THIS WEEK IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

• Peter King on the unlikely success of the Colts, with Andrew Luck at QB and a coach battling cancer;
• Mark Bechtel Asks if Brandon Weeden can make the Browns a model of QB consistency;
• Chris Ballard on how the Rockets are bringing Moneyball to the NBA;
• Jeff Benedict on the soccer player from Ghana who could go in the first round of the NFL draft;
• Tim Layden explores the century-old myth surrounding his great uncle, hall of fame second baseman Johnny Evers

(NEW YORK – Nov. 28, 2012) – Buoyed by a precocious rookie quarterback and inspired by their coach’s courageous battle with cancer, the Colts have turned themselves into contenders in the unlikeliest story of the NFL season. That QB, Andrew Luck, lands on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated. This is the second time Luck has been on the cover, the first being a regional edition of the Aug. 16, 2011 College Football Preview, and the first for a Colts player since Peyton Manning on Nov. 16, 2009.

Indianapolis fans have quickly transferred their loyalties from Peyton Manning to rookie Luck, who recently tied Rams QB Sam Bradford for most wins (7) by a QB drafted No. 1 overall since 1970. Since Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano received the crushing news that he has acute promyelocytic leukemia during the team’s bye week in September, the Colts have gone 6–2. Peter King writes that it’s always dangerous to invoke Hollywood in a life-and-death story, but as interim coach Bruce Arians, Pagano’s close friend, says, “This whole story’s for Steven Spielberg. I can’t explain it (page 37.)”

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NO LUCK AT ALL – MARK BECHTEL (@SI_MarkBechtel)

If Andrew Luck’s metaphorical challenge with the Colts is to fill some huge shoes, Brandon Weeden’s challenge with the Browns is to step into a decent pair of cleats from a closet overflowing with smelly sneakers. The 11th opening day starter in 14 years for the current iteration of the Browns, Cleveland’s front office is wondering: Can a 29-year-old rookie revive the team?

Weeden is not far from Peyton Manning’s spot on the rookie learning curve, having a similar record, completion percentage and total passing yards as Manning did in 1998. He has looked lost at times and is still getting the hang of the West Coast offense, which is different from what he played in college, saying: “The under-center stuff wasn’t [a difficult adjustment] at all, but the tempo was. Slowing down, getting in the huddle, verbally communicating …. If you take my offense at Oklahoma State and compare it with what I do now, there are no similarities (page 41).”

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MONEYBALLSY – CHRIS BALLARD (@SI_ChrisBallard)

Rockets G.M. Daryl Morey is the NBA’s equivalent of baseball’s Billy Beane. He sees basketball differently from most NBA executives, and using analytical methods that many other general managers reject – or even mock – Morey revamped his roster in the off-season, working the margins of the sport’s economy, then unloading players when their value peaked. Morey knows many other executives are rooting for him to fail, but Chris Ballard explores why Morey will risk everything to back up his methods (page 55).

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THE NEXT ZIG THING – JEFF BENEDICT (@authorjeff)

He grew up playing soccer in his home country of Ghana and successfully walked on to the BYU track team, but Ezekiel (Ziggy) Ansah’s future in professional sports could lie in being a first-round pick in the next NFL draft. He was recruited to BYU by a sophomore serving his Mormon mission in Ghana in 2007, who played pickup basketball with Ansah and thought the Ghanaian’s 6′ 6″ 250-pound frame would lend itself to football. Ansah walked on to the Cougars’ team in 2010, and over the final nine games of the 2012 season, was third on his team in tackles (48), second in sacks (4.5) and first in tackles for loss (13).

While he’s not a star in the sport he grew up dreaming about – basketball – Ansah is drawing serious interests from NFL scouts, who are flocking to BYU to check him out. Says one scout: “The combination of his height, weight and speed is probably unmatched. Plus, he’s so strong. He’s got that Jason Pierre-Paul type of physical upside” (page 46).

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TINKER TO EVERS TO CHANCE … TO ME – TIM LAYDEN (@SITimLayden)

Senior writer Tim Layden had been name-dropping his great uncle for years: Johnny Evers was a Hall of Fame second baseman and part of the Cubs’ famous Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance double play crew in the early 1900s. But it was less than a year ago that Layden decided to write a story about Evers, and he details the process that led him to understand his Uncle Johnny’s life, marked by success on the field but personal tragedy and financial ruin off it.

Layden took special care to learn about one of the most notable events in Evers’ career: A controversial game-ending double play in 1908, in which Evers forced out New York Giants first baseman Fred Merkle to prevent the Giants from winning a crucial pennant race game. Layden found he wasn’t the only one fascinated by the mysterious play: TV commentator Keith Olbermann bought the ball used in the play at auction in 2010, and has made an avocation of vigorously defending Merkle’s actions. Olbermann bought the ball at auction in 2010 not only because he is an avid memorabilia collector but also because the Merkle ball holds particular significance, saying: “It’s the Rosetta Stone. This is the time-travel node that puts you on the middle of this swirling dust storm with 10,000 fans on a Wednesday afternoon at the Polo Grounds 104 years ago” (page 60).

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THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD

• Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y./Pioneer High) – Hockey
• Kate Barber (Dardenne Prairie, Mo./Lafayette High) – Field Hockey
• Mitch Trubisky (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor High) – Football
• Betsy Saina (Eldoret, Kenya/Iowa State) – Cross-country
• Marco Rojas (Stockton, Calif./Delta College) – Raquetball
• Caitlin Schafer (Hollister, Calif./San Benito High) – Water Polo

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.

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THIS WEEK IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

NBA  Preview: lebron james will lead the heat past kobe bryant’s lakers to win the nba finals; Michael Rosenberg details how miguel cabrera’s bat isn’t the only reason that detroit is in the world series; Tim Layden says that the most mysteriously enduring record in sports may finally fall; Michael Rosenberg reminds us that when it comes to broadcasting october baseball, joe buck is as good as it gets

(NEW YORK – Oct. 24, 2012) – The new Los Angeles Lakers Center, Dwight Howard, makes his third appearance, and on the cover of the Oct. 29, 2012 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. He last appeared on the cover as a member of the Orlando Magic on April 20, 2009. Senior writer Lee Jenkins (@SI_LeeJenkins) takes an inside look at how the former Orlando Magic star went from a lovable man-child to one of the league’s most reviled players and asks the question: Who is Dwight Howard – merrymaker or shark?

With his 6’11” build and lovable man-child personality, there have been many comparisons to the former Lakers Center, Shaquille O’Neal, including alleged nickname copyright issues. Teammate to both centers, Lakers’ superstar Kobe Bryant says, “Shaq was a goofball, but Shaq was a big a–hole. And I was a little a—hole.” (page 63). Howard is now more dedicated to the dirty work and Bryant claims that “a goofball doesn’t make plays like that, you need to have a little of that dog in you. It’s there. It’s just a matter of digging deep and pulling it out” (page 62).

Regional Cover: After winning the American League Triple Crown and being the offensive spark that sent the Tigers to the World Series, third baseman Miguel Cabrera appears on this week’s Detroit regional cover.

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IAN THOMSEN’S (@SI_IanThomsen) PREDICTIONS (page 80)

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division	Central Division	Southeast Division
New York Knicks (3)	Indiana Pacers (2)	Miami Heat (1)
Brooklyn Nets (4)	Chicago Bulls (7)	Atlanta Hawks (6)
Boston Celtics (5)	Milwaukee Bucks (9)	Washington Wizards (13)
Philadelphia 76ers (8)	Detroit Pistons (11)	Charlotte Bobcats (14)
Toronto Raptors (10)	Cleveland Cavaliers (12)	Orlando Magic (15)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division	Pacific Division	Southwest Division
Oklahoma City Thunder (1)	Los Angeles Lakers (2)	San Antonio Spurs (3)
Denver Nuggets (4)	Los Angeles Clippers (5)	Memphis Grizzlies (6)
Utah Jazz (8)	Phoenix Suns (10)	Dallas Mavericks (7)
Minnesota Timberwolves (9)	Golden State Warriors (11)	New Orleans Hornets (12)
Portland Trail Blazers (13)	Sacramento Kings (15)	Houston Rockets (14)

CONFERENCE FINALS

Heat over Knicks, Lakers over Thunder

NBA FINALS

Heat over Lakers

 

THAT’S A CROWN QUESTION, BRO – MICHAEL ROSENBERG (@Rosenberg_Mike)

Miguel Cabrera may be the best hitter in baseball, but the Detroit Tigers are in the World Series because he’s an unselfish gamer who understands the team comes first. He moved from first base to third base so the Tigers could sign Prince Fielder in January; he sprained his right ankle in mid-August, but waited a week to tell Detroit trainers and missed one game. While he is quick to highlight team accomplishments over his own, Cabrera’s Triple Crown season and lighter attitude have helped him shed the image he made after two alcohol-related arrests in 2009 and 2011.

Even though the pitcher has the ball, it often seems as though Cabrera controls it. As he has perfected his game of cat-and-mouse with pitchers, the idea that he would miss a pitch completely almost offends him. He says of the rare at bats in which he strikes out: “Nothing! You didn’t do nothing. It’s not fun. Put the ball in play, please. It’s like everything’s wrong” (page 36).

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MR. OCTOBER – MICHAEL ROSENBERG(@Rosenberg_Mike)

The most honest and most ridiculous thing you can say about Joe Buck is that he got his job because of his dad. The son of legendary broadcaster Jack Buck, Joe did not really grow up on sports. He grew up on sportscasting, and he began his career early, calling his first NFL game on Fox at age 25 and his first World Series at 27. Buck has cut down his workload in recent years in order to spend more time with his daughters, but in the climactic month when his football and baseball worlds collide, we are reminded Joe Buck is as good as it gets.

Tim McCarver, Buck’s partner in the booth for MLB games, says of Buck’s ability to manage a game and bring humor to his work without stealing the show, “[He’s] the greatest multitasker I’ve ever met. Fifteen things going on at once is right up his alley. He loves that. Those are his moments of relaxation.” (page 44).

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MERRILY THEY (PICK AND) ROLL ALONG – LEE JENKINS(@SI_LeeJenkins)

The pick-and-roll has been a pillar of NBA offenses since Oscar Robertson and Lenny Wilkens were delivering pocket passes, but never has the set permeated playbooks as it does today. Powerhouses like James Harden, Derrick Rose and Chris Bosh may make it look simple, but Sports Illustrated’s “Data by Synergy Sports Technology” proves that a skilled pick artist has become a standby that teams are relying on more than ever before. Weber State coach, Randy Rahe is convinced that the pick is now invaluable to college basketball, “Pick-and-roll is such a big part of the NBA … so it only made sense to add more of it to our offense” (page 66).

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THE LAST DAYS OF 63 – TIM LAYDEN (@SITimLayden)

In the 42 years since Tom Dempsey kicked the longest field goal in NFL history, his mark has been matched three times but never surpassed. Now the most mysteriously enduring record in sports may finally be ripe to fall.

Sixty-three should have fallen years ago, as kickers became more deadeye snipers­–more explosive, more accurate and better schooled from a younger age-but the record remains intact, shared by a logjam of four kickers across 42 years of football. It has been protected by circumstance, strategy, worship at the altar of field position and, in no small part, the inherent challenge of guiding a football 63 yards through an opening 10 feet off the ground and 18 feet, 6 inches wide.

Senior writer Tim Layden traveled to the remote village of Soldotna, Alaska where former Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam now flies his Piper two-seater airplane on hunting excursions. Elam became the second kicker in NFL history to nail a 63-yard field goal 14 years ago this Oct 25, “After my kick I thought [the record] might be gone in a week. I’m still shocked it’s still there.”

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THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD

• Gracia Leydon Mahoney (Newton, Mass./Durham Academy) – Diving
• Gabe Myles (Starkville, Miss./Starkville High)– Football
• Shanice Robe (Valley Stream, N.Y./Mount Saint Mary College) – Soccer
• Jack Boyle (Avon-by-the-Sea, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) – Cross-country
• Timbrelee McNair (Girard, Kans./Girard High) – Golf
• Clay Youngquist (Battle Creek, Mich./University of Texas at Austin) – Swimming

 

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.

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THIS WEEK IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans reveal the untold story of Tyrann Mathieu; Alexander Wolff and David Epstein detail Lance Armstrong’s misdeeds; Chris Ballard explores the seemingly impossible dream of Williamsport high; Andy Staples reveals which teams can give Alabama a run for its money

(NEW YORK – October 17, 2012) – Tyrann Mathieu found overnight fame last year, becoming only the third defensive player since 1994 to be named a Heisman Trophy finalist, but Senior SI writers Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans uncover how the spoils of that fame have led to rehab, exile from the LSU football program and comparisons with his imprisoned father, Darrin (Cornbread) Hayes (page 34).

Like his father, Mathieu derailed his college football career. The Honey Badger was dismissed from the LSU program on Aug 10, and he faces no shortage of other obstacles: Including a complicated family situation, supporting a baby boy due in January and dealing with possible NCAA violations stemming from his involvement in promoting a Baton Rouge nightclub.

Former NBA player John Lucas has counseled Mathieu as he works to return to football, but the road ahead is difficult. Mathieu’s sister Darrineka says, “I’m not making excuses for my brother, but I would smoke too, dealing with everything.”

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“A MASSIVE FRAUD NOW MORE FULLY EXPOSED” – ALEXANDER WOLFF AND DAVID EPSTEIN (@Alexander_Wolff & @SIDavidEpstein)

For years, Lance Armstrong vehemently denied doping as he became the most dominant cyclist in history. Recently, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency pulled the last thread from the fiction that Armstrong had meticulously woven: That he had been the lone clean champion during cycling’s most corrupt era. Senior SI writer Alexander Wolff and David Epstein have compiled some of Armstrong’s most strident assertions. They then annotate them with evidence that he took performance-enhancing drugs, pressured his teammates to do so and bullied anyone who opposed him (page 40).

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MOURNING GLORY – CHRIS BALLARD (@SI_ChrisBallard)

Deep in the heart of Maryland, not far from Baltimore and Washington, there was another story of baseball magic, this one mixed with tragedy- two deaths, three years apart- that ended with the realization of a seemingly impossible dream.

When Coach David Warrenfeltz was hired to lead the Williamsport baseball program in 2011, some of the locals grumbled – at 23, he was inexperienced and not much older than the players. Warrenfeltz found his way to coaching after experiencing heartache three years ago when his boyhood friend, Nick Adenhart, was killed by a drunk driver in California the night of his best performance as a promising young major league pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels. On the night of May 5^th, the town experienced the same horror again as the team’s best player, Brendon Colliflower and his girlfriend Samantha Kelly died in a car accident coming home from the school prom.  In the face of tragedy, Coach Warrenfeltz brought the town and team together and proved that he was the right man for the job (page 58).

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WHO CAN ROLL THE TIDE? – ANDY STAPLES (@Andy_Staples)

The undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide beat Missouri 42-10 Saturday in a romp that actually lowered Bama’s average margin of victory to 33.0 points. Coach Nick Saban holds his team to its own standard of excellence, not that of its opponent, and while it doesn’t look like they can be stopped en route to the national title, Andy Staples makes the case for three teams that could give the Tide a run for its money (page 26).

• Florida:  If the Gators and Tide meet in the SEC championship game on Dec 1, Florida’s suffocating brand of defense and simple offensive scheme known as “God’s Play” could turn the game into a slugfest reminiscent of LSU’s 9-6 overtime win at Alabama last season.
• Notre Dame: Notre Dame’s defense has proved its toughness this season, having already forced more turnovers (15) than it did all last season (14), and Irish linebacker Manti Te’o and nosetackle Louis Nix might be the best-equipped tandem in the country to handle Alabama run-blockers Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack.
• Oregon: Known for their fast-paced offense, the Ducks can play defense too. They may be susceptible to allowing big plays, but they clamp down when it matters, having held opponents to just nine touchdowns on 26 red-zone attempts this season.
  

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POINT AFTER: THIS TIGER IS A HORSE – PHIL TAYLOR (@SI_PhilTaylor)

Why pull a pitcher who never gets tired? Justin Verlander throws harder and longer than any pitcher in baseball. But in this new era of treating pitchers as if their shoulders are made of crystal and their elbows of cotton candy, it’s amazing that his manager, Jim Leyland, lets him pitch so long. The reigning AL Cy Young winner and MVP states, “I don’t think it’s fair to just say 100 or 110 pitches is the limit for everybody…. I’ve always been the kind of guy who gets stronger as the game goes along” (page 68).

THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD

• Drew Wolitarsky (Canyon Country, Calif/Canyon High) – Football
• Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs/Doherty High)– Volleyball
• Riley Lyons (Roswell, GA./Dartmouth College) – Football
• Katie Johnson (Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington High) – Softball
• Joey Colton (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro High) – Water Polo
• Keri Lambert (Amherst, Mass./USC) – Cross-Country
  

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.

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The Homecoming Seen Around the World: Brooklyn Is Back

For baseball’s October party crashers, the key to getting to the postseason was going global

Recalling Boise State Circa 2003, Frank Solich has Ohio Ready to Bust the BCS

The Curious Case of Philip Rivers

Falling Short of Expected NFL Success, the 2005 USC Offense Became the Lost Boys of Troy

(NEW YORK – October 10, 2012) –Four decades after Rick Telander chronicled Brooklyn’s vibrant street basketball scene, he returned to the borough that spawned generations of schoolboy legends (not to mention legendary characters) and finally has an NBA team of its own. On the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated, on newsstands now, is the leader of the next generation, Deron Williams, ushering in the new era of Brooklyn sports while wearing his black and white jersey with retro-fresh logo, designed by Jay-Z himself.

In the issue Telander guides us through the historic streets to the new heart of the town, the Barclays center, home of the Brooklyn Nets. He reminds us that the urban passion for hoops was born here, dubbing it “the cradle of the city game.” The Knicks may have overshadowed Brooklyn as the professional basketball team in a major metropolis, but Telander writes, “Brooklyn has more hoops heritage in its parks than Harlem, the Bronx, West 4^th St., Philly, Chicago, L.A., anywhere” (page 64).

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WORLDLY SERIES – ALBERT CHEN

For baseball’s small-market October party crashers, the key to getting to the postseason was going global in the search of out-of-this-world talent. When Dan Duquette took over as general manager of the Orioles last November, he inherited a losing team pinned to the cellar floor of the American League East. As he searched for the fastest way to turn Baltimore into a winner, Duquette identified the international market as the quickest route to relevance. In the last 10 months the club has signed players from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and Venezuela. There are big gambles and there are small gambles when it comes to international signings. For the Orioles, Reds and A’s the gambles have paid off and helped propel them into the postseason (page 34).

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, who by now is accustomed to the struggle of making himself understood in multilingual mound conversations said, “There are more languages in our clubhouse than in the freakin’ United Nations.”

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SOLICH’S SCHOOL FOR BOISE – LARS ANDERSON(@LarsAndersonSI)

Nebraska castoff Frank Solich, who was fired from the Cornhuskers’ head coaching post in November 2003, has rebuilt once-hapless Ohio University into Boise State circa 2003. Even without a blue field or occasional Wednesday night ESPN game, the Bobcats are unbeaten and poised to become the next great BCS buster (page 50).

In Ohio, Solich found the antithesis of his Nebraska program: No pantheon of pros, no multimillion-dollar budget and no success to speak of. But the lack of notoriety was just what he needed, and his Nebraska method—emphasizing the walk-on program, liberally redshirting and aggressively recruiting players with high GPAs—has lured players to Athens. Now the undefeated Bobcats are looking beyond just a BCS bowl berth to the national title game, and redshirt junior quarterback Tyler Tettleton is ready to lead them there. Tettleton, whose father is former major league catcher Mickey, says, “I’ve been around winning teams all my life. I remember getting sprayed with champagne as a kid with my dad in the Texas locker room after the Rangers clinched their division [in 1998]. I feel like I know what it takes to get the job done.”

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THE CURIOUS CASE OF PHILIP RIVERS – JIM TROTTER(@SI_JimTrotter)

Three quarterbacks were chosen in the first 11 picks of the 2004 NFL draft and two, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, have won two Super Bowls apiece. The other one, Philip Rivers, is still trying to claim his first ring. With each failed attempt at reaching the Super Bowl, the shadows of Manning and Roethlisberger grow longer over Rivers and the Chargers’ franchise. Particularly because unlike them, the former N.C. State star has yet to put his signature on a memorable playoff win (page 46).

Rivers is just 3–4 in the postseason with losses in three of his past four starts. He has thrown for 300 yards just once in seven career games and has more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (eight). Retired fullback Lorenzo Neal who teamed with Rivers from 2004–07 said, “Philip Rivers is burning inside. Ben Roethlisberger has gone to three Super Bowls and won two. Eli Manning has gone to two Super Bowls and won both. Philip hasn’t been there.”

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LOST BOYS OF TROY – AUSTIN MURPHY(@SI_AustinMurphy)

Hailed as the greatest college offense of our time, the swaggering 2005 USC Trojans were destined to produce a crop of NFL greats. Yet few found success in the pros, and with the benefit of hindsight, NFL scouts, coaches and general managers have admitted to looking at members of that team through cardinal-and-gold tinted glasses (page 40).

Says one assistant G.M., “You don’t think you’re doing it, but sometimes you subconsciously [escalate a guy’s draft stock] based on the strength of the brand. [USC] won 34 straight games, they were very well coached and they ran a pro-style scheme similar to what you see at this level…. What you had was a lot of guys that played even better than they were.”

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NFL PLAYERS POLL

Who is the most underrated player in the league?

Justin Smith, 49ers DE 6%

Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars RB 5%

Fred Jackson, Bills RB 5%

Andre Johnson, Texans WR 4%

Matt Forte, Bears RB 4%

[Based on 198 NFL players who responded to SI’s survey]

FAST FACTS: A whopping 117 players received at least one vote, while only Smith, Jones-Drew and Jackson were named 10 or more times….A fourth-overall draft pick now in his 12th season, Smith got 10 of his 12 nods from offensive players (nine of whom were linemen)….The league’s leading rusher in 2011, Jones-Drew accounts for 48.2% of his team’s offense, the highest share in the NFL….A five-time D-III All-America at Coe College, Jackson went undrafted in 2003 and played two years of indoor ball and a season in Europe before joining the Bills, for whom he had six 100-yard rushing games last year before breaking his leg….Only two quarterbacks—the Giants’ Eli Manning (four votes) and the Bears’ Jay Cutler (two)—were named more than once.

SCORECARD: THE FLOP STOPS HERE – MICHAEL FARBER (@MichaelFarber3)

David Stern and the NBA move to ban the Razzie-worthy acting performances known to most as flopping with an aim to prevent basketball from becoming an indoor version of the other world game. Many of the greats have been known to flagrantly fling themselves, so the question is, Will the crusade to stop the flop prevail, or will the thespians of the NBA go on with their performances (page 15)?

POINT AFTER: THE PLAYOFFS AIN’T BRAIN SURGERY – BRANDON MCCARTHY(@BMcCarthy32)

Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy was sidelined for much of his team’s improbable playoff push after being hit in the skull with a line drive on September 5. He expresses gratitude for his team’s family mentality and support during his recovery and reflects on the bond in Oakland’s clubhouse (page 68).

He writes, “When I had my most recent checkup with my neurosurgeon, I had to ask: If we get to the World Series, can I come back? He said that it’s not impossible—which was all I needed to hear. I have to monitor my concussion symptoms, and if they keep improving, then it’s something I’ll continue to aim for. After all, our team was 13 games behind in the AL West at the end of June and won the division on the season’s last day by beating out teams with way bigger payrolls. Impossible doesn’t mean much to us.”

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THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD

• Lexi Smith (Florence, N.J./Florence High) – Field Hockey
• Sean McGorty (Chantilly, Va./Chantilly High) – Cross-Country
• Kealia Ohai (Draper, Utah/University of North Carolina) – Soccer
• Herman Senor II (Springfield, Ill./Southeast High) – Football
• Clare Culligan (Collegeville, Minn./St. John’s Prep) – Soccer
• Nikola Vavic (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./USC) – Water Polo
  

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.

INSIDE THE WEEK IN SPORTS:

• MLB (page 27): Wash Out – The Rangers built the foundation of a dynasty on the watch of Ron Washington, but his tactical deficiencies exposed him yet again in October.
• College Football (page 32): Campaign Swings – A map shows how America’s ongoing population shift isn’t just a factor in elections this fall – it’s also playing a key role in the Big Ten’s decline.
• NFL (page 33): The Case For…The Stiff-Arm – Few plays in football take away the collective breath of a stadium like the stiff-arm, but it might not be long before it’s a topic broached by the rules committee.

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The Wire Creator David Simon on the Orioles’ Playoff Run: A Scarred City has Something to Believe In

Tom Verducci Sits Down with the Nationals’ Rogue Genius Manager Davey Johnson

Washington, D.C., Threatens to Break Out As a Sports Giant, and RG3 Is Rallying the Redskins

Upon Further Review, It’s Clear That the Replacement Refs Are Inferior

Manti Te’o is the Center of Notre Dame’s Resurgence

(NEW YORK – September 26, 2012) – What are Baltimore sports fans to make of the Orioles’ miraculous run? Years of futility had trained them to wait not for a pennant race in September but for the Ravens’ opening kickoff. Even though there are still empty seats in Camden Yards, a city of scarred baseball fans is finding a way to root for the team that has given it so much heartache (page 68).

Guest writer David Simon, creator of The Wire, has a special place in his heart for the Orioles, having lived in Baltimore since 1983, and his reflection on the team’s improbable postseason run lands the Orioles on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time since catcher Matt Wieters appeared on March 15, 2010. As a lifelong cynic, Simon writes, “For Sports Illustrated to call the bullpen of Baltimore writers and ask for Simon to get loose is a twisted little joke…I grew up hating the Orioles…I am from Washington. And I was born a Senators fan. Does the darkness make sense now? Does it? You sick bastards.”

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RIGHT MAKES MIGHT – TOM VERDUCCI

Over the last decade, two of Nationals manager Davey Johnson’s children have died and he almost lost his own life from a ruptured appendix, but today he is the oldest manager in baseball guiding the league’s second-youngest team to its first postseason. Johnson hadn’t managed in the big leagues in more than 10 years when Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo called him in June 2011 to take over the team. Since then, the Nationals have been run the way Davey chooses and his players are thriving (page 60).

Johnson is described by utilityman Mark DeRosa as “Unfiltered”. This demeanor comes out when asked if the Nationals could have handled their situation with Stephen Strasburg the same way the Braves have handled their young ace Kris Medlen. He said, “No! It’s a crock of s— what they’re doing with Medlen. It ain’t anywhere close [to Strasburg]. They’re trying to act like geniuses. Here’s the deal. And their whole life they’re raised to go through a certain process at certain times of the year. And ballplayers go through them in the spring. Now you take Doc Halladay or anybody, and if you start varying that—don’t let him [pitch] for a month? You don’t what’s going to happen.”

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HAIL TO THE CHIEF – S.L. PRICE

It’s alive again. The cocky vibe, the capital pulse. From the Maryland and Virginia burbs to the heart of D.C., the Redskins are exciting again, and Washington fans have waited 20 years for a good football team. Just the idea of RG3 is enough to make D.C. natives happy. Four years after President Obama came into town with ideas of hope and change, here comes another black man to lead the melting pot of Washington believers – and last NFL team to integrate – to a brighter future (page 52).

Even former D.C. mayor Marion Barry is onboard, saying, “I think they’ve been cursed, until this year.”

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THEY’RE REALLY THAT BAD – L.JON WERTHEIM (@jon_wertheim)

The replacement officials, collectively, are the headache that won’t go away. Thanks to a labor standoff, the NFL has been using replacement refs who so far have shown themselves to be alarmingly mistake-prone, star-struck and shaky on the rule book. It’s easy to pick on the scabs and any casual viewer can snicker at the comedy of errors. But are these guys really that bad (page 48)?

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THE FULL MANTI – PETE THAMEL (@SIPeteThamel)

Three days before Notre Dame played Michigan State, star Irish linebacker Manti Te’o’s grandmother and his girlfriend died in one six-hour period. While their deaths took an obvious emotional toll, Te’o found refuge in practicing and playing, and helped Notre Dame defeat the Spartans with 12 tackles. Yet Te’o’s influence extends off the field, where he’s helped create a brotherhood among teammates and links the Irish’s glorious past and promising future, especially after spurning the NFL for the chance to complete his senior season (page 42).

Says Father Paul Doyle, the rector in Te’o’s former college dorm: “There’s a lot of emphasis on greatness at this level, but Manti is also focused on goodness.”

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SCORECARD: THE BIG MATTER OF SMALL MARKETS – STU SIEGEL

No league has locked out its players out as often as the National Hockey League – 1,698 regular-season games lost over the past two decades, more than major league baseball, the NBA and the NFL combined. The lockout is a players-versus-owners battle, but it’s just as much a war between the high-revenue clubs and the teams that are losing money. It may be tough to muster sympathy for multimillionaires, but when most of these owners say they’re losing money every year, they may be telling the truth (page 17).

POINT AFTER: LOSING ISN’T EVERYTHING – PHIL TAYLOR (@SI_PhilTaylor)

If you’re into eating salads six times a day, like hitting people and weigh no more than 172 pounds, then the Princeton Sprint Football team might be the one for you. Then again, if you like winning, you may want to rethink signing up. The Princeton Tigers’ losing streak: 12 straight seasons without a win – that’s right, since 1999. But these Tigers aren’t discouraged, they’re just happy to be on the field (page 76).

Says assistant coach Ned Moffatt, “It’s all for the chance to keep playing football, or to play it for the first time.”

THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD

• Derrick Henry (Yulee, Fla./Yulee High) – Football
• Julia St. John (Dublin, Ohio/St. Brigid of Kildare Middle School) – Synchronized Swimming
• Nathan Chen (Salt Lake City/Homeschool) – Figure Skating
• Louisa Boddy (Derbyshire, England/University of Connecticut) – Field Hockey
• Andrew Harte (Downers Grove, Ill./Montini Catholic High) – Football
• Katie Fuller (Olvenhain, Calif./USC) – Volleyball

 To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.

INSIDE THE WEEK IN SPORTS:

• MLB (page 31): The Case for . . . American League MVP – The Miguel Cabrera vs. Mike Trout debate stems from the classic argument of traditional and new-school stats. Cabrera may dominate in the batter’s box, but he’s not an overall best player like Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella or 21-year-old Los Angeles Angel, Mike Trout. (@joe_sheehan)
• NFL (page 36): Tape Crusader – Everyone talks about breaking down film, but what can such study really do for a player? Ask Maurice Jones-Drew, the NFL’s resident film geek. (@SI_JimTrotter)
• College Football (page 34): Surprise, Surprise – The preseason is all about predictions; the actual season is about how those predictions get turned upside down. (@SIHolly)

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Sports Illustrated Speed Issue

Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas Is a Touchdown Waiting to Happen

Small Ball Makes a Comeback

Cup Contenders Call on Every Resource for That Extra Mile per Hour

Jeff Saturday Has Been the Fulcrum of Two Teams’ No-Huddle Offense, the Most Dynamic Attacking Scheme

(NEW YORK – September 19, 2012) – Having breezed to a 3-0 start and a #3 ranking in the AP poll, the Oregon Ducks are off and running. Much of the team’s quickness can be attributed to sophomore running back De’Anthony Thomas, whose lightning-fast speed and Heisman potential land him on the cover of the Sept. 24, 2012, issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, on newsstands now. This is the first time Thomas has appeared on the cover, and the first time an Oregon player has appeared since LaMichael James on Dec. 13, 2010.

Like countless other college stars, Thomas got his start in a youth football league. But the man who discovered him wasn’t just any suburban dad: Thomas’s Crenshaw Bears were one of the first teams organized by Snoop Dogg’s youth league in Los Angeles. In the fall of 2005, Thomas caught the rapper’s attention when he fielded an opening kickoff six yards deep and brought it out for a touchdown. Snoop Dogg immediately rushed to the press box, grabbed the P.A. microphone and hollered, “The Black Mamba!” Thomas’s nickname was born. The rapper told senior writer Lee Jenkins (@SI_LeeJenkins): “I think it took him seven seconds to get to the end zone. He was like a snake in the grass” (page 46).

At 5’ 9”, 176 pounds, the Ducks are protecting Thomas like a vintage sports car. Yet he is making the most of limited playing time, averaging one touchdown for every 4.4 touches and 76 yards per carry. Though technically listed as a running back, Thomas’s speed – he runs a 4.38-second 40-yard dash – makes him a threat as a wide receiver, kick returner, punt returner and gunner on special teams. Says Oregon left tackle Kyle Long of his teammate’s blazing speed: “You watch the NFL, you watch college, there’s no one like him. He’s the next generation of position. He’s not a running back or a receiver. He’s a bullet.”

On the Tablets: Heisman Watch: De’Anthony Thomas video.

PENNANT RACERS – ALBERT CHEN (@albertcchen)

The general decline in home runs across major league baseball over the last few seasons has been mirrored by a rise in stolen bases, and that is having an impact on pennant races in both leagues. Offenses are scoring at their lowest rate since 1992, and batters are getting on base at the lowest percentage since 1988. The value of speed players such as the Braves’ Michael Bourne and the Angels’ Mike Trout hasn’t been this great in nearly 20 years. Rays manager Joe Maddon said, “You need to get a lot more creative in scoring runs against better pitching. You need to steal bases; you need to take the extra base; you need to put pressure on opposing teams” (page 40).

All this makes Reds prospect Billy Hamilton even more intriguing. Hamilton obliterated baseball’s professional record for steals this season, with 155 in the minors. His legend seems to grow every day: the phenom who steals bases on pitchouts, scores from second on sacrifice flies and catches fly balls on the warning track. (He’s a shortstop). Most important though, when they are on base, he and other speed players make pitchers think differently. Former infielder Delino DeShields, who managed Hamilton in the minors in 2010 and ’11 said, “Baseball is coming back to its natural state. It was always meant to be about speed. It was always meant to be played fast.”

On the Tablets: Slideshow of baseball’s most disruptive base stealers.

CHASING VELOCITY – LARS ANDERSON (@LarsAndersonSI)

With the race for the Chase Sprint Cup under way, the most valuable player is not the driver. It’s the crew. Five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson understands better than anyone that his crew chief, his team and above all a well-thought-out plan give him a better chance of winning (page 54).

Johnson, who took second, 3.171 seconds behind Keselowski in Sunday’s race, explains, “There’s just so much that goes into winning a race. The technical aspect of our sport now rivals NASA’s.”

CALM AMID THE CHAOS – TIM LAYDEN (@SITimLayden)

Jeff Saturday may be the NFL’s luckiest center. For 13 years, Saturday worked with future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. As a Colt, he snapped more footballs to the same quarterback than any other center in NFL history and picked up a Super Bowl ring along the way. Now in his first year with the Green Bay Packers, Saturday is coupled with another passer who seems destined for the Hall of Fame: Aaron Rodgers (page 58).

In the era of high-tempo passing games and no-huddle offenses, a quick-thinking and clearheaded center—who can also block a 350-pound nosetackle—is essential. Once considered too small for the NFL, Saturday has proved the value of leverage and quickness.  Through the Packers first two games, Saturday’s pass blocking has been nearly flawless, allowing just one QB pressure. Former Colts guard Ryan Lilja, who played with Manning and Saturday in Indianapolis from 2004 through ’09 said, “His hands are like meat hooks, and he plays with no gloves, gets in there and locks on a guy’s chest and the guy is finished. Never loafs for a single play. Never makes excuses. Plays hurt.”

On the Tablets: Podcast with Peter King and Vikings punter Chris Kluwe.

SIDE BY SIDE – DAVID EPSTEIN (@SIDavidEpstein)

There are a lot of fast guys in football, but how does their speed compare with Usain Bolt’s? Titans running back Chris Johnson has suggested he could beat Bolt, and a handful of football players have competed as Olympic sprinters (page 49).

Even given the differences between running on a football field and running on a track, renowned biomechanist and director of USA Track & Field’s elite sprint-and-hurdle program Ralph Mann thinks Bolt could blow away a 40-yard dash field: “All things considered, I would guess he may just be able to break four seconds. It would be close.”

SCORECARD: THIS E IS NOT FOR EXCELLENCE – STEVE RUSHIN (@SteveRushin)

Human error is a redundancy, and imperfection makes life and baseball interesting. On Saturday, September 16, 2012, Jose Reyes made the 500,000 (that’s right, half a million) error in major league history. For SI, it was an occasion to meditate on human fallibility and baseball (page 12).

POINT AFTER: STRIKING A BLOW FOR SLOW – PHIL TAYLOR (@SI_PhilTaylor)

In a world obsessed with speed and instant gratification, it is no surprise that we apply the same expectations to sports. Can you shoot the ball fast enough? Is it a quick or no-huddle offense? In these speedy times, we have to stop and take a look at the nuances of the sport. The knuckleball is one of those nuances. Former knuckleballer Phil Niekro said, “All the managers and G.M.’s say they want guys who know how to pitch. They say location and movement are more important than velocity. I love what guys like R.A. Dickey and Tim Wakefield have done, proving that velocity is not the answer to everything” (page 68).

THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD

• Chioma Ubogagu (Coppell, Texas/Stanford) – Soccer
• Christian Arroyo (Brooksville, Fla./Hernando High) – Baseball
• Christine Hardin (Elizabethton, Tenn./Elizabethton High) – Soccer, Football
• Robby Shelton (Wilmer, Ala./St. Paul’s Episcopal) – Golf
• Kayli Barker (Las Vegas/Mountain View Christian School) – Auto Racing
• Alex Brill (Madison, Wis./Wisconsin) – Cross-Country

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.

INSIDE THE WEEK IN SPORTS

• NFL (page 26): Brains of the Bay – Greg Roman, San Francisco’s mad-scientist schemer, has reanimated the 49ers’ offense with a scary array of bodies. (@SI_JimTrotter)
• Soccer (page 30): Judging Jurgen – World Cup qualifying wasn’t supposed to be this hard – or look this ugly. After a Jamaican scare, it’s time to evaluate the man in charge of the U.S. men’s national team. (@GrantWahl)
• Boxing (page 31): Middle Men – The landscape between 160 and 168 pounds is crowded with hungry, exciting and talented fighters. Here’s a look at the roster and some potential matchups including Daniel Geale and Gennady Golovkin. (@chrismannixsi)
• College Football (page 32): Primed to Plummet – To gain an idea of which unbeaten teams are primed to lose, take a deeper look at the most telling number: yards per play. – Ed Feng
• College Basketball (page 34): The Case for …Jim Calhoun – Sports gives us cool personalities, and they give us hot ones. Jim Calhoun was a hot one. (@alexander_wolff)

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Peyton’s Back and That Could Be Trouble for the Rest of the League

Robert Griffin III Has an Eye-Opening Debut

Become President? Forget about it. West Virginia’s Daron Roberts Wants to Coach

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Is Feeling Great Heading into the Chase

Rae Carruth’s Son Survived Near Death at the Hands of His Father and Is Now Thriving

 (NEW YORK – September 12, 2012) – Peyton Manning’s commanding performance against Pittsburgh put many Broncos fans worries at ease. After completing 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, there is a feeling in Denver that this team could have a special season. Manning’s dominating performance in first game in more than 20 months lands him on the cover of the Sept. 17, 2012, issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands now. This is the 11th time Manning has appeared on the cover, the first time since Nov. 16, 2009.

After signing with Denver in March, Manning immediately moved in with his old college teammate, Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. Throughout the summer Manning would put in long hours, rehabbing his neck, learning the playbook and gathering his receivers for informal throwing sessions. Wide receiver Eric Decker told senior writer Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck), “We were trying to keep it light, but it was a pretty serious vibe. We wanted to show him that we could do things the right way and that coming here was the right choice” (page 32).

With a performance like this on opening weekend, the expectations in Denver will grow larger. When asked about that possibility, Manning said, “I don’t really carry that burden. I know how hard I’ve worked to get back to this position, how much time I’ve put into rehab, how much time I continue to put in. I’m gonna play as hard as I possibly can. That’s all I know to do.”

On the Tablets: Peter King’s last word on Week 1 of the season.

A-PLUS FOR D.C.’S RG3 – PABLO TORRE (@SIPabloTorre)

After just one start in the NFL Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III finds himself on the cover of the regional edition of Sports Illustrated. If he continues to play the way he did during his first start, more will be coming his way. Griffin had a perfect rating in the first half and finished the day 19 of 26 for 320 yards and two touchdowns. The plays he made throughout the day were eye-opening. After many years of trying to find consistency under center, the Redskins may have found their man (page 36).

He worked tirelessly throughout the off-season and did all he could to keep in touch with teammates that he had never met in person. Griffin also sought out retired signal-callers, such as Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon, to pick their brains, hoping to find an edge. Gannon said, “He wanted to be great—he wants to do the work.”

 

On the Tablets: Slideshow of great rookie quarterback debut performances.

 

LAWYER, SENATOR, JUSTICE, ASSISTANT – ANDY STAPLES(@andy_staples)

West Virginia cornerbacks coach Daron Roberts had lofty goals growing up in Texas. He wanted to be his state’s governor and eventually a Supreme Court justice. But while attending Harvard Law, he did an interview with then Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach for a paper he was doing on a possible connection between legal training and coaching football and it changed his life forever. Roberts spent two weeks in Lubbock, Texas, shadowing Leach as he analyzed game video, hosted high school coaches and dealt with players. Of the experience, Roberts said, “The most amazing two-week period of my life.” In that moment he knew what he was supposed to do with his life (page 46).

In 2006, during his third year of law school, he wrote 164 letters to head coaches and defensive coordinators throughout the NFL and college football. His story and his willingness to work for free gained the attention of then Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards. After a three-week unpaid internship with the Chiefs, Roberts stayed on as a full-time unpaid employee for the 2007 season before landing a staff job at the end of the season. After two years in the NFL he felt he was better suited for the college game. He ran into West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen at the BCS national title game in 2011, and Holgorsen hired him because he was intrigued by his resume and was given a great recommendation from Leach. This past year Roberts was named co-recruiter of the Big East by Scout.com. Edwards said, “The way he goes about his business, it won’t be long until he’s a head coach.”

 

On the Tablets: Teaser trailer on the segment from the NBC show.

 

DALE JR.’S BACK IN THE RACE – LARS ANDERSON (@LarsAndersonSI)

The biggest story in American motor sports this year has been the renewed relevance of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finds himself in position to win his first Sprint Cup championship. Despite being the sport’s most popular driver and raking in money from endorsement deals, Earnhardt realized last March that he had to become more accountable for his actions on and off of the track if he wanted to win. He says of the epiphany: “I knew right then that if I didn’t change a bunch of s— in my life, I was going to be a has-been. But in Las Vegas, I just knew I needed to put more effort into this thing” (page 52).

A deeper commitment to physical fitness has been a prominent factor in Earnhardt’s return to contention. Encouraged by his girlfriend to cut out the six packs of Mountain Dew, he now jogs, lifts weights and avoids alcohol in the four days before every race. As a result, his stamina and concentration late in races have improved. Reaching closure about his father’s death has also helped him race with a healthier attitude. Says NASCAR all time wins leader Richard Petty, “Trust me, when your personal life is crap, your racing life is crap. Junior has finally got his personal life figured out, and, damn, that boy is now running like he can win a championship. It isn’t a coincidence.”

 

On the Tablets: Dale Jr. photo slideshow.

 

PUTTING METTLE TO THE PEDAL – KELLI ANDERSON (@KelliAndersonSI)

Eleven years ago this week at the Lausitzring track in Germany, former open-wheel driver Alex Zanardi lost both legs in one of the most horrific crashes racing has ever seen. Zanardi avoided the depression that could have beset him by tackling his situation head on. He competes in handcycle events across the country. Earlier this month, he won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games in London and won the hand cycling division of the New York City Marathon last November (page 42).

After his win in London, Zanardi said, “To win in this way… makes me really proud. It shows that I am a complete cyclist, even if I have no legs.”

 

THE BOY THEY COULDN’T KILL – THOMAS LAKE (@ThomasLake)

Thirteen years ago then former NFL receiver Rae Carruth conspired to kill his pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams, and their unborn son. The boy has not only survived, but thrived. His grandmother, Saundra Adams, has provided unwavering love and has shown him the most important trait she knows: Forgiveness (page 60).

When Saundra spoke at Carruth’s sentencing hearing, she said, “In my heart, because I’m a Christian, as an act of my will, and because I know it’s out of obedience to God, I am forgiving Ray Carruth.”

When she spoke with senior writer Thomas Lake earlier this summer, she said, “I’m not gonna have anything negative to say about him [Carruth]. I thank him for my grandson. I thank him for my grandson. Like I say, you can focus on what you’ve lost or what have you have left. So I didn’t lose. I have my grandson. I have my daughter with me in my heart, always. I have her with me through Lee. So I don’t focus on loss. I mean, I think she’s in Heaven, with God, so that’s definitely not a loss.”

On the Tablets: Podcast with Richard Deitsch and Thomas Lake.

SORECARD: HE’S SO PREDICTABLE – ALEXANDER WOLFF (@alexander_wolff)

Nate Silver is a professional predictor and his political blog, FiveThirtyEight, is sure to see heavy traffic numbers as the Nov. 6 election comes closer. In 2008, Silver correctly called the Electoral College vote in 49 of 50 states and went 35-0 in Senate races. His success in predictions doesn’t just resonate in politics; he has a similarly impressive record in baseball, thanks to breakthrough forecasting system, PECOTA. The system has been successful because Silver was always adding to it, taking that extra step and forecasting seven possible paths, each with its own degree of probability (page 14).

Anil Kashyap, a professor at Chicago’s Booth School of Business, says of Silver, “Nate has a way of interpreting stuff, but not in the way someone trained by rote would do it. For PECOTA, I would have used a standard regression analysis, and it would have been way less good than what he did. Nate rolls his own all the time.”

POINT AFTER: BOTTOM OF THE 19TH, THE WALK-OFF – CHIPPER JONES

Braves third basemen Chipper Jones, who is retiring at the end of the season, reflects back on a career of high’s and low‘s and his excitement for what lies ahead (page 72).

He writes, “I believe everything happens for a reason. My four kids, three with my second wife, are athletic, smart, fun, still young. I’ve been a part-time father. Now, come October, I’m going to be a full-time father, like my father was to me. I’m going to teach Shea to bat switch. He’s eight. It’s time. I’m saying goodbye without a tear in my eye. I gave it my all.”

 

THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD (COACHES EDITION)

• Dylan Beasley (Bardstown, Ky./Nelson County High) – Football
• Diamond Deshields (Norcross, Ga./Norcross High) – Basketball
• Tyler Dunn (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset High) – Lacrosse
• Beatrice Burns (Hamden, Conn.) – Triathlon
• Martin Murphy (Cary, N.C./North Carolina) – Soccer
• Dominique Mecca (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park High) – Riflery

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces

INSIDE THE WEEK IN SPORTS

• NFL (page 24): Air Time – Armed with a trio of offensive weapons and a new offensive strategy, Matt Ryan and the Falcons are ready to showcase a high-powered offense this season. (@si_jimtrotter)
• MLB (page 28): Home Run Derby – Even in a low-scoring era, the Yankees and Orioles are relaying on hitting home runs to score and it’s working well for both teams. (@joe_sheehan)
• College Football (page 30): Follow the Hog Wild Brick Road – Since 2005 no team in college football has endured a more topsy-turvy path than on the field, with the coaches and players than the Arkansas Razorbacks. (@LarsAndersonSI)

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