Yes, when he gets together with the other members of the receiving corps that will represent Public vs. Non-Public in the 34th annual Daily News-Eagles City All-Star Football Game, set for May 17, 7 p.m., at Northeast High, he's mostly ears.

How could he not be?

See, the story concerning His Greatest Catch in High School matches the one he tells for His Only Catch in High School.

"It was a screen pass against Fels," he said. "I broke a tackle and then I got pushed out of bounds. Gained 7 yards."

Don't look on YouTube. The video has gone unposted.

Just so you don't get the wrong idea . . .

It's not that McGough, a 6-foot, 170-pound senior at Ben Franklin High, is lacking in athletic skill. It's that his position for the Electrons was quarterback, and that he only played wideout toward the end of the season after a mangled pinkie, incurred while making a tackle, prevented the lefty from successfully taking snaps, let alone trying to throw.

"I did have another catch in the Dobbins game," McGough said, "but the ref said I was out of bounds."

OK, how about the scrimmage played 3 days ago?

"They threw me one pass," he reported. "It fell short."

Nevertheless, McGough has big dreams.

"The all-star record is two touchdown catches. I want to get three and break it," he said, smiling. "Long. Short. Doesn't matter. Well, a long one would be nice, but I just want to get three."

The Pub's QBs are George Washington's Clinton "Juice" Granger and Freire Charter's Antione "Blueberry" Singleton. Also on the roster aside from those two and McGough are Imhotep Charter's Julius Legg, who's listed as a tight end, and Central's Kyle Yeiter (linebacker).

Though McGough held out faint hope of playing QB after being selected for the game, he figured he would wind up at one of two spots.

"When we came to the first practice, the coaches told receivers to go there and d-backs to go there," he said, pointing in opposite directions. "I went with the receivers.

"I think I'm going to do a good job and have influence on the game. I can run and jump and catch and since I was a pretty good d-back [12 career interceptions], I know how they think and react and I know the kinds of tricks that can beat them."

Tah-juh-deen McGoo is hardly a one-trick athlete.

In basketball, he served as a heady, fiery competitor and he takes fierce pride that the Electrons were able to deal Communications Tech, the Pub champ, its only league setback.

In track, he has soared as high as 6-6 in the high jump, and he even advanced to the 2007 state championships. He has also competed in sprints and the other jumping events.

This track season has been a washout. And not because of rain. A momentary academic slipup rendered him ineligible, but at least he regrouped in time to honor his all-star commitment.

Excitement in the family, based near 23rd Street and College Avenue, right by Girard College, is building. Taj has already sold 15 tickets to family and friends and he is hoping even more personalized rooters will show up.

Also representing Franklin are rusher Chris Sturgis and d-back Tyron Carlton.

"This is going to be a fun night," McGough said. "Not only are you playing with all the best guys in the Pub. You're going against the best guys in the Catholic League and that makes for a lot of emotion. I play to win any time I walk on the field. It'll be the same thing then. Even more, really."

McGough found his downtime distressing.

"I just like staying after school," he said, simply. "I've been blessed to do all these sports, and I'm pretty good at them. Each sport helps me with the other.

"Football's my favorite. It has the most guys. With 11 guys on offense and 11 more on defense, you have more opportunities [to participate]. I learned the game from my cousin, Jylel Bream, who was a big football fan but ran track at Roman, and I've loved it ever since."

This time next year, McGough hopes to be completing courses at a prep school (identity to be determined) and know which college he will be attending.

His long-range goal is a job in business. Specifically, the business of burying people.

"A lot of people die," he deadpanned. "As a mortician, you're always going to be able to work.

"My mom's friend's family owns a funeral place at Broad and York. I've never worked there, but I've visited. I could picture doing that."

He also envisions making three TD catches in the all-star game.

Now that would be a story to tell for life. And it would definitely take a while. *