The Week Ahead What to watch and watch for

FRIDAY 30

VANS SLAM CITY JAM > Vancouver is invaded by those who ride and
those who rock. Steve Caballero, Andy Macdonald and Ryan Sheckler
headline the premier pro skateboarding event at BC Place, where
local bands--including hard core act Stutterfly--will perform
throughout the three-day event.

SATURDAY 1

KENTUCKY DERBY NBC 5 PM > Place your bets for the Run for the
Roses--but remember the favorite has won just once in the past 24
years. -- GALAXY AT REVOLUTION FOX SPORTS WORLD 7:30 PM > Carlos
Ruiz of Los Angeles and New England's Taylor Twellman tied for
the MLS lead in goals last year with 15. Ruiz has the early lead
in 2004 with five in his first four games.

SUNDAY 2

NEXTEL CUP AUTO CLUB 500 FOX 3 PM > Kurt Busch defends his title
at California Speedway. -- PGA TOUR HP CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS CBS
3 PM > Steve Flesch won last year with a birdie on the first
playoff hole. The field includes another guy who can drain a
clutch putt: Phil Mickelson, in his first tournament since
winning the Masters.

MONDAY 3

NFL REPLAY NFL NETWORK 8 PM > The 49ers and Giants filled the air
with footballs in their 1998 opener, combining to throw for 778
yards in an OT thriller. -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! > Ron Hextall, born
in Brandon, Manitoba, turns 40. The former Flyers goalie, who now
lives in New Jersey, won the Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies in
1987.

TUESDAY 4

SPORTSCENTURY: SONNY LISTON ESPNCLASSIC 8 PM > A brute outside
the ring as well as in it, Liston was arrested 19 times and
rumored to be tied to mobsters and loan sharking. He's best
remembered for two losses to Muhammad Ali in 1964 and '65, after
which he descended into heroin use.

WEDNESDAY 5

CARDINALS AT PHILLIES 7:05 PM > The Cards rank first in the NL in
homers (37) and second in runs (115). -- THE SAVIOR OF FENWAY
CAMBRIDGE FAMILY YMCA THEATRE 8 PM > The play, about three Red
Sox fans commiserating in a bar during the playoffs, opens in
Beantown after playing to positive reviews in New York.

THURSDAY 6

NCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL FINALS ESPN2 MIDNIGHT > Stay up into the
wee hours of Friday for side-outs. At the University of Hawaii,
No. 1 BYU (25-4) hopes to avenge its 3-2 loss to Lewis University
in the 2003 title match. The Cougars will rely on 6'4" outside
hitter Fernando Pessoa, a senior from Brazil who has 433 kills
this season.

COLOR PHOTO: NICK LAHAM/GETTY IMAGES (SKATEBOARDER)

COLOR PHOTO: MATTHIAS KULKA/CORBIS (FLAGS)

B/W PHOTO: BETTMANN/CORBIS (LISTON)

COLOR PHOTO: ROBERT BECK (VOLLEYBALL)

COLOR PHOTO: DAVID E. KLUTHO (CARDINALS PLAYER)

COLOR PHOTO: STEVE BABINEAU/GETTY IMAGES (HEXTALL); MEL LEVINE (BIRTHDAY HAT)

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN TODD/INTERNATIONAL SPORTS IMAGES (RUIZ)