Gameplan

What smart fans should do this week

• COUNT DOWN
To 300
Randy Johnson, who had 298 wins at week's end, could join the 300 Club as soonas next Tuesday, when he is scheduled to start against the Nationals. Howfitting: That's the franchise—then known as the Montreal Expos—that drafted himin 1985. Only three of Johnson's wins came with the Canadian club, whichshipped him to Seattle after 11 appearances. Good move, huh?

• W-A-T-C-H
National Spelling Bee
There's the old way to follow Thursday's spelldown, on TV (ABC), or the newway, on Twitter. (Warning: Some contest words may not fit in 140 characters.)Last year's champ, Sameer Mishra, 13, of West Lafayette, Ind., won by spellingguerdon. Are your orthographic skills equally strong? Test yourself on 25 wordsfrom the '08 bee at spellingbee.com/sample-test.

• READ
The Road to Omaha
The College World Series starts on June 13, but readers can get in the moodwith Ryan McGee's sharp, behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 Series. Theon-field action was gripping—Fresno State became the lowest seed ever towin—but Omaha goes deeper, delivering insights into how the college game isplayed and why the CWS and Nebraskan culture intertwine.

• WATCH
Reebok Grand Prix
Depending on whom you believe, there could be a marquee sprint matchup in NewYork City on Saturday (NBC). Reigning 100-meter world champ Tyson Gay is set torun against Asafa Powell, a former 100 world-record holder. There were reportsthat Powell would sit out with an ankle injury, but last week he told UniversalSports, "I have no idea where that came from."

• CHECK OUT
Big East Side Story
Last weekend, UConn beat South Florida in the Big East baseball semifinals. Butthe tournament wasn't a total loss for the Bulls. During a five-hour rain delayon Thursday, the teams staged a very entertaining on-field dance-off, aJets-Sharks showdown clearly won by South Florida. See it atbigeastbaseball.com. When you're a Bull, you're a Bull all the way....

• LAUGH
At David Diehl
Instead of broadcasting, the Giants' tackle may be angling for an SNL gig afterhe quits playing. Last week Diehl performed with a sports-themed comedy troupein New York City. Diehl got laughs with a sketch in which he played a veryindecisive Brett Favre trying to decide whether to order a burger or raviolifor dinner. (See the clip at NJ.com.) It's funny because it's true!

The Pop CultureGrid

Matt Diaz

$1,340John Smoltz

Inside the Grid

Looper is interested in figuring out what makesLimbaugh tick; he says the outspoken conservative pundit—Limbaugh said recentlythat he hopes the Obama administration fails—is "so off the wall all of thetime." Smoltz's "pitching genius" isn't the only thing Moylanrespects about his ex-teammate: "He's done well on and off thefield."

 

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BRAD MANGIN (JOHNSON)

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ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES (MISHRA)

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JOE CASTRO/EPA (POWELL)

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NG HAN GUAN/AP (DANCER)

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JEFF ZELEVANSKY/ICON SMI (DIEHL)

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BILL PUGLIANO/GETTY IMAGES (LIMBAUGH)

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WALTER IOOSS JR. (JORDAN)

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FOX BROADCASTING/AP (FAMILY GUY)

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JASON POHUSKI/CAL SPORT MEDIA (MOYLAN)

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MATT KARTOZIAN/US PRESSWIRE (BROWN)

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JASON WISE/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (LOOPER)

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MICHAEL L. LEVITT/LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC (FISHER)

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FOX/AP (AMERICAN IDOL)

ILLUSTRATION