THE OPENING LINE

Monday, July 9, 2007 | 7:13 a.m.

It is one of the seven words that George Carlin says you can never say on television. Or, as baseball recently discovered, on a skintight tank top. Or, as baseball discovered in 1989, on the knob of Billy Ripken's Louisville Slugger.

Last week Mrs. A-Rod, a k a Cynthia Rodriguez, caused an uproar in New York when she wore a tank top to the Yankees-A's game with a familiar expletive emblazoned on the back. The one that rhymes with "truck" and is often followed by "you," as it was on Mrs. A-Rod's shirt.

Maybe it was just coincidence, but two days later Sam Morris, the Sun's award-winning photographer, strolled into the office with a Billy Ripken baseball card. That Billy Ripken card.

Sam had bought it on eBay. At the time it was mistakenly released by Fleer, that card featuring the word you can never say on television, followed by the word "face," was fetching as much as $100.

Morris paid $3.25 for his. Plus $3 for shipping. I guess the F-bomb market is like one of Sandy Koufax's overhand curveballs. The bottom has fallen out of it.

Before he came to the Sun and starting collecting trophies for his photos, Sam shot San Francisco Giants games at Candlestick Park. He still has frostbite on his shutter finger to prove it. But he's not what you would call a dyed-in-the-wool-uniform baseball fan, so I asked what prompted him to buy the Ripken card.

Did he envision reselling it to supplement his kids' college fund? Did he want to judge its authenticity for himself, like that photo of Lee Oswald posing with the cheap Italian rifle? Or does he just have a fascination with light-hitting middle infielders who formed double-play combinations with their much more famous brothers?

None of the above. Turns out Sam was shopping for well, let's just call it a "mistake" trading card featuring C3PO of Star Wars' fame. Personally, I just don't see the fascination of collecting bubble gum cards that became famous - or infamous - for some unintended reason.

I'm much more interested in grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips bearing Ernie Banks' likeness.

THIS WEEK'S BEST BET

Vegas Summer League, UNLV Cox Pavilion, Today-Sunday

Shots clanging off the rim. Guys failing to get back on defense. Nobody blocking out on the boards. It'll be just like the NBA Finals.

TICKETS: $15-$75

ON THE WEB: www.unlvtickets.com

ALSO WORTH A LOOK

Salt Lake Bees at Las Vegas 51s, Thursday-Sunday, Cashman Field

The Sunday game is at 12:05 p.m., so wear your asbestos batting gloves.

TICKETS: $8-$13

ON THE WEB: www.ticketmaster.com