Edge

Critic's Pick -- Raja's (Adhir Kalyan) buying activity puts the town on edge in Aliens in America (8:30 p.m., WNUV, Channel 54).

A 42-year-old Pasadena man was sentenced yesterday to a year under house arrest for assaulting a police officer, who shot him in the chest while trying to quell a domestic dispute at the defendant's home in May.Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Raymond G. Thieme Jr. also ordered Leon Wade Edge of the 8400 block of Maryland Road to perform 98 hours of community service, attend counseling sessions and serve five years' probation.Edge pleaded guilty Feb. 6 to assault to avoid arrest in an incident at his home May 15.Officer William Wild accompanied Edge's wife, Theresa Edge, to the house on Maryland Road to help her get some belongings.

On April 5, 2003, LAURA C. (nee Edge); devoted mother of Eric Corbridge; beloved daughter of Robert and Mary Edge; loving sister of Sharon Edge, Patty Ottone and Claire Bossle; dear aunt of Christy Ottone, Lauren Zervas , Lenny Ottone, Matt Zervas, Mark Zervas and Dominic Ottone. Funeral from the family owned Bruzdzinski Funeral Home, P.A., 1407 Old Eastern Ave, Essex at Rt. 702 (beltway exit 36), on Tuesday at 8:30 A.M. Mass of Christian Burial in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church at 9 A.M. Interment Holly Hill Memorial Gardens.

Quarterbacks Edge: Patriots Eli Manning hasn't thrown an interception in 85 postseason passes, but Tom Brady is 14-2 in the playoffs, including 3-0 in the Super Bowl. Running backs Edge: Even Laurence Maroney dominated in the AFC championship game, and Kevin Faulk has been the Patriots' unsung hero this season. The Giants' 1-2 punch of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw can be dangerous. Wide receivers Edge: Patriots New England has the NFL's elite receiving group: Randy Moss is a touchdown machine, and Wes Welker is Brady's security blanket.

The University of Maryland Medical Center and the doctors who work at its Shock Trauma Center sued Anne Arundel County and its Police Department yesterday, charging they failed to pay bills for treatment of a man shot by police during a domestic dispute in May.Two suits filed in Anne Arundel Circuit Court by the hospital's parent company and Shock Trauma Associates, which represents the doctors, claim the county has refused to pay $140,132 for 25 days of...

Maryland coach Dick Edell gives his position-by-position breakdown of today's national championship game between Syracuse and Virginia:Attack: Virginia is unbelievably well-balanced and its offensive leader is Tucker Radebaugh. You have to have three solid defenders to play Virginia and I believe Syracuse does. Something to consider, too, is that Virginia plays a whole second attack line. It won't be because it's 90 degrees out or its second game in three days either. (Virginia coach Dom Starsia's)

Q: People rave about fresh artichokes, but mine always seem to be bitter and woody when cooked. How do I know a good artichoke and what's the best way to cook one?A: To choose the freshest and most tender artichokes, look for bright green leaves that are closed tightly together, not spreading.Avoid any artichokes that feel soft or have browning around the leaves.A relatively fast and tenderizing cooking treatment is steaming. Trim the stem and pointed spike tips with kitchen shears and remove any tough outer leaves.

Point guardThis will likely be the key matchup of the game. If Connecticut is to have a chance at an upset, senior Ricky Moore will have to lock up high school teammate William Avery as he did Ohio State's Scoonie Penn in Saturday's semifinals. Avery will likely guard Huskies point guard Khalid El-Amin, who played under control against the Buckeyes. Edge: Even.Small forwardThis matchup also will be an interesting one, between Connecticut's Richard Hamilton and Duke's Chris Carrawell. Carrawell is to Duke what Moore is to Connecticut, his team's best on-the-ball and most versatile defender.

CenterHakeem Olajuwon vs. Shaquille O'Neal: On paper, this is one of the best center matchups in the NBA Finals in recent memory. Olajuwon has an array of moves that grounded league MVP David Robinson in the Western Conference finals. Doing the same against O'Neal will prove be tougher. The key for O'Neal will be to keep out of foul trouble. Edge: Olajuwon, slightlyPower forwardRobert Horry vs. Horace Grant: When the Rockets traded Otis Thorpe, the question was whether the team could win without a power forward.