The Week In Tv Sports

Highlights

SATURDAY 12/1
?Army vs. Navy
CBS 11 AM
Forget that the two teams have a combined 2-17 record—and that the Midshipmen are winless. The 102nd game between Army and Navy (the Cadets hold a 48-46-7 lead in the series) promises to be especially poignant in the wake of Sept. 11. Along with coverage of the game, CBS's broadcast will include exhortations to the teams from servicemen and servicewomen around the world and highlights of the Corps of Cadets and the Brigade of Midshipmen parading onto the field at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium.

SUNDAY 12/2
?Brian's Song
ABC 7 PM
Thirty years after it aired the James Caan- Billy Dee Williams tearjerker, ABC presents a two-hour remake of the story of the unlikely friendship between Bears running backs Brian Piccolo (a cancer victim who was white) and Gale Sayers (who is African-American). While this Song is short on realism and long on overacting by Sean Maher (Piccolo) and Mekhi Phifer (Sayers), it's worth viewing if only to hear the unintentionally hilarious dialogue ("I want red meat, and I want it now!") uttered by Jeff Ironi as Chicago linebacker Dick Butkus.

WEDNESDAY 12/5
?Suns at Nets
TNT 8 PM
The last time the Nets (9-5 through Sunday) caused this much excitement, they were winning two ABA championships behind a daring dunker nicknamed the Doctor. Now the team has another Dr. J, though new point guard Jason Kidd has his doctorate in passing rather than posterizing. Tonight Kidd, averaging 9.8 assists (second in the NBA), is matched against the point guard he was traded for, Stephon Marbury, who returns to the Meadowlands for a game that should be as contentious as a Sopranos family dinner.

Don't Miss

SATURDAY 12/1

? Tennessee at Florida
? Texas vs. Colorado
CBS 4:30 PM; ABC 8 PM
Whether it's on the football field or the banquet circuit Steve Spurrier, coach of the Gators (ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings), enjoys running up the score—especially against the Volunteers (No. 6). He used to delight in telling Florida fan clubs that "you can't spell Citrus without U-T," a jab at the numerous times Tennessee ended up in a lower-tier bowl game after falling to the Gators. Florida has won 12 of the last 15 games in the series, including a 27-23 victory in Knoxville in 2000 (above). The SEC's hottest rivalry is followed by the No. 3 Longhorns taking on the Nebraska-slaying, No. 7 Buffaloes (page 52) in the Big 12 championship game from Texas Stadium.

ALL TIMES EASTERN. SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.