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Gameplan
• WATCH
Miami at Virginia Tech
Are the No. 9 Hurricanes back? Their victories over FSU and Georgia Tech were their first consecutive wins over ranked teams since '03. And in ultracool sophomore Jacory Harris, they have a QB stirring memories of Kosar and Testaverde. Judge for yourself on Saturday on ABC.
• WATCH
The Tour Championship
All eyes will be on Mr. September this weekend, when the FedExCup race ends in Atlanta. Tiger, right? Wrong. He leads the standings, but No. 2 Steve Stricker has been the Cup's best player (six top 10s in 10 events) since it debuted in '07. Can Stricker win his first title? NBC has coverage.
• REMEMBER
The Metrodome
Goodbye, Baggie. The Twins, who will move into open-air Target Field next April, play their final series in their domed home beginning Oct. 2, against the Royals. Will anyone miss the springy turf, evanescent pop-ups and tarmaclike decibel levels? The Twins might: They're 1,210--1,028 (.541) under the roof.
• READ
Where Men Win Glory
Everyone (hawks, doves, patriots, subversives) can find something to celebrate in Pat Tillman. But bestselling author Jon Krakauer concentrates on Tillman the man, not the symbol, in a bio that draws heavily on the NFL safety turned Army Ranger's private journals. It's a detailed portrait of a complicated hero.
• WISH
Happy birthday to Tommy Lasorda
The pasta-loving hardball ambassador turns 82 on Sept. 22. His gift? A painting of him is going up in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. It's a life-sized piece, 60 inches tall and 50 inches wide. Thanks, Slim-Fast, for helping artist Everett Raymond Kinstler save on paint.
The Pop Culture Grid
are my precious tools," he says. "I have to make sure we fix these every week."
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BOB ROSATO (HARRIS)
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DARREN CARROLL (STRICKER)
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JUDY GRIESEDIECK (METRODOME)
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PORTRAIT BY EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER/COURTESY OF SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY (LASORDA)
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DALE ZANINE/US PRESSWIRE (PENNINIGTON)
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INSPIRESTOCK/CORBIS (GUMMY WORM)
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MARK J. REBILAS/US PRESSWIRE (CRAYTON)
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KYLE TERADA/US PRESSWIRE (DAVIS)
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JOHN BIEVER (JENNINGS)
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NFL PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (BIERMANN)
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JASON DECROW/AP (WEST)
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MATT SAYLES/AP (ANISTON)
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