SURFING THE TUBE: THE WEEK AHEAD : TODAY.

Tim Rossovich's NFL career lasted just six seasons (1968-73, plus '76), but anyone who played against the middle linebacker from USC must have felt like it was 86. The 6-4, 220-pounder known as the ``Rasputin of Football'' is the subject NFL Films' Steve Sabol picked for tonight's ``Distant Replay'' segment of ESPN's ``Prime Monday,'' the 1-1/2-hour lead-in to ABC's coverage of Philadelphia-San Francisco. ``Tim was the kind of guy who lived on the razor's edge of rationality,'' said Sabol. ``Once in a while, he would tip off the wrong side. Those times usually occurred when he wanted to set himself on fire.'' Making him the first player to become en fuego. ``Prime Monday,'' ESPN, 4:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

Televised college basketball isn't allowed to start this early. We haven't got our Vitale vaccination shot yet. Georgia vs. North Carolina State, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2; Auburn vs. Temple, Fox Sports West, 5 p.m.; Texas vs. Princeton, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2; USC at New Mexico, Fox Sports West, 7:30 p.m. (delayed).

WEDNESDAY

We guarantee we didn't see this Joe Namath nostalgia kick coming. He has his own Nike commercial. Classic Sports Network re-runs his groovy talk show. He has an upcoming guest-voice appearance on ``The Simpsons.'' But do we have to be reminded that Broadway Joe tried to make it in movies - even before his NFL career ended with him as the Rams water boy? In his first screen role, the 1970 flick ``C.C. and Company,'' Namath plays a motorcycle gypsy who helps out Ann-Margret (both pictured), who for some reason is roaming around other bad elements. It's almost as noble an act as when Namath visited Bobby Brady pretending to be on his death bed in ``The Brady Bunch.'' Almost. ``C.C. and Company,'' The Movie Channel, 2:20 p.m.

THURSDAY

The only live tennis worth watching this month is the U.S.-Sweden Davis Cup finals. And this little eight-man, double-elimination ditty from Germany, if you can roll out of bed early enough. ATP World Championship, 5 a.m., ESPN2 and 10:30 a.m., ESPN (live coverage also 5 a.m. ESPN2 and 10:30 a.m. ESPN Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 a.m. ESPN2 and 9 a.m. (tape) ESPN Friday; semifinals 2 p.m. (tape), ESPN Saturday; final 1:30 p.m. (tape), ESPN Sunday.

FRIDAY

Charity golf tournaments begin at home. Or in Greg Norman's case, in Thousand Oaks. Shark Shootout, ESPN, 11 a.m. (CBS Channel 2 continues coverage Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m.)

SATURDAY

The first impression a sports-fan-turned-movie-critic must certainly have upon seeing a picture of Ving Rhames portraying slimeball boxing promoter Don King (pictured) is . . . schlock? But the fantasmatic performance Rhames delivers in the HBO original docudrama ``Don King: Only In America'' is what will make the lasting impression. The real King hasn't been impressed by HBO doing a movie on his life, fearing the premium-cable channel has a vendetta since he brought Mike Tyson over into the Showtime home after HBO exclusive coverage practically created Tyson. But HBO Sports has nothing to do with its production, says director John Herzfeld (who also directed ``2 Days In the Valley''). Herzfeld addresses that HBO element with his own twist in the movie. King should only be concerned that Rhames did something no one thought possible - make King out to be a sort-of human being. ``Don King: Only In America,'' HBO, 8 p.m. (replays throughout the month).

SUNDAY

With the nervousness about qualification for the World Cup over, the U.S. soccer team can work out some kinks against one of its more exuberant rivals. Except this time, it's on U.S. soil. U.S. vs. El Salvador at Foxboro, Mass., Channel 7, 10:30 a.m.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) DON KING

(2) Joe Namath and Ann-Margret (from the movie ``C.C. and Company'')