51.   Eight minutes into the new year and Vinny Testaverde is lost for the season without even being hit.

52.   Few good teams in the National Football League go through an entire season without one putrid game, or maybe two, as the Patriots played last Sunday.

53.   First, the Trojans need to close out the regular season without losing.

54.   For a competitor like Krzyzewski, Brand might represent the greatest challenge in a season without flaw.

55.   For the second successive year, Boston College will begin its season without one of its most versatile offensive threats.

56.   For starters, a season without one of its top superstars.

57.   For the Knicks, the possibility of winning a championship this season without Ewing is a stretch.

58.   For many, the challenge of the moment is to get through the holiday season without their loved ones.

59.   For the first time in his professional career, Miller is entering an NBA season without a guaranteed contract.

60.   General manager John Hart said the club is expecting to start the season without him.