The Week Ahead
FRIDAY 6/10
NBA Rookies The premiere of Spike TV's behind-the-scenes series follows six NBA newbies--including Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor (left)--from the draft through the end of the season. Highlights from the first episode: St. Joe's point guard Jameer Nelson sweating it out in the greenroom, where he lasted until the 20th pick, and Okafor moving into his new digs in Charlotte. "It's like a dream world," beams the Bobcats' star. "I'm hoping I won't ever wake up." Spike TV 9 p.m.
SATURDAY 6/11
Reebok Grand Prix At Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York City, the two top 110-meter hurdlers--Allen Johnson of the U.S., the 34-year-old four-time world champ, and 21-year-old rising star Liu Xiang of China--go head-to-head. Their much anticipated Olympic showdown never took place: Johnson fell in his qualifying heat, allowing Liu to cruise to the gold. NBC 4 p.m.
Belmont Stakes After his gutsy win in the Preakness, Afleet Alex (right) will be favored to take the $1 million third leg of the Triple Crown. The race will be the last chance for Nick Zito to salvage something from the 2005 Triple Crown season. The trainer, who will be inducted into the horse racing hall of fame in August, is 0 for 8 after his five Derby entries and three Preakness horses all failed to win. In Elmont, N.Y., he'll saddle up Andromeda's Hero, Indy Star and Pinpoint. NBC 5:30 p.m.
SUNDAY 6/12
LPGA Championship, final round After failing to win this event in her first eight tries at the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del., Annika Sorenstam finally broke through in 2003 and repeated last year (left). If she wants to become the first woman since 1939 to three-peat a major, she'll have to do it on a new course; after 11 years at DuPont, the tournament has moved 40 miles south, to Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, Md. "I finally figured out the course and they're moving the event," said Sorenstam. "I've heard a lot of wonderful things about the new place. I just hope it won't take seven or eight years to figure it out." CBS 3 p.m.
MONDAY 6/13
Nationals at Angels The last time Jose Guillen and Mike Scioscia were on the same field--on Sept. 25, 2004--Guillen chucked his helmet in the direction of his then manager after Scioscia replaced him with a pinch runner. The outfielder's outburst got him suspended for the rest of the season. Now with Washington, Guillen (right) returns to Anaheim with a .295 average and 10 homers. FSW 10 p.m.
SI PICK of the Week
SATURDAY 6/11 You Can Call Me Al
Dick Enberg first got the idea for McGuire, his one-man play about basketball coach and commentator Al McGuire, while composing a tribute for McGuire's funeral in 2001. "I started thinking about all the wonderful things I learned from him," says Enberg, 70, who worked college hoops with McGuire. "He was a street genius. The more I wrote, the more I realized there was so much material, it could be a play--Al McGuire sharing his wisdom with a college audience." The result, which stars Cotter Smith (above, left), premieres this Saturday at Marquette's Helfaer Theatre and runs through June 19. The play begins with McGuire (right) leading Marquette to the 1977 NCAA title and ends with his battle with the blood disorder that took his life at age 72. "I put the words on the paper, but Al wrote every word of it. If it isn't good," Enberg laughs, "I'll just blame Al."--R.D.
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SCOTT CUNNINGHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (OKAFOR)
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JOAN FAIRMAN KANES/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/KRT/ABACA (AFLEET ALEX)
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DARREN CARROLL (SORENSTAM)
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ED WOLFSTEIN/ICON SMI (GUILLEN)
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COURTESY OF MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY (SMITH)
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HEINZ KLUETMEIER