41.   Del Piero is coming off a breakthrough season for Juventus of Turin.

42.   Directing the midfield will be Michael Ballack, who is also coming off a breakthrough season but who has been nursing a nagging foot injury.

43.   Despite her recent troubles, this has been a breakthrough season for Kournikova.

44.   For the Arizona Cardinals, a breakthrough season was followed by a long, ugly summer of player departures, contract hassles and injuries.

45.   Finnish driver Mika Hakkinen won his first Formula One championship Sunday, capping his breakthrough season with a victory in the Japanese Grand Prix.

46.   Miller said Kostelic, whose sister Janica won a record four alpine skiing medals in Salt Lake City, helped push him in his breakthrough season.

47.   This was supposed to be a breakthrough season for Deuce McAllister.