BELTON

MELROSE PARK, Ill. (AP)

WASHINGTON (AP)

BELTON

AUSTIN (AP)

BELTON

Computers in the Temple Daily Telegram's Circulation Department will undergo a software upgrade beginning Wednesday morning.As a result, some customer service functions will be affected from 7:30 a.m. Wednesday until 8 a.m. Thursday.Although circulation department personnel will be able to take orders for new subscriptions during the time period, those orders and requests for changes in service will not be entered into computers until Thursday morning when the new system is brought on line.In addition, personnel will not be able to answer inquiries about the status of bills and payments during the upgrade.The Telegram appreciates the patience of its customers during this period.

For the first time in 2001, the seventh-ranked Temple boys basketball team is coming off a loss. And it's a foreign feeling to be sure.The Wildcats' 75-68 loss at No. 14 Georgetown last Friday was their first setback since a Dec. 29 defeat to Fort Worth Dunbar in the Fort Worth Lions Tournament, a span of 10 games.And after a 7-0 January in which they climbed to a spot alone atop the District 13-5A standings, the Wildcats (24-4, 6-1 in district) now share first place with Georgetown (27-3, 6-1).It's a revolting development, but one Temple isn't dwelling on. Not when an even bigger positive looms ahead.A win over last-place Waco (6-19, 0-7) in today's 7:30 p.m. matchup at Wildcat Gym would secure Temple's second consecutive playoff berth following a six-year postseason absence from 1994-99.That said, the Wildcats' mood has quickly transformed from dejection to excited anticipation."Our guys are disappointed that we didn't get it done at Georgetown, but sometimes you learn more from losing than from winning," Temple coach Bruce Etheridge said. "We're staying focused on what needs to be done and we're excited about (tonight). Win and we're in. It's that simple."Temple and Georgetown own a one-game advantage over third-place Killeen Ellison (5-2) and a three-game cushion over fourth-place Killeen (3-4). Temple and Georgetown can automatically clinch playoff berths with victories tonight or a Killeen loss to Ellison. by Tom Day

Yawn.That's the reaction in this corner to this past weekend's NHL All-Star Game and Pro Bowl.Heck, that's the reaction to all-star games in almost any sport.So why the hostility to all-star games?It's simple. These exhibitions just aren't representative of their sports.Take the NHL's game, for instance. Sunday's 14-12 game was an aberration. During the marathon preseason, regular season and playoffs, the odds of fans seeing 26 goals in a game are slimmer than Calista Flockhart.And Sunday's game was devoid of two of the elements that make hockey such a great sport: goaltending and hitting. Matador defense was the theme of the day and pylons might have provided more resistance in net.The All-Star format also lends itself to such a terrible game. North America against the World was a novel concept prior to the 1998 Winter Olympics. Now, it's about as hip as a Rubik's Cube. And with NHL teammates often having to play against each other, all-star players will do anything to avoid injuring players that are integral to their teams' Stanley Cup hopes.But as bad as the NHL's all-star event is, it's got nothing on the Pro Bowl, which has all the intensity of church-league softball. by Greg Rajan

Things didn't go completely according to plan on Monday for the Temple College baseball team, which opened its home season with a doubleheader against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor junior varsity.TC wanted to show off

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP)

For the Temple and Belton soccer teams, the "real" season starts today, as three of the four squads open district play.The Wildcats travel to Copperas Cove for an 8 p.m. District 13-5A match against the Bulldogs. At the same time, the Tem-Cats host the Cove girls at Woodson Field.Meanwhile, the Belton girls open 23-4A play at 6:30 p.m. today at Killeen Shoemaker. The boys, who started district play with a 14-0 win over first-year program Marlin last Friday, will host Shoemaker at 7 p.m. today at Wilson-Kerzee Field. Coach Dan Heger's Wildcats finished preseason play with a 5-3-1 record. The Wildcats, last year's 8-5A champions, are unbeaten in their last 29 district matches.However, University Interscholastic League realignment has thrown Temple a challenge with the addition of Georgetown, the fourth-ranked team in the state."They are the favorites for our district," said Heger, whose teams have made the playoffs for 12 straight years. "I suspect that we'll be right behind them. I think it'll be a real competitive district."We've played a really difficult predistrict schedule. We've played a lot of good teams, some that are going to be involved in the playoff picture." by Greg Rajan and Robert Hollier