Madison Square Garden

Baltimore native Hasim Rahman's chance to become a two-time world heavyweight champion by defeating World Boxing Council title holder Vitali Klitschko will likely happen May 7 at New York's Madison Square Garden, promoter Don King and representatives of both fighters said yesterday. "I've talked to [Klitschko adviser] Shelly Finkel, and he told me that the Garden is available, so the fight will be there on May 7," King said from St. Louis, where he is promoting next weekend's welterweight title fight between undisputed champion Cory Spinks and Zab Judah.

COLLEGE PARK - Before playing at Madison Square Garden in the 1990 ECAC Holiday Festival, Walt Williams was considered an up-and-coming player for a down-and-out program. A junior, Williams had stayed at Maryland rather than transferring to another school without penalty after the Terps were put on a harsh probation by the NCAA. Ineligible to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament or the NCAA tournament that season because of the sanctions, the late December tournament at a place often called "The World's Most Famous Arena" became a showcase for the 6-foot-8 guard from Temple Hills known as "The Wizard" and a program under second-year coach Gary Williams.

Tundra's favorite things are animal crackers, kissing, liver and her owners Ed, Jenna and Christopher Lipnickas, not necessarily in that order. If she suspects an animal cracker is nearby, a little frown of anxiety appears on her broad forehead, between her triangular velvet ears, and she gazes up with unblinking, warm, brown eyes and cocks her head.She gets a lot of crackers this way.Tundra is a show dog. Her formal name is American Canadian Champion Northstar's Polar Express, and she's dozing in the back of a van as it rolls through darkness from Dundalk to New York City.

It's been a slow death, agonizing to watch for those of us who remember what the Big East represented when it started some 30 years ago. It's been confusing to follow the almost constant updates over the past 14 months since Syracuse and Pittsburgh announced they were leaving for the ACC. To say that league founder Dave Gavitt is turning over in his grave is an understatement. The Big East emerged on the college basketball scene making a lot of noise. It had big-name coaches, high-profile players and a commissioner in Gavitt who ascribed to the P.T. Barnum school of thought that any publicity was good publicity.

COLLEGE PARK - Before playing at Madison Square Garden in the 1990 ECAC Holiday Festival, Walt Williams was considered an up-and-coming player for a down-and-out program. A junior, Williams had stayed at Maryland rather than transferring to another school without penalty after the Terps were put on a harsh probation by the NCAA. Ineligible to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament or the NCAA tournament that season because of the sanctions, the late December tournament at a place often called "The World's Most Famous Arena" became a showcase for the 6-foot-8 guard from Temple Hills known as "The Wizard" and a program under second-year coach Gary Williams.

Critic's Pick-- Rapper Jay-Z (above) and friends capture a magical night at Madison Square Garden in Fade to Black (8 p.m.-10 p.m., Showtime).

Opponent: New York KnicksSite: Madison Square Garden, New YorkTime: 7:30TV/Radio: Ch. 50/WWLG (1360 AM), WTEM (570 AM)Outlook: Tonight's game begins perhaps the most important stretch of the season for the Bullets, who will play four straight -- and 11 of their next 15 -- away from home. Washington has played well at home (16-7), but is 6-15 on the road. Six of their past seven road games have been losses, including four straight. Washington has dropped 11 straight in New York, and the Bullets haven't won a game at Madison Square Garden since Jan. 31, 1991.

NBA games lost yesterday: 8.Total games missed: 217.Earliest estimated date season can start: Jan. 1.Negotiations: Talks resumed in New York but no progress was reported after a 10 1/2 -hour meeting.Projected player salary losses (through Jan. 1): $330 million.Today's best canceled game: Toronto at New York. Charles Oakley, the heart and soul of the Knicks for 10 years, returns to Madison Square Garden.Pub Date: 12/04/98

Billie Jean King Cup 7:30 p.m. [HBO] Madison Square Garden hosts a women's tennis event carried live on HBO. Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Serena and Venus Williams compete in a single-elimination format. The semifinal matches will be single-set with no-ad scoring. The final will be a regulation three sets. But, no, we don't know what King (left) was drinking out of the cup before she decided to award it.

Opponent: Montreal CanadiensSite: Montreal ForumTime: 7:30TV/Radio: Ch. 20/WMAL (630 AM)Outlook: Montreal is 0-1-0 after losing to the New York Rangers, 5-2, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, and already has faced questions concerning its offense. "There's no question we've got to work on scoring," said team captain Kirk Muller. This is Montreal's home opener, and the team anticipates a sellout. Neither team reports any injuries.

LCD Soundsystem called it quits Saturday, performing a bittersweet, three-and-a-half hour victory lap to a sold-out crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden. I respect James Murphy and Co. for going out on their own terms, and not churning out more material because they feel like they “owe” it to the fans. There’s something beautiful about a band knowing when to exit and wanting to dance and get sweaty at its funeral. (The band asked anyone attending the last show to wear black and/or white.)

Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski, a football player by trade and a boxer at heart, is taking advantage of the looming NFL lockout by getting back into the boxing ring. Zbikowski will fight on the undercard of a pro boxing event at the MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas next Saturday. Under normal circumstances, this sort of thing wouldn't fly with the Ravens. But Zbikowski hasn't signed his restricted tender, so there is no contract for him to violate. And hey, if the NFL won't let him play football, then why shouldn't he be allowed to compete and make some extra dough in boxing in the event of a lockout?

No. 13 Illinois handed Maryland its second straight defeat Friday night, using inside-outside balance to win, 80-76, in the consolation game of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer at Madison Square Garden. The Illini made 10 3-pointers That, coupled with their superior size, made it a difficult matchup for the Terps. Trailing by double digits, Maryland closed to within 75-71 on a Jordan Williams (15 points) up-and-under move and a pair of free throws. Freshman guard Terrell Stoglin's 3-pointer cut the margin to 78-76 in the final 10 seconds before Illinois won it on free throws Maryland (3-2)

Billie Jean King Cup 7:30 p.m. [HBO] Madison Square Garden hosts a women's tennis event carried live on HBO. Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Serena and Venus Williams compete in a single-elimination format. The semifinal matches will be single-set with no-ad scoring. The final will be a regulation three sets. But, no, we don't know what King (left) was drinking out of the cup before she decided to award it.

The NHL is threatening to kick the owners of the New York Rangers out of the league or force them to sell the team as punishment for accusing league officials of violating antitrust laws. The NHL filed court papers Wednesday that included a draft letter from commissioner Gary Bettman proposing discipline against Madison Square Garden L.P. that could lead to suspension or termination of its ownership of the Rangers. The Garden responded by accusing the NHL of using "bullying tactics." In its court filing, the NHL asked a judge to agree Madison Square Garden breached its contract by challenging league rules.

COLLEGE PARK -- After winning four straight games in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, the Maryland men's basketball team came home with a 3-foot-tall trophy topped by a golden basketball, and T-shirts with the word "CHAMPIONS" on the front. After back-to-back seasons in which titles of any kind have been hard to come by, they were more than just souvenirs from Madison Square Garden in New York. Winthrop@Maryland Tonight, 8, Comcast SportsNet, 1300 AM, 105.7 FM

First baseman Don Mattingly said Monday night that he believes the 1995 season will be his last with the New York Yankees.Mattingly, 34, made the comments during an interview with Madison Square Garden Network."

NEW YORK -- There was a lengthy pause when Maryland senior D.J. Strawberry was asked to recall the last time his team played as well as it did in last night's uncontested thumping of St. John's at Madison Square Garden. "Umm," Strawberry said, "probably early in my sophomore year. The last time we played this well was when we played Memphis when I was a sophomore." Maryland vs. Michigan State 2K Sports College Hoops Classic final, tonight, 9, New York, ESPN2, 1300 AM, 105.7 FM

Duke Jordan, 84, a pianist whose work with the saxophonist Charlie Parker endures in the jazz canon, died Tuesday in Valby, Denmark, a suburb of Copenhagen. He had lived in self-imposed exile from the United States since 1978, continuing to perform in the musical tradition he helped create. He was regarded as one of the great early bebop pianists. A handful of recordings from 1947 and 1948 featuring Mr. Parker, along with Miles Davis on trumpet, Mr. Jordan on piano and Max Roach on drums, are considered masterpieces.