ooks as if former Olympic skating champions are an endangered species. First, Dick Button crashed and sustained a head injury a fortnight ago while practicing for his cameo in tomorrow night's opening ceremony at the FleetCenter. Then Tenley Albright, scheduled to appear with Button, broke her wrist Sunday in a spill on the Frog Pond.
Button, who has been hospitalized, is virtually certain not to participate in the ceremony. Albright, who could not be reached yesterday, appeared at the officials' dinner Sunday night, displaying a cast. Event officials said they were unsure whether Albright, who won gold in 1956, would take the ice tomorrow. ''I wouldn't put it past her,'' said Ted Clarke, president of the local organizing committee. ''Tenley's a gamer.''
The first dance
The first championship event actually begins a day before the opening ceremony with tonight's compulsory dances (the Westminster waltz and the silver samba) at the FleetCenter. Odds-on to win their third straight title are Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev, who placed eighth at last year's world championships. Vying for the second spot on the US world team will be Debbie Koegel-Oleg Fediukov and Charles Sinek-Beata Handra, the only husband-wife team in the competition. Another entry to watch is Jessica Joseph and Brandon Forsyth, of Lexington and the Skating Club of Boston, who've been together only since last August. Joseph competed in the 1998 Olympics with Charles Butler before Butler opted for college over skating. Forsyth won the silver medal at last year's US and world junior championships with Emilie Nussear. Also in the eight-couple competition are Jesica V alentine and Matthew Kossack of the Skating Club of Boston, who are moving up from the junior ranks.
Quad may be pulled
Since he'll be skating before both defending men's champion Michael Weiss and top challenger Tim Goebel, Todd Eldredge is unlikely to try a quadruple jump in Thursday night's short program. It's strictly a risk-vs.-reward issue. If Eldredge splatters the quad, which he's only landed once in competition, he could put himself out of contention immediately. ''All I have to do is be in the top three after the short to have a chance to win,'' says the five-time champ, who's making his return to Nationals after two years away. Eldredge drew 12th in the 19-man field, with Goebel 16th and Weiss 17th. Josh Figurido, of Gloucester and the Skating Club of Boston, will skate ninth ... There's plenty of iron in the final group for Friday's women's short program. Michelle Kwan, the four-time titlist, leads off, followed by 1999 runner-up Naomi Nari Nam, two-time world team member Sarah Hughes, rising star Jennifer Kirk of Newton and the Skating Club of Boston, and Ann Patrice McDonough, last year's junior champion. Sasha Cohen, last year's runner-up who is questionable with a back injury, drew ninth in the 19-skater field, two spots after two-time world team member Angela Nikodinov. Alicia Cavanaugh, the 20-year-old from East Longmeadow and the New England FSC who's making her debut at senior Nationals, will skate second ... Nam, who sank to eighth last year, is back in the chase after missing the fall season with a fractured bone in her hip. ''She was extremely depressed and put on weight,'' says John Nicks, who coaches both Nam and Cohen in California. ''But since she came back in the beginning of December, Naomi's done very well. Her injury is completely healed, she's back in shape, and she can handle all her triple jumps.''
