Cait McMahan doesn't view women's basketball as a spectator sport.

She can barely stand to watch a practice.

"I'd rather be shot with a .22 rifle,'' the Tennessee redshirt sophomore said.

Pat Summitt appreciates McMahan's spirit as much as anyone. But even the Lady Vols coach shuddered at that alternative.

"I'd say that's a little extreme," Summitt said.

For McMahan's sake, the thought better not be too extreme.

McMahan has just returned from a month off after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right knee. It was the fourth procedure performed on the knee since the 5-foot-4 point guard suffered a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament on Nov. 29, 2005, during her senior season at Heritage High School.

She missed last season following surgery on June 6, 2007, to repair a lesion on the articular cartilage of the knee.

No matter how much it pains McMahan, it might hurt her knee even more if she doesn't watch from time to time this season.

Jenny Moshak, the Lady Vols associate athletics director for sports medicine, issued the less-is-more mandate after the latest surgery. Summitt immediately joined the chorus.

Now it's up to McMahan to accept her medical history and adjust her view accordingly. It's her best shot at participating for the long haul

"It's going to be hard,'' McMahan said. "That's why people do it. That's why people play basketball. Because it's hard.

"I'm going to have to communicate with Jenny. If it hurts, I'm going to have to bite the bullet and sit out."

Latest On Contract: The only update Lady Vols athletic director Joan Cronan offered this week on Summitt's contract was a timetable.

"My goal is for it to be (finalized) this fall,'' she said.

Talks ensued this spring, in the wake of UT's second consecutive national championship.

Schedule Update: Four more games have been added to UT's television lineup.

Fox Sports Net has picked up Virginia (Nov. 17) and Gonzaga (Dec. 30) with the game time in Spokane, Wash., moving up two hours to 8 p.m. EDT.

ESPNU, meanwhile, will televise UT's game at Auburn on Jan. 25 and a home game against Ole Miss (Jan. 29). The Auburn game time has moved to 2 p.m.

Visualize This: In one season, UT's roster has gone from senior-dominated to half freshmen

With that in mind, Lady Vols assistant coach Dean Lockwood, used a vivid analogy to describe the difference in player discourse this season regarding instruction and advice.

"It's the new Marine Corps versus the old corps,'' he said. "You can't shove anybody's face in the mud. You can't hit 'em or kick 'em like the old GIs. They can yell at them like all get out. But they can't touch them."

Ticket Info: Season tickets in the 300 level are going for $160, a savings of $75 over last season. ... Single-game tickets will go on sale Oct. 15. ... A "Family 4 Pack" ticket package has been reintroduced this season for the following games: Virginia, Middle Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. The package includes four reserved tickets, four hot dogs and four cokes for $52.

Passing Not Fancy: The male practice players' size is helping this young team's development. They are forcing the Lady Vols to upgrade their passing.

"Where they could pass over each other, they can't pass over the guys,'' Summitt said. "That's the benefit of having practice guys. But with that, you don't always gain the most confidence early."

Notebook: The national championship banner will be raised before the Nov. 15 season opener versus San Francisco. ... Along with shoulder surgery, Summitt also had surgery on her right hand last week. ... There's a cornfield maize honoring Summitt on Highway 64 in Ocoee. For directions check out the Web site www.cornfieldmaze.com/sites.php?ID=&username=tnbenton.

Dan Fleser covers Lady Vols basketball, He can be reached at fleserd@knoxnews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.