SURFING THE TUBE.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

TODAY

Did anyone actually voluntarily sit through all three women's college basketball games that CBS showed back-to-back-to-back Saturday afternoon? Really? ESPN starts its 16th season of Big Monday - the tripleheader of Big East, Big 12 and Mountain West Conference games, filling the 4-p.m.-to-11-p.m. block. Best of all, they're all men's games. College basketball: Oklahoma at Connecticut, ESPN2, 4 p.m.; Providence at Texas, ESPN, 6 p.m.; Gonzaga at New Mexico, ESPN, 9 p.m.; NHL: Kings at New Jersey, Fox Sports Net, 4:30 p.m.; NBA: Clippers at Philadelphia, Fox Sports Net 2, 4 p.m.; NFL: Minnesota at Baltimore, Channel 7, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY

The Clippers get a firsthand look at what this Michael Jordan commotion is all about. NBA: Clippers at Washington, Fox Sports Net 2, 4 p.m.; Lakers at Detroit, Channel 9, 5 p.m.; College basketball: Michigan State at Indiana, ESPN, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

The middle game of the Kings' five-game, eight-day roadie keeps them in the greater New York area. The middle game of the Lakers' five-game, seven-day roadie takes them to Reggie Miller's home court. NHL: Kings at Rangers, ESPN, 5 p.m.; Lakers at Indiana, Channel 9, 5:30 p.m.

THURSDAY

There are three Olympic berths available to the U.S. men at this week's U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Staples Center and it is hard to imagine Todd Eldredge (pictured) won't earn one of them. Although he was fourth at the recent Grand Prix final he has the experience to do well at nationals, maybe even edging out big-time spinner Tim Goebel and two-time U.S. champ Michael Weiss for another crown. That's more than you need to know about tonight's tape-delayed coverage of the men's event - the women's competition is taped Friday and Saturday to show Sunday. Oh, and by the way, the Trojans and Bruins play each other. Figure skating: U.S. Nationals, Channel 7, 8 p.m. (delayed) (Note: Taped coverage begins with men's short program Wednesday, ESPN2, 8:30 p.m., and continues with taped coverage Friday, ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday, Disney Family Channel at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Channel 7, 2 p.m.); College basketball: UC Santa Barbara at CSUN, Fox Sports Net 2, 5:30 p.m.; UCLA at USC at the Forum, Fox Sports Net, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

Sometime this spring, Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett is supposed to launch his own line of clothing called Official Block Family. Will OBF look any better than Shaq's TWISM threads? Just don't let the NBA fashion police hear about it. NBA: Lakers at Minnesota, Channel 9, 5 p.m.

SATURDAY

The professional football league's playoff system seems to be in place. What a wild concept. NFL playoffs: Wild-card games: Tampa Bay at Philadelphia, another matchup TBA, Channel 7, 1:30 p.m. or 5 p.m.; College basketball: Kansas at UCLA, Channel 2, noon; Stanford at Oregon, Fox Sports Net, 3 p.m.; Cal at Oregon State, Fox Sports Net 2, 5 p.m.; NBA: Lakers at Chicago, Channel 9, 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

More NFL elimination contests, with a pro golf tournament in Hawaii to warm the hearts of many. PGA: Sony Open, final round, ESPN, 5 p.m. (Note: ESPN has first-round coverage Thursday at 4 p.m., ESPN2 has second-round coverage Friday at 4 p.m. and ESPN has the third round Saturday at 5 p.m.); NFL playoffs: Wild-card games: San Francisco at Green Bay, Ch. 11, 9:30 a.m.; Another matchup TBA, Ch. 2, 1p.m.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

no caption (Todd Eldredge)

Box:

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