* The U.S. Senior Open comes at you in three-hour blasts tomorrow and Sunday from Congressional Country Club in Bethesda at 3 p.m. via NBC. The three hours previous both days is given over to tennis from Wimbledon. Tomorrow (4:30 p.m.), ABC gets the 21-day Tour de France away from the gate.
* Memorable. That's the only way to describe Tom Matte's commenting on Prime Network's coverage of the Birmingham Barracudas' 0-37 effort against the Horse With No Name on
Channel 54 last weekend from the all-but-abandoned Orange Bowl. He worked with a guy who looked vaguely familiar (Jeff Rimer).
* Yes, Larry Merchant will always be known for his trenchant HBO fight remarks, but he spins a terrific wrapup show from Wimbledon evenings on the premium channel. He brings the best out of John Lloyd, who is a typically glib Brit.
* I'm not sure, but I think I detected what resembled half a smile on the face of Hubie Brown once during TNT's four-hour telecast of the NBA draft Wednesday. Come on, Hubie, take your work seriously.
* USA Network is sending along the recent Evander Holyfield-Ray Mercer slugfest July 4 at 9 p.m. Fireworks, get it?
* Anyone who has ever seen "The Sun Also Rises," wouldn't dare miss the Running of the Bulls through the streets of Pamplona, Spain, July 8 (1:30 a.m.) on ESPN2. Please, United Artists Cable, give us city-dwellers "The Deuce" at least for this one day.
