CYBER BEFORE FISHNET BIKINIS, A 'NET SNEAK PEEK.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth

In the first major synergetic project since the Time-Warner proposed merger with America Online, the cover of the wildly publicized Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition will be unveiled exclusively on the popular Internet service today at 5 p.m., one day before it's released to the magazine-buying fanatics.

And, be sure to let the kids know that AOL also will have an exclusive online chat with the cover-girl model.

(Or, for those who've wondered whatever happened to Kathy Ireland, check out her site: www.kathyireland.com).

Tuesday at 3 p.m., CNNSI.com will release more than 100 photos from the issue, many exclusively available on the Web site. The hook this year is the site's use of virtual reality 360-degree panoramas from the photo shoots, presented in Internet Pictures' iPIX format.

Next Monday, the site will have exclusive QuickTime video clips from the TNT Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2000 television special.

--An ESPN Chilton Sports Poll taken late last year surveyed 24,000 respondents about their overall interest in sports and how that affects Internet usage. Considering 42.5 percent of the U.S. population uses the Internet or World Wide Web, almost half of those (46.1 percent) call themselves ``avid sports fans.''

--A Web site called ``What's Hot Now'' (www.whatshotnow.com), that serves as the online store for FoxSports.com, has 7-inch replicas of the claymation studio host figures used in the ``Fox on NFL'' commercials.

The Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, James Brown and Cris Collinsworth dolls go for $12.99 each, are numbered and include a certificate of authenticity. As the accompanying text suggests: ``Collect all four . . . and create your own pregame mayhem and chaos just like you see each week . . .''