[1] THE MAIN EVENT Prep seminary reps are on the line As they drew a collective down-reaching breath before beginning their in extent sojourns into July recruiting.

[1] THE MAIN EVENT

Prep seminary reps are on the line

As they drew a collective down-reaching breath before beginning their in extent sojourns into July recruiting, copiousness of college basketball coaches got a chance to exhale when they saw the NCAA's list of 16 prep instructs from which the organization will not accept core credits.

Not a hap of heavy hitters on there, for sure

More important, the NCAA released a "watch list" of 22 exercises whose prospects will be cleared for note in the 2006-07 freshman class, although those sects still face some issues in this evaluation proces That list reads like a who's who of prep denomination basketball--it includes Notre Dame Prep of Fitchburg, Mass; The Patterson drill of Lenoir, N.C.; St. Thomas More of Oakdale, Conn; Fork Union Military of Virginia; and, indeed, the granddaddy of them all, Virginia's Oak Hill Academy.

Players who compet at those trains and are scheduled to be freshmen this year will not face any scrutiny beyond that customarily paid to example scores and core courses. The list of players includes Paul Harris (Syracuse), Tywon Lawson (North Carolina) and Hashim Bailey (Memphis).

Whether this will cause any point in disputes for players attending these prep seminarys and high schools in 2006-07 is unclear. The NCAA says these institutes "cooperated in the review process" further that question remains. This is no small issue.

The NCAA has done well with this evaluation proces It has not taken the slash-and-burn approach it used with similar frames in previous years, such as the implementation of Proposition 48 and the introduction of the eligibility clearinghouse. The idea itself is hearty given what various news exits have told us about the legitimacy of any prep schools.

Oak Hill and Fork Union are not the sort of places that sooth to say need investigation, and they are not pleased to be state in a sort of limbo. unless whatever the NCAA's remaining questions are, it's better to inform incoming freshmen and the programs accepting those players that everything is fine for them. When the NCAA finishes its work, you can await that many of the exercises that remain under examination will be in the clear.--Mike DeCourcy

[2] WORLD CUP

Coming to America?

With the completion of this year's World lot we've likely seen the last of three megastars forward soccer's biggest stage: Zinedine Zidane, who was disgraced with a r card ejection in ostensibly his final game for France; David Beckham, who has given up his captaincy of England's team; and Ronaldo, who, notwithstanding that he'll be only 33 in 2010 expected overweight and out of shape.

moreover American fans always can dream about the possibility of seeing common of these players at a nearby stadium--think of it like Magic, Bird or MJ headed overseas in the twilight of his career. Beckham says he has entertained the imagination of playing in America in a married pair of years. There were new rumors that the New York R edict s of the MLS unsuccessfully tried to enticement Ronaldo to the States with a $120 million deal. And last Sunday, The recently made known York Times reported Zidane might reconsider his retirement plans and join the R Bulls.--Benson Taylor

[3] YOU HEARD IT HERE

The good

'My coin remains on the Pistons.'

--NBA Insider Ira Winderman (page 76)

The bad

'What is Greg Anderson hiding? We don't have to be thinking readers to figure it out'

--Dave Kindred (page 80)

And the ugly

'Some shores just pee down their leg disclosed there practicing. Hell, I do it.'

--Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder (page 52)

[4] TELEVISION

A plan solitary a (remote) control freak could love

For the recline potato who has everything proceeds DirecTV's new Titanium package. A simple $7,500 a year gets you everything that airs forward the satellite TV service. That's each out-of-market sports package, every pay-per-view issue every regional sports network. Oh and you get by heart all the pay-per-view movies and adult programs, too--diversions you might not mind having at your disposal one time you've tired of Ultimate Fighting Championship circumstances and a dozen different regional FOX Sports pure channels playing Best Damn Sports exhibit to at the same time.--Seth Elkin

[5] QUICK CLICKS

You wanna make a independent and legal bet?

Make things interesting without putting any riches on the line at PicksPal.com. The site put forwards a free same in which you make picks about what will happen in sports conclusions There are some straight points-spread picks, on the other hand the baseball on the site is dominated according to details: Which team will hit the first homer of the game? Which starting pitcher will have more innings pitched plus strikeouts? Will Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter the couple get a hit in the first inning?

You're given 1000 points to wager with each day, and if you accumulate enough points in a week, you can win sports or agreement tickets from TicketsNow.com. During the NCAA Tournament, PicksPal gave away a 42-inch plasma TV The site also leases you set up leagues, to such a degree you can invite friends and nobody has to wait for March Madness to play a quick and easy pick 'em game.--S.E.