TV Preview

Set the DVRs for hyper-record, Mr. Sulu! This is one of those nights where the wonders of modern technology, TiVO/DVR & P-I-P appear to be heaven sent.

We've got a scheduling collision of epic proportions about to take place, starting at 7:45 tonight.

Here's a rundown.

7:45, ESPN College Football

Florida State @ No. Carolina St.

The mentor meets the student (again) as Bobby Bowden and the Noles travel to Raleigh to take on a Wolfpack squad led by Bowden's former longtime assistant Chuck Amato. Unfortunately for Chuck, or maybe for Bobby depending on how things turn out, he is feeling the heat of a string of disappointing seasons. A home loss to Akron this year did nothing to squelch the flames singeing Amato's derrier.

The Noles are actually favored by 10 1/2 points in this game, despite their anemic offense (55 pts vs. Rice doesn't count) and despite the fact that Amato has a 3-3 record against his old team.

I don't know if FSU can beat any major D-1 school by more than 10 points, and I would not be surprised if the student gets one against the mentor again.

MY PICK: Noles 24, Pack 20

8:00 NBC: My Name Is Earl

This is where my DVR #1 kicks in- the 8 o'clock comedy Power Hour of Earl & The Office. The first 2 eps of Earl were not the greatest, a 2-parter about Joy being sent to prison. Although I must add that the second ep, with Joy and Catalina both taking turns as strippers and Burt Reynolds as a slimy strip club owner was pretty darn good. This week promises to hold interest again with another Catalina plot line- hmmm, wonder why they're working her in so much... oh yeah:

8:00, FOX Dodgers/Mets NLDS Game 2

The first game featured one of the wildest plays in postseason history, when the Dodgers had 2 men tagged out a home plate on one play. Tonight they send an unproven rookie, Hong Chih- Kuo, into the cauldron that is playoff baseball in New York; to make matters worse for the kid, he's going up against playoff veteran Tom Glavine. Definite advantage Mets. And with Nomah hurting, Jeff Kent a baserunning bonehead, and a kid on the hill, I look for the Mets to win handily and take a 2-0 advantage back to LA. But I'm still going to watch just to see what kind of crazy play might take place tonight.

MY PICK: Mets 7, Dodgers 4

8:30, NBC: The Office

This show continues to amaze: instead of resting on its Emmy-winning laurels it continues to raise the bar for comedy every week. The first week dealt with Michael's homophobia in a hilarious and poignant (somehow) way; last week we saw the re-introduction of Jim, who transferred to the Stamford branch of Dunder-Mifflin to escape the feelings he has for Pam. But now that Jim knows that Pam and Meathead have broken up, you know it's just a matter of time before the gravitational pull those two have on each other will kick in. Reunited, and it feels

so good. Plus then Jim will terrorize Dwight mercilessly.

Can't get enough of this show- DO NOT MISS IT.

Okay, time to stop typing and fire up the thrusters.

See you in a couple of (exhausting) hours.