Hi there, welcome to SM.

It sounds like you are trying to map your polygons using sub-d mapping tools rather than polygon ones. To map your polys, just use the projection tools under edit polygons -> texture .

About the sphere question, if your can't select the faces of your sphere it sounds like you have made a NURBs sphere, rather than a poly one. You don't use UV mapping for NURBs surfaces, you use different texturing methods.

I think you mean that Mike was using wireframe on shaded option, so that you can see the wire frame of your object whilst still being in shaded mode. To turn this option on, make sure you are in shaded mode (press 5 on your keyboard), then (in Maya 6.5) go to shading under the panel menu, and turn on wireframe on shaded .

Hope this clears up a few things, good luck

LisaG