul, which incited coach Dave Bliss of
the Lobos (21-4, No. 16) to bluster, "Karl Benson is the worst
commissioner in America." Move over, Bud Selig. Tonight's
pivotal matchup is the one between conference player of the year
candidates Kenny Thomas of New Mexico and Michael Doleac of
Utah. ESPN, 9:30 PM
Sunday 3/1
AUTO RACING
Las Vegas 400
Leaving Las Vegas: Nicolas Cage, Sheryl Crow and suspected
anthrax terrorists. Long departed: Dan Tanna and Jerry
Tarkanian. Coming to town: NASCAR, for this inaugural Winston
Cup race on the 1.5-mile, low-banked Las Vegas Motor Speedway
oval. By the time the green flag is waved, Jeff Gordon (below,
24), winner of last week's race at Rockingham, Rusty Wallace
(2), the series points leader, et al. will have finished
congratulating Dale Earnhardt for his Daytona 500 win and
resumed trading paint and barbs. Pace car fantasy: Austin Powers
(Mike Myers) and Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley) reprising
their cinematic first date to What the World Needs Now.
ABC, 2:30 PM
DRAMAS
The White Shadow
Otherwise known as To Sir with Lovetron. How fondly we recall
the gritty hoopsters from Carver High, clad in those garish,
butt-hugger orange unis. Coolidge, Hayward, Salami, Thorpe and
their pale rider coach, Ken Reeves (Ken Howard), were not even
around long enough (1978-81) to exhaust their eligibility. Now,
during March Madness, episodes will be telecast back-to-back
each Sunday night. Howard, portraying a retired Chicago Bull now
coaching high school, had far more street cred than does the
coach presently played by Reggie Theus, an actual former Bull,
on NBC's high school comedy Hang Time.
NICK AT NIGHT, 8 PM
Tuesday 3/3
PRO BASKETBALL
Sonics at Heat
If you can't stand the Heat...you're not alone. Miami (backward:
I maim) made February its own Black-and-Blue History month. On
Feb. 1 center Alonzo Mourning's hard foul against the Knicks'
Larry Johnson incited a dustup; the next night guard Voshon
Lenard's flagrant personal sent Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo out
of the game with a bruised tailbone. Will Gary Payton (left, in
photo) and the group-hug Sonics embrace the style of Heat guard
Tim Hardaway (right) and the group-thug Heat in this showdown
between Pacific and Atlantic division powers?
TNT, 8 PM
ALL TIMES EASTERN. SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
COLOR PHOTO: GRAY MORTIMORE/ALLSPORT [Paul McMullen]
COLOR PHOTO: HEINZ KLUETMEIER [Rusty Wallace's race car and Jeff Gordon's race car during race]
COLOR PHOTO: BOB ROSATO [Gary Payton and Tim Hardaway in game]
THE ! ZAPPER
Each of the following pairs comprise a basketball conference and
a rock band. Which is which? Atlantic 10 and Matchbox 20. Son
Volt and Sun Belt. Mid-Continent and Incontinent. That final one
is a trick question--Incontinent is neither a league nor a band,
it's just the condition in which you may find yourself after
sitting inert through ESPN and ESPN2's cornucopia of conference
tournament games from Monday through Friday, including 20 on the
final two days. It's as if the folks in Bristol are daring us to
get a life.
