Taylor trial

August 25: The trial of four men suspected of killing Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor during a botched robbery attempt at his Miami-area home should begin Aug. 25-just three days before Taylor's former Redskins teammates play in their fourth and final preseason NFL game before the 2008 season. One young man has already pleaded guilty and accepted a 29-year prison sentence.

Democratic convention climax

August 28: The Pepsi Center can't hold the crowd Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is anticipating, so Dem-ocrats will pack up and move cross-town to INVESCO Field where their candidate will accept the party's nomination in front of 75,000 screaming fans.

Katrina anniversary

August 29: On this day three years ago, the eye of Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras, La., hours after outer bands of the powerful storm obliterated the southeast Louisiana town. Katrina's winds and storm surge managed to destroy a large swath of the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama Gulf coast, most famously causing levee breaches that eventually flooded 80 percent of New Orleans.

Republicans strike back

September 1: Presidential contender Sen. John McCain has a chance to fire back after the rock-show-style acceptance speech of rival Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as the Republican National Convention opens for business in St. Paul, Minn.

U.S. Open men's semifinals/women's finals

September 6: Swiss tennis star Roger Federer says that to prove he's not chasing the sunset of his career, he needs to pick up a singles championship at the U.S. Open. After 236 weeks atop the world rankings, Federer lost his top spot to rival Rafael Nadal on Aug. 19 and lost a shot at Olympic gold Aug. 14.