THURSDAY 12/14
Target World Challenge
Remember that Woods fellow? The pretty fair golfer? After a 10-week Tour hiatus
Tiger returns to the links for the final time in a 2006 season that saw him win
eight events and be named the PGA Player of the Year for the eighth time. The
16-player field features 10 Ryder Cuppers teeing it up at Sherwood Country Club
in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Thursday and Friday
USA 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday ABC noon
SATURDAY 12/16
Cavaliers at Magic
It's that rarest of games: a matchup of Eastern Conference teams with winning
records. (Detroit is the only other team in the East over .500.) Orlando is
soaring thanks to Dwight Howard, who is leading the NBA with 13.0 boards per
game, but the kid has had some help—namely, Grant Hill. The injury-plagued
forward has already appeared in as many games (21) this year as last, and he's
averaging 15.2 points.
Check listings
7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Pitt at No.
7 Wisconsin
Good thing for the Panthers that center Aaron Gray (left) decided to return for
his senior season; if he hadn't, Pitt might have had to find someone else to
do, well, everything. The seven-footer leads the team in points (16.8),
rebounds (10.8), blocks (1.2) and field goal percentage (64.0%).
ESPN noon
SUNDAY 12/17
Eagles at Giants
Young QBs are taking jobs all over the league (page 46)—except in Philly, where
36-year-old Jeff Garcia (left) assumed the position when Donovan McNabb tore
his ACL in November. The old guy hasn't been too shabby. Last week he threw for
164 yards and two TDs in a win over Washington—giving him eight TDs and no
interceptions since taking over—that moved Philadelphia above .500 and within a
game of first-place Dallas.
Fox 4:15 p.m.
TUESDAY 12/19
On Shelves: Invincible DVD
Mark Wahlberg plays an ordinary man, Vince Papale, thrust into extraordinary,
football-related circumstances. In 1976 Papale, a down-on-his-luck 30 year-old
Philly bartender, tried out for the Eagles—and made the team as a wide
receiver. In director Ericson Core's hands, Papale's underdog story never gets
sappy.
SI PICK OF THE WEEK
TUESDAY 12/19
Bowled Over
College football's second season—there are 32 bowl games this year—kicks off in
San Diego six days before Christmas. But at least one participant has reason to
not be in the holiday spirit. Despite leading the nation in rushing (158.3
yards per game), Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe (above) was not
one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy. If he wants the Poinsettia Bowl to
be a statement, he's going to have to bring his best stuff. The Huskies'
opponent, TCU, has the country's fourth-best rushing defense.
ESPN2 8 p.m.
