The Week Ahead
THURSDAY 7/28
Chelsea at D.C. United It's billed as the Clash of Champions. The English Premier League titlists, bankrolled by free-spending Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and led by England national team stars Frank Lampard and John Terry, take on high-scoring forward Jaime Moreno (left) and the MLS Cup holders in an exhibition at FedEx Field. ESPN2 8:00 p.m.
FRIDAY 7/29
Lumberjack World Championships Paul Bunyan wannabes convene in Hayward, Wis., to chop, saw and scale trees and maybe throw an ax or two. The Jack to beat is Jason Wynard (right)--a six-time All-Around champ from Auckland, New Zealand. Among the Jills, watch out for Wisconsin native Nancy Zalewski--who moonlights as a chemist and is a two-time All-Around champ.
SATURDAY 7/30
National Women's Football Association Championship And you thought the Patriots were dominant. The Detroit Demolition has won the NWFA title in each of the league's three years and has lost only one game in its history. If its opponent's owner is any indication, the title game could be tough: The Pensacola Power is owned by Roy Jones Jr.
SUNDAY 7/31
Baseball Hall of Fame Induction The class is small but distinguished: Wade Boggs, a 12-time All-Star third baseman, had 3,010 career hits; Ryne Sandberg, who twice led the Cubs to the playoffs, retired as the best fielding (.989 percentage) and slugging (277 home runs) second baseman in major league history. ESPN Classic 1:30 p.m.
MONDAY 8/1
Full RideThe first of a four-part series taped this summer follows six high school football stars (three from Alabama, three from California) as they prepare to play their senior seasons--and handle the dozens of college coaches after their signatures. Think Hoop Dreams on the gridiron. (Through Thursday.) ESPN2 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY 8/1
Southpaw Showcase
The two front-runners in the AL wild-card race open a four-game series at the Metrodome when the Twins play host to the A's. A horrible May in which they were 7--20 left the A's in last place in the AL West. Since then, they've won 34 of 47 (including a three-game sweep of baseball's best team, the White Sox), thanks in part to Barry Zito (above, left), who is 4--0 in July. While Zito, the 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner, lives by his slow curve, Minnesota's ace--the 2004 Cy Young Award winner, Johan Santana (above, right)--throws in the mid-90s and leads the AL in strikeouts. (Through Aug. 4.) Check listings
THURSDAY 8/4
Summer X Games 11 A month after becoming the first person to clear the Great Wall of China without the aid of a motor (SI, July 25), Danny Way, 21, returns to the Indie Olympics to compete in the event that he pioneered: Skateboard Big Air. Way--who set a world record with a 79-foot jump at last year's games--will defend his gold medal against rival boarders Pierre-Luc Gagnon, 25, and Andy MacDonald, 32 (right), when the four-day event kicks off in Los Angeles. ESPN and ABC, check listings
 
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KIRBY LEE/WIREIMAGE.COM (ZITO)
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ROB TRINGAL/SPORTSCHROME (SANTANA)
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STREETER LECKA/GETTY IMAGES (MACDONALD)
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COURTESY NEIL BRAKE (FOOTBALL PLAYER)
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SAWYER COUNTY RECORD (WYNARD)
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TONY QUINN/MLS/WIREIMAGE.COM (MORENO)