The Week In Tv Sports

Highlights

SATURDAY 7/22
?British Open
ABC 10 AM; SUNDAY 9 AM
It was the best of times, it was the worst of climes. Last year's U.K. major, played in Carnoustie, Scotland, in weather that not even George Clooney would venture into, featured a fascinating 72nd hole. There, Frenchman Jean Van de Velde coughed up a three-shot lead and Scotland's Paul Lawrie proceeded to win the ensuing playoff. This year Lawrie is defending his tide at St. Andrews, another site of a '90s playoff victory, John Daly's in '95.

SUNDAY 7/23

?CART Michigan 500
ABC 1:30 PM
Brooklyn, Mich., hosts open-wheeled racing's most unpredictable speedfest—the only place you'll see more lead changes is on Law & Order. Two years ago at Michigan Speedway's two-mile oval the top spot changed hands a CART-record 62 times. In '99 the last of 29 lead changes (third-most for CART) occurred when Max Papis ran out of gas on the final lap, allowing Tony Kanaan to make it to the winner's circle.

?Tour de France
ESPN2 7 PM (TAPE DELAY)
Has any rock band ever done more for sports anthems than the late, great Queen? We Are the Champions, We Will Rock You and Another One Bites the Dust still resound. Less often heard on classic-rock stations is 1978's Bicycle Race. Last week in the 10th stage of the world's most famous bicycle race—a climb through the Pyrenees, speaking of classic rock—defending champion Lance Armstrong (page 40), under pressure, ascended from 16th place to yellow jerseydom in one day. It's been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise, but at week's end odds were that the Texan would be leading le peloton into Paris in today's 21st and final stage.

Don't Miss
SUNDAY 7/23
? U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials
NBC 7 PM
Michael Johnson (above left) is the real Slim Shady—all them other Slim Shadies are just imitatin'. "Unless somebody's out there running 19.3, or even 19.4 or 19.5," says the 1996 Olympic gold medalist and world-record holder (19.32 seconds) in the 200 meters, "then I don't get excited about challenges from competitors anymore." He doesn't, but we can. Maurice Greene, who owns the world record in the 100 meters (9.79) and who celebrates his 26th birthday today, may be just the guy to stand up to Johnson, 32, in the 200. M and M, the two fastest men on earth, each already has qualified for Sydney by winning an event in Sacramento ( Greene the 100, Johnson the 400); today they break from the blocks at 8:48 p.m. in the ultimate event of the trials.