The Lineup: Thursday, October 24

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

So goes the sad tale of Adam Wait-wright. Send any suggestions to SI.TheLineup@gmail.com. (Bold indicates a national broadcast. All times Eastern.)

Pregame Reads

• Chris Ballard tells the bizarre, inspiring tale of Bison Dele, an NBA player turned soul-searching globetrotter.
• Who does the best in covering NFL head trauma? Richard Deitsch examines.
• Grantland has a wonderful oral history of the 1989 World Series by Bryan Curtis and Patricia Lee.

Starter

World Series Game 1: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox, 7:30p.m. (Fox)

Carlos Beltran may have suffered a rib injury, but he saved himself from becoming a three-day Internet meme when he did what Torii Hunter couldn't do: Stay inside the park while pursuing a Red Sox grand slam. Good for the Cardinals (relatively speaking). Bad for lovers of GIFs everywhere.

[mlbvideo id="31172515" width="600" height="336" /]

Reserves

NFL

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8::00p.m. (NFL Network)

Did you know that the Panthers have the third-best yards-per-game defense in the NFL? I didn't. You might, however, be aware of Tampa's 31st-ranked offense. I smell a snoozer brewing in Florida.

NCAA Football

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State, 7:30p.m. (ESPN)

Marshall vs. Middle Tennessee, 7:30p.m. (Fox Sports 1)

High School Football

Tuscaloosa County (AL) vs. Hoover (AL), 8:00p.m. (ESPNU)

Canadian Football

Winnipeg vs. Toronto, 7:30p.m. (NBC Sports)

Basketball

International: Galatasaray Liv Hospital Istanbul vs. Olympiacos Piraeus, 2:45p.m. (ESPN3)

NBA Preseason: Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:00p.m. (TNT)

NHL

San Jose Sharks vs. Boston Bruins, 7:00p.m. (NHL Network)

Vancouver Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils, 7:00p.m.

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7:00p.m.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Montreal Canadians, 7:30p.m.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lighting, 7:30p.m.

Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators, 8:00p.m.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Minnesota Wild, 8:00p.m.

Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars, 8:30p.m.

Washington Capitals vs. Edmonton Oilers, 9:30p.m.

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Los Angeles Kings, 10:30p.m.

Soccer

MLS: Metapan (El Salvador) vs. L.A. Galaxy, 10:00p.m. (Fox Sports 2)

Under 17 World Cup: Morocco vs. Panama, 11:48a.m. (ESPN3)

Under 17 World Cup: Uzbekistan vs. Croatia, 11:48a.m. (ESPN3)

NCAA Women's Soccer: Florida State vs. Virginia Tech, 7:00p.m. (ESPN3)

Europa League

FC Slovan Liberec vs. Sevilla, 12:55p.m. (ESPN Deportes)

FC Sheriff vs. Tottenham Hotspur-in Spanish, 12:55p.m. (ESPN3)

SC Freiburg vs. Estori- in Spanish, 12:55p.m. (ESPN3)

Apollon Limassol vs. Lazio- in Spanish, 12:55p.m. (ESPN3)

Lyon vs. HNK Rijeka- in Spanish, 12:55p.m. (ESPN3)

Valencia vs. FC St. Gallen, 3:00p.m. (ESPN Deportes)

Dinamo Zagreb vs. PSV Eindhoven- in Spanish, 3:00p.m. (ESPN3)

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv- in Spanish, 3:00p.m. (ESPN3)

Fiorentina vs. Pandurii Lignitul Targu Jiu- in Spanish, 3:00p.m. (ESPN3)

Apollon Limassol vs. Lazio, 5:00p.m. (ESPN3)

Tennis

Valencia Open 500: Round of 16 (ESPN3)

NCAA Women's Volleyball

Ohio State vs. Penn State, 9:00p.m. (ESPN3)

Grand Canyon University vs. New Mexico State, 9:00p.m. (ESPN3)

BYU vs. Pacific, 11:00p.m. (ESPNU)

Extreme Sports

X Games, 8:00p.m. (ESPN2)

TV

Tailgate Fan: LSU vs. Ole Miss, 7:00p.m. (CBS Sports)

Impact Wrestling, 9:00p.m. (Spike)

Birthdays

Peyton Siva, Detroit Pistons Point Guard, 24

Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals First Baseman, 25

Wayne Rooney, Manchester United Forward, 29

Rafael Furcal, St. Louis Cardinals Shortstop, 37

Dave Blaney, NASCAR Driver, 52