'CLEVER' USC GRAD A FINALIST.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth Staff Writer

The other ESPN ``Dream Job'' finalist with a Southern California connection at least has a few other things to fall back on if he doesn't win tonight's contest.

Zach Selwyn, a 1997 broadcast journalism graduate of USC who lives in Studio City, has had minor TV acting roles (``Dragnet,'' ``Chicago Hope'' and ``Sabrina The Teenage Witch''), writes music (sold a commercial jingle for Coors beer as well as penning and performing ``hip-hop country'' songs), has tried a few movie scripts and maintains his own slick Web site (www.zachariahmusic.com).

Noted for his curly hair and beard - which judge Al Jaffe guilted him into cropping so he'd have more credibility on the air - Selwyn probably is the wild card of the bunch and could break through with the voting audience based solely on his anti-sports anchor looks and demeanor.

He impressed the panel and fellow contestants on last week's show with his adeptness in answering sports trivia.

``I'd like to think America looks at me and sees other strengths, but this is the job I want,'' said the 28-year-old Tucson, Ariz., native, the only one of the four finalists who is finished with his educational pursuits.

Quick witted and maybe better suited for a position on Comedy Central's ``The Daily Show'' than ``SportsCenter,'' Selwyn is ``very clever and funny,'' said Jaffe, in charge of recruiting and negotiating with ESPN's anchors and reporters. ``He reminds me of Kenny Mayne. And he's proved to us that he's very knowledgeable.''

One of the songs Selwyn recently wrote also impressed the people at ESPN to include it on commercials for the show. It is called ``My Three Favorite Notes In The World.''

The chorus? The dah-dah-dah, dah-dah-dah from the ``SportsCenter'' theme.