WITH SPECIAL APPEARANCES FROM CLUBBER LANG, SONNY CORLEONE AND DENNYCRANE: Episode 3 of The Contender? Even better than the first two. Reality tv stripped of all the superfluousness of "was this challenge rigged?" and "too much bunching!" and the strategery down to the bare essentials of competition: two men, five rounds of boxing, one man wins.

Between a surprisingly moving Reward and a classic Burnett edit that stacks the deck brilliantly, I'm telling you, this is the episode that will suck you in and make you forgive them for screwing up a game of dodgeball in the process. It reairs on CNBC all week long, and I urge you to watch.

DOING BACKFLIPS TO CELEBRATE: Following in the footsteps of Frenchie Davis and Corey Clark, word comes this afternoon that Mario Vasquez has left American Idol 4, replaced by Osbourne Earl "Nikko" Smith II.

Let the baseless speculation begin.

CAN A HUMBLE SPARTAN DETHRONE THE MONARCHS? We are all set with your ALOTT5MA NCAA Tournament Pick'em Group, where you'll be able to match wits for free with the hosts here as well as our patented Mascot Matcher system, now in its 15th year of operation.

Group number is 37503; password is muktuk. Welcome aboard!

edited to add: Need help? Here's Tony Kornheiser's annotated bracket.

JERRY RICE HAS MORE FOOTBALL IN HIM: And, no doubt, ER has more rivetting trips to African wastelands in it. Ladies and gentlemen, two more seasons of ER.

ACQUIRED TASTES: By disposition and practice, I am a slob. I prefer my jeans three-days unwashed and a Giants cap to a quick shower. By and large, if an article of clothing cannot be purchased online, with enough slop in its design to fit, unseen, I don't care to own it.

Nevertheless, when I must wear a suit, I attempt to do it right. I am particular to Joseph Abboud, as he is the only mass-market tailor who can fit my bulk and budget. Still, some day I mean to go to Savile Row in London and have my suits made by a bespoke tailor.

And here's just the blog to get me started.

HAVE IT YOUR WAY: And to clear up the other topics on which this has come up, this thread is now open for discussion of your worst fast food and franchise restaurant experiences.

I'll start off by noting that the KFC on South Street is routinely out of chicken breasts. Still, is there anything worse than the Hyde Park McDonald's?

(Also, for all the discussion of the woes of the I-95 Maryland House, you do realize there are multiple exits with nearby Waffle Houses, don't you?)

SIX NEW RECIPIES FOR DRINKING EGGS: Sylvester Stallone launched his new lifestyle magazine, Sly, last week.