Who's Hot / Who's Not

WHO's HOT

Ryan Howard

Power surge (ninehomers in 11 games) from a powerful man (6'4", 250 pounds) gave thePhillies first sacker a big-league-best 53 home runs and-check this out-134RBIs through Monday. Last year's NL Rookie of the Year may have an MVP trophycoming his way. Teammate David Dellucci: "He's a freak of nature."

New Mexico Statefootball

It's over! O.K.,they were playing Division I-AA Southern Louisiana, but the Aggies, helped byRB Justine Buries (right), snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 30-15 win."Considering where we were at," said QB Chase Holbrook, who passed for381 yards and two TDs, "we were just happy with what we got."

Penguins

Happy days.Superprospect Evgeni Malkin, freshly bolted from Russia, should soon join Sidthe Kid, and the phenoms may have a neat place to play: The city approvedspending that by next month could land space for a new arena.

Roy Oswalt

Sittin' pretty.Five days after inking a five-year, $73 million contract, Astros righty wasperfect for six innings en route to shutting down the Mets-the team thatcoveted him at the trade deadline.

WHO's NOT

Joey Gathright

The anti-Howard(through Sunday he'd had a big-league-high 312 at bats without a homer) is alsoa freak of nature-the Devil Rays drafted him after seeing him jump over a car.But the speedster has three SBs since Aug. 1, is hitting .218 and has spent theyear with Tampa Bay and (now) K.C.-the AL's worst teams.

Syracusefootball

It continues.That's 10 consecutive losses for the Orange, who were beaten down by WakeForest 20-10. Senior QB Perry Patterson (left) had exactly zero passing yardsin the second half. ("I was real proud of him," said his Panglossiancoach, Greg Robinson.) Who's next? No. 16 Iowa.

Panthers

Strange times.Franchise goalie Roberto Luongo got shipped out this off-season (to Vancouver),and last week the man who did the deal, G.M. Mike Keenan, resigned just 13 daysbefore the start of camp.

Robert Johnson

Singin' the blues.After the QB hit numerous sour notes in Arkansas's 50-14 season-opening loss toUSC, coach Houston Nutt changed his job description-moving him to widereceiver.

SI PLAYERS TENNIS POLL

Who is the greatest men's player you ever saw?

Roger Federer ...57%

Rafael Nadal ...16%

Andre Agassi ...12%

Pete Sampras ...10%

Women's

player?

Serena Williams ...45%

Steffi Graf ...16%

Maria Sharapova ...14%

Monica Seles ...10%

FAST FACTS Poll was conducted last week at the U.S.Open.... The other men receiving votes were Marat Safin, Rod Laver and JimmyConnors.... The other women mentioned were Justine Henin-Hardenne, MartinaNavratilova and Venus Williams.... One voter called Federer "the mostwell-rounded player I've ever seen."... Serena Williams was chosen, said avoter, for her "power and speed."... Three of the six players who votedfor Agassi (page 2O) also voted for his wife, Graf.

[Based on a survey of 51 pro tennis players-28 men and23 women]

EIGHT PHOTOS

RUSTY KENNEDY/AP (HOWARD); NORM DETLAFF/LAS CRUCES SUN-NEWS/AP (BURIES); COURTESY OF NHL (LOGOS); JASON SZENES/EPA (FEDERER); MARY J. SCHILIPP/WIREIMAGE.COM (WILLIAMS); ED REINKE/AP (PATTERSON); JOHN WILLIAMSON/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (GATHRIGHT)