National Anthem

Tom Gorzelanny allowed only three hits in eight sharp innings against a struggling San Francisco lineup, and Michael Morse and Jerry Hairston Jr. drove in runs for Washington, helping the Nationals beat the visiting Giants, 2-0, last night on Military Appreciation Night. Gorzelanny (1-2) hadn't lasted eight innings in a game since Aug. 12, 2007, when he threw a shutout for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Giants. Last night, he gave up Aaron Rowand's double leading off the game and single in the third, as well as Cody Ross' single in the eighth.

Fifth in a series of Daily News profiles of runners entered in Sunday's 32nd annual 10-mile Blue Cross Broad Street Run. Who: Michele Boyle Residence: Philadelphia Age: 43 Occupation: Physician's assistant (she works in hospital emergency rooms) and aerobics instructor. Education: Hallahan High; Philadelphia U., La Salle and Community College of Philadel- phia. Family: Husband, Joe (owns an insurance agency in Ardmore); daughters Allison, 15, and Jessica, 11. Broad Street Run history: She has run the race about 10 times.

As you may have heard, cops in the fine city of Washington kindly gave Charlie Sheen a police escort from Washington's Dulles International Airport to his show at DAR Constitution Hall last Tuesday. He was running a bit late, y'see. But wait - Who authorized the cops to do so? At the time, Chas tweeted he was having a blast: "In car with Police escort in front and rear! Driving like someone's about to deliver a baby! Cop car lights #Spinning!" Woo-woo! Look, ma!

REPEATEDLY during his long, initial season as the 76ers' head coach, Doug Collins has talked of seeing the big picture. That came to fruition on Thursday night, before his team hosted the Miami Heat in Game 3 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference series. "During the national anthem - and this is the first time I did this - I looked around," Collins said after yesterday's practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. "I saw the stands filled. I saw 'Playoffs' on the floor.

Meeting the press in Monday's oppressive heat, four-time Olympian Carl Lewis didn't break a sweat. Yes, Lewis confirmed, it's true he registered to vote in New Jersey just hours before launching a surprise campaign for the Eighth District State Senate seat in front of the Old County Courthouse in Mount Holly. But no, Lewis admitted, he hasn't yet come up with a platform beyond inspiring children, supporting veterans, and overcoming an insidious "culture of mediocrity. " For voting purposes, the Medford resident identifies as a Democrat.

RE the Deferred Retirement Option Plan: Only by constant public haranguing will the voters of this city realize they are being taken to the cleaners by the very people purporting to serve them. It's called representative government, but how many of us make that kind of salary, get three months off in the summer and 41 days at Christmas? Margaret Guthrie, Philadelphia We demand that a provision be put on the May ballot: 1. No elected officeholder would be permitted to join the DROP program nor would any appointee who holds a public office making more than $60,000 a year.

Cecil Parker is blessed with a stunning smile, and because that toothiness is integral to his stage appeal, the 39-year-old singer from Old City signed up early when he heard the mobile dentists were rolling into town. Parker got X-rays, a cleaning, and several fillings fixed on a recent Friday morning when California-based dentist Elliot Schlang and his team of traveling technicians came to Philadelphia at the behest of MusiCares, the national nonprofit arm of the Grammys. The annual Grammy Awards were just bestowed Sunday.

When the Flyers look back, games like Sunday's will be the ones they regret most if they find themselves without home ice in a playoff series. Shut out at home by the Los Angeles Kings? Wasting a great effort by goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to lose, 1-0? These games happen over a long season, but they also matter. When the Flyers look forward, this playoff-like game could contain some valuable lessons for navigating their way through the postseason. Some were encouraging, some were not. But they were in there if you were paying attention.

PENGUINS CENTER Mike Rupp made a friend for life before a recent game at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. While warming up, Rupp crashed into the boards, causing fan John Kraynak to spill his beer. Seeing the carnage, Rupp asked the trainer to get $10 out of his wallet in the locker room. Rupp then wrote an apology on a puck, signed it, taped the $10 bill to it, and tossed it to Kraynak.   Are Halladey, Hamils and Leigh next?   The Phillies bobbled a listing for a Roy Oswalt bobblehead giveaway.

Another music icon flubs the anthem Poor Francis Scott Key! Again, another of our musical icons has figured out a way to disgrace his immortal words ("Christina Aguilera flubs the national anthem," Monday)! Most third graders have memorized the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner," penned at the Battle of Fort McHenry during that terrifying night. But each time someone decides to put her musical "spin" on Key's memorable words, somehow, she manages to ruin it. If Canadian singers can beautifully sing "O Canada" both in English and French and without the added flourish, why can't we find someone to sing our national anthem in the respectful way it was intended?