The Week Ahead
FRIDAY 5/27
Red Sox at Yankees
Now it's about Ruth's House, not Chris House, the Boston fan who interfered with Gary Sheffield (left) in April. The Sawx and Yanks have, naturally, split six games this season. Since April 2003 they've played 58 times; Boston leads, 30-28. ESPN 7 p.m.
Horned Toad Derby
No TV yet, so head for Olsen Park in Coalinga, Calif., for exciting toad-on-toad action. The critters start in the bull's-eye of a target and sprint to the edges. "Sometimes," says a spokesperson, "it takes them a minute to figure out what's going on."
On Shelves: The Tour de France Companion 2005 by Bob Roll and Dan Koeppel
Get ready for the July 2 start with a guide geared toward those baffled by France's premier sports event. "It's like a 21-day soccer riot," says Koeppel. He also notes that the first time he went, "I was amazed you could smell the racers."
NCAA Lacrosse Championship
Johns Hopkins entered the last three tournaments as the No. 1 seed but couldn't bring the trophy to Baltimore. This year the top-ranked Blue Jays, led by senior Kyle Barrie, head to Philly to try to cap an undefeated regular season with an eighth NCAA title. ESPN2 and ESPN check listings
 
SATURDAY 5/28
Soccer: England versus U.S.
In Chicago, the two 2002 World Cup quarterfinalists meet for the first time since 1994. The Brits know how dangerous U.S. striker Brian McBride (left) can be: He had six goals in his last nine games for Fulham of the English Premier League. Meanwhile Fulham teammate Carlos Bocanegra hopes to use the friendly to nail down a spot on the U.S. squad. ESPN 3 p.m.
Track and Field: Payton Jordan U.S. Open
A must for pole vaulting aficionados. Tim Mack and Toby Stevenson, who finished one-two at the Athens Olympics, lead a strong field that includes Nick Hysong, 2000 Olympic gold medalist, and Jeff Hartwig, the U.S. record holder. On the women's side, 2000 gold medalist Stacy Dragila returns to Stanford's Angell Field, where she set two world records in 2001. ESPN2 10 p.m.
 
THURSDAY 6/2
NCAA Softball: College World Series
Who says softball's a West Coast game? Michigan is the first non-Western school to be voted No. 1 during the season. The Wolverines--led by pitcher Jennie Ritter (right)--are the favorites to represent the East in Oklahoma City. ESPN2 check listings
 
SI PICK OF THE WEEK
SUNDAY 5/29
Indianapolis 500
So many subplots: Reigning IRL champion and pole sitter Tony Kanaan (above) goes for his first visit to Indy's Victory Lane, and Danica Patrick, the highest-starting woman in the race's 94-year history (she qualified fourth), tries to become the first female driver to win. But the most intriguing story might be Kenny Brack's return to the track. The 1999 Indy champ, who has not raced in the IRL since he broke his right leg, both ankles, sternum and three vertebrae in a 2003 crash at Texas Motor Speedway, is rejoining the Rahal Letterman team as a fill-in for defending champ Buddy Rice, who sustained a neck injury and a concussion during qualifying. "Even though I haven't driven for a year, it feels like I never left," says Brack. ABC noon
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ROBERT LABERGE/GETTY IMAGES (KANAAN)
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MEXSPORT/WIREIMAGE.COM (MCBRIDE)
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WORKMAN PUBLISHING CO. (BOOK)