Oksana Baiul

NAGANO, Japan -- She is skating's most controversial star, a mercurial performer who changes her hair color, her clothing style, even her name at a moment's notice. One opponent has slashed her with a skate. Another once smashed her face into a bar.She is Pasha Grishuk, and, with her partner Yevgeny Platov, she is out for an ice dancing gold medal at the Winter Olympics.The tempestuous Russians, who train in Marlboro, Mass., are the reigning Olympic champions. They will hit the ice during tomorrow's first phase of the ice dancing competition.

NEWARK, Del. -- How large and powerful is the skating club that helped turn Kimmie Meissner into an Olympian? Too large and powerful to organize a "Kimmie watching" party when the 16-year-old from Bel Air skates tonight and Thursday night in Turin, Italy. Balloons and pompoms wouldn't feel right at the Ice Skating Science Development Center at the University of Delaware, a dead-serious club with a long name and even longer record of producing world-class skaters. "As much as we love Kimmie, we're not just about Kimmie's Olympics," said Ron Ludington, the club's founder and director.

No pain, no gain, etc.: After success of gold medalist Oksana Baiul (three stitches in leg following practice collision) and silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan (knee used as pinata by thuggish amateur hitman), bronze figure skating medalist Chen Lu of China said she briefly considered dropping a cinderblock on her ankle to induce internal bleeding.She settled for a brisk whack upside the head from her coach.Fair's fair: In wake of Tonya Harding do-over in women's long program because of skate boot problem, '69 Colts now petitioning NFL to replay Super Bowl III, claiming QB Earl Morrall played most of 16-7 loss to Jets with loose shoulder pads.

Grace, artistry, beauty and more were on display for all to see last night from White Ring in Nagano, during the telecast of the women's figure skating long program.The "more" would be the contrivance, hokum and staged drama that are part and parcel of figure skating, the so-called "signature" event of the Winter Olympics that grabs the Games by the throat every four years and forces a lump in it.Unfortunately for CBS -- which hasn't been able to catch a break in these Winter Games -- last night's showdown between Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan won't generate ratings even in the same hemisphere of the women's long program from Lillehammer of 1994.

It's a sweeps-month Wednesday night, which means there's a lot competing for your attention -- even though not everything deserves it.* "Ice Wars: The U.S.A. vs. The World" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., Channel 11) -- Hmm. Ice skating. The U.S. competing against other countries. Doesn't the word "Olympics" ring a bell with anyone at CBS? Or does the network consider last February's megahyped ice-princess duels a forgettable sort of Badwill Games? Anyway, tonight's games include Nancy Kerrigan, Oksana Baiul -- and no Tonya Harding.

BIRMINGHAM, England -- At next year's World Figure Skating Championships, competitors won't just be performing for medals they'll be jumping for cash.Skating's ruling body bowed to the big-money influence washing over the sport yesterday by announcing a string of changes, including awarding prize money, creating a Grand Prix circuit, and expanding the schedule of open competitions matching today's stars against past Olympians.The moves come after a season of made-for-television events like "Skating Wars," and Fox's "Rock 'N Roll On Ice" received huge ratings in America.

Will there ever be too many awards shows?"Blue Chips" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45) -- Nick Nolte plays a basketball coach faced with an unfortunate choice: a clear conscience or a championship team. Among the cast are past and present basketball players and coaches, including Amfernee Hardaway, Matt Nover, Bob Cousy, Marques Johnson, Larry Bird and Bobby Knight. Fox."The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., WNUV, Channel 54) -- That was close; I think we went three days without an awards program of some kind.

The stage director, on skates and cradling a boombox in one arm, is traversing the ice at the Baltimore Arena, teaching the skaters their roles in the opening number. He works first with Rudy Galindo on his big, hands-over-head finish, then with ice dancers Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko on a jazzy, hip-jutting bit, then with French skater Surya Bonaly on her energetic jumps.The director then moves on to a pale, blond skater who has emerged on the sidelines. He cues the music and she follows him like a shadow as he skates toward center ice.From his boombox, the BeeGees are singing, "Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive . . ."

Opinion: Dennis Eckersley gets my Hall of Fame vote, first ballot, for a remarkable and truly singular career spanning five U.S. presidencies: 187 wins, 301 saves, a 20-win season in 1978, a no-hitter in 1977, AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1992, ALCS MVP in 1988.Fact: In the CFL's recent dispersal draft of players from the defunct Las Vegas Posse, the Ottawa Rough Riders selected a defensive end who died in an auto accident in 1994. The headline in the local paper read: "Rough Riders Draft a Real Stiff."

HAMAR, Norway -- They have the best seats in the arena.They are poised on risers above the dasher boards. They are armed with pads, papers and computer terminals. And they make decisions that lead to triumph or heartbreak.These are the skating judges, men and women whose subjective views are translated into hard numbers.And tonight, when Nancy Kerrigan meets Tonya Harding and 25 other skaters in the women's technical program at the Winter Olympics, the nine judges will be on trial.Can they fairly judge Harding, who was implicated in the plot to injure Kerrigan?

NAGANO, Japan -- She is skating's most controversial star, a mercurial performer who changes her hair color, her clothing style, even her name at a moment's notice. One opponent has slashed her with a skate. Another once smashed her face into a bar.She is Pasha Grishuk, and, with her partner Yevgeny Platov, she is out for an ice dancing gold medal at the Winter Olympics.The tempestuous Russians, who train in Marlboro, Mass., are the reigning Olympic champions. They will hit the ice during tomorrow's first phase of the ice dancing competition.

The stage director, on skates and cradling a boombox in one arm, is traversing the ice at the Baltimore Arena, teaching the skaters their roles in the opening number. He works first with Rudy Galindo on his big, hands-over-head finish, then with ice dancers Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko on a jazzy, hip-jutting bit, then with French skater Surya Bonaly on her energetic jumps.The director then moves on to a pale, blond skater who has emerged on the sidelines. He cues the music and she follows him like a shadow as he skates toward center ice.From his boombox, the BeeGees are singing, "Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive . . ."

Will there ever be too many awards shows?"Blue Chips" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45) -- Nick Nolte plays a basketball coach faced with an unfortunate choice: a clear conscience or a championship team. Among the cast are past and present basketball players and coaches, including Amfernee Hardaway, Matt Nover, Bob Cousy, Marques Johnson, Larry Bird and Bobby Knight. Fox."The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., WNUV, Channel 54) -- That was close; I think we went three days without an awards program of some kind.

Opinion: Dennis Eckersley gets my Hall of Fame vote, first ballot, for a remarkable and truly singular career spanning five U.S. presidencies: 187 wins, 301 saves, a 20-win season in 1978, a no-hitter in 1977, AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1992, ALCS MVP in 1988.Fact: In the CFL's recent dispersal draft of players from the defunct Las Vegas Posse, the Ottawa Rough Riders selected a defensive end who died in an auto accident in 1994. The headline in the local paper read: "Rough Riders Draft a Real Stiff."

BIRMINGHAM, England -- At next year's World Figure Skating Championships, competitors won't just be performing for medals they'll be jumping for cash.Skating's ruling body bowed to the big-money influence washing over the sport yesterday by announcing a string of changes, including awarding prize money, creating a Grand Prix circuit, and expanding the schedule of open competitions matching today's stars against past Olympians.The moves come after a season of made-for-television events like "Skating Wars," and Fox's "Rock 'N Roll On Ice" received huge ratings in America.

It's a sweeps-month Wednesday night, which means there's a lot competing for your attention -- even though not everything deserves it.* "Ice Wars: The U.S.A. vs. The World" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., Channel 11) -- Hmm. Ice skating. The U.S. competing against other countries. Doesn't the word "Olympics" ring a bell with anyone at CBS? Or does the network consider last February's megahyped ice-princess duels a forgettable sort of Badwill Games? Anyway, tonight's games include Nancy Kerrigan, Oksana Baiul -- and no Tonya Harding.

Grace, artistry, beauty and more were on display for all to see last night from White Ring in Nagano, during the telecast of the women's figure skating long program.The "more" would be the contrivance, hokum and staged drama that are part and parcel of figure skating, the so-called "signature" event of the Winter Olympics that grabs the Games by the throat every four years and forces a lump in it.Unfortunately for CBS -- which hasn't been able to catch a break in these Winter Games -- last night's showdown between Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan won't generate ratings even in the same hemisphere of the women's long program from Lillehammer of 1994.

LILLEHAMMER, Norway -- This is for Bonnie Blair going for her fourth gold medal and Dan Jansen going for his first.It is for Donna Weinbrecht coming back from a knee injury and Brian Boitano coming back from the pros.It is for bobsledders you've never heard of and lugers you've never seen.This is for the 153 other American athletes at the Winter Olympics who are not named Tonya Harding or Nancy Kerrigan.Tomorrow, at least for a few brief hours, the American team will be on display during the opening ceremonies of the 1994 Winter Olympics.

No pain, no gain, etc.: After success of gold medalist Oksana Baiul (three stitches in leg following practice collision) and silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan (knee used as pinata by thuggish amateur hitman), bronze figure skating medalist Chen Lu of China said she briefly considered dropping a cinderblock on her ankle to induce internal bleeding.She settled for a brisk whack upside the head from her coach.Fair's fair: In wake of Tonya Harding do-over in women's long program because of skate boot problem, '69 Colts now petitioning NFL to replay Super Bowl III, claiming QB Earl Morrall played most of 16-7 loss to Jets with loose shoulder pads.

HAMAR, Norway -- Even now, there is uncertainty.The plot has twisted through practice rinks and courtrooms, tabloid pages and television studios, but finally, tonight, in a 6,600-seat chalet-style ice rink, the most coveted medal at the Winter Olympics will be handed out.They will skate for the women's figure skating gold at the Winter Olympics.Nancy Kerrigan, the leader from Stoneham, Mass., will be here.So will Surya Bonaly of France, in third.But what of Oksana Baiul, of Ukraine, the child star and reigning world champion who is currently second?