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Oklahoma safety Nic Harris wasn't thinking about the Gainesville, Fla., gospel radio station when he mentioned WTLG.

The inspiration is there just the same.

"Win the last game," Harris said.

It's a figurative and literal imperative. Winning the last game roughly translates to not looking beyond the next opponent. "You treat the next game like it's your last game," Harris said. "So, August 30 is our last game."

But the acronym is derived from the gut-punch Oklahoma felt while walking off the field for the final time in four of the past five years -- all in Bowl Championship Series contests.

George Brett says he's surprised that people still make a big deal out of his 1983 "pine tar" home run at Yankee Stadium.

The Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer's ninth-inning blast was taken away after umpires ruled the pine tar on Brett's bat extended too far up the shaft. Brett erupted from the dugout in one of baseball's all-time tirades.

The Royals protested the call, it was later overturned, and the two teams finished the game weeks later. The Royals won 5-4.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the incident, and Brett still can't believe that for all his years in baseball -- he won batting titles in three different decades -- the pine tar at-bat is the one fans know best.

"I am so surprised that you play 20 years in the major leagues and you accomplish some things, and that's the one at-bat you're remembered for," Brett said Wednesday during a conference call with reporters.

Year three for Josh Freeman is one of change.

The K-State junior quarterback is tending to the little things, such as progressions, footwork and reads. He watches film of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, seeking nuances he can call his own.

And after the departure of All-American receiver Jordy Nelson to the NFL, the onus of sustaining the Wildcats' aerial assault falls on Freeman's powerful but streamlined right arm. He's down to 240 pounds after weighing a muscular 270 last summer, before he threw for a school-record 499 times and 3,353 yards last season.

"It's his time," K-State coach Ron Prince said. "It's his team."

Freeman reflected Tuesday at Big 12 media days on his last two seasons, especially when he was thrust into the starting lineup as a freshman. He took over at QB for the Wildcats' final eight games in 2006, when they finished 7-6 with a Texas Bowl loss. K-State dropped to 5-7 last season, but Freeman did help the Wildcats to a second straight victory over a top-10 Texas team, this time on the road.

Mark Mangino talked about focusing on the task at hand, keeping it simple and sawing wood, reciting something of a lullaby for Kansas fans worried that the 2008 Jayhawks would need to order new helmets for inflated heads after a 12-1 season.

Mangino may have reaped many benefits from a football season previously thought impossible in Lawrence -- a $2.3 million contract extension among them -- but he at least sounded like the same master motivator on Tuesday at Big 12 media days.

For the second season in a row, Mangino will point to his team's schedule for motivation. In 2007, the Jayhawks rallied against criticism that they were feasting on cupcakes to move up in the polls. In 2008, with Big 12 South powers Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech back on the slate, they have the schedule to launch themselves into the national spotlight for good.

"We want to be able to play against all the best teams in our league," Mangino said. "And be able to beat them. That's the test for our program. We will never truly get over the hump in my eyes until we're able to defeat those teams as well."

The best teachers are always coming up with new tests for their pupils, and Mangino has issued a big one to his Jayhawks, who could have grown fat and happy after beating Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. KU gets Texas Tech and Texas at Memorial Stadium and travels to Oklahoma. The Jayhawks are 0-6 against those three schools under Mangino, but haven't played them since 2005.

For $4,260, you can have a courtside seat at Wichita State basketball games this season.

With Koch Arena set to be sold out for a fourth straight year, the Shockers have joined many of their peers in the Missouri Valley Conference in selling seats right on top of the action.

"It's an opportunity for folks to obtain premium seats in a situation where we're sold out," WSU athletic director Eric Sexton said Tuesday. "It sure makes sense to me."

It also stands to make the athletic department an additional $96,000, if all 24 courtside seats are sold.

The cost for one seat is a $4,000 donation to WSU's athletic scholarship fund, plus $260 for the price of a season ticket. The seats will be at six of the 10 tables along the court with the middle four tables still reserved for media.

The reputation of Wichita State's baseball team enticed Aaron LaBrie. A visit sold him on becoming a Shocker.

LaBrie, a left-handed pitcher from Sioux Falls, S.D., committed to Wichita State on Friday while playing in the Great Plains Tournament of Champions held at Eck Stadium.

"I've always liked the school because the program was always one of the best out there," said LaBrie, who had never visited Wichita before last weekend. "Everyone seemed really nice and laid back. It's just the type of atmosphere and people that I want to be around."

The senior-to-be at Washington High was 9-2 last season with a 1.36 ERA. A groundball pitcher, the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder works well with runners on base and has an 85-88 mph fastball.

WSU beat out South Dakota State and Northern Iowa.

Looking for defense

Calling Nebraska's 2007 defense bad would be a compliment. This was record-book woeful as 2007 opponents scored more points (455) and averaged more yards per game (477) than any in school history.

"There was no particular game that stands out," defensive end Barry Turner said. "There was a sickness you felt after every loss."

Defense is why Nebraska has a new coach and approach for 2008.

Bo Pelini returns to the scene of some of the most impressive work of his career as a college and NFL assistant coach. As Nebraska's coordinator in 2003, he shaped a defense that set positive schools records for interceptions and takeaways, helping the Cornhuskers to their most successful season since 2001.

Bill Hall homered to snap a late-inning tie for the second straight game; and the Milwaukee Brewers also caught up with Kyle Lohse, beating the St. Louis Cardinals and their surprise ace 4-3 for their sixth straight victory Tuesday night.

Ryan Ludwick hit the longest home run at 3-year-old Busch Stadium for the Cardinals, who have lost two straight after winning five in a row. But Lohse tired in the last two innings of an eight-inning outing, squandering a three-run lead and missing a chance to win his 10th straight decision.

The Brewers bunched all but one of their seven hits off the right-hander in the seventh and eighth. They tied the game with two runs in the eighth on an RBI single by Rickie Weeks and a run-scoring single by J.J. Hardy in consecutive at-bats.

Hall, whose 10th inning homer off Ryan Franklin ignited a three-run rally in a 6-3 victory on Monday, hit his 14th homer with one in the top of the ninth off Kyle McClellan (2-5). The Brewers have homered in 18 straight games, the second-longest streak in franchise history, totaling 28 in that span.

Brian Shouse (4-1) needed only eight pitches to retire the side in order in the eighth and Salomon Torres got three outs for his 18th save in 22 chances.

Rays 4, A's 0 -- Scott Kazmir and two relievers combined on a two-hitter for Tampa Bay.

• Rookie Evan Longoria homered for the third consecutive game and drove in two runs, helping the AL East leaders win for the third time in four days following a season-worst seven-game losing streak.... The A's have lost six straight, scoring nine runs during the slide.... Kazmir pitched a scoreless 15th inning on one day's rest to get the win in last Tuesday's All-Star game. The Rays gave him an extra day to get ready for his first start since July 13.

Yankees 12, Twins 4 -- Alex Rodriguez had a two-run homer and RBI single to help New York to its eighth straight home win.

• Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter homeered for the Yankees, who have won four straight overall.... Alexi Casilla had three hits for the Twins, but the second baseman's throwing error led to three unearned runs in New York's four-run second.... Minnesota dropped to 3-17 at Yankee Stadium since the start of the 2002 season. The Twins have lost six straight series in the Bronx.

Orioles 8, Blue Jays 3 -- Adam Jones homered in the third, then got a key infield single in a three-run fifth for Baltimore.

Nevada 10, El Dorado 6

Derby 5, Joplin 1

Tonight's Games

Nevada at El Dorado

Mark Romanczuk allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings and Tony Mansolino hit a two-run homer as the St. Paul Saints defeated the visiting Wingnuts 4-2 on Wednesday in the teams' first game since the All-Star break.

Romanczuk scattered five hits and Mansolino homered in the bottom of the seventh as St. Paul built a 4-0 lead.

The Wingnuts rallied in the eighth. Blake Gailen's double down the left-field line ended Romanczuk's evening. Wichita's Kevin Hooper greeted reliever Mike Bille with a single to put runners on first third. Wichita scored its first run on Brenan Herrera's double and got its second on Vic Davilla's infield hit.

Saints closer Tony Pierce relieved Bille with the tying run on base and got Michael Thompson to foul out to end the threat. Pierce struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 14th save.

Independent leagues veteran joins team _ Vic Davilla, who has played independent league baseball for 10 seasons, signed with the Wingnuts on Wednesday.

The Wingnuts will be represented by three players in the American Association All-Star game tonight in St. Paul, Minn.

Wichita infielders Kevin Hooper, Brennan Herrera and Michael Thompson will play for the North Division team. Hooper and Herrera were chosen as starters on the 20-man squad.

First-half North champion Sioux Falls landed nine players on the team.

The Wingnuts will start a four-game series at St. Paul when the regular season resumes Wednesday. The team placed outfielder Dustan Mohr (thyroid surgery) on the seven-day disabled list Monday, signed outfield Bub Bergstrom and pitcher Asher Demme, and released pitcher Kevin Foeman.

Mohr on DL -- The Wingnuts placed outfielder Dustan Mohr on the disabled list Monday. He will undergo precautionary surgery on his thyroid later this week.

Wichita State sophomore J.T. Durley broke his foot in a Monday workout and will be out of workouts for an undetermined period.

Durley, a 6-foot-7 forward, had surgery Wednesday to repair the break.

Durley averaged 7.0 points and 3.7 rebounds last season.

City Fourball

Second round at Auburn Hills G.C.

First flight--Alex Beury-Barbara Taber 145, Sherrie Wynkoop-Toni Gile 154, Barbara Ford-Buell-Sarah Allender 156, Becky Middleton-Jane Luellen 160, Marcia Alterman-Jan Knuth 162, Priscilla Lunkenheimer-Katy Yule 163, Jan Manion-Marla Lindenmeyer 164, Nancy King-Pat Dillon 167, Carol Kreager-Donna Roth 170, Audrey Cone-Bev Parker WD.

Second flight--Paula Smith-Nita Parks 166, Pat Totten-Sarah Lomax 169, Tina Donovan-Vera Robl 170, Stephanie Welk-Janet Ast 173, Judy Jost-Sharon Smith 176, Terry Chesnut-Ann Burgess 177, Melissa Rodriguez-Roseanne Luna 179, Sharon Hamrick-Nonnie Hollowell 184, Sharon Phillips-Linda Little 190.

KJGA

High school football practice starts in a little less than a month, but Maize senior Garrett Gould won't be out there.

Although Gould was one of the Wichita area's most prolific passers -- throwing for more than 1,700 yards and completing 120 of 259 passes -- he has decided to focus on baseball.

Not a bad decision for Gould, a pitcher, who is considering taking recruiting visits to Arizona, Louisiana State, Arkansas and maybe Miami (Fla.).

"I just thought that I don't want to go anywhere (to college) for football and my heart is really in baseball," said Gould, an All-Metro baseball selection as a junior.

"I don't want to take the risk of getting hurt. I'll be working out and doing a bunch of showcases in the fall. I'll take my visits in the fall and figure out where I want to go to college."

Swimmer Jessica Hardy's trip to the Beijing Olympics could be in jeopardy after testing positive for a banned substance, according to a person familiar with the test results.

Hardy's "A" sample from the recent U.S. Olympic trials tested positive, the person told the Associated Press on Wednesday night. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

The Swimming World magazine Web site first reported the positive doping test.

Mark Schubert, head coach and general manager of the U.S. team, and Dave Salo, Hardy's personal coach at Southern California, did not immediately return phone messages left by the AP.

USA Swimming spokeswoman Jamie Olson declined to comment from the U.S. team's training camp at Palo Alto, Calif.

The Beijing Olympics may not look much different from previous games on TV.

Behind the studio sets, however, world broadcasters have been squaring off for months with Chinese officials over censorship. Among the issues: what they'll be allowed to get on video, where they can work and whether they can broadcast live. They've faced red tape, intimidation and restrictions on coverage, which might make it difficult to cover unexpected events away from the venues.

Broadcast officials recount months of delays applying for permits amid changing rules. They've been questioned about coverage plans by everyone from policemen to local bureaucrats. Several broadcasters spoke of ordeals just to rent office space, and one said a Chinese homeowner made an offer to locate a satellite dish on his property.

"We have no idea at the moment whether we will be able to operate freely and without severe restrictions," said John Barton, director of sport for the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, which represents broadcasters in 57 countries.

"We've been given the commitment we can, but it remains to be seen whether we'll be able to do that. Until it begins we will not know how the officials and police will react. It's a lottery."

Wichitan Desirea Holmes, 15, won the girls Division 2 in the Pepsi Youth Championships last week in Sterling Heights, Mich. Holmes won $3,000 in scholarship money, defeating Berti Jungnick of Liberty, S.C., 208-190 and 246-233.

BASEBALL

The South division outscored the North 11-4 to earn a victory in the American Association All-Star game at St. Paul. The Wichita Wingnuts had three representatives on the North squad (Brenan Herrera, Kevin Hooper and Michael Thompson). The Wingnuts will stay in St. Paul for the first of a four-game series today.

BASKETBALL

U.S. forward LeBron James left practice with what the team described as a mild right ankle sprain on Tuesday.

The new leader at USA Track and Field sent a letter to President Bush asking him to deny Marion Jones' request to commute her six-month prison sentence for lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and a check-fraud scam.

"As the new CEO of USA Track & Field, I have a moral and practical duty to make the case against her request," Doug Logan wrote in an open letter to the president, delivered Tuesday.

Jones was sentenced in January to six months in prison and 400 hours of community service in each of the two years following her release.

After repeatedly denying that she used performance-enhancing drugs, Jones admitted last October she had lied to federal investigators in November 2003. Jones also admitted lying about her knowledge of the involvement of Tim Montgomery, the father of her older son and a former 100-meter world-record holder, in a scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks.

She was sentenced to six months on the steroids case and two months on the check-fraud case, but is serving those sentences concurrently.

The Alley

Men--Doug Metheny 273, 764. Women--Laura Adlegren 255, 658. Seniors men--Don Gobel 205, Gary Stroud 555. Women--Mary Jane Drake 189, 495. Boys--Devin Wilson 160, 356. Girls--McKenzie Needham 70, 138.

Derby

Men--Donnie Banning, 289, 739. Women--Heather Nedeau 246, Lisa Black 590. Senior men-- Eddie Poe 216, 568. Senior women--Sachiko Rogers 235, 556. Boys--Austin Watchous 253, Ethan Frank 681. Girls--Lindsay Wise 182, 438.

Northrock

The Twin River Swim Club is like a hidden jewel. For the few who are aware of its existence, they treasure it.

The club is tucked into a neighborhood near 21st Street and Amidon. Once you walk through the gate, it's like entering a secret community. On a recent night, the pool was surrounded by parents sitting in lawn chairs watching swimmers from El Dorado and Twin River compete.

"It's the best secret in Wichita," said Kathy Darnell, a member whose two daughters compete on the swim team.

Twin River is a private club -- not a country club, just an outdoor swimming pool comparable to Indian Hills. Pool manager Megan Von Fange terms it a family-operated pool, where the dues are used to pay the employees.

Open to the public -- annual family memberships are $410, individual youth memberships $180 -- memberships include family fun nights and free swimming lessons.

Ted Danson is relishing his first Emmy nomination since "Cheers."

In a remarkable run, Danson was nominated 11 years in a row for each season of the beloved Boston bar comedy, winning twice and mixing in another nomination for the 1984 TV film "Something About Amelia," in which he played a father suspected of incest.

But the 60-year-old Danson will be back at the Emmys after being nominated as a supporting actor for his work on the FX drama "Damages." Danson says the honor has more meaning this time around.

"When you're younger and you get nominated, there was part of me -- I don't know if I took it for granted -- but now it's a very rich experience," Danson told the Associated Press. "This is really lovely."

On the FX show, Danson plays Arthur Frobisher, a billionaire CEO who's the target of a class-action lawsuit. He and lawyer Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) are intense adversaries in a legal battle, with Hewes representing employees who lost their savings when Frobisher's company went under.

In its first season, "Mad Men," AMC's series about a group of guys on Madison Avenue, received critical raves for its finely drawn portraits of the employees of Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency.

Set in 1960, it focused on Don Draper, a glamorous up-and-comer with a double life and a secret past, and the smart, politically incorrect men around him.

But watching from a different perspective, there's a whole different story going on. And it's all about the women: Peggy, Betty and Joan.

In their pointy bras and flouncy petticoats, the leading women -- a secretary, a housewife and a sexy office den mother -- might look like stars of television shows in bygone years. They exist in a nonchalantly sexist world where men slap fannies or ask the new girl to shorten her skirt.

But while they are marginalized, the women of "Mad Men" are no mere archetypes. They are complicated, glamorous, ambitious and stifled in a way that women in 1960s television never were. With 48 years of hindsight behind their creation, they are marginalized in a particularly subtle way, so that viewers might not even realize they are riveted by their struggles.

Got DirecTV? If so, you'll see the third-season premiere of "Friday Night Lights" on Oct. 1.

If not, you'll have to wait until February.

Nobody seems to know how this strange new arrangement will work for "FNL." On the brink of being canceled due to low ratings, the Austin, Texas-based show was saved in the spring when satellite company DirecTV stepped up to the plate to help finance the new season in exchange for an exclusive first-run in the fall.

Executive producer Jason Katims this week said that the 13 new episodes may be slightly different from the ones that will air on NBC. Without some of the content restrictions of broadcast TV, the stories may have racier content and dialogue, and they could run longer.

Presumably NBC would then have to whittle and edit them for the February premiere.

In the mid '90s, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt held young women under a spell in the movie version of Anne Rice's thriller "Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles." These days, author Stephenie Meyer has given young readers a kinder, gentler breed of vampire to daydream about: Edward Cullen, the hero in the wildly popular Twilight Saga series.

The fourth book in the series, "Breaking Dawn," is due in stores Aug. 2, and the movie based on the first book, "Twilight," starring Robert Pattinson as Edward, is due for release in December.

The "Twilight" love story with a blood-sucking twist strikes a chord among readers of all ages, including Missy Daley and her 15-year-old daughter, Lindsey, of Haysville.

"Lindsey read the first book in eight hours and begged me to read the series when she was done so we could discuss them," Missy said.

Missy praised Meyer's ability to develop the characters, including Edward's love interest, Bella Swan.

PLANNING A WEDDING? VENDORS CAN HELP WITH EVERYTHING FROM THE INVITATIONS TO THE HONEYMOON.

This weekend's Bridal & Holiday Expo at Century II will help brides-to-be pin down all of the details of their upcoming wedding, from gowns and tuxedos, to flowers, invitations and the honeymoon.

The bridal expo will feature more than 100 booths showcasing vendors who supply everything for a successful wedding or celebration -- from pre-event pampering to the latest formal fashions to limousine services and banquet rentals.

You can sample caterers' appetizers and cakes, get a sneak peek at honeymoon resorts, check out floral centerpieces and see the work of videographers and wedding photographers.

There will also be two fashion shows each day -- at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday -- featuring wedding gowns and dresses, tuxedos and casual wear for travel and honeymoon.

For people who are extremely passionate about the Summer Games, watching just eight days of competition wouldn't be enough. They'll watch every second they possibly can from Aug. 8-24.

But if you're looking for a more action-heavy, condensed version of multiple examples of "one moment in time," we offer a projected eight best days of the Beijing Games.

We'll rank them in order of must-see, but remember, this gets a little tricky. We're listing them on the day they happen in China. Check the time difference in your area. You'll get used to it.

Sunday, Aug. 17

It could be a historic day, plus a chance to see a little bit of everything and multiple superstars.

Next month's Wichita Flight Festival at Jabara Airport will feature flyovers, wing walkers, an air race, vintage aircraft and a concert.

Details of the festival, scheduled for Aug. 22-24, were released by organizers Tuesday. The annual festival will be Wichita's only major air show in 2008 because this is an off year for the popular McConnell Air Force Base open house, which occurs every other year.

"There's a lot of really neat things going on this year," said Janet Wright, president and chief executive of Wichita Festivals Inc., which puts on the show. "We've got some really interesting planes flying in for people to see."

Among them are a Korean War F-86 Sabre Jet, the same type of plane Lt. Col. James Jabara flew as a fighter ace during the Korean War. The plane will be on display and fly solo during the air show.

The festival has also secured an F-15 Strike Eagle demonstration team -- an act it has had before but is difficult to get.

What made the cover

• "Oprah betrays Stedman" (National Enquirer)

• "Plot to kill Obama" (Globe)

Definitely not sponsored by Disney

• "Zac (Efron) and Vanessa's (Hudgens) sexy vacation" (In Touch)

The bad news is that "Married Alive!," a romp pitting starry-eyed newlyweds versus a cynical long-married couple, is such a slight musical that each song practically evaporates as soon as it ends. There's nothing really catchy or memorable, and one ill-advised rap number is almost painful.

But the good news is that the comedy about the highs and lows of married life is much stronger than the music.

And the even better news is that Cabaret Oldtown's veteran cast, under direction of Christi Moore, pulls it off with such gusto and glee that you get your money's worth -- and then some.

Tom Frye, a fixture in local theater for decades who has national professional credentials, and Christine Tasheff, former owner of Cabaret Oldtown, play the older couple -- Ron and Diane -- who are celebrating their 25th anniversary while attending the wedding of a young couple they know only slightly.

The veterans are both amused and appalled at the self-written vows they hear about "perfect love" and delight in mocking the bride's and groom's naivete.

Look for these new DVD titles in video stores and rental shops beginning today.

21 (PG-13) '' ½(2 hrs 2 min) _ A fact-based story about six MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. Kevin Spacey stars as the professor who leads them.

Picture This (PG-13) (1 hr 32 min) _ A high school girl (Ashley Tisdale) is invited to a party by the most popular boy in school. The only trouble is, she's grounded, and her dad is determined to keep a close eye on her every move.

Two Tickets to Paradise (R) (1 hr 31 min) _ Three men -- a former pro quarterback, a failed rocker and a law school dropout -- hit the road on a journey of self-discovery when one of them wins a contest for tickets to a football game in Florida.

TV shows